News Update
March 9, 2015
Cow-Calf Profitability Picture
2015 is set to remain profitable for cattle producers, according to CattleFax. While it will be difficult to replicate the record highs of the last couple of years, analyst Kevin Good says there’s room for expansion among the nation’s beef cattle herd.
Watch his comments on this week’s The Angus Report.
Additional headlines include animal disease traceability criteria, potential changes to meat recommendations in the dietary guidelines, Angus sale averages, an export outlook and much more. Tune to RFD-TV each Wednesday at 5 p.m. CST, Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CST or Monday at 7:30 a.m. CST to watch the weekly news program.
Traceability Compliance
A final phase of the national animal disease traceability rules will take effect this week, and with it, a change in the type of identification methods meeting the requirements.
Starting March 11, all official ear tags noted under the animal disease traceability requirements must be tamper-evident, approved by USDA, contain an official animal ID numbering system and an official ear-tag shield.
The recognition of manufacturer-coded numbers with the 900 series and “USA” prefix will be discontinued and producers can consider changing to 840 tags. Accepted identification varies, depending on location, and could include brands, tattoos, ear tags, registration papers, certificates, owner-shipper statements or a combination of identification systems.
The American Angus Association offers several programs and services that comply with the current USDA rules for animal disease traceability, including the age-and-source verification program, AngusSource®.
For more information, view the full release.
Iowa Ag Summit Elevates
Key Issues for Presidential Contenders
Most Iowans know that they'll see a lot of presidential “wannabes” running around the Hawkeye state — shaking hands in coffee shops and eating pork chops at the Iowa State Fair — between now and the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, tentatively set for Feb. 1, 2016.
But once they move past Iowa, it’s difficult to get answers about where any of them stand on food and agricultural issues. Unfortunately, many don’t even list “agriculture” as an issue area on their websites.
But now that’s going to change, thanks to a new event organized by Iowa entrepreneur, Board of Regents president and influential GOP donor Bruce Rastetter. The Iowa Agricultural Summit was March 7 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Rastetter told Agri-Pulse that the idea surfaced last November and Gov. Terry Branstad has been a big supporter of the event, even calling a number of candidates and encouraging them to join the discussion. Other Iowa agricultural leaders jumped on board, too.
“I believe this forum will be important for more than just Iowa farmers, but for those beyond Iowa’s borders and for those outside of agriculture,” emphasized Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey.
GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley has also been involved, after at least two candidates requested a briefing from him. Although Iowa’s senior senator won’t say who called, he advised them to be “sympathetic” to farmers facing corn and soybean prices below the cost of production. He also pointed out the importance of international trade and also ethanol — from the standpoint of protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard.
“Ag issues really don’t get the attention they ought to,” Grassley said. “When only 2% of the people in this country are producing food, we need all the help we can get.”
Rastetter says participants were able to introduce themselves and then respond to about 20 minutes of the same core questions.
- A combination of renewable fuels and wind energy.
- Immigration and a stable work force for agriculture.
- Biotechnology, organic food and labeling.
- Free trade, Trade Promotion Authority and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
- USDA subsidies, federal crop insurance and where that’s headed.
- Sustainability, including EPA’s Waters of the U.S. proposal, and the appropriate role of government in agriculture.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Water Shortages Mean More Rural Suffering,
Farm Leader Says
Continued drought and problems in water management combine to extend the suffering in rural communities, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF). CFBF President Paul Wenger said the Feb. 27 announcement that the federal Central Valley Project will likely deliver no water to most of its agricultural customers — for a second straight year — reinforces the need to move quickly on water projects authorized by the Proposition 1 water bond and on congressional reform of environmental laws.
“The CVP announcement is both saddening and maddening,” Wenger said. “It’s saddening because the continued cutoff of water will prolong the impact of water shortages on farmers, their employees and rural communities. It’s maddening because California still struggles to manage water wisely and flexibly, especially in dry years.”
Wenger noted ongoing conflicts in water management, specifically about how much water is repeatedly dedicated to protection of fish and wildlife at the expense of jobs and food production for people.
“In a year like this, when every drop of water is more precious than ever, we must improve our ability to store storm flows when we can,” he said. “People have real frustration about bureaucratic decisions that send excess water out to sea beyond what’s needed for the ecosystem and delta water quality, when that water could be stored for later use, both by people and in the environment.”
Wenger said the continued drought lends urgency to the current process of allocating money to be invested from the water bond approved by California voters last November.
“Farm Bureau and other organizations will continue to work with the California Water Commission to ensure that bond money for surface-water storage projects is apportioned as rapidly and as effectively as possible,” Wenger said. “We are suffering now from our past failure to improve our water system. We shouldn’t compound the suffering by studying projects to death. It’s time to invest the money that Californians voted to invest.”
He also called on Congress to move quickly “to provide relief from rigid environmental laws that have failed to balance species protections with human needs.”
Reagan County Ag Day offers Range of Ranching Information
A plethora of pertinent ranch-related information awaits those planning to attend the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Reagan County Ag Day on March 25, organizers said.
The day will start with an 8:30 a.m. registration followed by the program from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the AgriLife Extension office, Reagan County, 1430 N. Ohio St., Big Lake, said Chase McPhaul, AgriLife Extension agent in Reagan County.
“The topics selected for the program are those being discussed by ranchers across our region these days,” McPhaul said. “The increased rainfall we’ve been getting this winter and the stepped-up oil field activity of recent months have changed the complexion of our country in a number of ways, some for the good and some for the not so good. These changing times call for our producers to have the information to make informed decisions and that’s what this program is designed to provide.”
The program topics will include:
- – The 2014 Farm Bill.
- – Restocking Plans that Improve Flexibility.
- – Top Laws Texas Landowners need to Know.
- – Brackish Groundwater: Why It’s Important.
- – Current Legislation that May Impact Landowners.
- – Predator Management in West Texas.
- – Agriculture Water Conservation of Texas.
- – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency updates.
Individual registration is $10, due upon arrival. The fee includes coffee, donuts and lunch, but RSVPs are required by March 20 to ensure an accurate lunch count. For more information and to RSVP call the AgriLife Extension office in Reagan County at 325-884-2335.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing educations units, two general and one laws and regulations will be offered.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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