News Update
February 8, 2018
The Route to Higher Premiums
When Faulkton, S.D., cattleman Troy Hadrick and his two cousins took over management as the fifth generation on their family farming operation in 2012, the trio viewed it as an opportunity to revisit their goals and set new ones. Facing the combination of drought and corn costs at record highs that year, Hadrick shared that growing their commercial herd size to try to increase profits wasn’t a viable option.
“We decided to focus on making our cattle better to make them more valuable,” he said.
Hadrick detailed his genetic improvement journey with their commercial cow herd during the past five years at the 25th Range Beef Cow Symposium (RBCS) Nov. 28 in Cheyenne, Wyo. The RBCS is a biennial event cohosted by the University of Wyoming, Colorado State University, the University of Nebraska and South Dakota State University.
Hadrick noted that his family’s previous goals were typical of many commercial operations: grow big calves, keep the biggest replacement heifers and market once per year through the sale barn. Their list of new goals included: shortening the calving season, reducing cow size, improving pasture management, and utilizing technology to make cattle more valuable and then marketing accordingly.
Read this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Overregulation Threatens Family Farms,
AFBF President Duvall Tells Senate
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Feb. 7 recounted a long list of regulatory abuses and missteps by the federal government. Drawing on his two years as president of the nation’s largest farming organization, Duvall called for bipartisan cooperation in reducing overregulation, which has been a target of administrations from both sides of the aisle.
Duvall singled out the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Administrative Procedure Act as laws that are ripe for reform.
“I have met farmers and ranchers who are not sure if they should encourage their children to remain on the farm,” Duvall told committee members. “This is not a partisan issue. This is about allowing our farmers and businesses to be productive. It’s about a goal that I believe we all share: A regulatory process that is credible — one that we can get behind instead of having to fight against.”
Duvall provided specific examples of how regulations are felt at the farm and ranch level.
Read the full Farm Bureau news release online.
USDA ERS Projects Net Farm Income Decrease in 2018
The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) Feb. 7 projected net farm income to decrease $4.3 billion from 2017 to $59.5 billion in 2018, a 52% drop since 2013.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson says the projection elevates the need for an increase in funding for farm programs:
“The farm economy has been on a sharp decline for five years, and projections do not indicate we’ll get much relief any time soon. In fact, this latest release from ERS indicates a majority of farmers have had negative farm income in recent years. Family farmers and ranchers have no control over this fate, and during times as tough as these, they need a strong safety net to help keep them on the farm.
“Congress must increase spending on farm programs that have not provided adequate relief to this point, and they must do so soon. We need a strong farm bill in 2018.”
NCBA Stockmanship and Stewardship Events
to be Hosted in Five States in 2018
Regional Stockmanship and Stewardship events from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will be hosted in five states in 2018, expanding an educational program that gives cattle and dairy producers expanded knowledge on successful animal-handling strategies. The two-day sessions will be hosted in South Carolina, Colorado, Washington, Texas and California, giving producers from several parts of the country an opportunity to access cattle-handling suggestions and education that can help them improve their bottom lines.
The sessions include demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences that are entertaining, lively and informative. They feature lessons on horseback cattle handling, chuteside cattle handling, BQA training and preventative herd health programs. The program is made possible by sponsorships from Boehringer Ingelheim and the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program, which is funded by the beef checkoff.
Scheduled events are:
- Clemson, S.C., Aug. 24-25, 2018;
- Montrose, Colo., Sept. 21-22, 2018; and
- Pasco, Wash., Oct. 12-13, 2018.
Events with dates to be announced will be in Stephenville, Texas, and Tulare, Calif. The Tulare event will have a dairy focus.
The Stockmanship and Stewardship events will be led by clinicians Curt Pate and Ron Gill, who have hosted educational events at past NCBA trade shows and Stockmanship and Stewardship events.
Learn more about this event online.
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