Industry Issues
 Livestock ID
Cattle ID – 12 Principles Further Defined — May 2010 USDA drops NAIS — February 2010 Q&As on program replacing NAIS — February 2010 Cattle ID 12 Principles — January 2010 USDA National ID Website |
Horse Slaughter |
|
Proposed & Final Regulations
GIPSA Proposed Rule on Competition — June 2010 |
Contact Your Senators & Representatives |
LMA News Headlines
July 30, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
LMA recognizes 4 employees for 70 years’ service
Saying LMA employees “are its number-one asset,” CEO Mark Mackey Thursday recognized four employees for 70 years of service. Those honored at an office luncheon were:
…Kurt Hamilton, president of Livestock Marketing Insurance Agency, Inc., (LMIA) 25 years.
…Christine Westberg, LMIA region manager, 20 years.
…Neal Brosnan, facilities manager, 20 years.
…Melanie Richardson Harris, director of human resources, 5 years.
LMA employees are presented a gold ring after 10 years of service. A diamond is added to the ring after 15 years, with a second diamond added at 20 and a third after 25 years of employment.
“The one thing that strikes me about these employees – what they have in common – is their pursuit of excellence, with honor, humility and character,” Mackey said. “I’m proud to work with all of them.”
Canada announces increased flexibility in horse EID
New Canadian rules go into effect tomorrow for all equine, including horses, sold to Canadian equine food processing plants. The new rules require that Canadian plants have complete records for each horse, which includes, among other things, a written and picture identification. These rules also apply to horses sold through markets which may go to a Canadian processing. The information, provided by the owner, must be recorded in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s “Equine Information Document” (EID).
Today the CFIA announced that the “alternatives to visual description” of the equines intended for slaughter “have been expanded.” If the animal’s owner “does not wish to provide pictures of their animal,” they can provide the diagrams within the EID “filled in by an authorized person or veterinarian.” In other words, the CFIA said, “owner filled in equine diagrams are now acceptable as long as they are accurate.”
LMA is working on a more user-friendly, concise EID form that, once approved, all markets can use with their consignors. Watch for it soon.
House panel passes livestock price reporting bill
The House Agriculture Committee has approved legislation reauthorizing the law that requires packers to report to USDA the prices they pay for livestock. The committee passed the bill to reauthorize for five years the Mandatory Price Reporting Act, which is set to expire Sept. 30. The House bill was sponsored by Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) The Committee bill also adds to the reporting law provisions requiring reporting of pork exports – by price and volume – and of wholesale pork cuts.
In the Senate, companion legislation, sponsored by Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and ranking minority member Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) was introduced earlier this week.
Beef sales significantly boosted by Hispanic marketing materials
A pilot test of Hispanic point of sale materials resulted in significant increases in beef sales, according to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. The test was conducted in three Kansas Dillons supermarkets, in Wichita, Garden City and Liberal.
Beef variety meats showed the biggest increase in volume sales, up a whopping 82.7 percent. Chuck followed with a 60.1 percent increase in volume sales, followed by volume increases in beef loin, 41.7 percent, beef round, 35.5 percent and beef ribs, up 26.9 percent.
During the three-month test, stores offered materials, including a dictionary of beef cuts, recipes and a “Hablo Espanol” employee button.
With a growing Hispanic population, “the need to reach out to this group is increasing,” said Jim Henger, NCBA executive director of marketing. NCBA is the contracted manager of retail programs for the checkoff. The point of sale materials “were developed to meet the needs of this growing segment of the population,” he said.
Bill aims at tracing, eradicating E. coli
Long-time critic of the U.S. food safety system, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) Thursday introduced the E. Coli Traceability and Eradication Act. The bill would require slaughterhouses and facilities that grind meat to test the ground beef and beef trim several times throughout the manufacturing process. If any of the facilities produce E. coli-contaminated products for either three consecutive days, or 10 days during a year, the company name will be posted to a list of “safety offenders” with USDA. Facilities producing contaminated meat will undergo USDA testing for 15 consecutive days following the positive test.
DeLauro said another element of the bill requires USDA, when E. coli is detected at a facility, to establish a “traceback procedure all the way back to the original source of the contamination,” allowing USDA to recall products more quickly and prevent additional illnesses. “Our current food safety system is not doing its job – contaminated meat is still hitting the shelves, and people are still getting sick,” she said.
Farm Aid’s 25th anniversary concert set for Oct. 2
“Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America” will be held Oct. 2 in Milwaukee, the family-farm boosting organization said Thursday. Farm Aid had planned to announce the show next Monday, but co-founder, singer Willie Nelson, revealed the Milwaukee date, and no other details, in a radio interview Wednesday.
It will be the first time the event will be staged in Wisconsin, Farm Aid officials said. They said Nelson and co-founder John Mellencamp will release more information about the concert on Monday on Farm Aid’s website. www.farmaid.org.
