News Update
October 9, 2012
NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen Live Show to Address Drought Management Strategies and Initiatives
This year has been a tough one for farmers and ranchers across the country, especially due to the ongoing drought that has 70% of cattle country suffering from abnormal to exceptionally dry conditions. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) Cattlemen to Cattlemen will take a look at drought management efforts that cattlemen and women can implement on their ranches during a live call-in show Tues., Oct. 9, at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on RFD-TV.
Cattle producers are facing the worst drought conditions in 50 years, with the center of the drought located in the Midwest and southern Great Plains, where months of record-breaking heat starting in March and below-average spring precipitation helped create the now record drought conditions. Much of the country's crop production has been hindered by the drought, and crop prices are reaching near all-time highs.
"Cattlemen must have the ability to make management decisions in a timely manner when faced with drought or other natural disasters," said NCBA Executive Director of Producer Education John Paterson. "This special episode of NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen will allow us to answer questions, listen to producer concerns and discuss drought management options that are key in helping ranchers get their operations through these tough drought conditions."
For more information and the full release, click here.
Champion Chicago Broadcaster is First Litton Lecturer at MU
Orion Samuelson, legendary agribusiness broadcaster at Chicago's WGN radio, will deliver the inaugural Litton Lecture, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., at the University of Missouri (MU) Monsanto Auditorium in the Life Sciences Building.
The lecture is coordinated by the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) and remembers Jerry Litton, alumnus of the college who died in an aircraft accident in 1976 after winning a Democratic primary bid for United States Senate.
The lecture is part of CAFNR's Jerry Litton Fund for Agricultural Leadership designed to expand the entrepreneurial potential of students. The fund brings interesting speakers to campus, supports faculty activities and assists students through scholarships.
The fund was endowed in 2010 by the Jerry Litton Family Memorial Foundation. The foundation supports agricultural, educational and athletic activities in memory of the Jerry Litton family.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Meat Industry Veteran Named Distinguished Service Winner
Long-time meat industry veteran Earl J. Skahill has enjoyed a 44-year career that has seen him manage beef and cattle feeding operations in the Midwest, open export offices in Asia, establish several export "firsts," and found his own meat distribution company in Colorado.
Now, more than four decades after starting his career in his family's cattle feeding business, Skahill is adding the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Distinguished Service Award to his extensive résumé. The award is presented to members of the industry who have worked with special dedication for the industry and the federation and have shown outstanding leadership and contributions in the achievement of USMEF's export goals.
"I am very proud of this award, and proud that it's coming from USMEF," said Skahill. "Exporting was the highlight of my whole career. I enjoyed it more than running meat packing and processing plants or any of the many other things I've done in this industry."
For the full release and more information, click here.
State Beef Councils to Add Millions to Check-Off Budget
Beef producers serving state beef council boards throughout the country have chosen to supplement national and international research, education and promotion programs funded by the Beef Checkoff Program by about $6.6 million in fiscal year 2013, which began
Oct. 1.
The supplemental funds, invested through the Federation of State Beef Councils, are to be added to the $40.3 million invested through the Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB) and approved by the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, which met in Denver Sept. 19-20. The Committee's decisions were submitted to the full CBB and the USDA for approval.
State beef councils in 45 states are qualified to collect the full $1-per-head beef checkoff, and retain 50¢ of each dollar for use in authorized state, national and international programs. The other 50¢ is remitted to the CBB. Collections from beef importers, who must also pay the checkoff, and from cattle producers in states with no qualified State Beef Council, are conducted by the CBB.
Some of the funds from states with high cattle numbers and low populations are invested through the Federation to extend national and international Beef Checkoff Program efforts in a coordinated way. Decisions about specific programs to fund are made by individual state beef councils.
"A coordinated state and national Beef Checkoff Program makes the most of the $1-per-head checkoff beef producers must pay," said Craig Uden, a Nebraska beef producer and chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils. "It also helps assure a grassroots decision-making process that allows producers at the state level to have additional say in how and where their beef checkoff dollars are invested."
