Friday November 19 Cattle on Feed + Ag News

 NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 2%
 
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.56 million cattle on feed on November 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 2% from last year. Placements during October totaled 625,000 head, up 12% from 2020. Fed cattle marketings for the month of October totaled 435,000 head, down 5% from last year. Other disappearance during October totaled 10,000 head, unchanged from last year.



IOWA CATTLE ON FEED DOWN 2%

Cattle  and  calves  on  feed  for  the  slaughter  market  in  Iowa  feedlots  with  a  capacity  of  1,000  or  more  head  totaled 610,000 head on November 1, 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service - Cattle on Feed report. This was up 2 percent from October but down 2 percent from November 1, 2020. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 470,000 head on feed, up 3 percent from last month but down 6 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,080,000 head, up 2 percent from last month but down 4 percent from last year.  
 
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during October totaled 116,000 head, up 45 percent from September and up 10 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 68,000  head,  up  10 percent  from  September  but  unchanged  from  last  year.  Placements  for  all  feedlots  in  Iowa  totaled 184,000 head, up 30 percent from September and up 6 percent from last year.  
 
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during October totaled 104,000 head, up 55 percent from September and up 13 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 51,000  head,  down  6 percent  from  September  and  last  year.  Marketings  for  all  feedlots  in  Iowa  were  155,000  head,  up 28 percent  from  September  and  up  6 percent  from  last  year.  Other  disappearance  from  all  feedlots  in  Iowa  totaled 4,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Down Slightly

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.9 million head on November 1, 2021. The inventory was slightly below November 1, 2020.

On Feed, by State   (1,000 hd  -  % Nov 1 '20)
Colorado .......:               1,150                   103                 
Iowa .............:                610                       98               
Kansas ..........:               2,510                   100                   
Nebraska ......:               2,560                   102                
Texas ............:               2,850                    98                 

Placements in feedlots during October totaled 2.25 million head, 2 percent above 2020. Net placements were 2.19 million head. During October, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 575,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 500,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 470,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 425,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 190,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head.

Placements, by State (1,000 hd - % Oct '20)
Colorado .......:                 185                106             
Iowa .............:                  116                110             
Kansas ..........:                  435                101              
Nebraska ......:                  625                112           
Texas ............:                  510                106           

Marketings of fed cattle during October totaled 1.79 million head, 5 percent below 2020. Other disappearance totaled 59,000 head during October, 6 percent below 2020.

Marketings, by State (1,000 hd - % Oct '20)
Colorado .......:                 160                  100                    
Iowa .............:                  104                  113                  
Kansas ..........:                  445                  101                   
Nebraska ......:                  435                   95                   
Texas ............:                  375                   89                    



Ruskamp named Northeast Community College’s 2021 AgCeptional Woman of the Year

A Dodge woman has been recognized for her contributions to agriculture.

Joan Ruskamp was honored as the AgCeptional Woman of the Year at the Northeast Community College AgCeptional Women’s Conference on the Northeast campus in Norfolk on Friday. The announcement was made during a video tribute that was played during the opening session of the 13th annual conference. The video was sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America and produced by the Northeast Agriculture Department and District 25 Productions, LLC.

“Joan’s story is very cool,” said Tara Smydra, dean of science, technology, agriculture and math at Northeast Community College and conference director. “She didn’t come from a farm; this isn’t her first home, but it is definitely her home now.”

Smydra said Ruskamp exhibits many attributes that allow her to be called “agceptional.”

“She is a doer: she is a connector; she is a relater, she is a thinker. (Joan) does all of these this so well that it just it just makes you want to be a better person … “She is so active – her spirit of service is really wonderful.”

A special selection committee made up of professionals from agricultural businesses and operations is assembled each year to select the winner from a very competitive group of nominees.

Ruskamp was nominated by Anne Meis, of Elgin, and Lisa Lunz, of Wakefield, both of whom are past AgCeptional Woman of the Year recipients. They said Ruskamp serves as an excellent spokesperson for the agriculture industry.