July 29, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
Make sure livestock are represented accurately, LMA attorney says
Today, more than ever, it is important that livestock marketers make sure that their representations regarding livestock are accurate, said LMA Attorney Ernest VanHooser. He provided these guidelines:
For example, do not represent that cattle are “drug free” or have met all drug withdrawal periods, unless the cattle are your cattle and you personally know those statements are true. If a consignor has represented to you that cattle are “drug free” or have met all drug withdrawal periods, you should get the consignor’s representation in writing. Then, when you represent the consignor’s cattle to a potential buyer, you can state only that you have a certificate from the consignor representing that the cattle are “drug free” or have met all drug withdrawal periods.
If you represent that cattle are “drug free” and they aren’t, you have breached an express warranty. Additionally, if you represent that cattle are “drug free” and you didn’t know whether they were or not, you might also be liable for either negligent misrepresentation or fraudulent misrepresentation, depending on the specific facts of the situation. In most states, defendants found to have made negligent misrepresentations or fraudulent misrepresentations are potentially liable for both actual damages and punitive damages.
Members with questions can reach VanHooser at 816-322-8000, or e-mail EVanHooser@comcast.net.
Members encouraged to attend Colorado competition issues workshop, Aug. 27
Members with an interest in livestock competition issues are encouraged to attend the Aug. 27 public workshop on competition and regulatory issues, on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins. The specific location, time and agenda have not yet been announced.
This is the fourth of five workshops, jointly conducted by USDA and the Department of Justice, looking at competition issues in agriculture. The first three workshops looked at those issues as they affect crop farmers, poultry growers and the dairy industry.
Meat safety major worry of concerned consumers
Among consumers who are concerned about contamination of the food supply, they are most concerned about meat contamination. That’s according to a new survey by Thompson Reauters news, done for National Public Radio. It found that 61 percent of respondents are concerned about contamination of the food supply as a whole – and of that number, 51 percent said they are most concerned about meat.
By comparison, 25 percent of those concerned about contamination worried most about seafood, 23 percent worried most about produce and four percent worried most about dairy products. Asked how to fix the situation, more people wanted food companies to improve quality control, than those who wanted additional inspections, oversight or penalties. Overall, more than 3,000 people responded to the survey, and 10 percent of them said they have been made ill by something they ate within the last six months.
Services Friday for president of Mandan, N.D., livestock market
Funeral services will be Friday in Mandan, N.D., for Fred C. Kist, president of Kist Livestock Auction Company. Kist, 70, died Monday at his home following a brief battle with cancer. The long-time LMA member was a native of Mandan. He started working at the market when he was 9, and according to his family, “Though this became his life’s work, it was also his lifestyle. Even though he was president, he was involved in all phases of the business.”
Kist had many interests, including hunting, fishing and professional football. His interest in professional rodeo was understandable: in 1956, he won the state high school bull riding championship, and in 1959 he was the National Collegiate Bull Riding Champion. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Japan lifts state of emergency, livestock shipment ban in FMD outbreak
Japan has lifted the state of emergency and shipment ban on beef and pork from Miyazaki prefecture, three months after foot and mouth disease (FMD) began spreading. The prefecture is Japan’s second-largest hog producing area, and third largest for beef production. There have been no new FMD cases reported in the last three weeks, according to news reports.
The outbreak led to the largest livestock cull in Japanese history. In all, 220,034 hogs and 68,314 cattle were culled and buried. Several prized stud bulls were included in the cull. The Japanese government has paid affected farmers about $100 million (U.S.) but reports say that figure may rise to as much as 20 billion yen (about $229 million).
July 28, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
LMA developing more user-friendly Canadian horse info form
Earlier this month, LMA sent all members information about new Canadian rules, effective July 31, 2010 for all equine, including imported horses, sold to Canadian equine food processing plants. Beginning July 31, Canadian processing plants must have complete records of each horse, including a written and picture identification, along with a comprehensive record of illness and medical treatment given the horse for six months prior to slaughter.
Horses sold through markets which may go to a Canadian processing plant, must have this information, provided by the owner, in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s “Equine Information Document” (EID).
Responding to inquiries from LMA, officials of the CFIA this week said that markets can adapt the EID form for their own use, as long as it contains all the information required by the CFIA form. LMA is working on a more user-friendly, concise form that, once approved by the CFIA, all markets can use with their equine consignors. Look for it soon.
Audit made of NCBA use of checkoff dollars
Cattlemen’s Beef Board Secretary-Treasurer Robert Fountain Jr. said Tuesday a recent routine audit was made of NCBA’s compliance with its agreements to conduct checkoff-funded programs in the areas of beef promotion, research, consumer information and industry information. The review specifically tested overhead costs; employee time reporting as a basis for the allocation of salaries and benefits to the checkoff; travel expenses; costs of NCBA’s Federation of State Beef Councils division; and subcontractor selection procedures.
