News Update

February 23, 2015

USMEF Statement on West Coast Port Labor Contract Agreement

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) was very pleased to learn of the tentative agreement on a new West Coast port labor contract that was reached Friday evening. Since we began to see increasing congestion in the West Coast ports several months ago, the global customer base that the U.S. meat industry has spent decades building has been put at risk by shipping delays and by the uncertainty surrounding these contract negotiations. With nearly 80% of our waterborne red-meat exports utilizing West Coast ports, this situation had become very damaging for exporters, farmers, ranchers, processors and everyone in the supply chain.

We are hopeful that the parties will ratify the new contract agreement as soon as possible and clear the backlog that currently exists in several major ports, so that U.S. industries can once again serve our international customers with the confidence and reliability they deserve.

— Adapted from a release by Philip Seng, U.S. Meat Export Federation.

American Royal Elects John Mitchell Jr. as 2015 Chairman of the Board

Recognizing agriculture as the foundation of the region’s economy, coupled with an invigorating vision for the future, the American Royal Board of Governors hosted its annual meeting Feb. 10 at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. 2015 American Royal Chairman John Mitchell Jr. was energizing and vocal in his vision for the upcoming season.

“The American Royal is indeed Kansas City’s most authentic asset. We continue to be as relevant today as at our founding. We produce one of the very best livestock shows in the country. We host the world’s largest BBQ, and we provide more than $1.4 million dollars in direct support of our mission of supporting youth and education. What we do is impactful. It is significant. It touches people and makes a difference in their lives. Indeed, by any measure, we are one of the top giving organizations in the city. Today, we are as strong as ever as we continue to live our mission of showcasing American agriculture and educating kids,” Mitchell said.

— Adapted from a release by Jeremy Povenmire, American Royal Association.

Where Did My Feed Go? Reduce Shrink and Improve Ration Consistency through Feed Management Software

Digi-Star’s Tera Koebel Baker will be presenting educational sessions on improving profitability through feed management at the New York Farm Show, hosted Feb. 26-28 at the New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, N.Y.

These sessions are open to the public and will be in the Home and Arts Center from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. each day. Baker will highlight common shrink and dry-matter consistency issues and how a feed-management system can help producers of all sizes recoup lost dollars through employee training, regular dry-matter testing and feed-management software.

“Setting up and using a feed management program on a day-to-day basis is much easier than most would assume,” says Baker. “Once a program is in place, daily feeding adjustments and communication between management and feeding staff are more seamless, and the data collected can be applied immediately to reduce feed losses and improve efficiencies to create a quick return on investment.”

— Adapted from a release by Robin Starkenburg, Digi-Star.

Statement by AFBF President Regarding the
2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman released this statement regarding the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

“Science must drive policy that feeds people all over the world, so we applaud the advisory board for its notable contributions to public health. We appreciate the breadth and depth of knowledge that they bring to the important process of refining and reviewing nutrition guidelines.

“We are, however, concerned that the report’s lengthy foray into sustainability issues goes well beyond both the group’s expertise and its clearly defined mission. Its conclusions would have benefitted from the contributions of agronomists, animal scientists, ecologists and others with deeper expertise in agriculture and sustainability.

“The report makes many good observations about the need for a balanced diet, but we are troubled that it also repeats alarmist and unsubstantiated assertions about land use first promulgated by a UN agency with scant agricultural understanding. These assertions contradict the views of the UN’s own agricultural experts and fly in the face of decades of scientific consensus. The overall guidelines also ignore easier and more effective ways ordinary Americans can reduce their carbon footprints.

“We suspect the report’s unrealistically pessimistic view of sustainability colors its views regarding meat in the American diet. Instead of supporting the health benefits of lean meat consumption — as previous advisory committees have consistently done — the authors focus only on a diet “higher in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low- or non-fat dairy, seafood, legumes, and nuts; moderate in alcohol (among adults); lower in red and processed meat.”

“American farmers and ranchers pay close attention to their actions because that’s good for the environment and their own welfare, too. We stand ready to help the administration make sure the world’s most qualified experts are present when decisions affecting the food supply are made.”

— Adapted from a release by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Ag Safety Awareness Week is March 1-7

Across the country, Farm Bureaus are making safety a top priority this spring through the Agricultural Safety Awareness Program (ASAP). As a part of ASAP, March 1-7 has been designated as Agricultural Safety Awareness Week.

This year’s theme, “Ride Like A Pro…Wherever You Go,” will focus on all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety and helmet usage. All-terrain vehicles are used on most farms and ranches in Arkansas, but despite the availability of good safety equipment and training programs, injuries and fatalities involving ATV operators happen much too frequently.

According to the latest figures from the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

There are 804 ATV related deaths nationally on average.
56% of these deaths occur in May through September.
One-third of these deaths occur on paved surfaces.
Arkansas averages 12 ATV related deaths per year and three of these are children under 16.
According to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Trauma Department, 101 of its admissions in 2014 were ATV related.

“It doesn’t take very big investments of time or money to make a big difference in the level of safety on most farms,” said Jason Kaufman, safety coordinator for Arkansas Farm Bureau. “ATV safety is a big part of farm safety because so many farms use these vehicles for work and recreation.”

Many simple, inexpensive tips can increase any ATV rider’s safety. For example, users can “get dressed to ride,” using helmets, safety glasses, long sleeves, gloves, long pants and boots with heels to reduce the risk of injury. ATV drivers shouldn’t carry passengers, either, and should only ride ATVs of a size that fits the operator, according to the ATV manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s important to operate at safe speeds, as well, especially when turning or near hazards. Most injuries are caused from overturned ATVs. Stay off public streets and highways as the law requires.

It’s especially important for ATV users to take an approved rider’s training course. The Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture provides these through the ATV Safety Institute’s 4-H ATV RiderCourse. The agency has trained 24 county agents and state faculty as licensed instructors. For more information, visit www.uaex.edu/4h-youth and select the ATV Safety link listed under Activities and Programs, phone 501-671-2053 or contact your local Cooperative Extension Office.

For more information, please view the full release here.

— Adapted from a release by the Arkansas Farm Bureau.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal