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Listen to the explanations of why fed-cattle prices have been so
lackluster this spring and you’ll inevitably hear about beef demand.
Of course, with cattle-on-feed numbers down by 5.3%, it’s difficult to
blame supply.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Troy Marshall
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George Bernard Shaw said, "A life spent making mistakes is not only
more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Troy Marshall
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Dave White, acting chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) since Jan. 21, has been named chief. With 12,000
employees and an annual budget of $3 billion, NRCS is the nation’s
leading agency in conserving natural resources on private lands.
White is a career conservationist with NRCS, and provided technical and
management expertise in Missouri, South Carolina, Washington, D.C., and
Montana, where he served as state conservationist from 2002 to 2008. He
also served in the Senate Ag Committee where he helped craft the
Conservation Title for both the 2002 and 2008 farm bills, and on the
White House Task Force for Livable Communities during the Clinton
administration.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said White’s “expertise and advice will
be particularly valuable as we implement the 2008 farm bill and work to
achieve President Obama’s goals for renewing America and combating
global climate change.”
-- Farm Press
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The chain will not be broken.
The food chain in America is not about hide color. It’s about quality,
it’s about passion, it’s about people making a life-long investment
to feed a global population of more than six billion people. Our food
chain begins with an Angus genetic supplier in the nation’s
breadbasket and ends with a satisfied eating experience from the family
dinner table to the Waldorf=Astoria. The strength of our food chain
depends on the quality product with sustainable value from the pasture
to the center of the plate.
Angus, the power of people and progress. www.angus.org
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The election-day vote by Californians to adopt state Proposition 2
was a wakeup call to agriculture, according to American Agri-Women
(AAW). Proposition 2 is an initiative that outlaws contemporary food
animal practices, including use of gestation stalls, veal stalls and
layer cages. Unfortunately many people who donate to the organizations
sponsoring bills like these think they’re contributing to groups that
work to improve animal care, yet many of their campaigns demand changes
that are actually harmful to animals’ overall health and well-being.
How does ag meet the challenges that the animal rights groups present?
Here are a few suggestions from AAW:
- This is an industry-wide issue. All of us in ag must be
involved to prevent unreasonable restrictions being put in place that
have a negative impact on livestock production. Many states have formed
state and regional organizations to “tell the real story of animal
agriculture.” The Ohio Livestock Coalition and the Minnesota
Foundation for Responsible Animal Care are two examples. Other states
are or have organized ag-based coalitions around the animal-care issue.
- Understand how society listens to the messages food-animal
producers are sending. Our mainly urban society thinks of animals as
pets and companions. They aren’t interested in our economic problems,
but want producers to provide good care to their animals. We must assure
them that we care for our animals but do the work that consumers don’t
or won’t do to have meat on the plate.
- Implement an animal welfare assurance program on your farm or
ranch. Utilize good production, transporting and processing
standards following industry guidelines. Set your standards high and
maintain that quality. Properly evaluate all employees, including day
labor. Be vigilant in hiring practices; check applications, work
history, backgrounds and references thoroughly. Fully train employees in
basic animal care practices and the priority of these practices in
everyday husbandry. Take swift and appropriate action if unacceptable
animal handling occurs.
- Stay informed. Know who the leading activists and anti-ag
groups are; check out their websites. Become familiar with their
agendas, know who the leaders are, and how they are funded. (Editor’s
note: start with www.activistcash.com.)
- Be a legislative watchdog. Activist groups have well-designed
strategies and resources for influencing legislation at all levels. Many
states report a flurry of bad legislation and court cases led by
anti-animal ag groups. Prominent law schools around the nation are
preparing lawyers by offering courses on animal rights. Ag leaders must
stay alert and work to defeat bad legislation both state and federal.
- Speak up for animal ag. Let consumers know farmers and
ranchers give animals humane, healthy and caring treatment while
providing safe and nutritious food products for a hungry world. Provide
accurate, science-based info while inspiring positive emotion among
consumers toward farming and ranching.