“Joan has shared her story on the local, state and national level,” according to the nomination. “Following presentations at a previous Food for Tomorrow Conference in New York, NY, for example, she invited the audience to ask questions and learn more about where food comes from. Although the conversation had begun to be combative and challenging, Joan had a way of changing the whole tone of the meeting with her calm, educating manner.”

In accepting the award on Friday, Ruskamp commented on the role women play in agriculture and the recognition of their work.

“That what this conference is all about; it’s celebrating women in agriculture and the many roles we all have,” she said.

“In agriculture every role does matter because it takes so many moving parts to do what we do on our farms and ranches.” … “People are listening, people are watching and as women in agriculture let’s keep sharing our stories.”

Ruskamp and her husband, Steve, began farming in 1981 and now, 40 years later, continue to work side-by-side caring for their family farm. The Ruskamp family feeds cattle in a 4,000 head feedlot and raises corn, soybeans and alfalfa near Dodge. Since her father-in-law was raised on the farm, it has always been important for the family to honor those who started the operation more than 100-years ago. The Ruskamp home has always centered on its strong Catholic faith as the family has dealt with life’s challenges while raising five children and growing the farm and feedlot.

Ruskamp is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Curtis, where she earned an associate degree in veterinary medicine. She has been very active in the beef industry, with service to organizations including the Dodge County Cattlemen, Nebraska Cattlemen, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, American National Cattle Women; Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Soybean Association and Nebraska Corn Board.

While serving as chairperson of the National Cattleman’s Beef Board, Ruskamp was called to the leadership position by her peers as a national beef promoter. The leadership role allowed her to travel nationally and internationally to promote beef and make decisions about the use of the beef checkoff. The Ruskamps continue to serve the industry through involvement in the Nebraska Cattlemen Association.

“I think that women involved in agriculture should look to Joan as a role model and an inspiration because she truly shows that she can do a lot of things,” said Ann Marie Bosshamer, executive director of the Nebraska Beef Council Beef Check-off Programs. “You can be a mother, you can be a wife, you can be a cattle feeder, or you can be an advocate. There’s so many hats she’s able to wear; she does it with not only professionalism, but with grace.”

Ashley Kohls, vice president of Government Affairs for the Nebraska Cattlemen, calls Ruskamp a leader for both the beef industry and for women in agriculture.

“Joan has a way of talking about what they do and why they do things on their farm that consumers can understand,” Kohls said. “We can always call on Joan to speak with any media person in a way that we trust will shine a positive light on our industry.”

Ruskamp also gives back to her community as a 4-H leader, an EMT (emergency medical technician) and with her church, among other activities. She served in several leadership positions as well as chair on the Cattleman’s Beef Board. She is a founding member of the Ag-Ceptional Women's Conference planning committee, is an alum of the Nebraska LEAD program and volunteers for Common Ground.

Ruskamp has received the Livestock Industry Appreciation Award from the Nebraska Corn Board, the FarmHer Hall of Fame award, 2020-2021 Grand Island Northwest High School Distinguished Alumni Award, Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Nebraska at Curtis and was a finalist for the Omaha Catholic Business Group Leading with Faith Award.

The Ruskamps have hosted numerous tours on their farm to share the corn-fed beef story with adults from around the world as well as youth through the Farm Bureau Pen Pal Program. They have been married for 40 years and have five children, three sons-in-law, a daughter-in-law and eight grandchildren.

Kurtis Harms, director of communications for the Nebraska Corn Board, calls Ruskamp the perfect ambassador for agriculture.

“Joan truly does care about helping consumers understand agriculture, about doing what’s best for agriculture, what’s best for beef producers, what’s best for crop producers, and what’s best for American agriculture as a whole.”



