NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED DOWN 7 PERCENT
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.39 million cattle on feed on April 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down 7 percent from last year. Placements during March totaled 380,000 head, down 11 percent from 2019. Fed cattle marketings for the month of March totaled 475,000 head, up 12 percent from last year. Other disappearance during March totaled 15,000 head, down 5,000 head 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 630,000 head on April 1, 2020, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 6 percent from March and down 11 percent from April 1, 2019. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 600,000 head on feed, down 4 percent from last month and down 6 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,230,000 head, down 5 percent from last month and down 9 percent from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during March totaled 69,000 head, down 36 percent from February and down 34 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 57,000 head, down 17 percent from February but up 4 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 126,000 head, down 29 percent from February and down 21 percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during March totaled 105,000 head, down 1 percent from February but up 5 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 80,000 head, up 1 percent from February and up 29 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 185,000 head, unchanged from February but up 14 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 6,000 head.
United States Cattle on Feed Down 5 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 11.3 million head on April 1, 2020. The inventory was 5 percent below April 1, 2019. The inventory included 7.08 million steers and steer calves, down 5 percent from the previousyear. This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.22 million head, down 7 percent from 2019.
On Feed: By State
(1000 hd -- % April 1 '19)
Colorado .......: 960 91
Iowa .............: 630 89
Kansas ..........: 2,290 96
Nebraska ......: 2,390 93
Texas ............: 2,760 97
Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.56 million head, 23 percent below 2019. Placements were the lowest for March since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.50 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 310,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 220,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 410,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 402,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 155,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 60,000 head.
Placements: By State
(1000 hd -- % March '19)
Colorado .......: 135 68
Iowa .............: 69 66
Kansas ..........: 345 73
Nebraska ......: 380 89
Texas ............: 350 73
Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 2.01 million head, 13 percent above 2019. Marketings were the second highest for March since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 61,000 head during March, 12 percent below 2019.
Marketings: By State
(1000 hd -- % March '19)
Colorado .......: 220 119
Iowa .............: 105 105
Kansas ..........: 425 113
Nebraska ......: 475 112
Texas ............: 460 118
Nebraska Extension offers tips for replacing distillers grain in cattle diets
A national slowdown in the production of ethanol as a result of COVID-19 has led to a shortage in distillers grain.
A co-product of ethanol production, distillers grain is used in both wet and dry form by many cattle producers as nutrient- and protein-rich feed.
Nebraska Extension’s beef systems educators have some tips for cattle producers looking replace or supplement distillers grain in their animals’ diet while it is in short supply:
- Producers who used wet or modified distillers should add water if replacing distillers grain with dry ingredients.
- Corn silage is likely the best substitution for distillers grain, as it adds moisture and is the most economical roughage source, but it must be stored correctly. Alfalfa is an excellent roughage source, but very expensive and dry. If a producer only has low-quality forage (like cornstalks, straw or poor hay), then mixing and adding moisture is even more critical.
- When possible, it is recommended that producers cut back on the distillers grain in their animals’ diet instead of replacing completely.
- If distillers are completely eliminated from an animal’s diet, producers should consider adding urea as a protein supplement. Urea can be provided through liquid or dry supplements, and is now required in feedlots if distillers grain is not available. In feedlot diets, between 1 and 1.5% of an animal’s diet should be made up of urea (less is required in forage diets). Urea can be toxic if fed above 2%, and requires diligence when mixing so that sorting doesn’t occur. Incorporating wet feed into an animal’s diet can help lower the risk of sorting.
- Urea is riskier to use in forage diets and in some cases, may be unnecessary. Forages are naturally higher in rumen degraded protein, and sorting is a greater concern in forage diets. In general, urea supplementation can be very useful in some forage diets, but needs to be fine-tuned.
- Once a producer realizes they are short on distillers grain, they should begin gradually replacing distillers in their animals’ diet with the alternatives mentioned above in order to decrease the risk of bloat from acidosis.
- Local alternatives may still be available, including dry distillers or dry gluten feeds, wet gluten feed, or liquid byproducts from. Other feeds that may fit are soybean meal, whole soybeans and field peas, as well as less common feeds like protein seed meals.
More information for cattle producers can be found online at beef.unl.edu. Producers with specific questions on cattle nutrition can find a beef systems extension educator in their area at beef.unl.edu/contact-us. Additionally, Nebraska Extension offers a variety of resources to help producers, communities and who have been affected by COVID-19. Those resources are available at disaster.unl.edu.