-- American Agri-Women release
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Science, technology and the willingness of Angus producers to test
their animals, along with efficient communication via the Internet, have
aided the American Angus Association® (AAA) in its efforts to keep the
membership informed and abreast of the issues of arthrogryposis
multiplex (AM), AAA says. Also known as "curly calf,” AM is a genetic
defect discovered within the breed late last year.
Five labs are now conducting tests and electronically submitting those
results to AAA daily; the results are posted at www.angus.org and added to the
database. As of March 31, AAA reports more than 50,000 animals had been
tested and reported.
AAA Login users (registered and commercial) can log in and use the
Potential Carrier Report on their account to see exactly which animals
they should test first. Animals on the report are labeled several ways:
- No carrier ancestor – the animal has no AM carrier in its
pedigree or an ancestor that’s been tested free and therefore does not
require testing.
- Undetermined – the animal is commercial and doesn’t have enough
info in its pedigree to determine parentage.
- Potential carrier – has one or more ancestors in its pedigree that
are carriers and should be tested to find out definite status.
Don Laughlin, AAA director of member services, says that, as of July 1,
any animals regarded as “potential carriers” will carry a notation
on their pedigrees, both printed and online.
Access the authorized labs’ contact and testing info at www.angus.org.
-- American Angus Association
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Cargill says it expects to have third-party, 24/7 video auditing in
place in all its U.S. beef harvesting plants by year’s end. The aim is
to “further enhance the company's animal welfare protection
systems,” a Cargill news release says.
Developed and managed by Arrowsight, in collaboration with Temple
Grandin, Colorado State University animal scientist/behaviorist and the
nation's foremost designer of animal-handling systems, the program is
designed to help plant operators teach and monitor performance in animal
handling. "This additional investment gives us the objective input we
need to effectively train our people and improve our processes," says
John Keating, Cargill Beef president.
Besides implementing the remote video auditing service, Cargill created
an industry-leading, humane animal-handling training and certification
program for employees, Cargill says. The company believes its commitment
and actions demonstrate Cargill’s “drive to be the industry leader
in evaluating, developing and continuously improving animal welfare
protection programs.”
-- Cargill news release
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There are two kinds of “lump jaw” in cattle – soft-tissue
abscesses arising from wounds in the mouth, and bone infections (bony
lump jaw). When it comes to lump jaw, the trick is early treatment.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Heather Smith Thomas.
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 Good news for beef exports
The U.S. Meat Export Federation reported that for 2008, export volumes
increased 28% to nearly 2.2 billion pounds, while values jumped 38% to
$3.6 billion. Canada and Mexico were the top two destinations for U.S.
beef. Get to know your checkoff — learn
more about how your investment continues to build beef demand around
the world.
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The national average price for regular gasoline at retail vaulted
past $2/gal. for the first time since Nov. 17, 2008, gaining 8.4¢ to
$2.046 for the week ending March 30. Meanwhile, the national average
price of diesel surged 13.1¢ to $2.221/gal. the largest increase since
May 26, 2008.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says that while
consumers may be forced to pay more than $2/gal. for gasoline at retail
for much of the coming summer, they aren’t likely to see a replay of
last summer’s price spikes. EIA says rising crude prices, along with
the tighter balance between supply and demand in the gasoline market,
have brought retail gasoline prices from the mid $1.60s to above $2/gal.
“Retail gasoline prices approaching $3/gal., however, are probably not
reachable, let alone sustainable, this summer due to continuing surplus
refining capacity and the continuing effect of the economic downturn on
fuel demand,” EIA says in the April 1 edition of This Week In
Petroleum.
