News Update
October 24, 2011
Vilsack Challenges FFA Participants to Pursue Careers in Ag
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke to the 84th National FFA Convention about the critical need to recruit and support the nation’s next generation of farmers and ranchers.
“America’s producers are the most productive and successful in the world — with a willingness to embrace change, new science and innovative technologies to fulfill the noble task of feeding a nation,” said Vilsack. “To continue that success, we need organizations like FFA working creatively to build policies, structures and institutions that will ensure the next generation can continue to feed and fuel the world.”
USDA’s focus on developing new generations of beginning farmers and ranchers is a result of America’s aging farming community. In the last five years, there has been a 20% decrease in the number of farmers under 45. Today the average American farmer is 57, whereas five years ago it was 55. Today, nearly 30% of American farmers are over the age of 65 — almost double what it is in the general workforce.
Secretary Vilsack highlighted USDA programs that are committed to investing more resources and energy to recruit the next generation of farmers and to finding strategies to make these beginning farmers successful. The USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach assists people who want to learn about USDA’s efforts to support new producers. In the past two years, more than 40% of all USDA’s farm loans have gone to beginning farmers and ranchers.
“The future of agriculture is bright and will present the next generation with incredible opportunities to pursue,” said Vilsack. “Young people should continue to engage in policy that affects them — but they shouldn’t be limited by it. We need them to think big, innovate and tackle the important challenges facing American agriculture and the nation as a whole.”
USMEF Distinguished Service Award to Cargill’s Troutman
A third-generation meat industry veteran with more than 36 years experience, Edward (Eddie) Troutman, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Distinguished Service Award winner for 2011, began his indoctrination to the industry at age 12, working for $1 per hour.
“My grandfather and father had a packing house in Elizabethville, Pa.,” said Troutman. “I grew up in the beef business.”
After graduating from Catawba College with a degree in business, Troutman began his official career in the beef industry in 1975 with Swift & Co.’s domestic sales and distribution unit in Atlantic City, N.J. Less than three years later, his career path took him to Taylor Packing Co. Inc., in Wyalusing, Pa., where Troutman spent the next 25 years totally immersed in the business, working everywhere from the kill floor to the boning room to managing sales coolers and, ultimately, into sales.
“My first international sales trip came in 1990 for a USMEF trip led by Phil Seng (then recently named CEO of USMEF),” said Troutman. “Ken Taylor, president and CEO of Taylor Packing, was on that trip as well, and he felt we needed to grow our international business and get actively involved in USMEF. I became the international sales arm of Taylor.”
After Cargill acquired Taylor Packing in 2002, Troutman embarked on the next phase of his career. In December of 2009, he was named Cargill’s vice president of beef international and by-product sales.
Since that trip to Japan in 1981, Troutman has been actively involved on the international side of the business and with USMEF, having served on USMEF’s Executive Committee (1999-2001) and as chairman of the Exporter Committee.
The nomination of Troutman for the Distinguished Service Award lauded his extensive work in Washington, D.C., “lobbying Congress, foreign embassies, the USTR, USDA and many trade associations advancing the trade agenda… He takes the stance that open trade policies will create opportunity for all market participants.”
Troutman, who will celebrate his 36th anniversary with wife, Kim, in November, takes pride in the values of the two family-owned companies that have employed him for the past 34 years.
“I’m very fortunate to have worked for a family-owned company (Taylor) that believed in doing things the right way,” he said. “And I now work for a family-owned company (Cargill) that also believes in doing things the right way.”
Drought Impacts May Be Slowing Down
There are indications that the worst of the drought forced movements of cattle may be slowing down, at least for now. Beef cow slaughter in federal Region 6 has decreased each of the last three weeks, though the rate is still 19% above last year in the most recent week that data is available. Beef cow slaughter outside of Region 6 has also been higher than last year since late July but may be tapering off as well with a smaller increase in the most recent data. For the year to date, Region 6 slaughter is 24% above last year and, combined with the rest of the country that has beef cow slaughter down a scant 2%, results in a national total year-to-date beef cow slaughter that is 105% of year-ago levels.
