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Some of the best pasture of the year may still be available this
fall – from your alfalfa fields, says Bruce Anderson, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln forage specialist.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska
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Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have introduced
bipartisan energy tax legislation that seeks to reduce America’s
dependence on foreign oil and create energy jobs. Baucus said, “This
bill has the right tax policy to create thousands of jobs, jumpstart
alternative-energy solutions and finally move America away from our
dependence on foreign oil.” Key provisions of the bill
include:- Long-term extensions of wind and solar energy tax
credits.
- Consumer credit of up to $7,500 for plug-in electric vehicles.
- New credit for capture and storage of carbon dioxide.
- Extension of tax incentives for energy-efficiency including
buildings, appliances and smart meters.
- Long-term extensions of credits for alternative transportation
fuels.
- $2.5 billion in new credits for clean coal facilities.
- New tax incentive for smart meters, which provide real-time feedback
on electricity use.
- Extension of Biodiesel Production Tax Credit for three years
(through Dec. 31, 2011).
- VEETC – The Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) is
extended through 2011.
The Senate is expected to consider this
legislation yet this month.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.
correspondent
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The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has been under
Congressional pressure to investigate speculation in the futures market.
CFTC completed a report on the activities of swap dealers and commodity
index traders and made the following recommendations:- Remove swap
dealer from commercial category and create new swap dealer
classification for reporting purposes.
- Develop and publish a new periodic supplemental report on
over-the-counter (OTC) swap dealer activity.
- Create a new CFTC Office of Data Collection with enhanced procedures
and staffing.
- Develop “long form” reporting for certain large traders to more
accurately assess type of trading activity.
- Review whether to eliminate bona fide hedge exemptions for swap
dealers and create new limited risk management exemptions.
CFTC
Commissioner Bart Chilton dissented with the Commission’s report and
recommendations stating, “I do not believe the Commission’s
recommendations go far enough, and I have significant concerns relating
to the underlying analysis on which the recommendations are based.”
Chilton believes Congress should provide CFTC with specific authority to
obtain data regarding over-the-counter transactions that may impact
exchange-traded markets. He also would like Congress to give CFTC
authority to address “market disturbances or violations of the
Commodity Exchange Act, based on the data received pursuant regarding
over-the-counter transactions.”
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.
correspondent
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With cattlemen in Southeast Texas and Louisiana still reeling, and
assessing the damage, from Hurricane Ike’s landfall last weekend,
BEEF magazine is amassing the latest coverage and info on
recovery efforts at beefmagazine.com/natural-disaster/ike/.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Burt Rutherford
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Cost, quality and healthiness exert more influence on consumers’
purchasing decisions in the UK than environmental factors, according to
research by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA). The research showed
only 10% of shoppers were motivated to buy products based on how
“green” they were, reports Food Production Daily.
What’s more, the majority of those likely to spend more on products
produced in a sustainable way would only spend “a little more”
rather than “a lot more,” researchers reported.
FSA says its study shows not many consumers are carrying out a number of
distinct activities such as buying free-range eggs, buying locally
farmed meat, choosing fair-trade products, buying organic meat/poultry,
choosing food based on air miles or choosing fish based on stock
levels.
“In total, only 1.5% of shoppers have conducted all six of these
different food related environmental activities in the last two months,
while 5% have conducted five or more, and 13% have conducted four or
more of these activities in the last two months,” the survey
says.
-- Food Production Daily
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“Those days of $2/bu. corn are probably gone,” says Judson
Vasconcelos, University of Nebraska feedlot nutrition/management
specialist at Scottsbluff. “The high cost of feed grains is putting
cow-calf and feedlot profits under severe economic pressure.”
To help cattlemen deal with high input costs, the University of Nebraska
has kicked off an initiative called “Surviving High Input Costs,”
where Extension specialists have written a variety of publications
targeted at cow-calf and feedlot producers to help them survive bad
economic times. Information is now available and more will be posted in
the coming months, Vasconcelos says.
Information can be found at beef.unl.edu.
-- University of Nebraska release
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With prices for feed, fuel and pasture driving up cow costs — and
drought seemingly always just around the corner — ranchers are looking
for ways to sharpen efficiency and reduce costs. For those lucky enough
to operate in the shadow of an ethanol-production facility, the answer
is often distillers grains (DGs).
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Joe Roybal
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European Union Ag Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said in South
Africa this week that Brazilian beef will remain out of the European
Union (EU) until that country can meet the required safety standards.
Boel also said that, while the EU would assist Brazil in getting its
facilities up to standard, there would be no relaxing of the rules
currently in place.
-- Muriel Elizabeth Hayes, Argentina
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Feral cattle on Alaska’s Chirikof Island are genetically distinct
from commercial breeds in the Lower 48, according to USDA’s Ag
Research Service, and that may yield valuable information to help
cattlemen produce cattle with more cold tolerance.
Treeless, desolate and cold, Chirikof Island lies about 60 miles
southwest of Kodiak Island. For more than 100 years, the island has been
home to feral cattle whose origin is unknown. A recent genetic analysis
of the cattle showed they are similar to the Siberian Yakut cattle,
which are small, stocky and extremely hardy, but their genetic material
is increasingly limited.
