News Update

September 29, 2016

More Cattle Reaching the Choice Grade

With the holiday season coming up soon, consumers may be preparing for higher beef prices at the grocery store. The good news? According to this week’s CattleFax Market Update on The Angus Report, more cattle continue to meet the Choice grade.

“Choice production is 6.9% larger in 2016 year to date,” says CattleFax analyst Ethan Oberst. “Choice carcass production should start to lessen with a reduction of fed-cattle production this fall.”

The increase in Choice production can be attributed to larger feeder cattle being placed on feed, higher-quality genetics and an increase in total days on feed. More than 75% of cattle have graded Choice or above in 2016, which is up nearly 1% from 2015 and up nearly 5.5% from 2014.

Watch more of CattleFax’s analysis in this week’s The Angus Report. You can also tune in to the show at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday or 7:30 a.m. CST each Monday morning on RFD-TV.

— Adapted from The Angus Report.

Proposed Estate Tax Regulations

The Department of the Treasury recently proposed new estate tax regulations that would permanently change estate planning for families who own a controlling interest in a privately held entity.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), along with more than 3,800 organizations and family-owned enterprises, sent a letter to the Treasury Secretary opposing and requesting the withdrawal of the proposed estate tax regulations.

“These proposed regulations would eliminate or greatly reduce marketability for family-related entities, effectively discouraging families from continuing to operate or grow their businesses and pass them on to future generations,” says NCBA director of government affairs, Danielle Beck. “Producers are often forced into selling land or cattle in order to pay the tax, and, in some cases, are put out of business. The Administration is causing unnecessary economic harm to family businesses.”

Read the full letter submitted to the Department of the Treasury online.

— Adapted from a release by NCBA.

Selecting Commercial-Angus Replacements

Replacement-heifer selection is one of the most challenging and costly decisions a commercial cow-calf producer makes each year. The significance of these decisions ultimately affects all phases of individual operations and the entire beef production supply chain.

It is predicted that a producer does not turn a profit on an individual until at least more than four calves are produced. Because of this, it is critical the right females are selected to be developed. In order to make the most informed decisions possible, GeneMax^® Advantage™ (first released in 2014) has been updated to accommodate producer needs.

This genomic test is specifically manufactured for prospective replacement females that are 75% or greater Angus. GeneMax (GMX) Advantage complements other sources of information used in commercial-heifer selection, including phenotypic evaluation, age, pedigree information and dam productivity. This genomic test provides valuable insight into the genetic value of individual animals, which may not be realized with other sources of information.

The updated version of GeneMax Advantage not only delivers three economic index scores, but also has added genomic predictions for 10 individual traits. Customizable smart outlier reporting for three traits along with the Sire Match option for HD50K- and i50K-tested sires are still available.

— Adapted from an article by Kelli Retallick, Angus Journal.

GMOs Turn 20

2016 marks the 20th anniversary of crops developed with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) being introduced in the marketplace. Back in 1996, Monsanto introduced the first Roundup Ready^® corn and soybeans to American farmers.

At that time, Robert Fraley was a 40-something Monsanto researcher who had been with the company since 1981 and had an integral role in developing those GMO crops. Today, he is executive vice president and chief technology officer at Monsanto Co., and he continues to champion the important role GMOs have — and will continue to have — in feeding the world. Currently, there are 30 countries growing GMO crops on more than 450 million acres, which is about a quarter of the world’s farmland.

Top of mind for Fraley is the expanding world population, which is projected to grow from 7.3 billion today to 10 billion in 2050.

“That seems like a long time away, but it’s only 34 years,” Fraley says. “Between now and 2050, we need to produce more food than we have in the entire history of the world.”

— Adapted from an article by Kindra Gordon, Angus Journal.

Company Announcement from Vermeer

Vermeer announced the sale of it’s minority interest in Lely Vermeer Maschinenfabrik, Gmbh. Vermeer said this will allow each organization to focus on its respective core markets.

“Lely and Vermeer have had a close working relationship since the mid-1980s,” says Vermeer Executive Vice President and CMO Mark Core. “As the market changes, this is a natural evolution. For Vermeer, this means a continued, but elevated focus on delivering undeniable value and confidence to North American farmers and ranchers who rely on Vermeer for innovation in the round-baler category, as well as the products that support them in the field.”

Lely will continue to be a key supplier for Vermeer in the future.

For more information, visit Vermeer online.

— Adapted from a release from Vermeer.

— Compiled by JD Rosman, Angus Media.

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