With the bulk of the seasonal cow culling period coming in November, these totals could grow. However, there is some reason to think that much of the normal culling has already occurred and that seasonal culling will be smaller than usual. In Oklahoma, the auction totals for cows are still above year-ago levels as well, but are down significantly from the extremely large volumes of the summer. Feeder cattle auction totals are currently close to year-ago levels but may drop lower, if, as expected, some of the normal fall run of calves has already occurred in drought forced early sales.
The latest Cattle on Feed report also shows a more normal pattern of placements without much obvious drought impacts. Total placements were down in Texas, though higher in the lightweight category. In fact, the under-600 pound (lb.) weight group was the only group with an increase in placements, indicating limited supplies of heavy feeder cattle. Overall, placements were even with a year ago and enough to hold cattle-on-feed totals even with last month at 105% of year-ago levels. However, feedlot inventories should begin to drop for the remainder of the year and into next year. The biggest increase in feedlot placements occurred in Nebraska, which was comprised of increases in both the lightest and heaviest placement categories. Excellent forage conditions likely means that more big yearlings will be marketed out of the Northern Plains this fall but overall feeder supplies will be tight. Oklahoma feeder cattle prices, especially calves, have increased recently despite the lack of wheat pasture grazing this fall. A break in corn futures in early October spurred feedlot demand for feeder cattle and offset the lack of wheat pasture grazing demand.
$20,000 in Beef Scholarships
Pursuing a passion for agriculture through further education — that’s the top requirement for the Louis M. “Mick” Colvin Scholarship offered by the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand.
This year, $15,000 will be split among five undergraduate scholarships, in the amounts of $5,000, $4,000, $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000.
College juniors and seniors who have shown commitment to the beef industry, either through coursework or activities, are encouraged to apply by the Dec. 2 deadline. Applications are evaluated on involvement and scholastic achievement, communication skills and reference letters.
A new opportunity, an additional $5,000 graduate level scholarship will also be given to a full-time master’s or doctoratal student conducting research related to high-quality beef production. Applications for that award are due Jan. 13, 2012.
“The graduate level scholarship will build on what the Colvin Scholarship has always done,” says Mick Colvin, who co-founded Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) in 1978 and served as president for 22 years. “We will be able to groom the next great scientist supporting premium beef.”
The funds given have more than doubled since 2009.
“It’s very, very gratifying to see the amount we’ve offered grow over the years,” Colvin says. “Our partners have really pitched in and they’ve made this scholarship what it is today.”
Those supporters raised a record $92,000 in scholarship monies at a golf outing and auction held during the brand’s annual conference this year in Sunriver, Ore. The dollars go into an account that generates the interest proceeds used to fund these scholarships each year. That ensures the longevity of the program and its impact on the industry.
The 2012 golf outing sponsorship was purchased by Palmer Food Services/G&C Food Distributors, Rochester, N.Y. The following companies also supported the live auction: Holten Meat Inc., East St. Louis, Ill; Cargill Meat Solutions, Wichita, Kan.; Tyson Fresh Meats Inc., Dakota Dunes, S.D.; Sysco Columbia LLC, Columbia, S.C.; Cattleman’s Choice Feedyard Inc., Gage, Okla.; Niman Ranch, Denver, Colo.; and from Canada, Retail Ready Food Products Inc., Mississauga, Ontario; GFS Montreal & Quebec; and Boucherville Quebec.
The top two recipients also win an all-expense-paid trip to the 2012 CAB Annual Conference, September 19-21 in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. This is an opportunity to interact with leaders throughout the production, packing, retail and foodservice industries.
“I can’t say enough good about the past winners,” Colvin says. “They’re great, great students and I’m proud to be associated with them.”
The Colvin Scholarship Fund began in 1999 when Colvin retired as CAB executive director. The scholarships recognize his role in making dreams a reality and inspiring others to be their best.
For more details, interested students should visit www.certifiedangusbeef.com/press/colvin/.
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