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Ethanol plants and foreign demand have pushed corn prices to some of
their highest prices in the past decade. In this issue of the
American Cowman Update we offer an in-depth commentary on the
subject of corn prices by North Dakota State University Extension Beef
Specialist Greg Lardy. This Week's Tip also provides some insight
and predictions on how corn prices will impact cattle prices for 2007.
Beginning Jan. 31, the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show
will convene in Nashville, TN. North Carolina cattleman John Queen will
assume the presidency of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association at
the convention. In the January 2007 issue of our sister publication
BEEF magazine, Queen said, "I'm just a small producer from a
community of small producers, and I want them to know they're as
important as any other operator." For more on Queen's history and his
plans for the industry, see the story below.
Also, for general coverage of the Cattle Industry Annual Convention
visit www.4cattlemen.com and
click on Newsroom. The Feb. 14 issue of American Cowman Update
will feature highlights from the convention as well.
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The sudden upswing in demand and prices for corn due to the
expanding ethanol industry has placed new stresses on beef cattle
producers.
The slide in feeder cattle prices this fall leaves little doubt that the
price of corn has a huge impact on what feedlot operators can and will
pay for feeder cattle. In most cases, feeder cattle futures contracts
are off $20 or more per hundredweight from their highs early this fall,
while corn is up over $1 per bushel during the same time period. Very
few people predicted this rapid rise in corn prices, but yet here it is.
So, what does the future hold?
It's no secret that the ethanol industry has been expanding rapidly.
There are currently 109 ethanol plants in operation in the United
States, another 56 under construction, and 7 in the process of
undergoing major expansion. The plants currently in operation have the
capacity to produce slightly more than 5.25 billion gallons of ethanol
annually. Those plants under construction and in expansion (most of
which will be completed in the next 12 to18 months) will add almost 4.4
billion gallons annually to that capacity..To read the complete
article, click on the headline above.
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The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has extended the
comment period on how to define the term "natural" until March 5.
FSIS conducted a public meeting Dec. 12, 2006, to discuss a petition to
establish a definition for the voluntary claim "natural." The agency
also gathered comments on conditions under which the claim should be
allowed to be used on the labels of meat and poultry products.
The original comment period closed on Jan. 11, 2007; however, FSIS has
taken this action to respond to requests that were made at and after the
Dec. 12, 2006, meeting. To view a transcript from the public meeting,
visit FSIS' web site at www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Natural_Claims_Transcripts.pdf.
In other natural beef news, Ivy Natural Solutions has launched a new web
site to connect natural beef producers with branded beef managers. The
website at www.usnaturalbeef.com will offer
a free cattle listing service that will enable branded beef managers to
connect with natural beef producers who have cattle that fit their
specifications. In addition to the listing service,
www.usnaturalbeef.com will serve as a source of information and "Best
Management Practices" for natural beef producers.
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More than 200 Iowa farm families received help growing their
livestock farms responsibly and successfully from the Coalition to
Support Iowa's Farmers (CSIF) in 2006, bringing the total number of
farmers served by the organization to more than 570 since its launch in
2004.
"Farm families who raise livestock generate economic activity on main
streets, create employment for thousands of Iowans and spur development
of Iowa's renewable energy industry, said CSIF Executive Director Aaron
Putze. "Vibrant livestock farms are also proven to benefit communities
by boosting K-12 school enrollment and keeping young people closer to
home. Helping livestock farmers grow responsibly is good for Iowa and
CSIF is pleased to be a part of this effort."
Those receiving assistance from CSIF included families involved in all
methods of livestock farming - from the use of open lots and pasture to
indoor, climate controlled hog, cattle, turkey and poultry barns. The
Coalition's efforts focused on helping farmers exceed regulations,
identify the best locations for new farms and enhance relations with
neighbors and friends.
The positive, solutions-oriented approach to helping livestock farmers
grow is a collaborative effort involving the Iowa Cattleman's
Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Pork
Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, and the Iowa Soybean
Association. The Coalition's mission is to strengthen Iowa's communities
by helping livestock farmers grow responsibly and prosper. There is no
charge to farmers for accessing the Coalition's help.
Most recently, the Coalition launched its "Good Neighbors Building
Trust" campaign including a 16-minute DVD offering specific insight into
the best ways to grow a livestock farm. To date nearly 19,000 copies of
the educational DVD have been distributed throughout Iowa generating new
calls from families wanting to benefit from more cattle, hogs dairy and
poultry.
For more information about CSIF's activities or to order a free copy of
the DVD packet, contact the Coalition at www.supportfarmers.com/.
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A new teaching tool produced by the American Farm Bureau Foundation
for Agriculture addresses common misconceptions about agriculture using
sound, science-based information.
"People who do not understand how food is produced and the challenges
associated with its production are often easily misled," says Betty
Wolanyk, director of education and research for the Foundation.
She notes that many misconceptions about agriculture and the environment
can be found in textbooks and on the Internet. Others are perpetuated
through advertising that inaccurately portrays America's farmers and
ranchers.
To combat those misconceptions, AFBF's instruction kit is designed to be
user-friendly and provides everything that's needed to effectively
challenge many of the common misconceptions people have about
agriculture.
The kit's 35 issues cover topics ranging from DDT to global food issues
and nutrition to organic food production. "Brown cows produce chocolate
milk" is one of the most common misconceptions about agriculture, even
among adults," says Wolanyk. When some parents can't get the answer to
that question right, "we in agriculture really have our work cut out for
us," she adds.
The kit was originally designed for classroom use at the high school and
college levels. According to Wolanyk, demand for the presentation led
the Foundation to create a shorter version that can be presented in 45
minutes to an hour or adapted for an even shorter presentation. Both
versions are included in the kit on a CD-ROM along with an 11-page
lesson plan, background information on each issue and three sets of
student cards.