Reigle and Vering recognized with Northeast Community College distinguished service award

Two individuals who have assisted in leading a capital campaign to construct new agriculture facilities at Northeast Community College have been recognized for outstanding achievement.

Jeanne Reigle and Russ Vering are recipients of the College’s 2021 Distinguished Service Award. The recognition is presented to individuals who have demonstrated active service to higher education and who have played a significant role in the development of Northeast Community College. It was presented at Northeast’s Annual Achievement Awards Ceremony recently.

Reigle and Vering served as co-chairs of the $23 million Nexus capital campaign to raise funds for a new veterinary technology building and a combination farm operations building and large animal handling facility at the new Acklie Family College Farm near the Chuck M. Pohlman Agriculture Complex, 2301 E. Benjamin Ave., in Norfolk. The new facilities will replace buildings that are over 100-years old on the existing College farm.

Reigle, of Madison, is a retired agriculture producer. She and her husband, John, run the family farm and feeding operation, Reigle Cattle Co. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) for two-years in pursuit of a business degree and routinely takes online classes in several academic fields through Northeast Community College. In addition to her cattle operation, Reigle was employed in the Madison County Treasurer’s Office from 1980-82.

Reigle continues to encourage others to make an investment in agriculture in northeast Nebraska by contributing to the Nexus campaign.

“John and I asked Northeast for help in meeting our workforce needs,” she said. “Their answer was this plan to create a premiere location to attract traditional and non-traditional students from all over the country, whether they are interested in livestock agriculture, precision farming or another aspect of production.”

Reigle said she tells producers that each dollar contributed to new ag facilities at Northeast is an investment in their own ag business, not just in the college.

“This state-of-the-art campus will give close proximity access to some of the best qualified ag workforce, technology advancements, and crop management and development,” she said.

Reigle has past experience in fundraising, having chaired several local efforts as well as serving as co-chair of the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Ball in 2008. She has served on numerous boards over the years including the Elkhorn Valley Cattlemen, Preservation Madison Inc., Madison Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Northeast Community College Foundation.

The Reigles have four children and nine grandchildren.

Developing rural communities is one of the strongest arguments in support of building new agriculture facilities at Northeast Community College, according to Vering.

“The importance of investing in this program really helps build our communities, helps educate our children, brings them back to our communities and helps build our populations in northeast Nebraska,” he said. “It’s going to bring more ideas to the farm; it’s going to bring more ideas back to our businesses.”

Vering, of Scribner, is co-owner of Central Plains Milling in Howells and Columbus and vice president of Nutrition for the newly merged Frontier/Midwest Cooperative.

He graduated from UNL with a Bachelor of Arts in Animal Science. Vering has devoted his career to agriculture and enjoys caring for animals and the producers who own them. His job description encompasses everything from animal nutrition to husbandry, building design to engineering, and business management to team management, including internal employee experience, and the customer experience.

Vering has also hosted Northeast student interns at Central Plains Milling, and has several Northeast graduates as employees.

He said, “People make agriculture work and I have always been working with teams and people creating something good in their work environment and their purpose in feeding a very hungry world.”

Vering is a past president of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association and a current member of the National Pork Producers Association Board of Directors.

He and his wife, Tammi, have two children.

“We could not have had better co-chairs than Russ and Jeanne. They represent different facets of agriculture and agri-business, and understand that the demand for trained employees is a drag on the rural economy,” said Tracy Kruse, vice president of Development and External Affairs at Northeast. “With their assistance in the fundraising effort, Northeast has been better able to meet the need for workers with highly technical skills and a passion for agriculture. They also had a great team in a great area of the region that supports agriculture, which made the campaign successful. The award presented to them is well deserved.”



NDA ANNOUNCES 2021-2022 NEBRASKA AG YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS
 
The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC) is one of the best leadership opportunities for college students interested in careers in agriculture. The 21 college students who serve on NAYC are chosen by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) to share their passion and knowledge about agriculture with young people across Nebraska. Throughout the year, NAYC members promote agriculture and provide valuable insight and advice about the many job opportunities available in Nebraska’s ag industry.  
 