Fountain said the audit indicated NCBA charges to the checkoff in these five areas showed expenses improperly charged or insufficiently documented. Among them, he said, were travel expenses for the spouses of staff and volunteer leadership; consulting fees for investigating a certified beef program for the policy division; travel performed in connection with an NCBA-member insurance program and time spent by NCBA employees in non-checkoff revenue development were charged in full or in part to the checkoff.
The CBB said it will look further into NCBA’s checkoff expenditures for FY 2009 and 2010. The audit report will be sent to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, which oversees the beef checkoff, as well as to Beef Board members and qualified state beef councils.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, NCBA President Steve Foglesong said, in part, “We are committed to achieving accuracy in this (audit) report. Responsible use of the producer dollars and ensuring the financial firewall are critical. Where mistakes were made, we will correct them.”
He continued, “A compliance review has been conducted every year of NCBA’s 14-year existence. There has been a transparent as well as full reconciliation of expenses when warranted. Every time there is a review, there are lessons, and we consider those an opportunity to fine-tune our processes going forward.”
Aug. 13 entry deadline for first 2011 WLAC qualifying contest
The entry deadline for the first quarterfinal qualifying contest for the 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship is Friday, Aug. 13. The qualifying contest will be conducted Monday, Sept. 13 at the Montgomery Stock Yards, LLC, Montgomery, Ala.
“This is the first step toward becoming LMA’s 2011 world champion,” said Jerry Etheredge, chairman of LMA’s WLAC Committee. “I want to especially urge those auctioneers who’ve considered entering in the past, but haven’t gotten around to it. And if they can’t make it to Montgomery, there are three other qualifying contests.” The top eight scorers in each qualifying contest will move on to the 2011 Championship, June 25 at Upstate Livestock Exchange, LLC, Williamston, S.C., hosted by Upstate and Martin & Martin Cattle, Inc., Williamston.
The 2011 contest rules and downloadable entry form are on the website, click on World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. The other qualifying contests are Oct. 23, at Vold, Jones and Vold Auction Co., Ltd., Ponoka, Alberta; Oct. 28, at Burlington Livestock Exchange, Burlington, Colo.; and March 4, 2011, Bloomington Livestock Exchange, Bloomington, Wisc.
July 27, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
Missouri Animal Care coalition forums look at threats from animal rights movement
The growing threat to individual freedoms from the animal rights movement was the subject of two educational forums last weekend, sponsored by Missourians for Animal Care (MOFAC). MOFAC, which includes the Missouri LMA, is a coalition of the state’s livestock, agriculture companion, animal research and educational organizations “dedicated to responsible animal ownership and animal welfare, as well as protecting Missourians’ personal property and ownership rights.”
MOFAC’s Mindy Patterson told the Sunday forum in Kansas City that the group was organized last fall, after the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced it was launching a signature drive to get the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Protection Act” on the fall ballot. While this drive is targeting dog breeders, MOFAC believes it’s the “precursor to an assault on domesticated pets, livestock and agriculture” in the state.
The Forum’s first speaker, Karen Strange, is on the front lines of the state’s battle against HSUS. She has filed suit against both the “Protection Act” title and the summary of the bill used to attract signatures, claiming that both are prejudicial and misleading to the voters.
The body of the bill, she said, deals with the number of animals “we can have, and what we can do with them,” she said. “We don’t believe anyone has the right to limit the number of animals we can have as long as they’re cared for.” A trial on her suit is to begin in Jefferson City Aug. 9.
“The animal rights movement today is one of the most powerful, richest movements in the United States,” Strange continued. . Its leaders “are a few elitists,” who want to tell everyone what we can wear and eat, and what we “can do with our animals.”
The goals of the movement, she said, are several. These include the elimination of all animal agriculture, fur ranching, hunting, trapping and fishing, as well as ending the use of animals in any form of entertainment, including zoos, rodeos and dog shows; legally ending all animal research, and abolishing the use of animals in scientific experiments.
Agricultural interests and consumers must stand together to battle these threats, she said.
Kelly Smith is director of marketing and commodities for Missouri Farm Bureau. He reviewed several ad campaigns used by activist groups against animal agriculture, including one by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that compared livestock production to the Jewish Holocaust.
He then presented “What you need to know about animal activist organizations.” These are:
They “don’t play by normal rules of philosophical engagement. Anything goes. They are deceptive by design,” he said, noting that HSUS has almost nothing to do with local humane societies and their animal shelters. And third, activists are “not afraid to present a biased or erroneous version of the facts” to serve their purposes.
Returning to the “puppy mill” issue, Smith said Missouri’s Agriculture Secretary has said the HSUS bill is not needed, since state dog breeders are already regulated.
What’s needed to battle activists, Smith said, “is to get involved and educated about the issues, and be committed to speak out and engage” the activists when and where you can.
