News Update
July 24, 2009

National Junior Show Coverage Available Online

Angus enthusiasts from across the country are meeting in Perry, Ga., this week, where the Georgia Angus and Junior Angus associations are hosting the 2009 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS). The event, themed “Sweet Southern Showdown,” is at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter.

National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members 9-21 years of age entered 1,227 Angus cattle in the show, which has grown to be the largest single-breed beef cattle show in the world.

In addition, the NJAS includes numerous other contests including prepared and extemporaneous speaking, graphic design, photography, posters, quiz bowl, team fitting, judging, team sales, creative writing, and the Auxiliary-sponsored All-American Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) Cook-Off.

For those who couldn’t make the trek to Perry to watch the show and competitions, online coverage is available. The remainder of the shows tomorrow will be broadcast on www.liveauctions.tv, and Angus Productions Inc. (API) is posting results to www.njas.info as they become available.

API Creative Media has also provided video coverage, brought to you by Sure Champ,® which is available at www.youtube.com/apicreativemedia. Facebook users can access the video at www.facebook.com/surechamp. Current videos feature coverage of the Cook-Off, team fitting and the steer show, and more videos will be available in the near future.

Record High Red Meat Production for June

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.16 billion pounds (lb.) in June, up 3% from the 4.05 billion lb. produced in June 2008.

Beef production, at 2.29 billion lb., was 1% above the previous year. Cattle harvest totaled 2.98 million head, up 1% from June 2008.  The average live weight was up 8 lb. from the previous year, at 1,269 lb.

Veal production totaled 11.5 million lb., 2% below June a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 77,200 head, up 2% from June 2008. The average live weight was down 16 lb. from last year, at 251 lb.

January to June 2009 commercial red meat production was 24.3 billion lb., down 3% from 2008. Accumulated beef production was down 3% from last year, veal was down 1%, pork was down 3% from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 5%.

— Information provided by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Pork, Beef Exports Weathering Influenza, Economic Crises Fairly Well 

While May was expected to be the month in which U.S. pork exports were most affected by A-H1N1 influenza, the effect has not been as negative as some analysts had predicted, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). At the same time, U.S. beef exports for the first five months of 2009 remain roughly on par with 2008.

U.S. beef muscle cuts plus variety meat exports remain on a pace roughly equal to last year, totaling 358,190 metric tons [789.7 million pounds (lb.)] valued at $1.2 billion through May. This represents a 1% increase in volume and a 3% decline in value compared to the same period in 2008.

Individual market results have been extremely mixed, due in large part to the varied effect of the global economic recession. Despite limited market access for U.S. beef, Japan has increased its imports by 21% in volume to 29,198 metric tons [64.4 million pounds (lb.)] and 22% in value ($152.6 million) over last year. Though Mexico remains the No. 1 destination for U.S. beef exports, a struggling economy — which suffered a further setback due to A-H1N1 influenza — has led to a 21% decline in U.S. beef exports there for a total of 128,875 metric tons [284.1 million (lb.)] and a 24% drop in value to $419.1 million.

In addition to Japan, beef exports have increased sharply to Vietnam (up 86% in volume and 124% in value over January-May of last year) and Hong Kong (up 41% in volume and 23% in value).

Other markets showing declines include Canada (down 11% in volume and 16% in value from 2008), Taiwan (down 10% in volume and value) and the Philippines (down 38% in volume and 32% in value). Russia’s imports of U.S. beef have increased 22% in volume but have declined 46% in value, as the market has shifted away from the U.S. muscle meats it was purchasing in large quantities last year and is now importing mostly variety meat.

“U.S. beef is faring reasonably well, considering the economic challenges we have before us and the tendency for consumers to shift to lower-cost proteins in tough economic times,” said USMEF Chairman-elect Jim Peterson, a cattleman from Buffalo, Mont. “But clearly this is not the pace at which we want beef exports to remain. We need to resolve some the market access issues that are holding us back in markets like Japan and Taiwan, rebuild demand in key markets like Mexico, and capitalize on new opportunities in emerging markets.”

— Adapted from a release provided by USMEF.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Testifies About Recovery Act Before House Committee on the Budget

Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified on the Recovery Act before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget.

“In less than 150 days, the Recovery Act has worked to stabilize economic conditions and helped those harmed by the economic crisis. The problems that led the nation to the brink were created over several years and cannot be instantly solved. While the nation may not be in full-scale recovery yet, we have created the stability needed to get us there and made strides in helping those negatively affected by the downturn,” Vilsack said.

Vilsack reported that in less than 150 days, USDA has announced the availability of $27.4 billion of the $28 billion of funds provided through the Recovery Act.

Recovery Act accomplishments within the first 150 days include:

• More than 43,000 Single Family Housing Loans to purchase, construct, or rehabilitate a home in a rural area. With these loans, families can have a home, and contribute to a community.
  
• 323 Water and Waste Disposal loans and grants to construct or improve facilities that will provide communities safe drinking water and safe, sanitary waste disposal.
  
• 600 Community Facilities projects, including public safety vehicles, libraries, and health care centers. These are wealth creation projects that provide long-term economic and social improvements to communities.
  
• 80 Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations projects providing flood prevention and mitigation for communities, improved rural water supply, environmental mitigation measures and formation of wetlands and wildlife habitat, and even increased water supplies for rural firefighting.
  
• 26 Watershed Rehabilitation projects to make needed repairs and updates to bring aging watershed dams up to current safety standards and/or provide environmental mitigation as well.
  
• 288 Floodplain Easements. This program takes frequently flooded areas and places that acreage under a permanent conservation easement.
  
• 169 Wildland Fire Management projects including hazardous fuels reduction covering 25,000 acres of forested lands and wood-to-energy grants to promote increased utilization of biomass on federal, state, and private lands.
  
• Capital Improvement and Maintenance projects include decommissioning roads, remediating abandoned mine sites, and remodeling Forest Service buildings for energy efficiency.
  

— Adapted from a release provided by USDA.

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