“The Nebraska Ag Youth Council is a team of hard-working students with a passion for agriculture and a bright future in the ag industry,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “These students are the next generation of leaders in agriculture, and I look forward to working with them as they continue to pursue careers in agriculture, grow their leadership skills, and teach others about food, fuel and Nebraska agriculture.”
 
In its 51st year, NAYC is a long-standing tradition of excellence in Nebraska. Council members coordinate and participate in a wide range of ag-focused activities and events throughout the year. They visit elementary schools to talk about where food comes from, take students on farm tours to experience life on a farm, and visit with high school students about career opportunities in agriculture. The primary focus of NAYC is to coordinate the annual Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI), a five-day summer conference for high school juniors and seniors with speakers, workshops and networking opportunities. NAYI is the longest running event of its kind in the nation.  
 
The 2021-2022 NAYC leadership includes:  
• Head Counselors: Abby Miller, Mead; Emily Zimmer, Pleasanton;   
• President: Emily Hatterman, Wisner;  
• Secretary: Sam Wilkins, Ainsworth;  
• Vice President of Communications and Social Media: Savannah Gerlach, DeWitt;  
• Vice President of Alumni Relations: Mitchell Manning, Burress;
• Vice President of NAYI Improvement and Promotion: Megan Schroeder, Wisner;  
• Vice President of Youth Outreach: Payton Schiller, West Point; and
• Vice President of Sponsorship: Tyler Perrin, Ogallala.  
 
Additional NAYC members include: Jadyn Fleischman, Herman; Logan Hafer, Long Pine; Cole Kalkowski, Omaha; Madison Kreifels, Syracuse; Ethan Kreikemeier, West Point; Kendra Loseke, Blair; Kaci Mashino, Spencer; Layne Miller, Lyons; Taylor Ruwe, Hooper; Kaleb Senff, Axtell; Madison Stracke, Stuart; and Clayton Thomas, Bloomington, Illinois.  
 
“Agriculture is the largest industry in Nebraska, and there are a lot of job opportunities for young people interested in ag,” said Christin Kamm, NDA Director of Communications and Supervisor of the NAYC program. “NDA continues to look for and find ways to bring, keep and support people in the ag industry.”  
 
To learn more, visit NAYC’s website at https://nda.nebraska.gov/nayi/nayc.html or search for Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute on Facebook.



AGP Announces Soybean Processing Facility Expansion  

Ag Processing  Inc  a  cooperative  (AGP)  announced  its  plan  today  to make a significant investment to expand the crush capacity of its soybean processing facility in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.  Chairman of the Board Lowell Wilson stated, “The project is aligned with our strategic plan of continued growth of our core soybean processing business to better serve the cooperative system and our rural communities.  We would like to thank The Siouxland Initiative, Woodbury County and the Iowa
Economic Development Authority for their support of this project.”  

“We have carefully evaluated this opportunity and are confident that this investment will generate strong returns for our membership and benefit farmer-producers throughout the region.  Domestic and global demand  for  soybean  meal  and  soybean  oil  continues  to  grow.  In  addition,  we  believe  the  expanded soybean processing plant will generate economic benefits for the Sergeant Bluff area,” stated CEO Chris Schaffer.    

Chief Marketing Officer Mark Sandeen added, “The availability and quality of the soybeans in the Sergeant Bluff area make it an excellent location to expand our crush capacity.  AGP continues to invest in areas that enhance our competitiveness. Our Sergeant Bluff facility has performed very well over the years and we have a strong connection to the community. We have a great team in place to support the expanded operations and we are excited to move forward with this project to return value to our members and their farmer-owners.”  

Company officials noted that final construction decisions are contingent on negotiations with state and local officials regarding economic development, utility rates and services, and regulatory considerations.  

