One glance at BEEF's Producer Optimism Index, derived from our annual State of the Industry survey, reveals a fundamental truth about being in the cattle business — it is often a roller coaster of an emotional ride, with ups and downs in the outlookas factors both internal and external change from year to year.After rebounding last year, readers' optimism seems to have turned south once again, as beef producers face a wide array of weather challenges, the prospect of more beef production and lower cattle prices in the next few years, and uncertainty over international trade. However, a closer look at BEEF's Producer Optimism Index shows long-term optimism is still above the baseline 100 level, illustrating that even in the face of lots of challenges, beef producers know that while the ride may be bumpy, it'sa marathon and not a sprint when you're in the beef business (Figure 1).
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