News Update
April 27, 2018
Financial Considerations
I love the cattle business — always have, always will. The Angus cow, for me, is the most intriguing and the most resilient animal on the planet. Her ability to turn grass and corn into a mouthwatering Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand ribeye is nothing short of a miracle. No matter the environment, no matter the demand by the consumer, no matter the fad … she keeps coming back and asking for more. I love her!
Problem is, she doesn’t always love me back. Aside from her attitude at calving, she’s not always willing or able to return thanks for providing for her — endlessly. That point is where her real lack of love is so evident. Maybe it’s not so much her lack of affection for me, but certainly a lack of affection for my wallet.
With this in mind, my wife and I recently completed a study on finances by Ron Blue, a financial planner and author. The principles he outlined were incredibly simple, countercultural but simple — not to mention difficult to commit to. As you study the principles, it’s easy to see that they are applicable to anyone at any level of income.
Read more of this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
Kansas Farmland Values Continue to Slip,
Weighed Down by Lagging Profitability
Farmland prices in Kansas continued a slow, steady decline last year, and a Kansas State University (K-State) economist believes the trend will continue this year, saying values are being pulled down by four years of negative profitability in the agriculture sector, particularly in grain prices.
“All of the numbers are pointing down, but it’s not falling off a cliff,” Mykel Taylor said of the near-term outlook for farmland prices. “It will more likely be a slow, steady decline that appears to be in line with negative profitability in the cropping sector.”
Taylor, a farm management specialist with K-State Research and Extension, presented a public webinar on farmland values April 25.
Kansas farmland values overall last year slipped 3.9% from the previous year, to an average of $1,970 per acre, according to the USDA.
Taylor said average net farm and ranch income peaked above $180,000 for cow herd operators in 2014, and more than $80,000 for those who grow non-irrigated crops, but lower cattle and crop prices since then weighed on land values, particularly in northwest and south central Kansas.
For more information, please read this K-State news release online.
Montana to Exercise Animal Disease Response
The Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) is collaborating with the USDA and other state and local agencies to conduct an animal disease response exercise, May 8-10, 2018.
The three-day functional exercise will enable MDOL to practice the state’s animal disease response plan. Numerous federal, state and local government agencies will participate in the exercise, which will be based around an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the United States.
“Foot-and-mouth disease would have devastating consequences for Montana’s livestock industry and how we handle the initial response would be crucial,” said State Veterinarian Marty Zaluski. “Testing our response plan in an exercise format will be very beneficial, and we look forward to participating in the exercise.”
FMD was last identified in the United States in 1929. FMD is a highly contagious disease of cattle, sheep, swine, goats, deer and other cloven-hooved animals. It is not a human food-safety concern nor a public health threat; however, it is a major concern for animal health officials because it could have potentially devastating economic consequences due to disrupted trade and lost investor confidence.
Visit www.liv.mt.gov for more information.
USCA Statement on House
Agriculture Committee's 2018 Farm Bill Text
Following the House Agriculture Committee’s passage of H.R. 2 or the 2018 Farm Bill on a party-line vote of 26-20, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) President Kenny Graner said:
“USCA supports a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill. We appreciate the work of the House Agriculture Committee in drafting this significant piece of legislation. There are several provisions that USCA was pleased to see: a priority placed on Cattle Fever Tick eradication research and funding for the National Animal Health Vaccine Bank.
“However, we are concerned with the changes to the Title II conservation programs, specifically the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). As the Senate continues their work on the bill, we look forward to working with both Committees on addressing some of the issues still remaining. USCA cannot stress enough the importance of a bipartisan process and support from both sides of the aisle in securing a 2018 Farm Bill that benefits all sectors of agriculture.”
Beef Commodity Commission Accepting
Nominations for Board Member Positions
The Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for beef will accept nominations to fill two board positions. To be nominated, eligible individuals must be an active Georgia beef producer. Any person currently serving can be reappointed or replaced by the ex officio committee during appointments.
Nominations may be made by filling out a nominee information form found at http://agr.georgia.gov/commodity-promotion-forms.aspx and sending it to:
Georgia Department of Agriculture
19 MLK Jr. Drive S.W. Room 320
Atlanta, GA 30334
The form may also be faxed to 404-656-9380, or emailed to Andy.Harrison@agr.georgia.gov. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, May 31, 2018.
The nominees will be certified to ensure they are active Georgia producers of the commodity, and geographic representation may be considered when making appointments. Appointments will be made by the Agriculture Commodity Commission Ex Officio Committee in July. Producers with questions may contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture at 404-585-1405.
Agricultural commodity commissions are farmer-funded self-help programs to enhance research, promotion and education. They are authorized by Georgia law under the Commodity Promotions Act.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.