Tarkio, Mo., native Dr. Alan Wessler, DVM, was the third speaker. He is vice president of the feed division for MFA Incorporated. He said the puppy mill initiative was not about dogs, “but to enhance the animal rights agenda to keep Americans from owning pets – and that’s the first step toward more limits and restrictions on all animal agriculture.”
He took HSUS to task for their often-run TV ads, seeking $19 per month memberships from people who think the money goes to aid animal shelters and animal care. The reality is that HSUS spends about one-half of one percent of their multi-million dollar income on such activities – or about a dime of every $19 membership.
Wessler’s advice to his audience echoed that of the other Forum speakers: “We need to get the story out that we care more about our animals than (the activists) do.”
For more information about MOFAC, go to www.missourifac.com, or e-mail missourifac@yahoo.com. Another information website recommended by the speakers was www.humanewatch.org, which keeps a close eye on animal activists, particularly HSUS.
U.S. beef herd continues to decline
Several years of financial difficulty have resulted in beef producers showing no interest in rebuilding the herd, said Purdue University Livestock Extension economist Chris Hurt. He was commenting on USDA’s recent semi-annual cattle inventory report, in which the agency estimated that beef cow numbers as of July 1 were 31.7 million head, down two percent from a year ago.
Just as important, Hurt said, is that producers reported retaining two percent fewer beef heifers to go back into the herd. This seemingly assures that beef cow numbers will continue to drop into early 2011.
“The great news is that beef supplies will remain limited in 2010 and 2011,” Hurt said. “Per capita beef supplies will be down about two percent this year, and will fall an additional one percent next year.” That means, he said, consumers will have to pay more for beef and that cattle prices “should remain strong well into the future, perhaps for three to five years.”
However, there is a down side, he said. “Beef consumption per person will lag and other animal species will gain a larger market share in coming years, especially chicken.”
Sheep, lamb herd down slightly from 2009
According to USDA’s latest semi-annual inventory report, released last Friday, the U.S. sheep and lamb inventory as of July 1 totaled 6.9 million head, down two percent from July 1, 2009. The breeding sheep inventory, at 4.16 million head, was down three percent from last year. Market sheep and lambs, including new-born lambs, totaled 2.74 million head, down one percent from 2009.
The 2010 lamb crop in the U.S. is expected to total 3.6 million head, down two percent from last year’s total.
‘Cattlemen to Cattlemen’ fall TV season debuts tonight
NCBA’s “Cattlemen to Cattlemen” weekly television program kicks off its fall season tonight with a live call-in show at 8:30 p.m. (EDT) on RFD-TV. Viewers can call 888-824-6688 or e-mail questions to c2c@beef.org anytime during the live broadcast. Participants tonight will include NCBA President Steve Foglesong, other NCBA officials and Scott George, chairman of the NCBA Federation of State Beef Councils.
The Tuesday program is re-broadcast each Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. (all times Eastern). RFD-TV is on cable systems in all 50 states; on the Dish Network, it’s chanel 231, and on DirecTV it’s channel 345.
JBS, Brazilian meatpackers blacklist 221 ranches after pact with Greenpeace
Brazil’s three largest meatpackers, including JBS, have suspended buying cattle from 221 ranches located on indigenous land, conservation areas or near recently-deforested areas in the Amazon, according to reports submitted to Greenpeace. Last year the firms signed agreements to change their buying practices, after Greenpeace released a report titled “Slaughtering the Amazon,” which showed alleged links between cattle ranching in the Amazon region and deforestation.
A Greenpeace official said the action “shows that meatpackers understood, in a clear and definitive way, consumers’ environmental concern message.” He also said by the end of the year a much larger number of ranches will be excluded from the companies’ cattle supplier list.
July 26, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
Calls needed TODAY to oppose Senate bill benefiting HSUS
Members are urged to call their U.S. Senators today and urge them to vote against S. 3628, the DISCLOSE Act, which would exempt the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) from campaign finance disclosure requirements. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the measure Tuesday, making it important for the calls to be made today.
Except for certain exempted organizations, such as the National Rifle Association, HSUS and a few other large organizations, the bill would require individuals and groups spending more than $10,000 to campaign for or against a candidate for public office, to report that spending in a timely and accurate manner. The Farm Animal Welfare Coalition (FAWC), which includes LMA, is concerned that HSUS, which now runs all their political campaign activities through a subsidiary group, if exempted from disclosure requirements, would be able to spend untold millions in campaign contributions without a duty to report for whom or what they were spending it. The parent organization already spends more than $100 million annually on attacking U.S. agriculture.
To get Senators’ contact information, above click on Contact Your Senators and Representatives…and do it TODAY.
GIPSA extends comment period on proposed competition rule
The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) today announced it is extending the public comment period on its proposed rule on livestock competition issues and marketing practices for 90 days, until Nov. 22. This action comes after the rule drew fierce bipartisan criticism at a House Agriculture Subcommittee hearing last week. Chairman David Scott said USDA had “very, very seriously overstepped their boundaries” with the proposal, adding, “The least you can do is to extend the comment period.”
