Monday March 25 Ag News - Cattle on Feed

 NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 1%

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.56 million cattle on feed on March 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 1% from last year. Placements during February totaled 505,000 head, up 16% from 2023. Fed cattle marketings for the month of February totaled 480,000 head, up 4% from last year. Other disappearance during February totaled 15,000 head, unchanged from last year.



Iowa Cattle on Feed

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 650,000 head on March 1, 2024, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was up 2 percent from February and up 2 percent from March 1, 2023. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 540,000 head on feed, unchanged from last month but up 2 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,190,000 head, up 1 percent from last month and up 2 percent from last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during February 2024 totaled 118,000 head, up 3 percent from January and up 18 percent from February 2023. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 56,000 head, down 5 percent from January but up 2 percent from February 2023. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 174,000 head, unchanged from January but up 12 percent from February 2023.

Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during February 2024 totaled 106,000 head, up 3 percent from January but down 2 percent from February 2023. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 54,000 head, down 16 percent from January but up 15 percent from February 2023. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 160,000 head, down 4 percent from January but up 3 percent from February 2023. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 4,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.8 million head on March 1, 2024. The inventory was 1 percent above March 1, 2023.
 
By State          (1,000 hd  -  % March 1 '23)
Colorado ....:      1,020          101           
Iowa ...........:        650          102           
Kansas ........:      2,400           98            
Nebraska ....:      2,560          101         
Texas ..........:      2,820          101          

Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.89 million head, 10 percent above 2023. Placements were the highest for February since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.83 million head. During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 360,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 330,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 515,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 485,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 150,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 50,000 head.

By State        (1,000 hd  -  % Feb '23)
Colorado ....:      155           115       
Iowa ...........:      118           118         
Kansas ........:      455           107         
Nebraska ....:      505           116        
Texas ..........:      355            99          

Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.79 million head, 3 percent above 2023. Other disappearance totaled 56,000 head during February, 3 percent below 2023.

By State        (1,000 hd  -  % Feb '23)
Colorado ....:      140            93            
Iowa ...........:      106            98             
Kansas ........:      435           107           
Nebraska ....:      480           104          
Texas ..........:      345           101            



NeFU Spring District Meetings Schedule

NeFU District 2 Spring Meeting
April 1, 2024  6:00 pm
Pot Luck Supper with meeting to follow
Public Library, 1301 Howard Ave, Saint Paul, NE
District President: Tom Knopik (308) 550-0263 Cell
District Director: Lynn Belitz (308) 550-0859

NeFU District 7 Spring Meeting
April 2, 2024 12:30 p.m.
Perkins Restaurant, 1229 Omaha Avenue, Norfolk, NE 68701
District President: Keith Dittrich (402) 990-7570 Cell
District Director: Art Tanderup (402) 278-0942 Cell

NeFU District 6 Spring Meeting
April 2, 2024 6:00 p.m.
Party Room, Pizza Ranch
245 S Main Street
West Point, NE 68788
Paul Poppe (402) 380-4508 Cell
Graham (402) 217-5217 Cell

NeFU Districts 1 & 3
April 3, 2024 7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
District President: Richard Corman (402) 364-3080 Cell
District 3 Director: Mary Alice Corman (402) 364-3079 Cell
District 1 Director: Al Davis (308) 458-9948 Cell

NeFU District 4 Spring Meeting
April 4, 2024 6:00 p.m.
Gayland & Marcia Regier Home
21648 SW 45th Road
Beatrice, NE 68310
District President: Gayland Regier (402) 520-1094 Cell
District President: Vern Jantzen (402)230-0011

NeFU District 5 Spring District Meeting
April 10, 2024  6:00 p.m.
The Garage Sports Bar/Grill
VIP Party Room, 5551 S.48th St., Lincoln, NE
District 5 President: Amy Svoboda (402) 817-9647 Cell
District 5 Director: Ron Todd-Meyer (402) 879-5800 Cell



Frontier Cooperative helps contribute thermal imaging drone for North Bend Fire Department

At Frontier Cooperative, our commitment to the community goes beyond providing agricultural products and services. We recognize the importance of supporting projects that protect our communities. That's why we are thrilled to announce our recent contribution to the North Bend Fire Department – providing funding for a thermal imaging drone.

