News Update
June 3, 2009

Oregon Firm Recalls Ground Beef Due To Possible E. coli Contamination
SP Provisions, a Portland, Ore., establishment is recalling approximately 39,973 pounds (lb.) of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced June 2.

FSIS classified the recall in Class I — a category reserved for those health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

The recalled ground beef products were produced on various dates from April 8, 2009 through May 28, 2009, and were distributed to retail establishments as well as hotels, restaurants and institutions in Oregon and Washington. The products, produced from the same source material, were sent into commerce prior to May 29, 2009.

The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

The products subject to recall include:

Cascade Natural Beef Brand:

• 5-pound (lb.) and 10-lb. bags of ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code “13-016G.”
  
• 5-lb. and 10-lb. bags of chili grind. Each package bears the identifying case code “13-016C.”
  
• 15-lb. boxes of ground beef patties. Each package bears the identifying case code “13-016GP.”

SP Provisions Brand:

• 5-lb. and 10-lb. bags of ground beef. Each package bears the identifying case code “01-136.”
  
• 5-lb. and 10-lb. bags of chili grind. Each package bears the identifying case code “01-136C.”
  
• 15-lb. boxes of ground beef patties. Each package bears the identifying case code “01-136P.”

Each identifying case code is preceded by the date code “040809” through “052809,” signifying the production date in “month/date/year” format, i.e. April 8, 2009 through May 28, 2009. Additionally, each product bears the establishment number “EST. 2866” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Questions regarding the recall should be directed to company General Manager, Jim Register, at 503-234-0579.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at www.AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday.

— Release provided by FSIS.

Genex Unveils Online Profit Shop

Genex Cooperative, Inc., members and customers now have access to Genex products and genetics through an online retail store called the Profit Shop.
According to Genex, the Profit Shop allows members and customers to place their orders for cattle genetics, products and supplies any time of the day, seven days a week. Orders can be shipped directly to a producer’s farm or ranch.

Genex representatives will continue to keep their current routes and stops. To access the Profit Shop, visit http://profitshop.crinet.com.

— Information provided by Genex.

University Says Many Farms Must Get Larger to Support Today’s Farm Families

The economics of today’s agriculture has changed drastically and has become more volatile, necessitating changes in what today’s farm looks like, according to the University of Minnesota (U of M).

As input costs increase and commodity prices farmers receive fluctuate, profit margins change over time. As these changes occur, farmers have had to change their businesses, U of M noted.

Illustrating these changes, the university released numbers compiled from real farm operations in southern Minnesota.

In 2008, a total of 345 of the 815 farm families from the MnSCU South Central/Minnesota West Adult Farm Business Management Program kept household and personal expense records. Their average household and personal expense for the year was $89,147 with an average family size of 3.3 persons.

This family living expense includes: food, medical care, charitable donations, supplies, furnishings, clothing, educational costs, recreation expenses, gifts, utilities, child care, house rent and upkeep of the house. Also included are expenses for the purchase of non-farm vehicles, investments, savings, life insurance premiums, income/social security taxes, and non-farm capital purchases.

The assumption is that the farm income would cover all the family living expense and that the net income from the farm crops or livestock would pay those expenses. Where applicable, the net income for any crops includes any associated government payments and is based upon a five-year average.

Based upon net farm income numbers, if a farm family planted a 50/50 corn-soybean rotation, they would need 442 acres of corn and 442 acres of soybeans — a total of 884 acres to earn the family living amount of $89,147. For other enterprises, it would take 144 dairy cows, 20,447 contract hogs or 3,191 beef steers to earn the $89,147 family living cost.

For more details, see the Ag Business Management web site at www.farmmanagement.umn.edu and click on “publications” for an article titled “What does it take to earn a living on the farm?”

— Adapted from a release provided by University of Minnesota Extension

Ag Markets Workshop Slated for June 15-16 in Chicago

The University of Illinois Office for Futures and Options is sponsoring a two-day Ag Markets Workshop June 15-16 at the Illini Center, 200 S. Wacker, Chicago, Ill. The program will be offered again Nov. 16-17.

The workshop will provide an in-depth update on the latest trends in the world agricultural marketplace, grain flow, transportation, regulation, hedging, basis trading, spreads, market reports, and options.

Noted ag consultant Sue Goll and ag economist Eugene Kunda are slated to teach the workshop, which is designed for grain merchandisers, hedgers, ag futures traders, futures company staffers, transportation professionals, and any professional involved in commercial markets.

Goll has more than 20 years experience as a cash grain merchandiser and futures industry professional. As a grain merchandiser, she worked for A.E. Staley trading soybeans, soymeal and corn out of the Des Moines, Iowa, soybean processing plant, and the Lafayette, Ind., wet milling corn plant.Goll also worked for the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), where she traveled worldwide teaching the use of agricultural futures and options markets. Currently, she works with domestic and foreign business clients, teaching cash/physical market fundamentals and the practical use of futures and options.

At the University of Illinois, Kunda is the visiting assistant director and research associate with the Office for Futures and Options Research (OFOR) in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. Prior to joining the University of Illinois faculty, Kunda worked at John Deere Agri Services in marketing development. He also served as senior economist in business development at CBOT for 14 years.

Cost for the full two-day workshop is $650, and includes all materials as well as a session at the Chicago Board of Trade to observe trading and the daily closing of the Ag futures and option markets.
For more information about the workshop go to: www.ace.uiuc.edu/ofor/workshops/intro.htm.

To register online for the June 15-16 Ag Markets Workshop, go to: www.ace.uiuc.edu/ACERegistrations/index.aspx?id=3.

— Release provided by University of Illinois.

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