“We are committed to working with local and state officials to develop and invest in projects that benefit AGP and the surrounding communities,” said Sandeen.



Smith, Costa Lead Over 70 Lawmakers in Urging Biden Administration to hold Mexico Accountable on Biotech Policies

Congressmen Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Jim Costa (D-CA) led a bipartisan group of more than 70 members in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to seek assurances from Mexican President López Obrador that Mexico will abide by the biotech provisions established in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Since 2018, biotech application approvals by Mexico have come to a standstill, impacting corn, apples, canola, cotton, soybeans, and potatoes. President López Obrador also announced the intent to phase out certain agricultural technologies, including biotech corn for human consumption, by 2024.

In addition to the uncertainty caused by these policies for American farmers and the agriculture sector, these actions violate the biotechnology provisions in the USMCA. The letter stresses the importance of the Biden Administration holding Mexico accountable using enforcement tools established by the USMCA.

“Mexico is a critical market for Nebraska and American agriculture products alike,” said Smith. “Our farmers rely on biotech traits to increase yields, improve soil health, and improve input efficiency. We must reaffirm Mexico’s commitment to the biotech provisions in the USMCA and ensure President López Obrador’s policies to ban certain biotechnology does not come to fruition. The Biden Administration cannot allow for such requirements to be ignored by such an important trading partner. Nebraska corn and soybean farmers depend on it.”

“Biotechnology has a significant role in food security,” said Costa. “Changing climate conditions, the economic impacts of the pandemic and growing populations are straining our food system. Integrating new technologies into agriculture is one way that we can prepare for change. We must do all we can to remove trade barriers and advocate for innovation toward more sustainable agriculture."

“Nebraska’s corn farmers are thankful for Reps. Adrian Smith and Jim Costa, along with many congressional leaders, in organizing a letter to the Biden Administration outlining our concerns,” said Andy Jobman, Nebraska Corn Growers Association President. “Mexico’s lack of approval of science-based biotechnology innovations and following provisions within the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is detrimental to our farmers who rely on this key market.”

“America’s corn farmers are appreciative of Congressional leaders weighing in on this important issue and raising their concerns that Mexico is backsliding on its USMCA commitments,” said Chris Edgington, National Corn Growers Association President. “If Mexico’s actions go unchecked U.S. corn farmers run the risk of having to choose between losing what is typically our largest and most reliable export market or losing access to important production tools and innovation that are critical for deploying sustainable production practices.”

“BIO appreciates Representatives Smith and Costa’s leadership on this issue because science is critical if we are to truly address climate change through agriculture,” said Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, BIO’s President and CEO. “As I expressed when testifying on Capitol Hill this past summer, Mexico’s unscientific approach to products of agricultural biotechnology is only going to set us further back in tackling the climate crisis—and will only hurt every day Mexicans struggling to put food on the table. Because Mexico is such an important trading partner, their rejection hampers our innovators ability to develop new, greener technologies like drought tolerant crops and plants that can capture and sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The administration needs to urge Mexico to return to a science-based review process for imports of agricultural biotechnology so we can encourage sustainable agriculture and slow the impacts of climate change.”

“ASA is grateful for the leadership of Representatives Smith and Costa in addressing these concerning actions taken by the government of Mexico relating to agricultural biotechnology,” said Kevin Scott, ASA President and soybean farmer from Valley Springs, SD. “Mexico is the No. 2 export market for U.S. soybeans, and the lack of regulatory approvals for new agricultural biotechnology traits is extremely concerning. The longer this issue lingers in Mexico, the greater the odds of a trickle-down effect on the availability of new biotechnology products for U.S. soybean growers—and trade disruption. Further, if new seed varieties cannot get approval in Mexico, developers may opt against commercializing new traits, which could have long-term impacts on the sustainability of U.S. farmers. We join Reps. Smith and Costa in urging President Biden to directly address these issues with President López Obrador and hold Mexico accountable to its existing commitments under USMCA.”



