News Update
March 15, 2011

USDA Recognizes Work of Farmers and Ranchers on National Ag Day

In honor of the hard work and commitment of America’s producers, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack today recognized the nation’s farmers and ranchers — as part of National Ag Day — for the part they play in providing food, fiber and fuel to billions of people worldwide.

“Agriculture touches everyone’s life in one way or another, yet our farmers and ranchers can often be overlooked for the important work they do, and we should all take time during this day to thank producers for a job well done,” said Vilsack.

National Ag Day is an event set aside to celebrate the contributions of agriculture in our everyday lives. It encourages Americans to learn more about how their food, fiber and fuel products are produced, value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy and appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

Referring to the role American agriculture plays in protecting against prolonged consequences of natural disasters around the world, Vilsack said that U.S. agriculture is always available to feed and clothe its people. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of the nation’s economic activity, placing farmers and ranchers at the forefront of the nation’s security.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) works with agricultural producers and supports them through various farm programs and farm loans available through offices across the United States. These programs and services provide an important “safety net” needed to continue nourishing the country while preserving its natural resources.

“We focus on the programs and policies that achieve the greatest benefit for our customers — the farmers and ranchers,” said Acting Farm Service Administrator Val Dolcini. “Although they face many challenges, these challenges have taught us to appreciate the innovation, dedication and work ethic of the customers we serve.”

USDA encourages everyone to take time during National Agriculture Day to learn more about agriculture and how it affects our lives by visiting the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov. Also during National Ag Day, support local farmers and ranchers by going to a farmer’s market or by purchasing locally-grown fruits and vegetables. By supporting our farmers and ranchers, we are supporting the backbone of America.

— Release by USDA.

Beef Is Celebrating Earth Day

April 22nd marks Earth Day, and the beef checkoff is once again encouraging producers to tell their friends and family to do something good for their body and the planet by celebrating with steak. Why? Because the beef raised today requires less land, water and energy than before and each serving provides 10 essential nutrients to your diet. 

Producers can be proud of so many things:

• About two-thirds of cattle farms and ranches have been in the same family for two generations or more.
• On average, each cattleman has 13 different practices in place to accomplish environmental goals such as nurturing wildlife, preventing erosion and conserving and protecting water.
• Thanks to smart practices, raising livestock in the United States today accounts for less than 3% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

Not only that, but the average American farmer feeds about 155 people worldwide, compared to 26 just a few decades ago. And experts estimate global food production will need to increase 70% by 2050 to feed a growing world population. Many experts agree U.S. livestock production practices are an environmentally sustainable solution for raising food and should be considered a model for the rest of the world.

“As we prepare to celebrate Earth Day, we’d like to remind beef and dairy producers to share their production story with everyone they know — family, friends, neighbors and even those they just met at the grocery store. We need to let them know that we’re proud cattle producers, providing 20% of the world’s iron-rich beef with just 7% of the cattle,” says Daryl Berlier Owen, chair of the checkoff’s Joint Public Opinion and Issues Management Group, and cow-calf producer from Amarillo, Texas. “That means people can enjoy a good steak as part of a healthy, balanced diet, knowing that it is being produced in such a way that’s good for their personal health and the health of the planet.”

Producers can find more information and modern beef production statistics, as well as informational videos, on the checkoff-funded www.ExploreBeef.org website.

A number of state beef councils will be participating in Earth Day efforts on a local level. For a list of state beef council contact information or for more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.

— Release by the Beef Checkoff Program.

USMEF-Japan Update

In the aftermath of the devastating magnitude-9 earthquake and resulting tsunami that ravaged much of northern Japan, the staff of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)-Japan is working around the clock to assess the impact this natural disaster has had on the country and, in particular, the meat trade of Japan.

Infrastructure — Much of the U.S. beef and pork that goes to Japan is delivered to ports from Tokyo southward. Early reports are that most of those ports were not heavily damaged and were expected to be open again this week.

Refrigeration is a critical consideration in maintaining the necessary cold chain, but reports indicate that the power grid is operational in many areas, especially ports, and power will be diverted and rerouted to areas in need. Rolling blackouts throughout the Tokyo area may affect the distribution of goods after arriving at the port, but the extent of this impact is still being evaluated. Of course, areas in northeastern Japan — the hardest hit areas — do not currently have a working power delivery system, so there will be problems in serving those areas.

Transportation is another issue for the regions affected. In the short term, many key highways are being reserved for emergency vehicle use, so product distribution in northeast coastal areas will be challenged, but there already are signs that companies are regaining limited access to roads for their distribution.

Japanese meat processors — The Tohoku region occupies the northeast part of Honshu, Japan’s largest island, and the region hardest hit by the disaster. Several meat processors in Tohoku have reported that their plants are out of service due to a combination of facility damage and lack of electricity. Rolling blackouts will pose a continuing challenge for processors in the region for the near-term. Those facilities that haven’t sustained physical damage have experienced delays due to damage to roads.

Japanese retail — The same issues that are affecting homeowners and manufacturers are affecting retailers in the Tohoku region. Power blackouts are forcing retailers to manage their order systems manually, and a lack of gasoline at area service stations is affecting both product distribution as well as the movement of consumers.

One leading retailer in the region reports that about 20% of its stores were open two days after the disaster.

Japanese producers — The primary impact on livestock production on the Tohoku area is access to feed grains and the need for electricity to obtain fresh groundwater supplies, particularly for pigs and for processing of hog waste.

Tohoku region cattle likely will remain on the farm longer than anticipated due to transportation issues and the inability of processing plants to resume full operating schedules without guaranteed power supplies. Less than half of the 17 wholesale cattle markets in the region have resumed regular operation, but only those producers in the immediate region should experience significant issues. Japan is 43% self-sufficient in beef and 53% in pork.

Cold storage — Cold storage facilities have been affected in several ways. The violent quake shook countless pallets of product off of shelves, creating clean-up challenges. The consistent availability of electricity is another, along with the ability to transport product to regions like Tohoku where product availability is limited. The trade in Tokyo is working hard to secure adequate supplies from the western part of Japan and Kyushu, the southern part of Japan.

Long-term demand — While this disaster is a tragedy for the people of Japan — particularly those in the coastal region of the northeast — the major population centers of Japan have been affected to a lesser degree. Tohoku represents approximately 1.6% of Japan’s population and less than 2% of its GDP. Based on information available, there is no reason to expect that this tragic disaster will have a significant effect on demand for red meat products in Japan.

It is far too early to speculate about the long-term impact of this disaster on the nationwide economy of Japan, but even in recent economic times that were considered sluggish, Japan has remained a very robust market for U.S. beef and pork.

— Release by USMEF.

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