News Update
July 18, 2012
NCBA Holds Beef 101 Educational Series on Capitol Hill
Representatives from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and the Nebraska Cattlemen gave an overview of the U.S. beef industry to congressional staff members as part of NCBA's "Beef 101" educational series.
Beef 101 is an educational series for members of Congress and their staff. The program was developed to bridge the knowledge gap between elected officials and the beef industry. The session featured a presentation by University of Nebraska–Lincoln professor Tom Field, who gave a general overview of the U.S. beef industry. Field told roughly 40 attendees that the $220 billion beef industry is largely family-owned, with 97% of beef producers located on family farms, ranches and feedyards.
Field, who has a family cattle operation in Colorado, explained to attendees the current beef industry is made up of 751,000 beef herds totaling approximately 30 million cows and 26 million feeder calves. He also stated that since the 1970s, the U.S. has lost 43% of cow-calf producers, and that the beef cow inventory is at its lowest number since 1952. This decline even continued during a "relatively high level" of profitability from 1999 to 2011. Drought, land values, input costs, downward turn of the U.S. economy, increasing age of the average cattleman, and media and government regulatory overreach are all contributing factors to the decreasing cattle inventory and loss of cow-calf producers. However, Field emphasized how efficient and skilled U.S. cattlemen and women are, stating that the United States accounts for 7% of the world's cattle, but provides 20% of global beef production, a number unmatched by any other beef producing country in the world.
For more information and the full release, click here.
USDA Announces 2.0 Version of Know Your Farmer, Know your Food Compass
USDA unveiled an updated version of its Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass. The KYF Compass is an interactive web-based document and map highlighting USDA support for local and regional food projects through successful producer, business and community case studies.
"Local food is a rapidly growing trend in American agriculture. It offers additional market opportunities for farmers, ranchers and food business entrepreneurs while enabling consumers to develop a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and how it is produced," said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan. "The new stories and data in the 2.0 version of the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass offer a comprehensive look at the impact local food is having across the country."
The updated version includes new case studies and additional mapped data, including locations of farmers' markets, food hubs, and meat processing facilities. The map also features enhanced search functions that allow for easier navigation.
For more information and the full release, click here.
NJAS Continues in Louisville
Shane Heizer of Hagerstown, Md., just won late junior champion and MacKenzie Flory of Baldwin City, Kan., won reserve late junior champion in the Bred & Owned Female Show at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) in Louisville, Ky. National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members will compete in extemporaneous speaking, team sales and the written portion of the quiz bowl contest yet this afternoon. The American Angus Auxiliary will host a social and meeting, along with two workshops — one on scholarships and one on "wearing the crown."
For the full NJAS schedule, visit www.njas.info.
NCBA Comments on EPA's Dust Standard
The NCBA made clear its position on any attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lower the coarse particulate matter (PM) standard as part of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) during one of two public hearings hosted by EPA.
"NCBA represents tens of thousands of America's cattlemen and women who provide much of the nation's supply of food. Our members are proud of their tradition as stewards and conservators of America's lands and waters," said Ashley McDonald, NCBA deputy environmental counsel, during the hearing. "Cattle producers across the country would be adversely affected if EPA lowers the dust standard, especially those in the West, Southwest and Midwest, and we urge the agency to retain the current standard as proposed."
For the full release, click here.
Trans-Pecos 'Ranching in the Extremes' Wildlife Conference, Field Day Set for Aug. 2-3
The Texas AgriLife Extension Service is partnering with several other entities to present the Trans-Pecos Wildlife Conference and Field Day Aug. 2-3 in Alpine.
The Aug. 2 classroom sessions begin at 8 a.m. in the Espino Conference Center located on the main campus of Sul Ross State University. The Aug. 3 field tour will meet at 7:45 a.m. at the school's Range Animal Science Center. There will be an 8 a.m. departure by private vehicles to the Parker and Parker Cattle Co. ranch, 15 miles from Alpine.
"This program's theme is 'Ranching in the Extremes,' because that's what we're now doing," said Jesse Lea Schneider, AgriLife Extension agent in Presidio County. "The past two years have been and continue to be some of the worst of times for Far West Texas ranchers. Wildfires of epic proportions, coupled with record heat and drought have taken a tremendous toll on the cattle industry, wildlife population and our local economy.
"The purpose of this conference is to show how landowners and managers are coping with this series of natural disasters and to explore ways they can best continue that good work."
The Aug. 2 morning presentations will address wildfire, drought, water conservation, watershed management, brush control and habitat management. Afternoon topics will include mountain lions, chronic wasting disease, non-game management, desert mule deer, pronghorn antelope and desert bighorn sheep.
For more information and the full release, click here.
About 20% of Corn Crop Could be Lost to Drought
As much as 20% of the U.S. corn crop could be lost because of the worst drought in decades. UPI reports that extreme heat and lack of moisture has left crops stunted in much of the Midwest corn and soybean belt from Iowa to Ohio. Indianapolis hasn't seen significant rainfall in 45 days, tying the Indiana city's record for its longest dry spell in more than 100 years.
Lakes are drying up and a National Weather Service hydrologist told The Indianapolis Star the region needs continuous rains of at least an inch weekly through the rest of the growing season to save the crop.
The USDA Monday said 43% of Wisconsin's corn crop and 39% of soybeans are in poor or very poor condition after nearly a month of dry conditions. In neighboring Illinois, state university Extension economist Gary Schnitkey estimated crop insurance payouts could exceed $3 billion this year, The Peoria Journal Star reported.
"The cost of subsidizing crop insurance premiums has exploded , from $1.5 billion in 2002 to $7.4 billion in 2011," Bruce Babcock, an economics professor at Iowa State University told the newspaper.
For more information and the full release, click here.
NFU Supports Extension of SURE Program with Resolution
The National Farmers Union (NFU) Board of Directors passed a resolution today supporting current legislation that will extend permanent disaster programs for crops and livestock producers for one year in response to recent exceptional droughts plaguing U.S. agriculture. The extension will provide certainty for U.S. farmers and ranchers while Congress works to pass the next farm bill, which the U.S. House of Representatives must do before current legislation expires on Sept. 30, 2012.
"The U.S. House must act now to pass the farm bill before current legislation expires in about two months," said NFU President Roger Johnson. "It is critical that Congress supports the legislation sponsored by Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Tim Johnson, D-S.D. and Jon Tester, D-Mont., that would extend the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Program (LFP), and Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) for one year. More than 1,000 counties in 26 states have declared disasters due to the drought and wildfires, and farmers currently do not have adequate assistance for their 2011 and 2012 weather-related crop losses."
The SURE Program was the permanent disaster legislation authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Some Meat Lovers Will Not Date a Vegetarian
Nearly one in three single meat-lovers would not date a vegetarian or vegan. Citing a 'Love Bites' survey of 4,000 singles conducted by Today.com and Match.com, the Pork Network reports that social stigma associated with a meat-free lifestyle isn't all to blame. Instead, blame it on biology.
Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and Match.com's chief scientific adviser, explained that sharing food is integral to courtship throughout the animal kingdom.
"Mankind's first luxury was meat," Fisher said. "And when carnivores share food — what they are sharing is this luxury. It's more than just cultural, it's instinctual."
Fisher also noted that men who are vegetarian have long been perceived as being less manly.
Meat-loving singles also found vegetarians to be picky, which was considered a turn-off for 66% of the respondents.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.