News Update
Jan. 26, 2009

National Western Angus Bull Sale  Remains Strong

Angus enthusiasts consigned 27 lots to the 2009 National Western Angus Bull Sale Jan. 15 in Denver, Colo. The annual sale, which is the only sale managed by the American Angus Association,® averaged $9,159. A panel of five judges including Rick Blanchard, Firebaugh, Calif.; Scott Bush, Britton, S.D.; John Grimes, Hillsboro, Ohio; Mike McGuire, Waverly, Ala.; and Cheramie Viator, Franklin, Texas, evaluated the bulls and selected division and overall champions.

Oklahoma State University (OSU), Stillwater, Okla., consigned the grand champion bull, OSU Orion 8102. The Dec. 2007 son of BC 7022 Raven 7965 first topped the early winter calf division. Pollard Farms LLC, Enid, Okla., purchased the winning bull for $20,000.

Wilson Cattle Co., Cloverdale, Ind., consigned the reserve grand champion bull. Frey’s KJF Hustler M35 R61 is a March 2006 son of BC Marathon 7022 and first won the senior division. Whitestone Krebs, Gordon, Neb., purchased the bull for $10,000.

Werner War Party 2417 was the high-selling lot in the sale. Werner Angus, Cordova, Ill., consigned the Sept. 2007 son of Connealy Onward that also won early fall bull calf champion. 44 Farms, Cameron, Texas, and Kiamichi Link Ranch LLC, Finley, Okla., purchased the bull for $75,000. Another high seller was Limestone BC Uproar U192. Limestone LLC, Perkins, Okla., and Conley Angus, Clarksdale, Mo., consigned the bull that Belle Point Ranch, Lavaca, Ark., purchased for $20,000.

A complete list of sale results is posted online at www.angusjournal.com/denver.

Get cooking with Certified Angus Beef ® brand at Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show

Learn great tips for spicing up your meals this winter and get ready for grilling season with the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand, the presenting sponsor of the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show Feb. 13-15 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

An assortment of chefs and culinary professionals will share a wealth of cooking tips and information on the Certified Angus Beef cooking stage. Learn how to select the best beef, see new twists on old dishes, pick up time-saving hints in the kitchen, and get tips for pairing beef with the perfect wine.

Cooking demonstrations will be offered several times daily. Featured presenters include:

• CAB Corporate Chef Scott Popovic;
• Chef Bob Hirasawa of Farm Fresh stores;
  
• Laura Wood Habr of Croc’s 19th Street Bistro;
  
• Representatives from the Culinary Institute of Virginia; and
  
• Patrick Evans-Hylton of Hampton Roads and Virginia Wine Lovers magazines.
  

A complete schedule of show times is available at: http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/Norfolk/.

 — Adapted from a CAB release.

Consumer Shifts Playing Havoc With Beef Cut-Out Values

As consumers have shifted from eating at restaurants to eating at home, the demand for hamburger has gone up while steak demand has declined — a combination that has narrowed the spread between Choice and Select cutouts significantly.

In its Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in 2008 the Choice/Select cutout spread narrowed to well below both 2007 levels and the five-year average.
However, even as Choice beef wholesale prices have declined, retail prices have been slow to follow.

According to USDA statistics, retail Choice beef prices began 2008 at $4.10 per pound (lb.) and climbed steadily to a new record of $4.53 per lb. in August. However, while Choice cutout values declined by 14% from July to December, Choice retail beef prices remained at a near-record $4.51 per lb. in both September and October before declining to a December low of $4.38.

— Release provided by Meatingplace.com.

NFU Calls for New Trade Agenda

The National Farmers Union (NFU) today urged the Obama administration to promote fair trade agreements that level the playing field for all producers.

In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative-designee Ron Kirk the NFU board of directors said, “NFU stands ready to work with you to identify priorities for United States trade policy, resolve problems that exist in current agreements and provide a foundation for future trade negotiations.”

The board said all future trade agreements must address all factors of trade, including an assurance that trading partners meet the same high labor, environmental, and health and safety standards required by U.S. producers.

The board reiterated the organization’s endorsement of the Trade Reform Accountability Development and Employment (TRADE) Act, which would create a new trade agenda that recognizes the importance of agriculture production.

The board also urged Kirk to defend the U.S. mandatory country-of-origin labeling law, which has been challenged by the Canadian and Mexican governments. “The law does not discriminate against any foreign country, the challenge is baseless,” the board said.

How Much Does it Cost to Raise a Child? A New USDA Web Site Can Tell You

A family with an average income of $113,700 per year in 2007, living in Chicago, or in any Midwest city, with two children, 7 and 10 years old, would have spent on average $15,200 on the oldest child, and $14,950 on the youngest. These figures include the cost of housing, food, transportation, clothing, health care, childcare and education, and miscellaneous. Food alone for both children would total $4,670.

These figures now can be easily computed on the new Cost of Raising a Child Calculator launched today by the USDA and Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP). According to Brian Wansink, CNPP Executive Director, “As well as being a real eye opener for families in terms of how much they may be spending on their children, the Cost of Raising a Child Calculator can help families make better plans by anticipating future costs."

The Cost of Raising a Child Calculator is an interactive version of USDA’s Annual Report on Expenditures on Children by Families, but makes the figures more easily accessible by the public. The new Calculator can be found at www.cnpp.usda.gov.

Since 1960, child-rearing expense figures have been available in printed form and more recently in tabular form on CNPP’s web site.

To use the calculator, one enters the age and number of children they have, whether the household consists of a married couple or a single parent, region of residence, and overall household income. The calculator then computes the average dollar amount the family could have spent on their child or children. A comparison to the national average cost of raising a child is also made.

For families with specific expenses that may be higher or lower than average, the calculator allows them to individually list these expenses. For example, if a family has child care or education expenses that they think are not typical, these expenses may be inputted directly and combined with the other expenses to determine a total cost.

— Adapted from a USDA release.

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