Extension provides first specific direction for small business meat processors in Nebraska
With the continuing spread of COVID-19, Nebraska Extension has released best practices for controlling COVID-19 in small meat processors in Nebraska.
The best practices, available online at disaster.unl.edu/agriculture, provide information on standard cleaning and sanitation, handling customer sales and purchases, and for employees who eat in the facility, among other recommendations.
“There has been no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food consumption, including meat,” said Dennis Burson, an extension educator and food safety specialist who has relationships with many small meat processors in Nebraska.
That said, it is still important for processors to follow best practices in order to protect the health of employee, he said.
The spread of COVID-19 among employees at larger meat processing plants has led several large processing facilities to temporarily close. Smaller meat processors have stepped up and in many cases increased production in order to process livestock that farmers and ranchers have sold directly to consumers. The continued operation of smaller processors is crucial to livestock producers and consumers.
Gentert Packing Company is a small family business, located at Holstein, Neb., population 214.
Owner Belinda Gentert has recently seen an increase in foot traffic at their retail location due to a shortage of meat in grocery stores.
“We are really small. Typically, we are booked out three to four weeks and more busy times up to six weeks. We are now booking into December,” Gentert said.
Other COVID-19 resources available at disaster.unl.edu/agriculture include best practices for agricultural producers and resources from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Additional resources for individuals and communities are available at disaster.unl.edu.
LENRD board approves Hazard Mitigation Plan
Proactive hazard mitigation planning allows a community to take actions to reduce or eliminate threats from natural disasters. To help guide future hazard mitigation projects, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has updated their Hazard Mitigation Plan and approved it at their April board meeting.
When developing the plan, the LENRD’s 15-counties were guided by a Planning Team consisting of representatives from the LENRD, counties, cities, several schools, and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), for every $1 spent on hazard mitigation, $4 in post storm cleanup and rebuilding is saved.
LENRD Projects Manager, Curt Becker, said, “Once a community, county, or district is part of an approved plan they become eligible for up to a 75% cost share for a wide variety of projects listed in the plan. Hazard Mitigation Plans are required to be updated on a five-year cycle.”
JEO Consulting Group, Inc. (JEO) was hired to update the plan. JEO assisted in completing the LENRD’s original and previous plans in 2009 and 2014. This hazard mitigation plan update is funded by a FEMA planning grant. The cost is shared 75% through federal funding and 25% through a local match. For this plan update, the LENRD provided the 25% local match.
In other business, the board approved a payment request from the City of Randolph for $834,723 for their flood risk management project. The board signed an inter-local agreement with the city in 2017. This payment request will assist with Phase 1 of the project and will keep the project moving forward. The entire project includes the widening of the channel and the replacement of several bridges through the city.
The board also approved the Urban Recreation Area Development and Urban Conservation Program applications for a total of $89,551.58. The 4 approved grants will assist the communities of Madison, Norfolk, and Randolph with their outdoor recreation projects. Becker said, “The applications for these grants are sent to the communities within the LENRD each year with an early March deadline.”
The board also voted to authorize staff to proceed with the handicapped sidewalk project at Maskenthine Lake. This will complete the sidewalks near the jetties and the boat dock. The bid was accepted from Gates Construction, LLC for $12,669.
In other action, the board approved the producer contracts for the Bazile Groundwater Management Area (BGMA) demonstration site for groundwater nitrate reduction. This project will consist of 3 demonstration sites on farms within the BGMA through a Nebraska Environmental Trust grant.
The board also approved to continue the operation, maintenance, and coordination of the Nebraska GeoCloud platform. LENRD Assistant Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The GeoCloud platform hosts the statewide Airborne Electromagnetic Survey (AEM) data and the supporting datasets that allows for the sharing of this data with the public through the Eastern Nebraska Water Resources Assessment (ENWRA) website.”
A presentation was given by Charles Ikenberry, an engineer with FYRA Engineering, on potential ways to reduce the toxic algae in the Willow Creek State Recreation Area, southwest of Pierce. He proposed a multi-phase approach to the study of the phosphorus build up in the lake to determine what could potentially be done to combat the issue. LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “This is an introduction to a project that could potentially help us to further understand the complexity of this issue and assist us in developing a plan to protect the water quality in the lake and the surrounding area.”