Researchers concluded that the hardy Chirikof cattle and their genetic
uniqueness may have benefits to cattle breeders, particularly related to
cold hardiness or adaptability to specific forges.
For more info, go to www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/sep08/cattle0908.htm.
-- Ag Research Service release
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Propelled by temporary refinery outages resulting from Hurricanes
Gustav and Ike, the U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline
increased for the first time in 10 weeks, rising 18.7¢ to $3.835/gal.,
but still 27.9¢ below the all-time high set on July 7. Meanwhile, the
average U.S. retail diesel price continued to slide, dropping 3.6¢ to
$4.023, its lowest point since April 7.
Gasoline for the week ending Sept. 15 was up on the East Coast, jumping
20¢ to $3.809/gal., while the Midwest soared 31¢ to $3.946, the Gulf
Coast rose 20.6¢ to $3.757, and the Rocky Mountains shaved 1.3¢ to
$3.754. The West Coast receded another 4.3¢ to $3.77, and California
was down 5.5¢ to $3.804.
The average U.S. price for diesel has now fallen 74.1¢ off the all-time
high set July 14. For the week, the East Coast dipped 1.8¢ to
$4.082/gal., while the Midwest dropped another 4.2¢ to $3.973, the Gulf
Coast shaved half a cent to $4.011, and the Rocky Mountains dropped by
6.4¢ to $4.041. The West Coast sliced 10¢ to $4.056, and California
plunged 13.2¢ to hit $4.053/gal.
-- Energy Information Administration
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Mob grazing is a growing topic among ranchers looking for more
profitable ranching operations and the Running High Ranch near Bowie,
TX, is hosting seminars next month to introduce the concept. The
seminars are Oct. 25-26 on holistic management biological monitoring;
Oct. 27-28 on holistic management land planning; and Oct. 29 at the
Decatur Civic Center in Decatur, TX on mob grazing. The seminars will be
led by Ian Mitchell-Innes, a holistic management certified educator and
South African rancher.
Cost to attend the biological monitoring or land planning seminar is
$450/person/seminar, or $800 for both classes. The mob-grazing seminar
is $100. For info, go to www.hrm-texas.org and click on
October Intensives.
-- Texas Holistic Resource Management release
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The National Farmers Union, R-CALF and U.S. Cattlemen’s
Association have written USDA Secretary Ed Schafer to express their
disappointment in USDA’s interim final rule to implement mandatory
country-of-origin labeling (COOL) as it relates to the labeling of
multiple countries of origin products.
Tom Buis, president of National Farmers Union, said, “The law clearly
states that products born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. are to be
labeled as a product of the U.S. Despite this clear language, USDA’s
rules will allow packers to label exclusively American products with
those from other countries. USDA has created a loophole big enough to
drive a truck through, violating the spirit, letter and intent of the
law and deceiving consumers who have consistently shown support for
buying U.S. products. This is truth in labeling.”
COOL is to go into effect Sept. 30.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.
correspondent
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Don’t forget about America’s veterinarians, the American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is telling John McCain and Barack
Obama. The AVMA is asking the two major-party candidates for U.S.
president to integrate into their platforms positions in support of
veterinary medicine, food safety and animal health and well-being.
“Our nation is heading toward a crisis because there are only 85,000
veterinarians to keep all of these animals and the humans in contact
with them healthy," says W. Ron DeHaven, AVMA CEO. He urged the
candidates to pledge leadership on these key issues:- America
faces a dangerous shortage of veterinarians -- especially in critical
rural areas, where food animals are typically raised and inspected. The
new President will need to champion measures for growing the number of
veterinarians and recruiting more to serve in rural areas.
- Crucial food safety programs and resources, such as the Food Animal
Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD), are frequently underfunded or at
risk of closure, and the new President must take strong stances to
preserve them.
- The AVMA calls on the new President to ensure that veterinarians are
appointed to lead the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
and the Food Safety Inspection Service.
--
AVMA news release
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The House of Representatives passed comprehensive energy legislation
that allows for expanded oil and gas development in the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS).
The bill allows leasing for oil and gas between 50 and 100 miles in
federal waters offshore if states “opt-in” to allow leasing off
their coastlines. It also maintains the current prohibition against oil
and gas leasing in an area of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico until
2022.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the legislation, “will honor
our responsibility to make America energy independent, to free us from
our dependence on foreign oil, a strong national security issue; to
protect consumers, to lower prices and to protect the taxpayer, and
third, to invest in renewable energy resources which will take us into
the future. Fourth part of that: it will create good paying jobs here in
America.”
However, the Republicans said the legislation needs to allow for a more
expansive drilling program and more funding for nuclear power. The
White House said it would veto the bill. The Senate is expected to
consider its energy legislation next week.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.
correspondent
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U.S. Representatives Bob Etheridge (D-NC) and Jerry Moran (R-KS)
have introduced legislation that clarifies the 2008 farm bill language
that ends some subsidies for farmers with 10 acres or less. The 2008
farm bill allows small farmers to aggregate their acres so they will
have the minimum base of 10 acres to be eligible for support programs,
but USDA has indicated it would not allow aggregation of acres.
