News Update
July 30, 2008

Nebraska, Iowa beef councils partner for USMEF beef promotion in Japan

Two beef producers from Nebraska and Iowa took part in a U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Beef Checkoff-sponsored promotion earlier this month that helped boost weekend sales of U.S. beef tenfold at a key store in Japan’s largest retail grocery chain, USMEF announced.

Bill Rhea, the Nebraska Beef Council’s treasurer, and Scott Niess, a member of the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s board of directors, participated in the event at an Ito Yokado supermarket in Tokyo.

The U.S. beef retail promotion, made possible through the financial support of the Nebraska Beef Council and the Iowa Beef Industry Council, took place at four of Japan’s major supermarkets — Aeon’s Max Valu outlets, Ito Yokado. Daiei and York Benimaru. It was part of USMEF’s continuing campaign to rebuild Japanese consumer confidence in U.S. beef.

USMEF is conducting a series of U.S. beef storefront events in its July-August “Beef de GENKI” (energy from beef) campaign at the four supermarket chains. This campaign is tied to USMEF’s strategic “We Care” theme and is targeted toward families with children. The campaign aims to increase sales, enhance consumer perception of U.S. beef and rebuild trust by handing out samples, educating customers through information panels and entertaining families with games.

—   Release provided by Meatingplace.com

USDA Decides it Won’t Allow Release of CRP Land

“We have just completed a very thorough review of whether we should allow the early release of acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) without penalty to land owners,” Secretary Ed Schafer says.

“After carefully considering recent crop reports and weather conditions, the price trends we are seeing in grain markets and the likelihood of increasing land for crop production, we have decided not to allow the penalty-free release of CRP land at this time.

Despite the damage and disruption caused by the very severe floods that hit the Midwest last month, the indications so far are that the impact on this year’s corn and soybean crops will be less than was originally feared.

The markets have been reacting favorably to the good growing weather we have been experiencing in recent weeks and encouraging reports on crop conditions. Cash prices for corn are down 25% — and for soybeans, 14% from their record highs last month.

Even with the damage and delays in planting caused by the floods, this year’s corn crop is on track to be the second-largest on record with an anticipated harvest of almost 79 million acres.

The strength of the commitment America’s farmers have made to meeting the nation’s need for corn for food, feed and fuel use has reassured the markets that there will be an adequate supply available this year.

The recent easing in prices is helpful to the livestock industry and will allow current CRP contract holders to make informed decisions about whether they want to take an early exit from the program.

Another factor we considered is the simple reality that under the provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill, and the terms of existing CRP contracts, total acreage in the program is going to drop without any action by USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture).

In the 2008 Farm Bill, Congress lowered the cap on the total number of acres allowed in the CRP program from 39.2 million acres to 32 million acres.

As a result, the 34.7 million acres now enrolled in the program will have to shrink.

And looking out over the next few years, we have 1.1 million CRP acres scheduled to expire on Sept. 30 of this year, and that number jumps to 3.8 million acres on Sept. 30, 2009, and then 4.4 million acres on Sept. 30, 2010.

So, large blocks of land will be available for other uses — if landowners chose to pursue them.

Owners, of course, also have the option of taking their acres out of the program early in exchange for returning all payments they have received plus interest and a penalty.

This spring, the number of acres being withdrawn early — with financial benefits being repaid — was running more than 50% higher than last year. So where this option makes economic sense to contract holders-they clearly are willing to use it.

The action we took in May to allow haying and foraging on up to 24 million CRP acres this year-after the primary nesting season ends-provided contract holders with another choice for managing their lands and feeding livestock.

We believe the decision that we are announcing today strikes the best possible balance between supporting programs that protect our natural resources and meeting the nation’s need for grain production.”

— Release provided by USDA

Make Angus Consignments Now to 2009 NWSS Bull Sale

Act now to save $50 on entry fees for the 2009 National Western Angus Bull Sale at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo. The sale is set for Thursday, Jan. 15.

The fee for consignments received on or before Sept. 15 is $400 per head. From Sept. 16 through the Oct. 1 entry deadline, the fee is $450 per head. All consignments must have Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) performance information to be eligible.

All bulls born before Jan. 1, 2007, must have passed a complete breeding soundness examination (sometimes referred to as a BSE), including both physical and semen, within 30 days of the sale.

The official AHIR adjusted yearling weight EPD (expected progeny difference; if applicable) must meet the breed average for non-parent sires.

For more information contact David Gazda, sale manager, at 706-296-7846 or dgazda@angus.org.  For entry forms contact Linda Campbell at 816-383-5143 or lcampbell@angus.org.