The North Bend Fire Department plays a crucial role in protecting our area farmers. The addition of a thermal imaging drone offers support in various emergency situations, particularly in locating individuals or animals, identifying hotspots, and aiding in the detection of chemical leaks such as anhydrous ammonia. In agricultural settings, where time is of the essence and visibility may be limited, the drone's thermal imaging capabilities can make all the difference in effectively managing emergencies.

Frontier Cooperative's decision to donate this essential tool underscores our dedication to promoting agricultural safety. We believe that by empowering our local emergency responders with cutting-edge equipment, we not only enhance their capabilities but also contribute to the well-being of our farming communities.

Frontier is proud to stand alongside the North Bend Fire Department in their mission to protect and serve our community. With the addition of the thermal imaging drone, we are confident that they will be better equipped to handle the challenges they face. As we continue to prioritize agricultural safety, we reaffirm our commitment to a safer, more resilient future for our communities.



Nebraska Cooperative Council Partners with NRDs on Producer Connect

Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) are pleased to announce a new collaboration with Nebraska Cooperative Council on the development of a groundbreaking web and mobile application suite, Producer Connect. Producer Connect is designed to empower agricultural producers with the tools they need to optimize inputs, enhance agricultural profitability, improve water quality, and increase irrigation efficiency.

“As farmer-owned entities, Nebraska’s farmer-owned cooperatives believe information is vital for farmers to learn about and employ sustainable farming practices that protect their profitability while protecting Nebraska’s natural resources,” said Dean Thernes, Nebraska Cooperative Council Board Chairman. “At a time of rapidly changing and new technologies affecting the use of nitrogen products, the Nebraska Cooperative Council is pleased to be able to support the efforts to bring Producer Connect to Nebraska’s farmers.”

Additional participants on the project include the Nebraska Corn Board, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Central Valley Ag, Corteva Agriscience, 17 of Nebraska's 23 NRDs, the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) and the NARD Foundation.

“In collaboration with the Cooperative Council, Producer Connect is poised to become a comprehensive platform for growers, offering valuable insights and resources to enhance nitrogen management and sustainable farming practices,” said Martin Graff, NARD President. “Through this program, we aim to equip growers with the necessary tools and information to make informed decisions and contribute to the overall health of Nebraska’s agriculture and water resources.”

Producer Connect will be free to producers and offer a wide range of features designed to simplify nitrogen and water management, including:
    Producer-specific data
    Protected data
    Customizable nitrogen recommendations
    Irrigation efficiency
    Historical data analysis
    Economic analysis of nitrogen applications
    Information exchange

Producer Connect is currently in its initial stages of development and is expected to launch in June 2024. The initial rollout will focus on Phase 2 and Phase 3 Groundwater Quality Management Areas and areas with irrigation allocations.



NEBRASKA CHICKENS AND EGGS

Nebraska egg production during February totaled 192 million eggs, up from 141 million in 2023. February egg production per 100 layers was 2,310 eggs, compared to 2,176 eggs in 2023.

All layers in Nebraska during February 2024 totaled 8.32 million, up from 6.49 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

IOWA: Iowa egg production during February 2024 was 1.06 billion eggs, up 7 percent from the previous February, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of all layers on hand during February 2024 was 43.5 million, up 1 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for February was 2,428, up 6 percent from a year ago.

February Egg Production Up 5 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.62 billion during February 2024, up 5 percent from last year. Production included 7.39 billion table eggs, and 1.22 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.13 billion were broiler-type and 93.7 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during February 2024 totaled 377 million, down 1 percent from last year. February egg production per 100 layers was 2,288 eggs, up 6 percent from February 2023.
                                    
Total layers in the United States on March 1, 2024 totaled 377 million, down 1 percent from last year. The 377 million layers consisted of 311 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 62.3 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.87 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on March 1, 2024, averaged 79.0 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from March 1, 2023.



Pork Barbecue Competition Seeks Amateur Iowa Grillers
    
If backyard barbecuing is your thing, prove it! Amateur Iowa grillers are invited to test their skills and recipes against other home chefs during the Backyard BBQ Competition, part of BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark this summer in Des Moines.