Though gasoline at retail was up for the week, the $2.046/gal. average
price was $1.244 below the year-ago price. Prices were up in all regions
for the week; the East Coast added 8.6¢ to $2.025, the Midwest 8.2¢ to
$2.031, the Gulf Coast 9.3¢ $1.969, the Rocky Mountains 7.3¢ to
$1.937, and the West Coast 7.6¢ to $2.207. California added 9.4¢ for
the week, hitting $2.248/gal.
Though the average diesel price for the week was $1.743 below a year
ago, prices were up by 11¢ or more in all five regions. The East Coast
added 11.5¢ to $2.281, the Midwest 13.8¢ to $2.176, the Gulf Coast
14.3¢ to $2.203, the Rocky Mountains 11¢ to $2.146, and the West Coast
13.2¢ to $2.282. Meanwhile, California surged 16.8¢ to $2.297/gal.
-- U.S. Energy Information Administration
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Three months ago in Phoenix, former Rep. Charlie Stenholm (D-TX)
reported that he'd sat down with USDA Secretary Mike Vilsack for 1½
hours and came away with the impression that “he has the makings of a
good hand. He'll be the first to tell you he doesn't know a heck of a
lot about all the issues, but he's educatable.”
-- Click on the headline to read the rest of this
story by Joe Roybal
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 Fresh water on demand, 24 hours
a day.
From a single horse Stall Fount to fountains that water up to 500 head
of cattle, Ritchie fountains are top quality. The Omni and CattleMaster
families feature a new, domed valve cover designed to reduce dirt and
grime accumulation in the water seal groove. All products feature
stainless steel, heavy-duty polyethylene or a combination of both and a
10-year limited warranty.
For more information or a distributor near you, contact Ritchie
Industries at 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com
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A group of 59 food, livestock and other groups sent a letter to the
administration opposing any increase in the current cap on the amount of
ethanol permitted to be blended in ethanol. The groups said they opposed
any effort to raise the blend until “independent and comprehensive
testing has been completed that indicates that such mid-level ethanol
blends (whether E12, E15 or E20) will not pose a risk to all
gasoline-powered engines, to public health, to the environment and to
consumers.”
Those signing the letter included the American Bakers Association,
American Beverage Association, American Meat Institute, Friends of the
Earth, Grocery Manufacturers Association, National Chicken Council,
National Restaurant Association, National Turkey Federation, and Sierra
Club.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, DC correspondent
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With recent natural disaster stories top of mind, North Dakota State
University (NDSU) Extension specialists warn that a little foresight can
prevent the loss of valuable, hard-to-replace documents.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
release by North Dakota State University
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Citing resulting increased competition for corn and higher feed
costs for cattle producers, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
(NCBA) sent a letter to members of President Obama’s Cabinet this week
opposing an increase to 15% in the ethanol blend percentage for
gasoline. The current standard is 10%.
The letter was sent to Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, USDA Secretary
Tom Vilsack, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa
Jackson, and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change
Carol Browner.
“Before the Administration or Congress proposes an increase in the
ethanol blend percentage, a comprehensive assessment needs to address
how such an increase will impact the market and if production will be
able to accommodate a higher blend percentage,” NCBA said.
“As you know, current corn-based ethanol production is capped at 15
billion gals., which is the equivalent of 10% of the U.S. projected
gasoline market. Increasing the blend percentage to 15% would mean the
immediate addition of 4.5 billion gals. of ethanol, and would require an
extra 1.6 billion bu. of corn. Based on 2008 yields, to reach this level
an additional 10.4 million acres of corn would need to be planted.
“Since January of 2008, cattle feeders have lost a record $4.3 billion
in equity because of high feed costs. The additional 1.6 billion bu. of
additional corn needed for an E15 blend percentage is equivalent to the
entire amount of corn the cattle industry utilizes in one year.
“NCBA’s members continue to advocate for a market-based approach
when building any industry. The marketplace offers many adequate risk
management tools, which when combined with good business practices, help
build a competitive and strong industry. Cattle producers do not support
government interventions via subsidies and mandates; these practices
disrupt the market and are never substitutes for good business
practices.”