The LENRD board & staff meet each month to develop and implement management plans to protect our natural resources for the future. The next LENRD board meeting will be Thursday, May 28th at 7:30 p.m. Watch for further updates and stay connected with the LENRD by subscribing to their monthly emails at www.lenrd.org.
Nebraska Cattlemen Midyear Webinar Schedule
Please find below the schedule for the NC Midyear Policy Committee Meeting Webinars. Agendas and details on participation are being developed and promotion of the webinars to the membership will begin in early May, stay tuned until then.
2020 Nebraska Cattlemen
Midyear Committee Meeting Webinars
June 9-11 - (All times CDT)
Tuesday, June 9
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Brand & Property Rights Committee Webinar
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Taxation Committee Webinar
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm Marketing & Commerce Committee Webinar
Wednesday, June 10
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Education & Research Committee Webinar
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Animal Health & Nutrition Committee Webinar
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm Natural Resources & Environment Committee Webinar
More details at www.nebraskacattlemen.org.
COVID-19 Response & Resources
A reliable supply chain has always been critical, and during this time, it is more important than ever. As we wrap up April, Nebraska farmers are starting out, in the middle of or nearing completion of planting, as they do every year. Farming families across the country are working to ensure a safe and dependable supply of food for communities around the world.
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread globally, the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) is working with our farmers and stakeholders to help ensure a stable and safe soybean supply chain, from producer to processor through exporter and consumer.
While we realize our farmers who grow, tend and harvest soybeans are the first essential partners in this process, they are one link in a robust supply chain. We also look to truckers, processors, crushers, merchandisers, retailers and exporters to fulfill our duty. These people are working hard to ensure that our food and feed supply chains continue to operate smoothly, and to them we are grateful.
More specifically, our farmers and supply chain partners are able to move forward with the bounty of past seasons, even as they also prepare for a new growing season. Supply remains strong, both domestically and globally — due in part to the foresight and advancements made in today’s production. We continue our work to support domestic and international programs to create opportunities for Nebraska soybean farmers.
Here at home, NSB is continuing to engage with farmers, contractors, stakeholders and the media to keep everyone informed. Our staff continues to connect with organizations to build new relationships and programs to ensure soy is a critical driver in world nutrition during, and after, this crisis.
In this time of difficulty, NSB farmer-leaders and staff are doing all we can to keep pulling things in the right direction as we carry out the work of the soy checkoff. As our farmer-leaders work to ensure the implementation of programs to drive demand, we are embracing virtual organizational communications technology.
Finally, we are working hard to keep all members of the soy value chain safe, including customers, partners, team members and our farmer volunteers. We are continuously monitoring the situation and following guidance from the proper authorities.
The global priority is to contain this outbreak, and our thoughts are with everyone who has been personally affected by COVID-19. Our industry has been tested time and time again, and this is yet another test that we are confident we will overcome by coming together, helping where we can and doing what we do best — providing a high-quality product for our customers and communities.
Statement by Steve Nelson, President, Regarding Passage, Signing of COVID-19 Relief Measure
“We greatly appreciate the U.S. House and U.S. Senate moving quickly to pass legislation and President Trump’s swift action to allocate additional federal aid dollars for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), in addition to ensuring that farmers and ranchers can now qualify for the administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.”
“Nebraska Farm Bureau had encouraged congressional leaders to take these steps to help self-employed individuals, including farmers and ranchers, who did not have the opportunity to participate in the PPP, as available funding expired almost immediately after rules for their participation were released.”
“We also want to thank Sen. Fischer, Sen. Sasse, Congressman Fortenberry, Congressman Bacon, and Congressman Smith for their support on this measure and continued efforts to help Nebraska farm and ranch families in the face of the pandemic.”
Nebraska Beef Producers Represent Industry on National Level
Ann Marie Bosshamer, Executive Director of Nebraska Beef Council
Nebraska is known for raising high-quality beef and is considered a leader in the beef industry. You can say the same thing for the cattlemen of our state who serve in leadership roles on the state and national level. It’s important to note that the Nebraska Beef Council (NBC) board of directors all serve on committees at the national level to help guide the programming executed by the beef checkoff.