Etheridge and Moran said, “The USDA’s interpretation of the
10-acre-base provision in the farm bill would prevent thousands of small
farmers from receiving the payments they are owed, putting them in
jeopardy of going out of business. The farm bill was never intended to
prevent small farmers from aggregating their land.”
States that are most effected by this provision would be Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, D.C.
correspondent
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Last Friday, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) reclassified New Mexico as a modified accredited advanced state
for bovine tuberculosis. Previously, the state had been divided into two
zones, one which was accredited free and the other which was classified
as modified accredited advanced. Since the detection of bovine TB in two
herds since May 2007, the entire state has been downgraded.
Cattle or bison moving from New Mexico will now have to meet specific
testing requirements. However, intact heifers can still be shipped
interstate if moved directly to a feedlot or in feeder channels, as can
spayed heifers, steers, cattle from a TB-accredited free herd and cattle
and bison less than six months old, according to APHIS.
-- Burt Rutherford
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BEEF magazine is again teaming up with the Montana State
University Beef Quality Assurance Program to provide another BEEF
Study tour of Brazil. The tour is set for Jan. 15-26, 2009, departing
the U.S. from Miami, FL.
To view a downloadable tour itinerary, go to: beefmagazine.com/south-america-tour/schedule/.
All tour scheduled events and activities are subject to change.
The estimated tour price is $4,995/person (double room). A visa is also
required for Brazil entry, which is an estimated $165 for visa and
visa-service fees. To reserve your seat, a deposit of $1,000/person is
due at the time of booking – deadline to sign up is Nov. 3, 2008 –
with the balance of the tour price payable on or before Nov. 15.
Send your registration to: Brazilian Liaison, P.O. Box 243, Long Lake,
MN 55356-9444. For more info, call Clint Peck at 406-896-9068, Joe
Roybal at 952-851-4669, or Renata Stephens at 763-972-8080.
-- Joe Roybal
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New research indicates vegans and vegetarians are six times more
likely to suffer brain shrinkage than those on a diet that includes
meat. That’s because meat, particularly liver, milk and fish, offers
the best source of the vitamin B12, according to Oxford University
researchers. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause anemia and
inflammation of the nervous system.
The researchers used memory tests, physical checks and brain scans to
examine 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87. When the volunteers
were retested five years later, those with the lowest levels of B12 were
also the most likely to have brain shrinkage, which confirms earlier
research showing a link between brain atrophy and low levels of
B12.
-- Times of India
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Drought conditions in western North Dakota and eastern Montana have
some producers evaluating alternative forages they normally wouldn't
think of feeding their cow herd, says Greg Lardy, North Dakota State
University beef cattle specialist. In fact, Russian thistle, pigeon
grass and kochia are some plants normally considered weeds that can be
used as a source of emergency forage, he says.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
NDSU Ag Communications release
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The ethanol-fueled spike in grain prices is likely to sustain
increased prices for corn, wheat and soybeans over a price era that
could easily last two or three decades, say two University of Illinois
economists. Darrel Good and Scott Irwin say corn could average
$4.60/bu. in Illinois, with weather and market-induced price swings
sending it as high as $6.70 down to $3. The forecasts are based on
Illinois grain prices, but Good says increases will likely be similar on
a percentage basis in other grain-producing states.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
University of Illinois release
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USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
published an interim rule and request for comments this week that limits
the use of the animal identification number (AIN) with the 840 prefix
(under the National Animal Identification System) to animals born in the
U.S. The rule would allow producers to use the 840 AIN for compliance
with country-of-origin labeling (COOL).
Published in the Sept. 18 Federal Register, the rule would also
extend restrictions on the removal of official ID devices to include
devices applied to imported animals in their countries of origin. If
such devices are lost following importation into the U.S., the animal
may only be retagged with an official ID device using a numbering system
other than an AIN beginning with an 840 prefix.
APHIS says these requirements are necessary to enhance the U.S.
traceback capabilities for both domestic and imported animals in the
event of a disease outbreak, and aid in COOL implementation. The interim
rule is effective Sept. 18, with comments being received until Nov. 17.
To read the proposed rule, go to edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-21787.htm.
-- Joe Roybal
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Two major ag publications – BEEF and Western Farm
Press – have been named official publications of World Ag Expo,
scheduled for Feb. 10-12, 2009, in Tulare, CA. World Ag Expo (www.worldagexpo.com/) is the
largest annual ag equipment and technology show in the world, featuring
more than 2.6 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, more than 1,600
exhibitors and drawing 100,000 attendees over its three-day run.
Western Farm Press will be the event’s official ag newspaper,
while BEEF will be the official beef publication of the event. In
addition, BEEF will present a special, one-hour seminar for
producers on Feb. 11 (11 a.m. to noon), followed by lunch, on the topic,
“Global Beef Systems –How Do We Compete?”
Both Western Farm Press and BEEF are published by Penton
Media’s ag division. Penton currently publishes the World Ag Expo’s
Official Magazine and Show Guide.
-- World Ag Expo release
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