News Update
May 4, 2018
Illinois Angus Farm Recognized
for Historic Angus Herd
In 1968, Duane and Doris Kruse established DeKap Angus Farm in Lanark, Ill. Fifty years later, the American Angus Association® is proud to recognize the Kruse’s herd as a recipient of the Historic Angus Herd award to showcase their commitment to the Angus breed. This award is presented to active Angus breeders and immediate family members who have been in continuous registered Angus cattle production for 50 years or more.
Duane and Doris chose the Angus breed because of its popularity in America. The couple purchased their first cattle from Ken Truman and Richard Zuck and his daughter Susan, all from Lanark. Duane also purchased cattle from the Pioneer Disposal Sale in Johnston, Iowa, and Colonel Tommy Williams of Comar, Ill.
The Kruse’s purchased Bradmar Queen 436 at the Williams sale, and she became the foundation of DeKap Angus Farm, producing prize-winning animals shown at major shows across the country for the past decade.
Performance cattle have always been the main focus of the DeKap operation, resulting in top-selling and high-performing cattle at several state bull tests and the Illinois Futurity.
Read the full Angus news release online.
U.S. Beef Industry Leaders Release First-Ever
National Framework for Beef Sustainability
The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) May 3 opened a 60-day public comment period on the group’s Sustainability Framework.
The USRSB Sustainability Framework is a set of resources developed to assist ranchers, cattle auction markets, feedyards, packers, processors and retail and foodservice organizations in their efforts to continuously improve the sustainability of U.S. beef.
“The Framework was developed from the collective efforts of more than 200 individuals who make up the USRSB and represent all segments of the beef value chain from producers to retailers, including non-governmental organizations and academic institutions,” said Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, JBS USA sustainability director and 2018-2019 USRSB chair. “The USRSB membership has invested more than three years in developing these resources, which we believe will serve as an invaluable tool in enhancing U.S. beef sustainability and increasing economic opportunities in rural landscapes across America.”
The USRSB Framework highlights key areas important to the sustainability of beef and examines unique opportunities for each segment of the beef value chain to identify opportunities to improve and reflect on their individual progress. Most importantly, the Framework is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
For more information, visit the USRSBF website.
Farmer’s Share of Retail Food Dollar Hits New Low
For every dollar consumers spend on food, the farmer receives just 14.8¢, according to the USDA. The figure represents a 5% decrease from the previous year’s data and the lowest “farm share” since USDA began reporting the figures in 1993.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson noted that new low speaks to the state of the farm economy, corporate control of the food system and the importance of prioritizing family farm agriculture in national policymaking.
“This figure strikes a chord with family farmers and ranchers who are dealing with the sharpest decline in net farm income since the Great Depression,” said Johnson. “The prices that farmers have been receiving for their products aren’t paying the bills, and too many are being forced to give up farming. Our nation needs a dramatic, progressive movement towards ensuring family farmers can receive a fair price from the marketplace. Otherwise, we’re going to continue to lose too many of the family farmers and ranchers who feed, fuel and clothe our country, steward our nation’s land, and power our rural communities and economies.”
Learn more in the NFU news release online.
Feeder cattle market receipts April
Weekly data on feeder-cattle sales volumes collected by USDA-Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) and summarized on web page SJ_LS850 is pointing to a second month in a row of year-over-year declines in feedlot placements. According to USDA-National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS), feedlot placements in March declined by 9% from a year earlier. The weekly feeder-cattle market data collected by USDA-AMS has been a good barometer of the direction of feedlot placements on a monthly basis.
USDA-AMS breaks out feeder-cattle trade volume through three channels: traditional auction facilities, direct trade and video/internet technology. Auction trade typically accounts for 80%-85% of the total volume and tends to have the highest correlation to monthly feedlot placements. In March, auction receipts were down 8% from a year earlier compared to the 9% decline in placements. Weekly receipt trends do not track with placements that closely every month, but it is impressive when they do.
The decline in weekly trade volume bottomed out in the first week in April and then rebounded sharply. Still, receipts were below year-earlier volumes in two of the four weeks of April.
Read the full report online at www.dailylivestockreport.com.
Perdue Applauds President Trump’s Selection
for USDA’s Undersecretary for Food Safety
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue May 4 applauded President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Mindy Brashears to be the USDA undersecretary for food safety. After the announcement, Perdue said:
“Food safety is at the core of USDA’s mission because it directly affects the health and well-being of millions of Americans every day. President Trump has made an excellent choice in Doctor Mindy Brashears, and I am excited to have her join the team. Doctor Brashears has spent decades finding ways to improve food safety standards through innovation, invention and leadership on research missions across the globe. I look forward to her bringing that wealth of expertise and track record of results here to USDA.
“In the meantime, we still have qualified people in addition to Doctor Brashears awaiting confirmation to fill key roles at USDA. I urge the Senate take up all of our nominations as quickly as possible.”
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