News Update
May 2, 2018
LEAD Conference:
Under the Big Sky in Montana
The Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) conference is set to take place Aug. 2-5 in Billings, Mont. The 2018 event theme is “Angus Under the Big Sky” and is designed for National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members age 14 to 21.
Junior Angus members will travel across the nation to experience local agriculture and will partake in leadership workshops put on by the National Junior Angus Board (NJAB). According to NJAB Leadership Director Jordyn Wagner, LEAD gives participants a chance to leave the cattle at home, grow as a leader and build relationships with peers.
“LEAD is an opportunity that comes around once a year where our juniors can leave their cattle at home and spend a long weekend making friends, going out of their comfort zones and learning more about the industry,” Wagner said. “As a breed, we are not only focused on building up cattlemen and women but we want to help guide these juniors to be leaders, listeners and advocates of the agriculture industry.”
Angus juniors will have the opportunity to hear from Darryl Stevenson on Angus diversity, Angus Ambassador Sydni Lienemann and American humorist Jane Herlong.
Read this Angus news release online.
Perdue Announces Additional
Hurricane and Wildfire Recovery Details
Under the direction of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced new details on eligibility for a new USDA disaster program, 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP). In total, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will deploy up to $2.36 billion that Congress appropriated through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to help producers with recovery of their agricultural operations in at least nine states with hurricane damage and states impacted by wildfire. Following the announcement, Perdue said:
“Last year our nation experienced some of the most significant disasters we have seen in decades, some back-to-back, at the most critical time in their production year. While USDA has a suite of disaster programs as well as crop insurance available to help producers manage their risk, Congress felt it was important to provide extra assistance to our nation’s farms and ranches that were the hardest hit last year,” Perdue said. “At President Trump’s direction, our team is working as quickly as possible to make this new program available to farmers in need.”
For more information, please read this USDA news release online.
Steer and Heifer Slaughter
The primary source of steer and heifer slaughter comes from feedlots with greater than 1,000-head monthly capacity surveyed by the USDA-National Agriculture Statistical Service. The proportion of steers and heifers marketed through this channel as a percent of total steers and heifer slaughtered has been stable at 86%-87% since 2010. Efforts to differentiate or add value to cattle outside of the conventional feedlot marketing system (e.g., pasture- or forage-raised) have yet to result in a significant change in ratio of steer and heifer beef production relative to feedlot marketings.
So far this year, it has been “business as usual” for steer and heifer beef production. In January, USDA-NASS reported feedlot marketings were 87% of total steer and heifer harvest, the same as the January shares from 2014- 2017. The February breakout between feedlot and other sources came in at 90% from feedlots, virtually the same as each February since 2011. Ditto for March at 88%.
It is a bit of a surprise that steer and heifer marketings from outside the USDA-NASS feedlot universe have not dropped off more, year-to-date.
Read the full report online at www.dailylivestockreport.com.
Finding Opportunity in the Imperfect
“So much depends on our ability to adapt to challenges. Life comes with disappointments and struggles. No matter what comes your way, you have to answer, ‘What are you going to do about it?’ ” Former Major League Baseball player Jim Abbott inspired attendees of the second General Session at the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in Phoenix, Ariz.
His was an impressive career. Even more impressive was that he accomplished it with only one hand.
Continue reading this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
USDA Celebrates World Trade Month
May is World Trade Month, and the USDA marks the occasion by highlighting USDA’s success and continued commitment to expanding trade and increasing rural prosperity through agricultural exports.
“As World Trade Month begins, we recognize the vital role trade plays in supporting U.S. agriculture, rural America, and our economy,” said Perdue. “America’s farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers feed, fuel and clothe our nation and the rest of the world. Since day one I’ve said I’m a grow-it-and-sell-it kind of guy, and I’m proud of the progress we make each day serving our customers, selling our products around the world, and working to protect and preserve our agricultural interests.”
Agricultural trade is critical for the U.S. farm sector and the American economy. In 2017, U.S. exports of food and farm products totaled $138.4 billion, up from $134.7 billion in 2016. Additionally, farm exports supported more than 1.1 million American jobs across the entire economy. With 95% of the world’s consumers living outside the United States, USDA’s work pursuing new and expanded trade is essential to removing barriers, helping America’s farmers and ranchers reach new customers, and ensuring that U.S. products and producers are treated fairly.
Read the full USDA news release online.
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