Registration is open for teams to compete at the second-annual BBQ & Brew, a charitable event presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) and Iowa Cubs — the Minor League Baseball team in Des Moines. Open to the public, BBQ & Brew is set for Saturday, June 22, and will feature samples of Iowa pork and Iowa-brewed beers, expert cooking demonstrations, as well as local musicians. All proceeds benefit food pantries around the state.

“We take great pride in promoting delicious Iowa pork, and this is a fun chance for barbecue enthusiasts to step up to the plate, show us what they’ve got, and potentially walk away with bragging rights and a trophy,” said Matt Gent, IPPA president and a pig farmer from Wellman.

The all-pork Backyard BBQ Competition offers nearly 20 cash awards, totaling more than $10,000. The main contest consists of three categories — pork loin, pork butt, and St. Louis-style ribs — and six certified judges will score each entry based on appearance, taste, and tenderness. Those who compete in all three pork categories are eligible to win $1,500 for Grand Champion, the highest overall combined score, or $1,000 for Reserve Champion, the second-highest score.

Prizes for the top five in each category (loin, butt, and ribs):
    First — $1,000
    Second — $600
    Third — $300
    Fourth — $150
    Fifth — $75

In addition, participants are required to cook a few more pork butts and loins for the People’s Choice portion of the contest. BBQ & Brew attendees will have an opportunity to taste samples from the competitors, and vote for their favorite. The winner of each category will receive $1,500 cash, and another $1,500 to donate to a hunger-relief charity of his or her choice.

Pork is being provided by Des Moines-based Berkwood Farms, a coalition of more than 90 independent family farmers who raise Berkshire pigs. The meat from the heirloom breed has a distinctive color and marbling, two traits that add tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Other event sponsors include Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, along with Iowa-based Fareway Stores, a grocery company known for its fresh meat counter. Fareway has 140 Midwest locations.

BBQ & Brew will take place in the parking lot of Principal Park, the Iowa Cubs’ home stadium, and barbecue competitors can begin cooking the evening before.

Cost per team is $200, which includes a 20-by-20 cooking site, handwashing and dishwashing stations, two T-shirts, four admission tickets to sample beer, containers to submit food to the judging panel, and barrels for discarding ash.

The deadline is May 15 to claim one of 30 spots. Once sold out, a waiting list will be available. For full contest information and to register, visit iowapork.org/bbq-brew.

Admission tickets for BBQ & Brew will go on sale to the public soon.



Registration open for the 2024 IFBF Economic Summit: 'Pressures and Opportunities'

Registration opened today for the 2024 Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) Economic Summit: Pressures and Opportunities slated for June 14 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. The summit is designed to provide farmers with information into the key factors impacting today’s volatile farm economy, what that means for Iowa agriculture moving forward and how to mitigate economic pressures and leverage opportunities.  

Dr. Austan Goolsbee, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, headlines the 2024 IFBF Economic Summit with a ‘fireside chat’ with IFBF President Brent Johnson, providing members valuable insight into the U.S. macroeconomy. The summit will be Dr. Goolsbee’s first public appearance directly following the June Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

“Extreme weather, volatile market swings, geopolitics and international trade all contribute to an uncertain future for many Iowa farmers,” said Dr. Christopher Pudenz, IFBF economics and research manager. “That’s why we’re bringing together a wide variety of experts in risk management, banking, trade and emerging markets to shed some light on what market challenges farmers can expect this year and options to help overcome those challenges and continue to thrive.”

Participants will also gain insights from Frank Kelly, founder and managing partner of Fulcrum Macro, about world macroeconomics and geopolitics impacting agriculture. Tyne Morgan, host of the U.S. Farm Report, will host and moderate an ag lending panel. Additional sessions include a meat panel featuring a retailer, meat packer and cattle feeder; a panel providing updates on the U.S./Mexico trade situation; and discussion on crafting pre-harvest marketing plans to help navigate challenging grain market conditions. More information about the agenda and speakers can be found here.

IFBF’s Economic Summit: Pressures and Opportunities kicks off with a networking reception for attendees Thursday, June 13 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny and continues with presentations and panels on Friday, June 14.