LMA is currently analyzing the proposed rule and will provide more information later. It can be found above by clicking on Proposed and Final Regulations.
U.S. cattle on feed up 3 percent
Analysts are crediting continuing feedlot profits and lower corn prices for the jump in June feedlot placements. Friday’s monthly cattle on feed report showed those placements, at 1.63 million head, were 17 percent above the June, 2009 total.
Marketings out of feedlots in June totaled 2.0 million head, slightly above 2009 figures. Total number of cattle on feed hit 10.1 million head as of July 1, and that was three percent above July 1, 2009.
Services Wednesday for daughter of LMA receptionist Sharon Cooper
Stacy Ann Murphy, the daughter of long-time LMA receptionist Sharon Cooper, died suddenly at her home in North Kansas City, Mo., last Friday. She was 37.
“Sharon’s voice is usually the first one heard by members when they call the office,” said CEO Mark Mackey. “She is unfailingly cheerful and upbeat in her dealings with everyone. We know all our members join her fellow employees in expressing their sympathy and condolences at this sad time, to Sharon and all of Stacy’s family and friends.”
Stacy was described by her family as a “loving wife, mother and dear friend who had a wonderful zest for life.” In addition to her mother, survivors include her husband of nearly 20 years, Tom, and two sons, Christopher and Zachary. A service celebrating her life will be held Wednesday, July 28 at 1 p.m. at St. Therese Catholic Church, 7207 NW 9 Highway, Parkville, Mo., with burial to follow.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Stacy Ann Murphy Memorial fund, and can be sent in care of Myers Northland Chapel, 401 Main Street, Parkville, Mo., 64152
July 23, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
COF report predicted to show increases across the board
Today’s monthly USDA cattle on feed report is expected, according to analysts, to show June increases in placements, marketings and total numbers on feed. Thanks to lower corn prices and continuing feedlot profits, placements are predicted to be 120 percent of a year ago. Marketings in June are seen at 102 percent above last year, as producers take advantage of improved profitability. Total number of cattle on feed as of July 1 is expected to be 103 percent of a year ago.
Mo. Care Coalition presenting 2 weekend programs on animal activism
The Missourians for Animal Care Coalition, which includes the Missouri LMA, is sponsoring two free weekend seminars titled ‘A Threat to Your Freedoms from a New Wave of Animal Rights Activism.” The seminar schedule:
Saturday, July 24, at 6 p.m. in the Philadelphia Room at Pillar in The Valley, 229 Chesterfield Business Parkway, Chesterfield, Mo.; and Sunday, July 25, from 2-4 p.m. in the Ambassador Room of the American Royal, 1701 American Royal Court, Kansas City, Mo.
LMA Region Executive Officer Jeff Hazaleus serves on the Coalition’s board. It was organized after the Humane Society of the U.S. moved into the state to stage “a coordinated battle against our rights to own, care for and make a living doing what we all love, raising livestock.” That battle by the HSUS, he said, is “disguised behind an emotional and manipulative ballot measure,” that would crack down on the state’s so-called “puppy mills.” The seminars, the Coalition said, will present “what is really behind this ballot measure and how it impacts your personal property rights, your right to own pets and livestock” and how it poses a “dangerous threat to our U.S. economy and food supply.”
Speakers include Karen Strange, president of the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, Missouri hog producer Chris Chinn, Kelly Smith, director of marketing and commodities for the Missouri Farm Bureau, and Dr. Alan Wessler, DVM, vice president of feed operations and animal health for MFA Incorporated.
Reservations are requested. Contact Mindy Patterson, 636-778-0777, or e-mail, missourifac@yahoo.com. Hazaleus is urging market owners to attend, and to encourage their customers, friends and family to also attend. Questions about the Coalition or these seminars can be directed to him at 816-645-9357.
Pictures from June LMA Convention, WLAC now available
Pictures from last month’s Annual Convention and the 47th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship are now available for purchase. To view them, click on World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, and in the lower left navigation area, click on Photos from 2010. That will link you to several galleries of pictures from many of the events in Oklahoma City.
The cost of each print is $1 for a 4x6; $2.50 for a 5x7, and $7.50 for an 8x10, and those costs include shipping. Questions and orders can be directed to Cathy Collett at LMA, 800-821-2048.
North Dakota records 3rd cattle anthrax case this year
State animal health officials have confirmed North Dakota’s third case of cattle anthrax this year. Deputy state veterinarian Beth Cook said a single case was recently confirmed in Barnes County. This follows a case confirmed earlier this month in Dickey County. In May, an anthrax case was confirmed in Sioux County.
State officials are urging producers to have their cattle vaccinated, and to report unexpected deaths to their veterinarian.