2022 Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame inductees and award winners will be honored on Jan. 31, 2022, during the 13th annual banquet, which will precede the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Houston, Texas, Feb. 1-3.

The Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame was established in 2009 to honor the exceptional visionary men and women who have made lasting contributions to the cattle-feeding industry. Inductees for 2022 include Tom Jones with Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC near Montezuma, Kan., and Norman Timmerman with N.A. Timmerman, Inc., which operates feedyards in Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. William J. Pullen with Bill’s Volume Sales will receive the Industry Leadership Award, and Dave Mestl with N.A. Timmerman, Inc. will receive the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award.

“We continue to honor those who have made extraordinary contributions to the cattle feeding industry,” said Cliff Becker, senior vice president, Farm Journal, and Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame board member. “Holding the banquet in conjunction with the Cattle Industry Convention makes this special event even more exceptional.”

Attendees of the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet will find it convenient to stay in Houston for the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, which starts the next day. That event will feature important industry meetings, motivational speakers, valuable education, entertainment, a massive trade show, producer recognition and much more.

Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet tickets are $200 per person in addition to convention registration. All proceeds from banquet ticket sales and corporate sponsorships benefit future Hall of Fame initiatives. As an added incentive, Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet attendees will receive a $50 discount on their Cattle Industry Convention registration, courtesy of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Information on the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, including tickets to the 2022 Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet, can be found at convention.ncba.org. For more information on the Hall of Fame visit www.cattlefeeders.org.



Farm Bureau: Survey Shows Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Up 14%
 
Enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends is a priority for many Americans, but paying attention to how the meal will impact the budget is also important. Farm Bureau’s 36th annual survey indicates the average cost of this year’s classic Thanksgiving feast for 10 is $53.31 or less than $6.00 per person. This is a $6.41 or 14% increase from last year’s average of $46.90.

The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – costs more than last year, at $23.99 for a 16-pound bird. That’s roughly $1.50 per pound, up 24% from last year, but there are several mitigating factors.

Farm Bureau “volunteer shoppers” checked prices Oct. 26 to Nov. 8, about two weeks before most grocery store chains began featuring whole frozen turkeys at sharply lower prices. Although the survey timeline is consistent with past AFBF Thanksgiving surveys, 2021 brought some unique differences. According to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, grocery stores began advertising lower feature prices later than usual this year. Also, the average per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys was $1.07 the week of Nov. 5-11 and 88 cents the week of Nov. 12-18, a decline of 18% in just one week. This means consumers who have not yet purchased a turkey should be able to find one at a lower cost than the Farm Bureau average.

“Several factors contributed to the increase in average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner,” said AFBF Senior Economist Veronica Nigh. “These include dramatic disruptions to the U.S. economy and supply chains over the last 20 months; inflationary pressure throughout the economy; difficulty in predicting demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and high global demand for food, particularly meat,” she explained. Further, “The trend of consumers cooking and eating at home more often due to the pandemic led to increased supermarket demand and higher retail food prices in 2020 and 2021, compared to pre-pandemic prices in 2019.”
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The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.

“Taking turkey out of the basket of foods reveals a 6.6% price increase compared to last year, which tracks closely with the Consumer Price Index for food and general inflation across the economy,” said Nigh.

In recognition of changes in Thanksgiving dinner traditions, the Farm Bureau price survey also includes ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans, in an expanded holiday menu. Adding these foods to the classic Thanksgiving menu increased the overall cost by $15.41, to $68.72. This updated basket of foods also increased in price (up 14%) compared to 2020.

This year’s national average cost was calculated using 218 surveys completed with pricing data from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices in person and online using grocery store apps and websites. They looked for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals.