Summit registration, which includes access to the reception on June 13, all presentations and lunch on June 14, is $40 for Farm Bureau members and $200 for non-members before May 31. Registration is limited for the Economic Summit, so interested parties are encouraged to secure a spot today. Visit www.iowafarmbureau.com or contact Stacy Stevens (515-225-5633; sstevens@ifbf.org) for more information.



Iowa’s Best Burger Top 10 Finalists Announced

From quaint hometown diners to upscale urban eateries, the competition was fierce as the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association accepted nominations for the 15th annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest.

This year’s contest saw record-breaking engagement, with more than 7,500 burger enthusiasts casting their ballots, underscoring the deep-seated love and passion for beef in Iowa. The restaurants making the 2024 Top Ten finalists list (in alphabetical order) include:
    Big Head Burger, Waterloo
    Chuckwagon Restaurant, Adair
    Flight Bar + Grille, Huxley
    Houston's On Main, Milo
    JJ's Tavern + Grill, Ankeny
    Lucile's at The Continental Hotel, Centerville
    The Flying Elbow, Marshalltown
    The Market at the Tap, Monticello
    Wilder at Graduate Hotel Iowa City, Iowa City
    Williamson Tavern, Williamson        

“More than 500 restaurants were nominated during this year’s voting process,” said Kylie Peterson, Director of Marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “This year’s Top Ten restaurants are award-winning worthy, but are only a few of the many restaurants in Iowa that do an outstanding job of promoting and serving our beef products to their customers on behalf of Iowa’s beef farmers.”

To qualify, the burger must be a 100% real beef patty served on a bun or bread product. Burgers may include any combination of condiments, sauces, cheese or toppings. In celebration of the contest’s 15th anniversary, we allowed all previous Iowa’s Best Burger winners the chance to compete in the 2024 contest.

Three of the Top Ten restaurants are past Iowa’s Best Burger winners, including Chuckwagon Restaurant (2016), The Flying Elbow (2022) and Flight Bar + Grille (2023). Only one of the remaining restaurants, Lucile at The Continental Hotel, has been a previous Top Ten Iowa Best Burger qualifier.

The final phase in the quest for the 2024 Iowa’s Best Burger will now begin. All Top Ten restaurants will be visited by a panel of anonymous judges who will evaluate the burgers based on taste, appearance, and proper doneness (160 degrees Fahrenheit). The judges’ scores and comments will be accumulated and the winner will be announced on May 1 to kick off May Beef Month.

As beef remains a cornerstone of Iowa’s economy, events like Iowa’s Best Burger contest serve as a testament to the dedication and passion of Iowa’s cattlemen and food service providers working together to provide memorable and delicious beef eating experiences.

Previous Iowa’s Best Burger winners include: 2023 – Flight Bar + Grille of Huxley; 2022 – The Flying Elbow of Marshalltown; 2021 – Bambino’s of Ossian; 2020 – Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon of BeeBeeTown; 2019 – Wood Iron Grille of Oskaloosa; 2018 - Café Beaudelaire of Ames; 2017 – The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ of Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant Adair; 2015 – The Cider House of Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill in Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille in Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck in Dexter; and 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City.

To learn more about the contest and the Top Ten restaurants, including addresses and hours, visit www.iabeef.org.



MN goat tests positive for same influenza virus affecting poultry

A Stevens County (Minnesota) juvenile goat residing on a farm with a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) positive poultry flock tested positive for the same virus. This is the first U.S. detection of HPAI in a domestic ruminant (cattle, sheep, goats, and their relatives). All poultry on the property were already quarantined from the February HPAI detection. Following the confirmation of HPAI in the goat, the Board quarantined all other species on the premises. The Board is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate the transmission of the virus in this case.

“This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species,” said State Veterinarian, Dr. Brian Hoefs. “Thankfully, research to-date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means they’re unlikely to spread HPAI further.”

