News Update

October 20, 2015

Certified Angus Beef Brand
Achieves Record Sales

Certified Angus Beef LLC reported record sales of its signature Certified Angus Beef® brand for the ninth consecutive year, marketing 896 million pounds of product in fiscal 2015, ending Sept. 30. It’s also the 11th straight time the brand’s network of more than 17,500 licensed partners achieved year-over-year growth. The 1.6 percent increase represented an additional 14 million pounds of product.

“In spite of tight supplies and record high prices for a big part of the year, these results continue to drive home the fact that consumers’ purchasing decisions are not based on price alone,” said brand president John Stika. “Rather, it is a price-value decision that they make. Especially as food costs rise, consumers are willing to pay a slight premium for brands that deliver consistently higher quality.”

Three of the brand’s five best sales months in its 37-year history – August, July and May– were in fiscal 2015, each exceeding 80 million pounds and reflecting a promotional focus by licensed partners during summer grilling season. For eight months in fiscal 2015, sales exceeded those for the same month in fiscal 2014.

Read more year-end highlights from the brand in the complete news release.

— Adapted from a news release by Jennifer Schertz, Certified Angus Beef LLC.

Shifts in the Cattle Feeding Business

The feeding business has shifted with market changes, input costs and a focus on quality targets, says Steve Peterson, of MPK Land and Livestock. The Lebanon, Kan., feeder was part of the Feeding Quality Forum sponsored in part by Certified Angus Beef LLC earlier this fall.

“You can feed cattle longer and still maintain your good quality grade without getting them too fat,” Peterson says. “Definitely $3 corn to feed your cattle longer is profitable. You definitely don’t want to over feed them, especially your good cattle.”

Peterson adds that producers can add weight for 70 cents to 80 cents per pound, then market that weight for $1.50 per pound. “It’s definitely feasible,” he said.

Watch the full interview on this week’s The Angus Report. You can also catch the show at 5 p.m. CDT Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. CDT Saturday and 7:30 a.m. CDT each Monday morning on RFD-TV.

— Adapted from The Angus Report.

South Texas Farm and Ranch Show set for Oct. 21-22

The 31st annual South Texas Farm and Ranch Show will be hosted Oct. 21-22 in Victoria and is expected to bring the state’s agribusiness community together once again, organizers said.

“The reason folks make the trip to this show every year is because of the top-notch speakers, trade show exhibitors, demonstrations, continuing education units and so much more,” said Matt Bochat, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for agriculture and natural resources for Victoria County.

The show will be at the Victoria Community Center, 2905 E. North St. It will feature over 125 exhibitor booths and 25 speakers, a golf tournament and children’s activities. The theme of this year’s show is “Water and Agriculture,” Bochat said.

For more information, please view the full release online.

— Adapted from a release by Rod Santa Anna, Texas AgriLife Communications.

On the Farm Experience for Children’s Book Authors

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture invites children’s book authors to attend an On the Farm Author Experience Jan. 7-10 in Orlando, Fla.

Ten applicants will be selected to receive a $1,500 stipend plus room, meals, tour transportation, event registration and all materials to attend the event. Additional space may be available on a paid-attendance basis. Visit the website for more information and to submit your application. The application deadline is Nov. 15.

The focus of the training will be life on cattle ranches. Exploring ways to effectively reach children with valuable information about food and nutrition will be a highlight. The event will provide an open dialogue, with the opportunity for exploration and enriching creative time. Authors will tour farms and ranches, engaging in conversation and discussion panels with real farmers and ranchers.

For more information, please view the full Farm Bureau release online.

— Adapted from a release by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

National Grazing Conference in Texas

If livestock are a big part of your life or livelihood then you don’t want to miss the 6th National Conference on Grazing Lands that will take place Dec. 13-16 at the Hyatt Regency DFW near Grapevine, Texas.

“The National Grazing Lands Coalition’s 6th National Conference on Grazing Lands will feature industry presenters that are federal and state agency experts, from academia, and most importantly, successful producers,” said John Peterson, conference manager.

Featured speakers will include: Don Ball, professor emeritus at Auburn University who is a leader in agronomic forage and livestock information; Garry Lacefield, professor of plant and soil sciences at the University of Kentucky, who is an internationally recognized forage expert; Rachel Gilker and Kathy Voth, co-founders of www.OnPasture.com, will present “Science, Pseudoscience, and When to Spend Your Money”; and Peter Ballerstedt, renowned forage specialist with Barenbrug, USA, will discuss grass-based health.

For more information, view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.

— Adapted from a release by the National Grazing Lands Coalition.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal.