News Update
April 23, 2015
Illinois Family Honored
for Historic Angus Herd
Larry Slager, Polo, Ill., purchased his first registered-Angus heifer when he was 10 years old. The year was 1960, and thanks to a $270 loan from the bank, he brought home Eiltonier Erica 215 from Eiltonier Angus in Tipton, Iowa. That was the official start to Larry’s registered-Angus herd, which is still in operation nearly 55 years later.
To recognize his dedication to the Angus breed, the American Angus Association is proud to name Slager Angus as a Historic Angus Herd. The award is presented to Angus breeders or immediate families who have been in continuous production of registered-Angus cattle for 50 years or more.
Before investing in his first Angus heifer, Larry had a Hereford steer. Then, he says, he “saw the light.” The first calf out of Eiltonier Erica 215 sired the grand champion steer at a county 4-H competition. Through 4-H and FFA he showed cattle extensively at county and state fairs during the 1960s.
In fact, Larry met his wife, Deborah, in the cattle barn at the Wisconsin State Fair.
The couple continues to manage the herd of 17 registered-Angus cows at their home farm in northern Illinois. Their passion for the Angus business — started more than 50 years ago — is sure to continue for many years to come.
Read more about Slager Angus in the complete news release.
Act in April to Honor the Best
April 30 is the deadline to nominate fellow seedstock breeders, commercial cattlemen or feedlot operators for their commitment to quality. The Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) team finds it a great honor to recognize some standout influencers in the beef supply chain each year.
This year, the team will be accepting nominations for two different categories.
The Commitment to Excellence awards most closely take into consideration the applicants’ direct effect on the supply of high-quality cattle for the CAB® brand. Elements that may be considered for this award include genetics selection, management practices, customer service, progressive use of technology and overall CAB® acceptance rate. Nominations for this award can be made in one of three categories: seedstock breeder, commercial producer or feedlot.
The Progressive Partner award recognizes those who have found the most innovative and effective ways to add value to high-quality cattle. We’re looking for folks with an advanced marketing approach in today’s beef business. Nominees may come from any segment of the industry and may be recognized as individuals or as a business.
Go online to learn more about the CAB® awards or to place your nomination.
Strong Cattle Prices Continue; Hog Markets Drop
Cattle prices remain high, though they are down from the record set last October. Beef prices, however, are still breaking records at the grocery store, University of Missouri (MU) Extension agricultural economist Ron Plain told the 2015 MU Spring Ag Marketing Outlook Conference on April 22.
“March average retail beef prices were $6.08 a pound,” Plain said. “That’s a record high for the fourth consecutive month.”
Plain says that’s because grocery store prices lag behind farm prices. In addition, the seasonal peak for beef prices is usually in March and April, so stores are reluctant to cut prices too much in advance of that. He says prices typically drop during the summer and consumers will see relief at the meat counter.
Hog prices, on the other hand, have pulled back significantly since last fall. At times, hog prices have dropped to half of what they were a year ago, Plain said.
“Hog prices started dropping faster than cattle did, and we’ve already seen prices in the grocery store decline as a result,” he said. “The actual peak for grocery store pork prices happened in September, and we’ve been lower each month since.”
Plain says producers should see hog prices start to increase soon but still remain substantially lower than they were a year ago.
“Last year was the most profitable year ever to be in the hog business,” he said. “Feed costs are going to be lower, so an average producer will make a little bit of money this year. Nothing like last year, but when the year is over with we expect them to be in the black.”
Domestic demand for beef and pork has been strong this year, but export demand has been down due to the strong dollar and a slowdown in the world economy. Plain says it’s important that exports do well or cattle and hog prices may be lower than expected.
Presentation slides from the conference are available online.
Senate Finance Committee Passes TPA Legislation
The Senate Finance Committee passed Trade Promotion Authority legislation (S. 995) April 22 by a bi-partisan vote of 20 to 6. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President and Chugwater, Wyo., cattleman Philip Ellis highlighted the importance of this legislation.
“We were very happy to see the Committee pass a TPA bill, without amendments that would hinder progress on future free trade agreements,” Ellis said. “Trade Promotion Authority gives our negotiators and trading partners a clear signal to negotiate the best deal for our products, knowing it will receive an up or down vote in Congress. Current and future free trade agreements give us the ability to take our beef, the best protein in the world, to the 96% of the world’s population that lives beyond our borders. Trade and greater access to markets around the world mean the future to my ranch, my kids and my grandkids; and I urge Congress to pass this legislation without delay.”
On the other side of the issue, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson submitted testimony to both the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, urging Congress to reject Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation that does not address the United States’ massive trade deficit or currency manipulation.
“Trade Promotion Authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) fails to address our nation’s massive and growing trade deficit or currency manipulation in member countries of TPP negotiations,” Johnson said. “Congress should maintain its constitutional authority to address these concerns by rejecting TPA legislation that removes it.”
Read Johnson’s full statement online.
Subcommittee Reviews the Reauthorization
of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act
Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee, hosted a public hearing April 22 to review the reauthorization of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act.
First enacted in 1999, the Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting Act was developed in response to changing markets with an increasing number of animals being sold via marketing arrangements under which prices were not publicly disclosed. As these structural changes continued, livestock producers requested that the voluntary price reporting mechanism be made mandatory.
The resulting Act mandated price reporting for live cattle, boxed beef, and live swine, and allowed USDA to establish mandatory price reporting for lamb sales. Subsequent reauthorizations modified swine reporting provisions and reporting of wholesale pork cuts. The current 5-year authorization expires on Sept. 30 of this year.
“As the committee works on reauthorizing the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act, it is the goal and intent of our committee to bring all parties together and strike a balance that promotes fairness, transparency and stability in the market,” Chairman Rouzer said. “No one knows how to make this process work better than those directly involved, and I appreciate their willingness to work together and with the committee to make this happen.”
Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway said: “I appreciate representatives from the livestock and packer segments of the industry laying the important groundwork as the Agriculture Committee begins drafting reauthorization language. We will take into account the concerns of farmers and ranchers, packers, and industry affiliates, and hope to find common ground that will benefit producers, consumers and the overall economy.”
Click here for more information, including Chairman Rouzer’s opening statement and the archived webcast.
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