Everyday spices could cut methane emissions in cows, sheep
The key to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions given off by grazing animals such as cows, sheep and goats may be the common spices coriander and turmeric. Research carried out at Great Britain’s Newcastle University has found that the spices can reduce by up to 40 percent the amount of methane that is produced in a sheep’s stomach, and then emitted into the atmosphere when the animal burps.
Working something like an antibiotic, the spices were found to kill the methane-producing “bad” bacteria in the animal’s gut, while allowing the “good” bacteria to flourish. The findings are part of an ongoing study at the University.
July 22, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
Growth in U.S. beef exports predicted by USDA; cattle imports seen growing
U.S. beef exports this year should increase this year to 2.09 billion pounds, up 12 percent from 2009, USDA said in its most recent Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report. At that level, U.S. beef exports would reach 83 percent of pre-BSE levels in 2003, the agency said.
USDA expects second and third-quarter growth in beef exports of 15 and 11 percent, respectively. Through May, exports were up 26 percent over the same period a year ago, fueled by increases in the major Asian markets.
Another positive factor for U.S. beef exports, USDA said, are other major exporters’ tight supplies. Less beef in Argentina, for example, has prompted Russia to seek out more U.S. beef. Meanwhile, Australia’s beef production this year is projected to be the lowest since 2003.
The report also noted that U.S. cattle imports this year are predicted to be 2.15 million head, a seven percent increase over 2009. Through May, U.S. cattle imports are up 11 percent, compared to the same period last year.
Bill seeks to end vet shortage in rural areas
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has endorsed the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act, introduced Wednesday by Sens. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Mike Crapo (R- Idaho). AVMA said it will help address a critical shortage of veterinarians in rural areas by making the current Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) tax-exempt, thus increasing the number of vets who can participate in it.
Rather than awarding the full funding for this program each year, the current form of the VMLRP requires that 39 percent of its funding be returned to the U.S. Treasury as a federal tax. By making the VLMRP tax exempt, “We will be sending more veterinarians” into rural areas, said Dr. Ron DeHaven, CEO of the AVMA. If the bill (S. 3621) passes, “it will remove the program’s tax burden, allowing enough additional funds to provide one additional veterinarian for every three scheduled to receive awards.”
“Communities in rural America depend on the health of their livestock for their livelihood, but many have no practicing veterinarian,” Johnson said. “The demand is expected to increase by double digits over the next six years alone. This bill will make it easier to bring more veterinarians to these underserved areas and meet this demand.”
‘Healthy’ restaurant menu items up 65 percent
Restaurant menu items being labeled “healthy” rose by 65 percent between the second quarter of 2009 and the second quarter of 2010, according to Mintel Menu Insights, a restaurant industry consulting firm.
Vegetarian labels on menu items rose by 12 percent between the second quarter of 2007 and the second quarter of this year. Mintel reported that more than half of diners who say they’re eating healthier food when they eat out do it by adding more fruits and vegetables.
Wisconsin’s Ag Secretary dead after drowning accident
Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen, 62, died late Wednesday afternoon in a drowning accident in Lake Superior near Marquette, Mich. Officials said he was spending time this week in upper Michigan working on a Habitat for Humanity project.
According to police reports, someone called for help just before 6 p.m. to report a body floating in the lake. Nilsestuen was found after an hour-long search, and taken to a local hospital where attempts to revive him failed. Nilsestuen was instrumental in the creation of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, and also helped organize the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. There was no immediate report on who would succeed him.
July 21, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
House subcommittee blasts GIPSA’s proposed competition rule
The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock competition issues and marketing practices drew strong bipartisan criticism Tuesday from members of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry. The rule, announced June 18, is in a public comment period until Aug. 23, but there was a unanimous call from subcommittee members for USDA to extend the public comment period for at least 60 days – and from some, 120 days.
Chairman David Scott (D-Ga.) told USDA officials they had “very, very seriously overstepped their boundaries.” That was especially true, he said, given that some of the provisions in the proposed rule “were soundly rejected” during the 2008 farm bill debate in both the House and Senate. “For you, and the department to arbitrarily go against the wishes and intent of Congress is serious,” Scott told USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Edward Avalos and GIPSA Administrator J. Dudley Butler. “The least you can do is to extend the comment period” 60 to 120 days. Avalos said a decision on the extension would be made soon.
Avalos responded to a volley of criticisms of the rule by saying it is a “proposed rule” and USDA wants to hear from the industry. He also said, “We’re not trying to eliminate value-added branded products….the proposed rule does not prevent the use of marketing agreements, it does not prevent the payment of premiums, it doesn’t require minimum purchases on the spot market. What the rule does do, it does create transparency, oppose discrimination or retaliation when there is no reason for disparity in contract terms or contract conditions, prices paid or the treatment of the producer…(it) doesn’t protect poor performers, producers who aren’t satisfying their contract the way they’re supposed to.”
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) responded, “Well, what I have heard from folks is that you haven’t convinced a lot of people of that fact. I think you have got some work to do.”