-- NCBA release
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New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation last week making
the state the first to adopt an official cowboy song. The tune is
“Under the New Mexico Sky” by Syd Masters and the Swing Riders.
New Mexico songwriters last year picked Masters’ tune from 26 others
and he performed it on the state House floor in March. The state’s
official cowboy song joins New Mexico’s other songs, including a
Spanish-language state song, a state ballad and a state bilingual song.
The state’s official song, “O Fair New Mexico,” was written by the
daughter of famed sheriff Pat Garrett.
While New Mexico’s official cowboy song is the first, several other
states already have official songs with a Western theme, including
Kansas’ “Home on the Range” and Oklahoma’s “Oklahoma!”
-- Associated Press
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Moving north to the Kansas Flint Hills, net rents to landowners for
bluestem pasture are expected to hold even at $15-$26/acre, says Mike
Holder, Chase County Extension. Custom-grazing fees for the early
intensive grazing period are running unchanged at $65-$75/head for
550-lb. calves to graze for 90 days.
-- Click on headline to read the rest of this
story by Mike Fritz.
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The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) did a review on the Food and Drug
Administration’s (FDA) ability to trace products. In a study, OIG
found that only 5 of the 40 products purchased could be traced through
each stage of the food supply chain back to the farm or border.
The ability to trace the remaining food products through each stage of
the food supply was limited because: “1. food facilities often did not
maintain lot-specific information, 2. some products were labeled with
lot-specific information, and 3. a number of food facilities mixed raw
food products from a large number of farms.”
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, DC correspondent
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What is the livestock industry doing about traceability,
sustainability, feed costs and the other potential issues affecting our
bottom line and livestock livelihoods? That’s the focus of the Alltech
25th International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium, May 17-20, in
Lexington, KY.
This year’s meeting features species-specific breakout programs. The
beef program is entitled “Building Sustainable Beef Production.”
Among the topics are:
- Building sustainable beef production: How will we address the
environmental and management challenges?
- Staying in business for the long haul: Using genomics and growth
enhancing technologies for maximum efficacy/
- Improving the reproductive efficiency of the beef cow herd
- Genomics: A new tool for the 21st century feedlot. Will it be
essential to be sustainable?
- Natural feeding programs: Niche market or one dimension of
sustainability?
- Natural feeding programs - But can it make money?
- Nitrogen, protein, and contemporary beef cattle feeding
programs.
The early-bird registration deadline is April 10. For more general info,
visit hms.alltech.com/symposium/en/home.cfm.
For more detail on the beef program, visit hms.alltech.com/symposium/en/beef.cfm.
-- Alltech release
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The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA)
announces a series of producer educational programs across the state to
help provide cattle producers with info on managing trichomoniasis
(trich).
Co-sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health, the program will focus on the
detection and management of trich in cattle herds. Free to the public
and including a dinner, the programs begin at 6:30 p.m. local time,
unless noted below. Dates and locations include:
- April 6: Pearsall Livestock Auction, Pearsall
- April 7: American Legion, Gonzales
- April 8: Victoria Community Center, Victoria
- April 14: Hopkins County Civic Center, Sulphur Springs (7 p.m.)
- April 16: Pitchford Genetics, Athens (7 p.m.)
- April 22: Mid-Tex Livestock Auction, Navasota
- April 27: Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba
- April 28: County Livestock Facility, Graham
- April 30: Texas Cattle Exchange, Eastland
- May 1: Bonds Ranch, Marlin
- May 4: Bowie Livestock Auction, Bowie
Under the Texas Cattle Trichomoniasis Program, rules affecting
interstate movement of cattle became effective April 1, and in-state
rules become effective Jan. 1, 2010. Trich is now a reportable disease
in Texas, and a significant animal health problem with a major economic
impact on breeding cattle herds.
