News Update

News Update
Feb. 27, 2006

Cattle Rustling on the Rise in Missouri, U.S.

During the past year, thieves have stolen hundreds of cattle in 29 Missouri counties — $500,000 worth of cattle in at least 82 incidents, according to the Kansas City Star.

It’s a trend that has become all too common. Stolen cattle are being reported at an increasing rate across the country, said Gregg Doud, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) chief economist. Doud and other industry representatives are attributing the thefts to the steady rise in cattle prices, a 50% increase during the past five years.

According to the article, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt has created a task force to combat a string of cattle thefts across southwest and central Missouri. Blunt has directed law enforcement agencies, agriculture departments and citizens to work together to catch cattle rustlers. The state’s department of agriculture is working with auction barns to identify stolen cattle, and Blunt has reported his intentions to increase the penalty for livestock theft from a Class D felony to a Class C felony. The distinction would raise the potential prison sentence from four to seven years, according to the article. Blunt has also asked citizens to pay attention to unrecognized trucks and trailers and to report any nighttime loading. Citizens can call 1-866-362-6422 to report suspicious activity, the article noted.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Tool Could Help Reduce Energy Costs

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns last week announced the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Energy Estimator for Nitrogen, a Web-based awareness tool that farmers and ranchers can use to identify potential nitrogen (N) cost savings associated with major crops and commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications.

Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the largest indirect uses of energy on an agricultural operation. Fertilizer accounts for 29% of agriculture’s energy use, according to USDA research data. Proper management of nitrogen fertilizer, including the use of organic sources of nitrogen such as animal manure and cover crops, can save producers energy and money.

Using manure instead of petroleum-based fertilizers could reduce costs up to $55 per acre, based on February 2006 prices, while adopting management-intensive grazing (MiG) practices can save up to $6.50 per acre in energy costs and another $38 in reduced harvest costs. In addition, converting from conventional tillage to no-till farming can save up to 3.5 gallons (gal.) of fuel per acre with a current value of $6.83 per acre. Nationwide, reducing application overlap on 250 million acres of cropland could save up to $750 million in fertilizer and pesticide costs each year, and doubling the use of manure-based nitrogen fertilizer to replace fertilizer produced from natural gas could save an additional $750 million and 100 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually.

The Energy Estimator for Nitrogen estimates savings in nitrogen fertilizer applications and use to help farmers and ranchers make practical and sound decisions regarding nitrogen fertilizer use on their farm or ranch.

Producers using the estimator can select up to four crops from a list of commonly harvested crops in their state. Next, they enter the acres of each crop, pounds or units per acre used for each selected form of nitrogen fertilizer, and the nitrogen fertilizer price. Finally, producers select the nitrogen fertilizer application practices — the timing and placement of the fertilizer application and whether or not they used materials that reduce potential nutrient losses to the environment.

Additional information about USDA’s Energy Estimator for Nitrogen can be found at http://nfat.sc.egov.usda.gov/. Additional information about the USDA Energy Initiative can be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov/energy.

Johanns Announces Energy Projects

Johanns also has announced that USDA has awarded 14 grants and one loan guarantee totaling more than $21.6 million to increase energy production or improve electrical service and energy efficiency in communities in five states.

“Increasing domestic energy production, including the development of farm-based energy sources, helps to strengthen the economy of rural America and reduces our dependence on imported oil,” Johanns said. “These funds will also help to promote energy efficiency by improving our existing electrical infrastructure.”

A complete list of the grant recipients is available at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.