News Update
August 11, 2016
Defining Sustainability
The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef recently hosted its second annual general assembly meeting, bringing together all perspectives of the production chain to discuss the future of sustainability in the beef business. Kansas Angus rancher Debbie Lyons-Blythe participates in the Roundtable and says its mission is to improve sustainability across the entire spectrum, from cow-calf to the retailer.
“It’s really key that producers get involved at that roundtable because Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, Cargill, all of those places are a member of that,” she explained. “They’ve defined sustainability, and it’s a definition that I like.”
According to Lyons-Blythe, the Roundtable’s definition of sustainability is taking care of the land, taking care of society, including animal welfare, and being economically sustainable.
“The goal is to show that the U.S. beef supply is sustainable,” she said. “It’s not to identify different producers who are better at sustainability.”
Catch Lyon-Blythe’s full interview on this week’s The Angus Report online. You can also watch the show at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday and 7 a.m. CST each Monday morning on RFD-TV.
3-D Printing...For Your Dinner?
Along America’s Angus Trails just finished reading a back-to-the-future article entitled “Your Meal Will Be Printed Soon,” by one Sophia Hollander. It has major implications for the beef business, if not immediately, then in the near future.
It seems that new-age 3-D Printers, so far used to make replacement animal and human body parts like ears and bones, toys and table top models of big construction projects, is coming to food. Hod Lipson, an Israeli engineering professor at Columbia University, who was a pioneer in 3-D printing, claims that soon he will be able to download and print dinner.
Food printers use powders (which are mostly sugar) or pastes (which can be cooked or uncooked pureed meat, vegetables or grains). Sounds delicious, doesn't it? Somehow, my mouth isn't watering yet.
Continue reading this Angus Media article online.
St. Louis Fed Quarterly Ag Survey
Midwest and Midsouth farm income and quality farmland values continued to decline during the second quarter of 2016, according to the latest Agricultural Finance Monitor published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The survey was conducted from June 15-30, and results were based on the responses of 32 agricultural banks located within the boundaries of the Eighth Federal Reserve District.
Amid a decline in crop prices, lenders reported that farm income continued to trend lower during the second quarter of 2016, compared with the same period a year ago. Based on a diffusion index methodology with a base of 100 (results above 100 indicate proportionately higher income compared with the same quarter a year earlier; results lower than 100 indicate lower income), the farm income index was at 24 for the second quarter, up slightly from the previous quarter’s record low level of 20.
For more information, view the news release online.
Ranchers Say Thanks for Drought Response
The South Dakota Game Fish and Parks (SD GFP) Commission voted to allocate an additional 50 antlerless elk tags to help reduce grazing pressure on the Black Hills National Forest. The decision was made as part of the Elk Management Plan which calls for contingency licenses to be issued in the case of a drought.
Aaron Thompson, president of the Spearfish Livestock Association said, “We really appreciate the Commission taking this step and issuing extra tags for the northern Hills areas. As drought conditions are becoming more severe in those areas, ranchers are taking steps to reduce the grazing pressure on the forest. We appreciate that SD GF&P is willing to stand with us through this drought.”
The SD GFP Commission spent considerable time debating information provided by their staff and the ranching community. The Department’s staff had originally recommended that no tags be issued at this time and that the Game Commission re-evaluate the drought conditions at their October meeting.
Read more in the SDSA news release online.
North Dakota: All Breeds Cattle Tour
Twenty of the region’s premier seedstock producers will be featured on the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association’s (NDSA) 30th annual All Breeds Cattle Tour Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 4-5. The two-day tour begins in Mandan, N.D., and will make stops in Burleigh, Morton and Oliver Counties.
“The All Breeds Cattle Tour is a wonderful chance to see a sampling of many different breeders’ herds in just a couple of days,” said Julie Ellingson, NDSA executive vice president. “It’s a great way to preview their offerings and to enjoy camaraderie and fellowship with other cattle producers.”
Registration begins at 7 a.m. Oct. 4 at the tour headquarters, the Comfort Inn & Suites in Mandan, N.D. Buses will depart there for visits to MacDonald Ranches of Bismarck, N.D., Moser Simmental of Baldwin, N.D., and West Branch Ranch of Baldwin, N.D., that morning. Following lunch and a tour at Strommen Ranch of Fort Rice, N.D., the tour will head to Schaff Angus Valley of Saint Anthony, N.D., then Ellingson Angus of Saint Anthony, N.D.
Go online for more information.
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