There are five committees that are comprised of both Federation of State Beef Council and Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) members. Nebraska has nine beef council directors and six Beef Board directors so there are multiple producers from our state serving on the following committees: Consumer Trust, Nutrition and Health, Export Growth, Innovation and Safety. The committee members review proposed programs from all checkoff contractors and provide feedback before the proposals are submitted to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee for funding.
In addition, the Investor Relations Working Group and the Market Research Working group both have NBC board members serving as volunteers. These groups provide insight to contractors for projects on a very specific level. The Evaluation Committee reviews all checkoff contractor programs and provides feedback to each of them in order to help benefit the overall program.
The Beef Promotion and Operating Committee is comprised of 20 members, ten from the CBB and ten from the Federation of State Beef Councils. The purpose of this group is to set the funding for all beef checkoff dollars and allocate them to the various contractors. Nebraska is well represented with three of the 20 from our state.
Lastly, NBC Chairman, Buck Wehrbein of Waterloo, is also serving as the Chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils. This Operating Committee leadership role is established through an interview process with other producers to determine who will serve. The process is completely producer-driven and a great way to establish leadership.
Special thanks to all cattlemen who serve on the NBC and CBB for your leadership and commitment to our industry!
Nebraska Beef Council representatives: Buck Wehrbein – Waterloo, NE; Ivan Rush – Scottsbluff, NE; Rosemary Vinton Anderson – Whitman, NE; Doug Temme - Wayne, NE; Jim Ramm – Atkinson, NE; George Cooksley – Anselmo, NE; Michele Cutler – Elsie, NE; Gregg Wiedel – Hebron, NE; Jeff Rudoph – Gothenburg, NE
Nebraska Cattlemen’s Beef Board representatives: Herbert Rhodes – Omaha, NE; Torri Lienemann – Princeton, NE; Dave Hamilton – Thedford, NE; Jim Eschliman – Erickson, NE; Bree DeNaeyer – Seneca, NE; Bill Baldwin – Mitchell, NE
Iowa Cattlemen advocate for producers amid COVID-19 Crisis
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) has heard many concerns from its members over the past few weeks as COVID-19 has severely affected the industry in a variety of ways.
“We began receiving phone calls in mid-March as live cattle prices dropped, and the challenges have multiplied since that time,” says Matt Deppe, ICA’s CEO.
ICA’s staff and board members have been actively seeking input from members and carrying their concerns and needs forward to the appropriate government agencies and elected officials throughout this time.
Financial Assistance for Producers
Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. The cattle industry has historically shied away from direct payments for producers, but the impact from COVID-19 has been so severe that many producers are struggling with cash-flow and longer-term viability of their operations.
Based on requests from members and approval from the board of directors, ICA requested that cattle producers be included in programs designed for small business owners, in addition to a direct payment program for cattle producers, who face losses up to $477.05 per head in the coming months, according to Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development.
Agriculture was included in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses as part of the CARES Act. However, the funding allocated to that program was distributed before many farmers, who are sole proprietors, were able to secure the low-interest, partially forgivable loans. ICA then advocated for additional funding for the PPP, which was then included in the April 24th coronavirus bill. That bill also expanded the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to include ag producers, which was another request from ICA.
In addition to these loan programs, the USDA announced a payment program for farmers as part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Preliminary information states that producers will receive a payment for 85% of price losses that occurred between January 1 and April 15, and 30% of anticipated price losses in Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020. There is a payment limit of $125,000 per commodity with a cap of $250,000 per entity or individual.
ICA members have expressed several concerns regarding this program. Based on the continued losses expected, the organization has advocated for increased payment limits and a higher reimbursement rate for losses after April 15.
Market Irregularities
One of the chief concerns during this time has been the precipitous decrease in fed cattle prices while boxed beef prices have continued to rise. The spread between these two numbers has burdened feedlot operators while the processing sector seems to be benefitting from the higher beef values. ICA member Brad Kooima also had the opportunity to question Secretary Sonny Perdue directly about this issue on a recent teleconference.
ICA has also worked closely with the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association to write a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and USDA formally requesting an investigation into the current market disturbances as well as those following the Holcomb plant fire last fall. Twenty state cattlemen’s associations signed on to the letter, which stated, “The nature of previous and current concern in both situations is extreme market degradation to the producer segment quickly followed by sharp increases and unseasonal profitability to the packing segment through boxed beef prices. The repeat nature of these market reactions absolutely emphasizes how the production sector of the industry is exposed to the highest potential for risk with little-to-no leverage to change that risk position.”