Individual Prices
    16-pound turkey: $23.99 or approximately $1.50 per pound (up 24%)
    2 frozen pie crusts: $2.91 (up 20%)
    30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $3.64 (up 7%)
    Half pint of whipping cream: $1.78 (up 2%)
    1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.05 (up 15%)
    12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.98 (up 11%)
    1 gallon of whole milk: $3.30 (up 7%)
    1 pound of frozen peas: $1.54 (up 6%)
    3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.56 (up 4%)
    1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): 82 cents (up 12%)
    Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.45 (up 12%)
    14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix: $2.29 (down 19%)

The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. The informal survey provides a record of comparative holiday meal costs over the years. Farm Bureau’s classic survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.



Secretary Vilsack Statement on the Cost of Thanksgiving Staples

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released the following statement on the average retail cost of Thanksgiving dinner staples:
 
“This holiday season we have so many things to be thankful for, chief among them our farmers and producers who are putting the food on our plates and the ability to spend time with loved ones, which we could not do last year. We know that even small price increases can make a difference for family budgets, and we are taking every step we can to mitigate that. The good news is that the top turkey producers in the country are confident that everyone who wants a bird for their Thanksgiving dinner will be able to get one, and a large one will only cost $1 dollar more than last year,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “That’s why the President has been so focused on creating millions of jobs, getting wages up, and getting tax cuts to working families. But let’s not forget the headlines and reality of Thanksgiving last year: 26 million people didn’t have enough food to eat while others were concerned about losing their homes.”

Below are the average retail cost of Thanksgiving staples, based on AMS Market News Retail Reports for the week ending on 11/12/2021:
Frozen Turkey Hen (12 lbs.) - $0.88 cents per pound
Sweet Potatoes - $0.83 cents per pound
Russet Potatoes - $0.90 cents per pound
Cranberries - $2.22 per 12 oz. bag
Green beans - $1.64 per pound
Milk (1 gallon) - $3.75 per gallon
*Overall, this represents a 5.0% increase over last year for these selected items combined.



While Consumers Will Pay Record High Prices for Their Thanksgiving Meal This Year, Farmers Earn Only 14.3 Cents of Every Thanksgiving Food Dollar

For every dollar Americans spend on Thanksgiving meals this year, farmers and ranchers will earn approximately 14.3 cents, according to National Farmers Union (NFU).

“Ordinarily, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with our loved ones and enjoy a big meal,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “But for many Americans, the cost of traditional holiday foods may simply be out of reach for some families.”

Even though consumers are paying more for food this year, almost none of that is being passed on to America’s family farmers and ranchers. Multiple waves of mergers and acquisitions during the last several decades have resulted in agriculture and food supply chains that are uncompetitive, fragile, and underpay farmers.

The farmer’s share of every dollar consumers spend on food has fallen from 50 percent in 1952 to less than 15 percent today.

“The National Farmers Union is fighting for stronger enforcement of antitrust laws and breaking up the corporate monopolies that use their size to unfairly take advantage of farmers and ranchers while forcing consumers to pay higher prices at the grocery store,” added Larew,

“Enough is enough; someone must stand up to these corporate monopolies destroying family farms and undermining our national food supply.”

NFU members are actively advocating for the following policy changes to support fair and transparent agriculture markets:
·     Stronger enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA)
·     Improving price discovery and ensuring fair and accurate market information
·     Facilitating competition and more diverse market opportunities
·     Reinvigorated antitrust enforcement



Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Following Swearing in of Robert Bonnie to Serve as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation

Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement after the swearing in of Robert Bonnie to serve as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA.

“Robert Bonnie’s confirmation to serve as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation is a victory for our farmers and ranchers. Robert is one of the nation’s foremost authorities and leaders on working lands approaches to conservation and incentive-based climate and conservation practices. Under his leadership, we will see a renewed focus toward preparing our food and agricultural community to lead the world in climate-smart agricultural practices. Robert has a wealth of knowledge and is well prepared for his new role. I look forward to working with him to further USDA’s mission to best serve farmers and ranchers equitably and make climate smart practices work for them in a market-oriented way.”