LMA is analyzing the proposed rule and will provide more information later. It can be found at above; click on Industry and LMA News and Issues, then click on Proposed and Final Regulations.
GIPSA proposed rule expected to be on agenda of USDA/DOJ Colo. workshop Aug. 27
The controversy over the proposed GIPSA rule on livestock competition issues and marketing practices (see above story) makes it a virtual certainty the subject will be on the agenda of the upcoming joint public workshop on competition and regulatory issues in the livestock industry. The workshop will be Friday, Aug. 27, on the campus of Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, and will be jointly conducted by USDA and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Members with an interest in these issues are encouraged to attend. The time, specific location and agenda will be reported here when they become available.
Kansas heat wave kills 2,000+ feedlot cattle
The brutal heat and humidity that have covered central and southwest Kansas since late last week have killed more than 2,000 cattle in feedlots. Ken Powell, environmental scientist with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said Tuesday the deaths were due more to the humidity than the heat, adding, “From the standpoint of dealing with the disposal of animals, this is the worst I have seen in the almost 17 years I’ve been here.”
He said the deaths have overwhelmed rendering plants and some feedlots are burying their carcasses in accordance with state regulations. Kansas is the third largest cattle state with more than 2 million head in feedlots.
Temperatures reached 101 degrees Monday in Garden City in southwest Kansas and were expected to stay in the upper 90s to low 100-degree range through Friday. However, state and feedlot spokesmen said conditions improved somewhat Tuesday, as the humidity decreased and the wind picked up.
Aug. 9 deadline for voting on proposed amendment to LMA bylaws
August 9 is the deadline for members to return their vote on a proposed amendment to the LMA bylaws. The amendment would formalize LMA’s standing practice that has the immediate past chairman of the board serve a term on the board, following his or her term as chairman.
A ballot and instructions on filling it out and returning it were sent to all members earlier this month. Questions can be directed to CEO Mark Mackey, 800-821-2048.
News from the fast-food hamburger business
…Canadians love their late-night McDonald’s Big Macs. Consider: a survey done for McDonald’s/Canada found that 33 percent of Canadians have visited McDonald’s in the early morning to order the double-decker sandwich. The survey also found that not only do Canadians like visiting the Golden Arches late at night, but five percent of adults, when given the choice of having sex or eating a Big Mac -- you guessed it – would choose the Big Mac.
…Whataburger, the Texas-based chain with more than 700 locations in 10 states, is celebrating its 60th anniversary, with “Orange Night Out” at most of its restaurants on Aug. 3. Each dine-in customer who comes dressed in the company’s signature orange will receive a free Whataburger. The family-owned business served over 400 customers the day it opened its first location in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950 Today, the chain serves over 460,000 customers daily, said chairman and CEO Tom Dobson.
July 20, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
Senate spending panel votes no funding for NAIS
The full Senate Appropriations Committee last week approved a fiscal year 2011 agriculture spending bill that strips out any funding for USDA’s National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee earlier “zeroed out” any funding for NAIS.
Last February, USDA said it was scrapping NAIS and instead will develop “a new flexible framework for animal disease traceability (ADT) in the U.S.” The administration had asked Congress for $14.2 million to transition from NAIS to the new program. The Senate Appropriations Committee said it may reconsider its funding decision once a comprehensive ADT plan has been developed and funding needs identified.
3 more public meetings on ADT announced
USDA has announced the locations and dates for three more public meetings on its proposed animal disease traceability program. They are: Wednesday Aug. 18, Crowne Plaza Madison, 4402 E. Washington Ave., Madison, Wisc.; Friday, Aug. 20, Doubletree Hotel – Airport, 3400 Norman Berry Drive, Atlanta, Ga.; Tuesday, Aug. 24, Red Lion Hotel, 2525 N. 20th Ave., Pasco, Wash.
The meetings run from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. local time, with on-site registration beginning at 7 a.m. Members are encouraged to attend and participate in these meetings.
USDA disaster assistance for livestock available
USDA recently announced that over $13 million in disaster assistance will be issued to livestock, honeybee and farm-raised fish producers who suffered losses in 2009 due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions. The aid will come from the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).
Under ELAP, producers will be compensated for losses not covered under other supplemental ag disaster assistance payment programs established by the 2008 farm bill. ELAP benefits related to 2010 losses will be issued in early 2011. Other disaster assistance programs covered by the 2008 farm bill are the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.
Further information and eligibility requirements for these programs can be found at county Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.
Cargill launches beef product line in leakproof packaging
Cargill on Monday said its new “Grantwood Meats” line is designed to address specific consumer concerns about leaky meat packaging. The beef is vacuum-sealed in a leakproof package with a peel-to-open tab. It is freezer-ready and has a 30-day shelf life from the packing date. The product line includes muscle cuts and roasts.