"Addressing Misconceptions About Agriculture" instructors' kits may be
ordered online at www.ageducate.org.
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With corn prices increasing from the $2 to $2.50 per bushel range to
upwards of $4 during 2006, Steve Swigert, an agricultural economist with
The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Okla., is advising
cattle producers to prepare for decreased profits in 2007.
"For every 25 cents per bushel increase in the price of corn, calves are
worth about $6 less per hundredweight," Swigert said. "That means a
500-pound calf would be worth $30 less."To read the complete article,
click on the headline above.
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When John Queen was a high school freshman in Waynesville, NC, what
he lacked in punishing mass as a 5 1/2-ft., 140-lb. running back he made
up for in enthusiasm for the team experience. A backup player, Queen's
big chance to realize his Friday night dreams of slicing through the
defense toward pay-dirt glory came when the starting running back was
injured, vaulting Queen into a likely playing spot that weekend.
Anticipating that weekend's game, Queen recalls it was a heady week of
practice, particularly on Wednesday when his dad showed up
unexpectedly.
"He stood there for five minutes, and I could see him motioning me to
come over. I went over, expecting some good advice. Instead, he told me
a frost was coming that night and I needed to change clothes and get
home to help him pick green, row-crop tomatoes," Queen says. "Well, one
thing I never did was tell my daddy, 'no.' So I went home and never got
to play in that football game, but it instilled a work ethic in me I've
never forgotten, and I do love to work to this day."
Queen describes the event as one of those painful learning experiences
that gain perspective with time. The story illustrates both the
importance that team pursuits have always held for him and full
dedication to the job at hand.
It isn't that he's a reluctant leader, but Queen, who assumes his duties
next month as president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
(NCBA), says riding at the head of one of America's most powerful ag
commodity groups was never his quest. This cattleman from the mountains
of western North Carolina, however, says he found himself -- after a
lifelong history of volunteerism -- with the opportunity to advocate
for smaller operators like himself.
I'm just a small producer from a community of small producers, and I
want them to know they're as important as any other operator," Queen
says.
To read the complete article, click on the headline above.
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Producers and marketers from across the country will come together
to discuss the latest developments in the grass-fed beef industry at a
national conference in February. The National Grass-fed Beef
Conference: The Art and Science of Grass-fed Beef is a collaborative
venture of The Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural
Sciences, the Northeast SARE Research and Education Program, and the US
Department of Agriculture's International Sciences Exchange Program. The
event will be held February 28 through March 2, 2007 at the Holiday Inn
Harrisburg-Hershey in Grantville, PA.
The conference will feature two speakers from Argentina to discuss
Argentinean beef production methods and over 40 speakers from across the
nation that will address topics including forage systems, marketing,
animal health and well-being, and human nutrition.
For more information about this event and to register for the conference
visit http://www.conferences.cas.psu.edu or call 814-865-8301.
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A new conference, MarketPlace -- Opening Doors to Rural
Success, will be held at the Ramada Inn in Kearney, NE, on February
28, and will focus on building jobs and the rural economy from within.
The conference will offer training, networking, and professional
development opportunities for startup and existing small businesses,
rural communities, and family farmers and ranchers.
The conference is modeled after one held in North Dakota for the last 18
years, Marketplace for Entrepreneurs. It draws between 7,000 to
10,000 people every year and has had great success in new small business
development and job creation throughout the state.
In addition to allowing prospective entrepreneurs to network with
experts and ask questions, Marketplace will feature a series of teaching
tracts throughout the day -- from 30-40 training opportunities --
anything from "How to Write a Business Plan" to "How to Market your
Business." Simultaneous tracts will be offered with sessions focused on
agricultural entrepreneurship, youth entrepreneurship, community
development, and rural issues and policy.
For more information about the event contact contact Kathie
Starkweather, 402-687-2103 x 1014, kathies@cfra.org or visit
http://www.marketplacenebraska.org/
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A leader, volunteer and Hereford promoter, Amber Schmidt of
Pipestone, MN, has been crowned the 2007 National Polled Hereford
Queen.
Schmidt competed against nine other state queens for the 33rd national
title, which was announced Jan. 13 at the National Western Stock Show in
Denver. First runner-up and Miss Congeniality went to Katlin Mulvaney,
Opelika, AL, and second runner-up to Kelliann Blazek, Bangor, WI.
Schmidt will represent the Hereford breed at shows, sales and other
events throughout the U.S. "This is the perfect opportunity to give
back," she says, referencing the opportunities she's had because of her
Hereford involvement.
A member of the Minnesota Junior Hereford Breeders (MJHB) for 13 years,
Schmidt has proudly exhibited her Herefords in not only Minnesota, but
also North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. She shared this
experience in the showring and her knowledge of the breed with other
Minnesota juniors as a MJHB director for six years. She and her older
sister, Jenna, are now organizing the first Midwest Classic Show to be
held in Pipestone in July.
"It is because of my family that I have such a love for the breed,"
Schmidt says. Schmidt is a senior at Pipestone Area High School and is
also taking general courses at Minnesota West Technical and Community
College. After this year, she plans to attend a four-year college to
major in animal science and to eventually pursue a career in veterinary
medicine.
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A new Web site, www.beefresearch.org, showcases
checkoff-funded research in fact sheets and summaries, graphics,
extensive resource listings, related Web sites, staff contacts and even
glossaries of terms. The site is reader-friendly, presenting facts and
findings in layman's terms.
Research presented on the site features four priority areas: human
nutrition, beef safety, market research and product enhancement. Much of
the information on the Web site, ranging from ethanol byproducts to
anti-carcinogenic activity in beef, has stemmed from cooperative
research efforts at some of the country's leading university
agricultural and meat-science programs.
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