House Passes $1.7 Trillion Build Back Better Legislation, Allocating $82 Billion in Funding For Agriculture to Address Climate Change

The House of Representatives voted today on a party-line basis to approve the $1.7 trillion budget reconciliation and spending bill, H.R. 5376, referred to as the Build Back Better Act.

NCGA worked with allies of farmers and rural communities in Congress to ensure that the bill did not remove important tax provisions that would directly affect family farms.

“Our number one concern has been proposals to remove stepped-up basis,” said Iowa farmer and NCGA President Chris Edgington. “That will continue to be our focus as the legislation moves to the Senate.”

The House version of the bill makes no changes to stepped-up basis, the current tax provision important to corn growers. Stepped-up basis and the estate tax provisions in the current tax code help protect family farms that are transferred from generation to generation.

In an acknowledgment of the role farmers can play in addressing environmental issues, leaders on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees worked together to allocate the following funding:

    $9 billion for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to specifically increase funding for practices that help producers implement and expand conservation practices on their operations.

    $7.5 billion for the Regional Conservation Partnerships Program.

    $4 billion for the Conservation Security Program, which focuses on whole-farm conservation systems.

    $1.5 billion for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program to ensure that land in easements is used in a way that protects soil and water while maintaining its viability as farmland.

    $5 billion for a new cover crop initiative at FSA that provides farmers an alternative to get started with this critical conservation practice.

    $1 billion for USDA to provide technical assistance to farmers on climate issues.

    $960 billion for USDA to provide cost-share assistance for infrastructure to deploy higher blends of ethanol in the marketplace.

The legislation also includes a new clean fuel production tax credit that would become effective in 2027 and apply to low-carbon ethanol.

“We are appreciative of the members of Congress, particularly those on the Agriculture Committees, who recognize the role agriculture can play in addressing climate change,” Edgington said.

The bill is expected to be taken up in the Senate following the Thanksgiving holiday.



Cattle Group Supports Legislation Suspending Brazilian Beef Imports; Says More Legislation Needed

R-CALF USA today announced its strong support for legislation introduced yesterday by Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) that suspends imports of all beef and beef products from Brazil to the United States until a determination is made that Brazilian beef exports comply with United States beef import requirements. The bill number is S.3230.

Tester’s introduction of S.3230 follows formal requests to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack by R-CALF USA, other cattle groups, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) urging Vilsack to exercise his authority to immediately suspend imports of Brazilian beef.

The legislation and requests for suspension are based on Brazil’s repeated failures to report outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in Brazil’s cattle herd.  Brazil failed to timely report such outbreaks in 2010 (notification was not made until 2012), 2014, 2019, and in June of this year when two new BSE-infected cattle were detected by Brazilian authorities.

Brazil has a history of other serious beef safety infractions, including the widely reported beef export scandal in early 2017 in which Brazil was found to be exporting rotten and tainted beef. The scandal eventually led to then Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue’s decision to impose only a partial suspension of beef imports from Brazil. That suspension only applied to fresh beef and not pre-cooked beef, and the partial suspension did not occur until several months after the scandal was disclosed.

“What’s been clear in our years-long relationship with Brazil is that its government cannot be trusted to comply with United States’ beef import requirements. What is equally clear is that our Agriculture Secretaries are slow to respond, and may only partially respond, to known food safety threats,” said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.

He said this explains the critical importance of decisive congressional action such as that initiated by Senator Tester to suspend all beef imports, but he said even that is not enough.

“Consumers deserve the opportunity to choose whether to continue purchasing beef from countries with sordid food safety histories, both before our slow-acting government eventually responds to infractions and after it concludes that the offending country’s corrective actions are good enough.

“Consumers can only be empowered to exercise their right to choose if Congress first enacts the American Beef Labeling Act of 2021 (S.2716) that requires beef sold in grocery stores to be labeled as to where the animal was born, raised, and harvested.”