Earlier this month the owner notified the Board of unusual deaths of newly kidded goats on the property where a backyard poultry flock was depopulated due to HPAI in February. The goats and poultry had access to the same space, including a shared water source. One of the goat carcasses was taken to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), where it tested positive for influenza A. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) later confirmed H5N1 HPAI, which is the same virus circulating in the national outbreak that began in 2022. Samples from the adult goats were negative for HPAI and all appear healthy; no more sick goat kids have been reported since March 11.

HPAI has been previously diagnosed in other mammalian species such as skunks, dogs and cats. Animals with weakened or immature immune systems, like the goat kids in this case, are at higher risk of contracting disease. There has been limited experimental data on HPAI infection in ruminants, and there are no prior reports of natural HPAI infection in goats. The USDA has tracked more than 200 detections of HPAI in mammals across the country since the start of the 2022 HPAI outbreak.



As Predicted, Prop. 12 Raising Prices for Pork
NPPC

After being in effect a little more than six months, California’s Proposition 12, requiring pork sold in the state to be from hogs born to sows raised in housing that meets specific space standards, already has raised pork prices for California consumers and decreased pork sales volumes in the state, according to data compiled by economists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Chief Economist (OCE).
 
The OCE economists found prices for pork products affected by Prop. 12, including loins, ribs, and bellies, have seen an average 20% price increase in California since before July 1, 2023 – when the initiative was partially implemented – with loin prices averaging 41% higher than before Prop. 12 implementation. Pork not covered by the initiative has not seen a significant increase. The paper’s authors also pointed out that California’s share of fresh pork consumption has “significantly declined.”
 
Looking at wholesale pork sales data, the economists found Prop. 12-compliant products accounted for just 2-4% of total pork sales in the United States, short of the state’s typical demand for covered products, which is expected to account for 5-6% of total production. OCE also found the price premium end-users paid for Prop. 12-compliant pork compared with non-compliant products at the wholesale level was 22% higher on average, with compliant loins and bellies 30% higher.  
 

 
House Appropriations Panel Debates Fiscal 2025 Ag Funding
NPPC

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack testified on the fiscal 2025 House appropriations bill that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.  
 
Vilsack endorsed the USDA spending proposal offered last week in President Biden’s fiscal 2025 budget plan. The White House asked for $29.2 billion in discretionary spending for agriculture programs, a $2 billion increase over fiscal 2024. That included $4.7 million for swine health programs and $6.5 million for the National Veterinary Stockpile, which includes animal vaccines and equipment for responding to animal diseases. The Republican-controlled House is expected to approve slightly smaller spending levels.
 
Two weeks ago, the House approved legislation funding programs in six agencies, including USDA, for fiscal 2024, which runs through Sept. 30.  



Senate Action to Reinstate Ban on Beef Imports from Paraguay Good News for Family Farmers

Last Thursday, the United States Senate passed a bipartisan Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution authored by U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) that would reinstate a long-standing ban on beef imports from Paraguay.

The ban, which was lifted in November of 2023, was in place due to concerns about foot and mouth disease and the impact that an outbreak could have on the American beef herd. Such an outbreak has been estimated to cost more than $200 billion and would have devastating impacts on family farmers and ranchers across the country.  

“I’m glad to see bipartisan support for a common sense solution to keep family farmers and ranchers and their herds safe” said NFU President Rob Larew. “I'd like to thank Senators Tester and Rounds for their leadership and work to reinstate this long-standing ban. Everyone deserves safe and dependable food and this measure provides further assurances to American consumers that they’re getting the best product available.”



PIGS Leadership Program
 
Last year, NPB and ShowPig created a strategic partnership that aims to deliver resources, educational programs and advocacy support to producers and exhibitors.  

Part of this collaboration is the PIGS (Personal Improvement and Growth through Swine) Leadership Program, partially funded by the Pork Checkoff. PIGS fosters personal development and growth among college-aged students within the swine industry.

The PIGS Leadership Program offers a unique and transformative experience for passionate students interested in swine. Through a blend of leadership development, industry immersion, mentorship, and networking opportunities, participants will gain invaluable skills, knowledge, and connections essential for success in the pork industry and beyond.  

The PIGS Leadership Program will include in-person and virtual meetings throughout 2024. Applications are open now through March 31.

Learn more about the program and apply today... https://showpig.com/pigs/.