What Do Food Trends Mean for Animal Ag? | Beef Production Projected Down | AI Food Supply Chain Adoption Grows
Updated: Sep 14
Compilation of news from industry sources (September 11, 2026)
On this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, Chrissy Wozniak speaks with Susan Backus, vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at the Meat Institute (and upcoming speaker at the 15th annual Women in Agribusiness Summit, Sept. 22-24 in New Orleans), about the changing American diet and what those shifts mean for animal agriculture. Changes in nutrition policy, affordability, convenience, health trends, and consumer perceptions can ultimately ripple throughout the food system and all the way back to farmers and ranchers.
Rabobank expects global beef production to fall 2% in the third quarter due to further tightening of supplies and supporting market fundamentals. The forecast by RaboResearch noted declines in production for key markets like Europe, the United States, Brazil and China. Details in the report show US beef imports increased in the first half of 2026. Rabobank stated volumes rose 11% to a record 3.3 billion lbs.
AI reduces the time needed to gather information and maintain spreadsheets, said Erin Nazetta, an executive adviser for agriculture, commodities and global risk.
“It is freeing up time for buyers, purchasers and the decision-makers to focus a little bit more on relationships and decisions,” she said.
Nazetta, who has experience across investment management, banking and global agribusiness and previously worked for Rabobank and Bunge, spoke at the Sosland Purchasing Seminar, held in June in Kansas City. She electronically fielded a poll on AI in a session that had over 100 attendees. Forty-eight percent said their companies were experimenting with AI through pilots with no commitment, compared with 24% not using AI yet, 18% deployed in real workflows and 10% embedded in daily work.