For more information and the full release, click here.
Kentucky Beef Conference is Oct. 23 in Lexington
Kentucky beef producers interested in current market trends, management practices and ways to make calves more marketable will want to attend the Kentucky Beef Conference Oct. 23. The one-day event at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension office aims to teach producers how to turn today's challenges into tomorrow's opportunities.
The University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture will host the conference, which will focus on existing marketing trends in the beef industry, managing higher feed costs and current market volatility. Producers will have the opportunity to hear from top speakers in the country, thanks to corporate and industry sponsors.
Speakers this year include Lance Zimmerman, analyst for CattleFax, who will discuss the current beef cattle situation and provide 2012 marketing strategies. Les Anderson, UK beef extension specialist, will lead a session about the reproductive implications of the 2012 drought. UK agricultural economist Kenny Burdine will talk about the economics of heifer development, and UK beef extension specialist Jeff Lehmkuhler will offer penny-pinching strategies producers can use when dealing with high feed prices.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Meat Industry Leaders Mourn Friend, Bobby Hatoff
Allen Bros. Chairman Robert (Bobby) Hatoff died this past weekend.
Hatoff was a former chairman of the North American Meat Processors Association, a member of the National Meat Association and was on the board of the newly formed North American Meat Association.
Allen Bros. is a fourth generation beef processor that specializes in aged USDA Prime steaks for high-end steakhouses and restaurants. It was founded in 1893 in Chicago's famed Union Stockyards meat market. Bobby had led the company since the early 1980s. His son Todd Hatoff is currently the company president and CEO.
"Bobby was the quintessential gentleman and a recognized pioneer in the meat industry," said Allen Bros. Chief Operating Officer Howard Samuels in a statement. "He will be greatly missed at Allen Brothers, in the Chicago business community and throughout our industry."
"For us, Bobby was a truly outstanding individual who deeply cared about his fellow man. His legacy is rich and far reaching," NAMA executives Barry Carpenter, Phil Kimball and Rosemary Mucklow said in a joint statement. "Bobby was committed to helping others in the meat industry. Many turned to him for advice, which he gave freely… Bobby was modest about his many accomplishments. He was generous, and his friendship was the best gift of all. All of us who were privileged to share that friendship are better people for having known him. The thoughts and prayers of all NAMA members go to out to Bobby's entire family."
OSU Farm Policy Expert: Not Surprising Farm Bill Expired Before New Bill Passed
The 2008 Farm Bill expired this week, a move that was not unexpected by many in the industry, an Ohio State University farm policy expert said.
It's not surprising the 2012 Farm Bill didn't pass before the current farm bill expired in such a politically divided Congress, which in turn reflects a divided country and a divided farm bill constituency, said Carl Zulauf, an agricultural economics professor at Ohio State and a farm policy expert.
The drought of 2012,which is one of the worst in the last 50 years, may have played a role in the bill's failure to pass, he said.
"The drought didn't begin until relatively late into the (farm bill debate) process," Zulauf said. "Disagreement may exist as to what kind of disaster assistance programs should be added into the bill or passed in separate legislation."
Zulauf noted that it is not unusual for an existing farm bill to expire before the new farm bill is passed. This situation happened during the debate over the most recent, or 2008, Farm Bill.
"Failure to pass a new farm bill results in some programs no longer being funded," he said. "These programs include some programs in the conservation, specialty crop, trade, energy and conservation titles of the bill.
"Spending can resume when these programs are extended and funded, either in a new farm bill or some other legislation."
In addition, the Milk Income Loss Contract program, which compensates dairy producers when domestic milk prices fall below a certain level, will continue to make payments only through November if such payments are triggered, Zulauf said.
"But the crop insurance program is permanently funded and does not expire," he said. "And the crop support programs are authorized through the current 2012 crop year."
More than a dozen farm organizations issued a joint statement this week noting that while the expiration of the bill will have little to no effect on some farm programs, other programs could have a major impact on some dairy farmers, some specialty crop growers and those looking to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program.
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