News Update
October 26, 2017
Market Update
Cattle feeders in the week of Oct. 9 were able to push the market higher once again, with a market average of $111 per hundredweight (cwt.) and an increase of $1 per cwt. on the week. Packer margins are getting a bit more narrow, but are certainly large enough to encourage the kind of weekly production we’ve seen.
The big picture for not only beef, but pork and poultry as well, is that demand is impressive here in the fourth quarter even as production of each of those proteins is large. Carcass weights took a step back in the latest report, dropping 3 pounds (lb.) from 897 lb. to 894 lb. on the steers. That compares to 909 lb. a year ago and this year’s lower numbers tell us active cattle movement to packing plants is tempering the normal carcass weight increase run into November.
Cow-calf producers beginning to merchandise their spring-born calves at this time are being rewarded with a strong October market, unlike the same month a year ago: 600-lb. steer calves are bringing from $170 to $180 per cwt. (about $1,050 per head) in some cases, while 500-lb. calves are priced closer to $180 per cwt. and a bit higher ($900 per head).
Continue reading this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Co-ops Oppose Increased Tax Burden on Farmers
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) Oct. 25 expressed strong opposition to provisions included in the recently-released Unified Framework for Fixing our Broken Tax Code that would increase taxes for farmers across the country. By eliminating the Section 199 deduction that is passed down by farmer co-ops to their member-owners, money will flow from the pockets of farmers and rural communities to investment bankers on Wall Street and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley.
Section 199, also known as the Domestic Production Activities Deduction (DPAD) was enacted as part of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 and applies to proceeds from agricultural products that are manufactured, produced, grown or extracted by farmer cooperatives, or that are marketed through co-ops. The great majority of cooperatives pass the benefit through directly to their farmer members. It is estimated that the deduction returns nearly $2 billion annually to rural areas in all 50 states.
“Farmer co-ops have consistently supported tax reform and related policies that support economic growth in rural America, as well as the broader economy,” said Chuck Conner, president and CEO of NCFC.
View this news release online.
Coping With Grief
Losing someone you love can change your world. You miss the person who has died and want them back. You may feel sad, alone or even angry. You might have trouble concentrating or sleeping. If you were a busy caregiver, you might feel lost when you’re suddenly faced with lots of unscheduled time. These feelings are normal. There’s no right or wrong way to mourn. Scientists have been studying how we process grief and are learning more about healthy ways to cope with loss.
The death of a loved one can affect how you feel, how you act and what you think. Together, these reactions are called grief. It’s a natural response to loss. Grieving doesn’t mean that you have to feel certain emotions. People can grieve in very different ways.
Cultural beliefs and traditions can influence how someone expresses grief and mourns. For example, in some cultures, grief is expressed quietly and privately. In others, it can be loud and out in the open. Culture also shapes how long family members are expected to grieve.
Read more of this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Nevada Rancher to Congress:
Give States More Authority to Protect Greater Sage Grouse
On Oct. 25 J.J. Goicoechea testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources on behalf of the Public Lands Council (PLC), National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Eureka County, Nev., advocating for federal sage grouse policy to conform to ongoing state management plans. The oversight hearing was hosted following the recent review ordered by the Department of the Interior of 2015 federal sage grouse plan amendments and an open comment period.
“The Department of the Interior greatly overlooked the fact that no two states are exactly alike, no two states have the exact same threats and impacts,” the veterinarian and fourth-generation cattle rancher said. “Even within states, the threats vary among geographical location, elevation and land management agencies.”
Nevada’s sage grouse management plan currently allocates approximately $1.3 million per year to protect the species. The plan has a major focus on mitigating wildfire risk through livestock grazing. Goicoechea stressed Nevada’s commitment to the long-term management of sagebrush ecosystems and the greater sage grouse population and called on the committee to recognize state efforts.
Learn more in the NCBA news release online.
Moore than Money
It was the first call of many.
Kill sheets in his hand and data on his mind, Jim Moore picked up his Arkansas landline and dialed the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand’s Paul Dykstra. Never shy, the determined rancher was interested in what the beef cattle specialist had to say.
Marbling scores, yield grade, feed conversion — having never met in person, they covered all the bases.
As Dykstra tells the story, it was the latter that left Moore unsatisfied.
“I probably told him something like, ‘Jim, industry average is this, and you’re up here, so maybe stop fretting so much.’ ”
Moore recalls the conversation, too. “I said, ‘Paul, one thing you need to understand about me pretty quick is there isn’t anything about me that wants to be average.’ ”
For that attention to detail and an endless pursuit of quality, the CAB brand presented Moore Cattle Co. with its 2017 Commercial Commitment to Excellence Award.
“We’re just humbled beyond humbled,” Moore says. Characteristically strong and certain, to watch him recount the news is to see a stoic man fight back, then give way to emotion.
Read the full Angus Journal article online.
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