News Update
November 4, 2008

Seeking Consignments for Commercial Angus Female Sale

The Kansas Angus Association (KAA) will sponsor the 17th Annual commercial Angus replacement female sale at Pratt Livestock, Pratt, Kan., Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008, at 1 p.m. and is currently seeking consignments of young age cows, bred heifers and open heifers.

Females must be consigned in minimum five head lots, with all females being seven years of age or younger. To qualify for this special sale, the females must meet Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) live specifications: be predominantly black hided; black white faces and/or “baldies” will be accepted; have typical beef-type conformation (no visible dairy influence); and be without long floppy ears and hump (no visible Brahman influence).

The sale welcomes bred cows and heifers to calve in spring of 2009; fall pairs, cows or heifers to calve in fall 2009; and open heifers.

Those interested in consigning cattle to the sale may download an entry form at www.kansasangus.org or send an email to kansasangus@wbsnet.org. To discuss the offering or consignment possibilities, contact sale chairman Gordon Stucky at 620-532-3220 or e-mail gordon@stuckyranch.com. Entries will be accepted up to Nov. 21. A significant regional and national advertising program is planned to inform potential buyers of the sale and individual consignments. The sale will also offer online bidding at www.cattleusa.com for buyers unable to attend the sale.

The sale is sponsored by the KAA. Another KAA commercial female sale is scheduled for spring at JC Livestock in Junction City, Kan. For more information on the KAA and its projects visit www.kansasangus.org, or contact Anne Lampe, secretary/manager at 620-872-3915, kansasangus@wbsnet.org.

— Release provided by the Kansas Angus Association.

AgriLife Extension Starts Livestock Labor Education Pilot Project

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service has created the Agricultural Workforce and Community Development Program to address one of the key issues identified at the High Plains Livestock 2027 Conference.

Worker retention through communications and training, as well as the ability of employees and their families to become active participants in the local communities, are absolutely crucial to the vitality and continued growth of High Plains livestock production, said Pete Gibbs, AgriLife Extension associate director for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Community Economic Development.

The size and scope of High Plains livestock production, and the economic impact of beef, dairy and swine production on local communities is the driving force behind the workforce initiative, he said.

AgriLife Extension is working with major industry groups such as the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas Association of Dairymen and the Texas Pork Producers Association to deliver programs that address the needs of these complex production agriculture systems.

The pilot program has five basic components:

• An executive management program to develop confined livestock operation management expertise in areas related to retention, human resource recruitment and management of a diverse workforce.
• On-site workforce training programs by AgriLife Extension specialists that provide workers with targeted training opportunities to enhance skills based on employer needs.
• A longer-term vocational workforce program conducted with agriculture science teachers and/or community colleges to prepare individuals to enter the workforce.
  
• A family and youth educational program designed and conducted by AgriLife Extension agents to assist workers and their families become more integrated into the community.
  
• Analysis and support related to community impacts.
  

— Adapted from a Texas Agrilife Extension release.

USDA Releases Livestock and Poultry World Markets and Trade Report

The United States is expected to import 1.213 million metric tons of beef in 2009 — an increase of 82,000 metric tons, or 7%, from 2008 — but still less than it imported each year between 2004 and 2007, according to USDA statistics.

In a Livestock and Poultry World Markets and Trade report released last week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the increased U.S. imports are expected due to the strengthening dollar and reduced cow harvest, which will tighten beef processing supplies.

The report also forecast Russia would increase beef imports by 2% to more than 1 million metric tons while Japanese beef imports rise 2% to 690,000 metric tons, despite a weakening economy.

South Korean beef imports are expected to rise 6 % in 2009 to 340,000 metric tons.

Exports

Global beef exports are expected to rise nearly 2% in 2009 as gains from Brazil, Argentina and the United States outweigh decreases from Australia and New Zealand.

U.S. beef exports are expected to rise nearly 10% to 934,000 metric tons in 2009 as Asian market opportunities expand.

Brazil is expected to export more than 2 million metric tons, up 5% from 2008. Shipments declined in 2008 for the first time since 1996 due to sanitary issues.

Argentina is forecast to expand exports by 20% to 480,000 in 2009 after plummeting an expected 25% in 2008. USDA attributed the expected increase to the Argentine government setting a higher export quota, thermoprocessed product to be exported outside of the quota and the absence of farmer strikes, which limited supplies in 2008.

Beef exports from Australia could fall by 3% and New Zealand exports by 4%, USDA predicted, as reduced production meets resilient domestic demand in both countries.

— Release from Meatingplace.com.

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions, Inc.