Cargill Associate Brand Manager David Bisek said consumers “told us their number one complaint with current fresh beef packaging is the fact that it leaked. These leaks plague consumers throughout the shopping process: they leave a mess in grocery carts, they stain car upholstery and they necessitate refrigerator clean-up during storage.”
Beef makes big comeback in South Korea
South Korea has become the third largest importer of U.S. beef – after Mexico and Canada – following a 66 percent jump in imports during the first five months of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009. From January to May, South Korea imported 37,117 tons of U.S. beef, worth $163 million (U.S.), Korean officials said Friday, citing statistics released by USDA and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. For the same period last year, imports of U.S. beef in South Korea amounted to 22,360 tons, worth $83.8 million (U.S.)
With its strong import growth, South Korea passed Japan for the first time to become the largest market for U.S. beef in Asia. Japan’s U.S. beef imports reached 36,698 tons in the January-May period.
South Korea banned all U.S. beef in late 2003, when a case of mad cow disease was found in the U.S. After long negotiations, South Korea lifted most of its restrictions by late 2008. The U.S. is seeking an end to all restrictions, and talks between the two nations are expected to resume in late September.
July 19, 2010 — Daily News Headlines
Frey wins ILAC, becomes 1st semi-finalist in 2011 WLAC
It’s 11 months until the 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, but the first semi-finalist has already been selected: it’s LMA member Tom Frey, Creston, Iowa. He assured his presence in next summer’s contest by winning the 22nd annual International Livestock Auctioneer Championship (ILAC), held this past weekend in conjunction with the “Calgary Stampede,” in Calgary, Alberta.
LMA traditionally gives a “bye” into the WLAC to the winner of the ILAC. Frey, who was among the 10 finalists in this year’s WLAC, bested 17 other contestants from the U.S., Canada, and Australia to win the ILAC
The other three finishers are also former WLAC contestants. They were: second place, Andrew McDowell, Vandalia, Ill.; 3rd place, Brennin Jack, Regina, Sask., and 4th place, Shawn Gist, Westerose, Alberta.
The last time the WLAC was in Canada was 1996, in Red Deer, Alberta. The contest will return to Canada on Oct. 23, when the second quarterfinal qualifying contest will be held at Vold, Jones and Vold Auction Co., Ltd., Ponoka, Alberta.
Livestock, poultry groups want end of ethanol subsidies
Livestock and poultry organizations Friday asked the Senate leadership to allow a 30 year tax credit and a protective tariff for ethanol to expire as scheduled at the end of this year. “Although we support the need (for) renewable and alternative sources of energy, we strongly believe it is time that the mature corn-based ethanol industry operate on a level playing field with other commodities that rely on corn as their major input,” the groups said in a letter. “Favoring one segment of agriculture at the expense of another does not benefit agriculture as a whole or the consumers that ultimately purchase our products.”
The Senate Finance Committee is currently considering whether to extend the ethanol blender’s tax credit and a tariff on imported ethanol. Both expire Dec. 31. Signing the letter were NCBA, the National Pork Producers Council, the American Meat Institute, the National Chicken Council, the National Turkey Federation and the National Meat Association.
Europe nearly free of mad cow disease, official says
An official of the European Union Friday said Europe has nearly wiped out mad cow disease, as the EU proposed to end the systematic slaughter of entire herds when an infected cow is discovered. The EU “has made great progress in its battle against BSE and we are finally on the brink of eradicating the disease within the Union,” said EU Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli.
EU concern over the disease “sparked a panic in the 1990s and a decade-long EU ban on beef from Britain, the epicenter of the outbreak,” according to a French newspaper. Europe took ‘drastic measures to curb the disease,” the paper reported. Currently, when a cow tests positive for BSE, all cattle born in the herd 12 months before or after the birth of the sick cow are slaughtered, as well as those which may have consumed the same contaminated feed.
The European Commission said it was time to end this “systematic cohort culling of cattle,” in a proposal to the European Council and the European Parliament. The proposal would also allow cattle from herds where the disease was found to be sold for human consumption, as long as they test negative before entering the food chain.
Funeral services today for Arkansas member, Billy Ray Nix
Funeral services are this afternoon in Ash Flat, Ark., for long-time LMA member Billy Ray Nix, president and owner of the Ash Flat Livestock Auction, Inc., since 1960. Nix died Saturday after a long illness. He was 78.
Nix served for several years on the board of directors of the Arkansas LMA, and was a member of the Tri-County and Arkansas Cattleman’s Association. A native of Ash Flat, his list of civic activities was long, ranging from the area Chamber of Commerce, Sharp County Fair Board President and Fair Manager, to chairman of the Ash Flat Planning and Zoning Commission.
The family suggests memorials to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital, St. Bernards Foundation or the Ash Flat Cemetery Fund, which can be sent c/o Tri-County Funeral Home, 1540 Highway 62-412, Hardy, Ark., 72542, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
