Tyler Cozzens’ deep connection to agriculture began on a small farm in northeastern Colorado and continues in his role as director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC).
Raised on a century-old family farm in Eaton, CO, Tyler is the fifth generation to live and work on the land.
“Growing up, we had cattle and sheep,” Tyler told WLJ. “We feed cattle, depending on the time of year, anywhere from 200 to 400 head. And when I was really young, we had a lambing operation, so at any time, we would have about a 1,000 head of sheep on our farm.”
Tyler said his family also cultivated corn, pinto beans, sugar beets, hay, wheat and, for a while, onions.
“I’m still involved, just to a lesser degree with the demand of work and so forth, but it’s still very much a part of my life and who I am,” he said.
While agriculture has always been a calling, Tyler’s path took a brief detour. After earning an associate’s degree from Aims Community College in Greeley, CO, Tyler attended Colorado State University (CSU), majoring in business, and a brief stint in construction followed.
“I always knew I wanted to be involved in ag,” Tyler said. “Numbers and analysis were my strengths, so pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural economics felt like the right move.”
Tyler received his master’s degree at CSU and worked for a year at the USDA before receiving his doctorate at CSU.
Following graduate school, in 2015, Tyler’s career gained momentum as he worked for USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), bringing his graduate studies together with global analysis of livestock/meat production and trade. His role required forecasting global livestock production and trade. Tyler remarked that moving from Colorado to the nation’s capital was an eye-opening experience.
“It was a culture shock,” he admitted. “Going from a rural community to the heart of policymaking was an adjustment. But traveling to places like China, Spain and Argentina broadened my perspective on the interconnectedness of global trade.”
Tyler said his graduate studies focused on the economic impacts of animal diseases, particularly how they disrupt trade flows, which was part of the reason for his decision to take the position at FAS. He continued to be on the front lines of this work and his involvement in the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report gave him valuable insights and added a critical component to his professional toolbox.
Eventually, Tyler’s desire to return closer to home led him to work at LMIC. He joined as an agricultural economist in 2019 and rose to become the director in July 2024.
Living in Lakewood, CO, Tyler balances being an hour away from the family farm and leading a national organization.
“For me, it was about quality of life,” Tyler said, reflecting on his decision to leave D.C. “Family and community are important, and that’s what drives me.”
LMIC
Under Tyler’s leadership, LMIC continues its mission as a nonprofit supporting land-grant universities and producer groups with vital data and analysis. “We’re the behind-the-scenes support system,” Tyler explained. “Our mission is to provide the resources our members need for research and outreach.”
Tyler said LMIC is primarily funded by annual dues from 29 land-grant universities covering most of its operating expenses. These universities rely on LMIC to serve as a central hub for collecting, compiling, analyzing and disseminating livestock data, ensuring they avoid duplicating efforts in their research. According to Tyler, LMIC also receives funding from partnerships with producer organizations like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, American Sheep Industry Association, CoBank and eight USDA agencies, as well as subscriptions from private consultants and industry professionals who access its data and resources.
Cattle inventory report
As the livestock industry enters 2025, the annual Cattle inventory report set to be released at the end of the month will shape market expectations. Tyler said LMIC projects a 1% decline in inventory levels, reflecting reduced herd sizes and delayed rebuilding efforts.
“There’s no real indication of heifer retention or herd rebuilding at this point,” Tyler said.
Tyler highlighted factors such as regional droughts, high operating costs and changing market efficiencies that influence producers’ decisions as reasons for the decline in inventory levels.
While favorable conditions like corn prices below $5 and hay prices at a three-to-four-year low offer opportunities, these positives are highly regionalized, especially with ongoing dryness across parts of the western U.S.
Tyler emphasized the impact of interest rates, noting that operating loans and feeder cattle purchasing rates reported by the Federal Reserve Banks of Kansas City and Dallas now hover around 9%, compared to 6% a decade ago. This increased cost of borrowing, combined with strong cash flow from selling cull cows and heifers, heavily influences producers’ strategies as they approach 2025, potentially delaying rebuilding efforts for another one to two years.
Consumer demand
Despite high beef prices, consumer demand remained unexpectedly robust in 2024, a trend Tyler finds both encouraging and uncertain.
“We’ve seen $8 per pound beef hold strong, but as prices push higher, the demand elasticity for beef will come into play and ration supplies,” he explained. Tyler predicts some consumers may shift from premium cuts to alternatives like pork, chicken or cheaper cuts of beef as they stretch their budgets.
The dynamics of inflation, interest rates and consumer spending habits will be critical to watch in 2025.
“As interest rates ease slightly, we might see some relief for producers, but the economic pressures on consumers will remain a key factor,” Tyler said.
He emphasized that maintaining efficiency within the industry, particularly with heavier carcass weights and streamlined operations, will help mitigate some of the supply challenges.
Mixed outlook for sheep
Reflecting on the sheep and lamb industry in 2024, Tyler noted that one of the year’s biggest surprises was the higher-than-expected slaughter pace.
“We saw weekly slaughter rates up almost 3%, with dressed weights down slightly—about half a percent,” Tyler explained. “Overall, lamb and mutton production rose roughly two and a half percent, which added to the supply side and weighed on prices.”
Tyler highlighted another striking feature of the market: the nearly flat wholesale lamb price, which has averaged $4.70/lb. for nearly a year.
“It’s been dead flat, and that’s something I’m watching closely as we head into 2025,” Tyler continued, particularly with higher slaughter rates expected around the Easter season in March.
Looking ahead, Tyler pointed to the upcoming lamb inventory report at the month’s end as a key indicator for 2025 supplies.
“The long-term trend has been a gradual decline of about 1% to 2% in inventory levels, but we’ll see if those higher slaughter numbers lead to revisions,” Tyler said.
He attributed some elevated slaughter pace to cull ewes coming to market, likely influenced by drought conditions or limited feed supplies. “It’s important to keep those factors in mind,” Tyler said, emphasizing how such trends shape his outlook for the year ahead.
Tyler remains humble about his journey. “I’m just a simple farm kid,” he said. “There’s nothing special about me, but I’m passionate about supporting the industry that shaped who I am.”
At the helm of LMIC, Tyler is helping the livestock industry navigate its challenges and seize opportunities. For Tyler, it’s not just about providing data and tools—it’s about making a difference for the producers and communities he’s always been a part of. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
