Seeking Supply Chain Transparency, CME Group Launches Boxed Beef Index

As Congress works to pass legislation to create new transparency in the beef marketplace, the CME Group has a new Boxed Beef Index, a pricing tool that tracks the daily value of boxed beef through the supply chain. It’s intended to show the margin between what producers net from cattle sales compared to processor revenue from boxed beef sales, with a focus on the Choice and Select grades that net higher consumer prices. The resulting price discovery from the index will help producers better manage risk and plan for daily cutout prices that contribute to overall value across the supply chain. Daily data will show a rolling five-day summary that accounts for daily cattle load totals, yielding a five-day weighted average for beef carcass values. See more about the new index.