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Moving To Eliminate Ethanol Subsidy
Go figure.
Given the whole red state, blue state thing, plenty of cattle producers
would have lost money betting that sensible legislation aimed at
curtailing government ethanol subsidies would come from the East or Left
Coasts. But it has, from both sides of the country.
Last Monday, Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) and Rep. Mary Mack (R-CA)
introduced the Affordable Food and Fuel for America Act in the House of
Representatives. It aims to phase out both the blender’s tax credit
and tariffs for corn-based ethanol within five years.
“For too long billions of taxpayer dollars have been used to
incentivize (her word) corn ethanol, without getting needed results and
causing numerous unintended consequences, like rising food prices, that
don’t benefit our economy or our environment,” said Mack.
Of course, she’s also one of eight Republicans who voted in favor of
cap and trade, but no need to square the logic of one with the other.
“After 30 years of support, corn-based ethanol is still reliant on
government support to be commercially viable. It is time to allow it to
compete on a level playing field, and to stop propping up one industry
at the expense of another,” Gary Voogt, president of the National
Cattlemen’s Association (NCBA), said Wednesday. “Soaring feed costs
and government payments to the ethanol industry are hurting small
businesses and family ranches. Cattle producers don’t ask for
subsidies, just equal footing… The legislation introduced by
Representatives Crowley and Mack allows for a market-based approach to
our nation’s competing demands for corn, and helps us meet both our
food and fuel needs.”
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Load Position May Impact Health And Performance
Add this to the potential criteria for sorting incoming
stocker calves based on performance potential and health risk: calf
location in the loaded trailer.
“Our current project reveals that the environment within a commercial
transport carrier is not likely homogeneous. And, cattle position within
the transport vehicle may result in differing health and performance
outcomes,” say researchers at Kansas State University (KSU).
In this unique study spanning two years (May 2006 to May 2008), KSU
researchers looked at how location within the trailers impacted the
health and performance of 21 loads of calves assembled in the Southeast,
commingled in Tennessee and shipped to the KSU Beef Stocker Research
Unit west of Manhattan. Specifically, KSU researchers—Dale Blasi, Mark
Epp and Brad White, DVM—looked at health and performance differences
during 45-60 days of backgrounding ahead of pasture turn-out.
Read the full article
>
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Seasonal Trend Should Support Prices
Though typical as an adjective to describe anything
remotely connected to commodity markets this past 18 months seems
oxymoronic, price trends heading into fall should reflect the
seasonality most folks are used to.
Mississippi State University agricultural economists John Anderson and
John Riley pointed out last week that wholesale beef prices have
followed a more typical season pattern since the beginning of the second
quarter. Those prices peaked the last week of April and then declined by
about 10% through the first week of July.
“This year's fed cattle prices are also basically consistent with
typical seasonal behavior, at least so far,” say Anderson and Riley.
Though the spring peak was later than seasonal norms, the subsequent
decline is on par.
Anderson and Riley indexed beef and fed cattle prices for 2008 against
averages for 2003 to 2007, which accounted for last year’s
counter-seasonal juggernaut.
“A strict reading of the seasonal index would argue that fed cattle
prices may have another dollar or two yet to fall in the next two weeks
or so,” say Anderson and Riley. “Of course, if the seasonal
behavior of prices was that accurate and reliable, we could all get rich
trading on it.
“It is fair to say, consistent with normal seasonal price behavior and
consistent with this year's supply situation, that prices will likely
remain under pressure for another three or four weeks as adequate
supplies of cattle meet tepid buying interest. Beyond that, tightening
supplies set the stage for some price improvement; how much improvement
will depend on how we fare on the demand side of things.”
For more of the analysis, see www.lmic.info/memberspublic/
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Calendar Of Events
July 21-22 – Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and
South Dakota Grasslands Coalition Joint Bus Tour, Yankton, SD;jljessop@kennebectelephone.com
July 27-31 – Grazing Management Lectureship, King Ranch
Institute for Ranch Management, Kingsville, TX; 361-593-5401 or krirm.tamuk.edu.
Aug. 3-5 – Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, Texas A&M
University, College Station, TX; contact Jason Cleere, 979-845-6931 or
at beef.tamu.edu
Aug. 10-14 – John Armstrong Lectureship on Systems Thinking,
King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Kingsville, TX; 361-593-5401
or krirm.tamuk.edu.
Aug. 13 – Beef Conference, Making Money on Hard Times, Kansas
State University, Manhattan, KS, www.asi.ksu.edu/beefconference.
Aug. 21 – 23rd Annual Wheatland Stocker Conference, Cherokee
Strip Conference Center, Enid, OK.
Aug. 25-27 – ID Info-Expo, Westin Crown Center, Kansas City,
MO; 270-782-9798 or www.animalagriculture.org.
Aug. 29 – Missouri Beef Tour, south central Missouri;
573-882-4553 or 573-882-8154.
Sept. 24 – Beef Stocker Conference, Kansas State University,
Manhattan, KS.
Oct. 23-24 – Mid-Atlantic Grass-Finished Livestock Conference,
Holiday Inn Conference Center, Staunton, VA; 434-292-5331 or makenny@vt.edu
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Important safety information
Micotil is to be used by, or on the order of, a licensed
veterinarian.
For cattle, inject subcutaneously. Intravenous use in cattle will be
fatal.
Do not use in female dairy cattle 20 months of age or older. Use in
lactating dairy cattle may cause milk residues.
See label for complete use information, including human warnings.
Always use proper drug handling procedures to avoid accidental
self-injection.
Consult your veterinarian on the safe handling and use of all injectable
products prior to administration.
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