To RSVP for the meeting, contact TSCRA at rsvp@texascattleraisers.org
or call 800-242-7820, Ext. 192. On-site meeting registration begins one
hour prior to the meeting. For more info on the trich program, visit:
www.tahc.state.tx.us/news/Chapter38_Trichomoniasis.pdf.
-- TSCRA release
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Crime in rural areas has become more of a problem, as isolated rural
locations are prime targets for farm theft. The following farm security
and safety tips were compiled from the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension
Service together with Oklahoma State University and the American
Christmas Tree Journal.
- Put ID numbers on farm equipment in standard locations, and
advertise your participation in an ID number system.
- Never leave keys in unattended machinery; always lock the doors,
especially when machinery is located offsite or out of sight.
- ID livestock by ear notching, branding or tattooing. The thief will
be reluctant to take livestock marked with no ability to alter.
- Secure fuel tanks with effective locks. Locking the nozzle and hose
won’t prevent theft; a hose can be cut. Instead, lock the fuel tank
cutoff valve.
- Have adequate lighting at the farm. Let nothing go unseen. Light
experts recommend a "soft" light that will avoid a sharp contrast
between darkness and the illuminated area, thus making it easier to see.
- Watch for and report any suspicious behavior in your area. Rural
neighbors must watch out for each other. By working together, a group of
neighbors can help lower the number of crimes in their rural
community.
-- Country Living Association release
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Tyson Foods could acquire pork and red-meat companies in China,
India, Brazil and Argentina, according to mergermarket.com.
Declining U.S. demand, a growing and relatively fragmented international
market, and the ability to save on production costs are likely to drive
more acquisitions in those regions, the report says.
A spokesperson for the Springdale, AR-based Tyson confirmed it is
focused on building its international markets. When asked further, the
spokesperson identified India, China and South America as targets for
desired expansion.
-- Muriel Elizabeth Hayes, Buenos Aires,
Argentina
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Under a new government plan in the United Kingdom (UK), farmers will
be forced to insure animals against outbreaks of foot and mouth disease
(FMD), reports www.telegraph.co.uk.
The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says
it costs the agency about $65 million (US) annually to prevent animal
disease and prepare for outbreaks. So DEFRA proposes UK farmers pay
half through a new tax on livestock, which would amount to $7/dairy cow.
In addition, DEFRA also wants mandatory insurance to pay for disease
outbreaks, which means insurance companies would pay half the cost of
any outbreak.
While Environment Secretary Hilary Benn says farmers should be more
involved in preventing and paying for disease outbreaks, Peter Kendall,
National Farmers’ Union president, contends it is government’s job
to keep disease out.
"I am furious that DEFRA is still trying to get farmers to contribute to
their costs when the department doesn't have a good enough handle on its
own costs. It wants us to pay for exotic disease but we don't think they
do enough to keep these diseases out of the country," Kendall says.
--www.telegraph.co.uk
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USDA released it crop-planting intentions report for 2009. It
indicates farmers plan to plant 76 million acres of soybeans compared to
75.5 million in 2008. This would be the third-largest planted area on
record. However, many trade analysts had expected higher numbers.
Producers intend to plant 85 million acres of corn, down 1% from last
year. It would be the third-largest acreage since 1949.
Meanwhile, wheat acres are expected to decline 7% from last year to 58.6
million acres, and cotton acres are expected to be at the lowest level
since 1983 at 58.6 million acres.
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, DC correspondent
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USDA announced an extension to Aug. 14 of the sign-up deadline for
both the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) and the forthcoming
Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack
said, “Extending the DCP and ACRE sign-up deadline will help ensure
that America's farmers have enough information and time to determine
whether to participate in the ACRE Program. The DCP and ACRE programs
play a critical role in the farm safety net and it is vital that we act
to support the hard work of the farmers we depend on.”
-- P. Scott Shearer, Washington, DC correspondent
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