News Update
October 19, 2016
Paired for Performance
For many family farms, an annual sale is a focal point of the operation. However, putting on a sale is no easy feat. Marketing, setup and supplying enough cattle can add up to an intimidating amount of time, money and work. The solution for some Angus breeders is to cooperate with one of their fellow breeders to host a dual-sale to ease the burden for each operation.
“You can draw more people to your sale with two farms on the [sale book],” Steve Knoll, 2 Bar Angus, of Hereford, Texas, says. “You have more salesmen working toward one sale. Instead of just one ranch trying to reach past and potential buyers, you have double the manpower going to promote the sale.”
Knoll has hosted a cattle sale with Jimmy Goode of Goode Angus, in Pampa, Texas, since 2007. Between the two of them, they are able to put forth an offering of around 100 females, with a few bulls added into the mix in recent years.
Read more in the Angus Journal feature online.
Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook
USDA forecasts for net exports (exports minus imports) of red meat and poultry in 2016 and 2017 show progressive increases, largely due to recovery in the U.S. beef sector and expectations of solid growth in poultry exports.
U.S. beef exports are expected to increase by almost 9% in 2016 and by almost 7% next year, as beef sector recovery continues and U.S. production increases. Beef imports are forecast to decline by about 10% this year and 11% in 2017, as supplies in Oceania tighten with herd rebuilding and larger supplies of U.S. beef become available at lower prices.
August placement of cattle on feed was up 15% from the same period last year but, the cattle market continues to confound industry watchers as market prices throughout the cattle and beef complex continue to decline.
For more information, view the ERS news release online.
USCA Comments on Proposed Changes
Announced by CME Group
The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) issued the following statement on the announcement made by the CME Group this week that a proposal is being considered to switch to a cash settlement process for its live futures. The CME Group also announced that modifications to the physical delivery process would be considered.
USCA Marketing Committee Chair Allan Sents commented, “The need to evaluate the current state of the livestock marketplace is real; however, the changes proposed by the CME Group, as announced this week, will not address the concerns of producers across the country. Rather, the proposal to switch to a cash settlement is a step in the wrong direction. Price discovery achieved from actively traded futures contracts with multiple buyers and sellers far outweighs an increasingly thinner traded cash market.”
Continue reading in the USCA news release online.
New Vision for Data Science in Agriculture
On Oct. 10, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) convened a summit to identify the frontiers and future of data in agriculture and build on existing U.S. government-wide efforts and investments in big data.
In addition to the summit, NIFA is seeking input from the agricultural and broader data science communities through 5 p.m. EDT Oct. 31 via an online Ideas Engine.
At this summit, NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy announced a new initiative, Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics and Tools (FACT), designed to develop data-driven solutions for addressing complex problems facing agriculture today.
“Data, technology and approaches that integrate individual and societal considerations are essential to meeting this challenge,” said Ramaswamy in his welcoming address. “To achieve this, NIFA envisions a future for agriculture that is connected, data-driven, personalized and sustainable.”
Read more in the NIFA news release online.
South Texas Farm and Ranch Show
The 32nd annual South Texas Farm and Ranch Show will be hosted Oct. 19-20 in Victoria, providing quality and relevant education for farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and the general public, organizers said.
“This is the longest running nonprofit regional farm and ranch show in South Texas,” said Matt Bochat, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for agriculture and natural resources for Victoria County. “It started in the 1980s and will enjoy its 32nd year of success this month.”
The show will be hosted at the Victoria Community Center, 2905 E. North St. It will feature approximately 140 exhibitor booths and expert speakers, many of whom will address agricultural issues amid a growing non-rural population.
“In general, people in America are two to three generations removed from the family farm,” Bochat said. “Agricultural illiteracy is at an all-time high. Therefore, this year’s show will focus on agricultural advocacy to bring to the surface relevant information about the agricultural industry.”
Registration for the educational programs is $20, and will begin at 7 a.m. at the main entrance of the community center.
For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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