An investigation by USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Administration was launched following the Holcomb fire last fall, but the results have not yet been released. The long timeline of that investigation, compounded by increased spreads between boxed beef and live cattle more recently, led ICA’s board of directors to ask for a more intense investigation, this time overseen by the Department of Justice.
Processing Challenges
Due to employee illness and health concerns, many plants have had to slow their production or close temporarily. This has caused extreme challenges for Iowa’s cattle feeders with market-ready cattle.
For several weeks, it has been nearly impossible for Iowa’s producers to get a bid on their fed cattle from a processor. Cattle that have been contracted in advance are filling all the available slaughter space, leaving Iowa’s producers who traditionally negotiate cash bids struggling.
In these unprecedented times, ICA is asking processors to prioritize slaughter for the heaviest cattle. At the same time, we are encouraging packers to waive penalties for overweight cattle.
ICA appreciates Governor Reynolds’s dedication to continuity of business and efforts to provide increased testing to packing plant employees in order to get them back to work. Returning slaughter and processing capacity to pre-COVID-19 levels is not only important to cattle producers, but impacts food security for the entire country.
Education and Grassroots Feedback
As the COVID-19 situation continues to affect the cattle industry, ICA has increased efforts to get feedback from members about challenges they are facing. Weekly teleconferences offer producers an opportunity to weigh in on the advocacy efforts ICA has been working on, and suggest new ideas.
ICA is also working closely with the Iowa Beef Center to provide education for producers managing fed cattle at this time. Webinars will be held Tuesday, April 28 at noon and Wednesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. Both will be recorded and posted for later viewing. Find more information at http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/news/FeedlotConsiderationsWebinars0420.html.
For more information about ICA’s work, sign up for emails and text messages at iacattlemen.org or check out ICA’s weekly podcast. It can be found on the website or various podcast directories by searching “Iowa Cattlemen’s Podcast.”
Five Affordable Beef Steaks and Roasts for Cheap Meals
Iowa Beef Industry Council
Are you looking for great-tasting beef steaks and roasts that are economical? These overlooked budget-friendly beef cuts are sure to delight your table and help provide a healthy and balanced meal. You can make any beef cut tender and taste great when using the right cooking method. A good general rule of thumb, less tender and less expensive cuts of beef, such as the chuck and the round, need a moist heat method, like braising, stewing, or slow cooking. Sometimes you just need a really good, budget-friendly meal that tastes better than something that comes from a box. The following five beef cuts are sure to do the trick:
Top Round Steak: Try this Beef and Pasta with Asian Peanut Sauce recipe that uses thin strips of Top Round Steak that are quickly cooked in teriyaki sauce before joining thin spaghetti noodles and cucumbers with a flavorful peanut butter sauce. Don't have pasta on hand? Use ramen or rice instead and your choice of veggies.
Sirloin Tip Roast: This boneless, lean cut is a superstar in the world of low-cost cooking. The Sirloin Tip Roast makes great stir-fry strips, kabobs, stew meat, or Cubed Steak. It is the perfect cut for this quick and Easy Beef Stroganoff recipe. This classic has been tested and perfected just for you. Don't have mushrooms and gravy? Use any can of creamed soup instead.
Arm Chuck Roast: An economical and flavorful cut that is best when slow-cooked will leave you craving a dish with shredded beef. Try one of these Four-Way Slow Cooker Shredded Beef recipes that are sure to please everyone at the dinner table.
Eye of Round Steak: This tremendous value cut is lean and boneless. The Eye of Round Steak is ideal for marinating, then grilling or skillet cooking. This Kung Pao Beef recipe is quick, easy, and uses prepared sauces and frozen veggies for a delicious, fork-tender meal. Use any pre-prepared Asian sauce and veggies on hand.
Bottom Round Steak: A good, everyday cut that is boneless and lean. Enjoy your favorite BBQ flavors with this BBQ Beef Skillet with Cornbred recipe.
NPPC Urges SBA to Remove Restriction on Lending Program
U.S. pork producers, in dire straits as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and facing a collective $5 billion loss for the remainder of the year, are now being denied access the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Payroll Protection Program (PPP) due to restrictive language preventing many pork producers from being eligible.
Specifically, PPP eligibility is determined by a positive farm profit in the calendar year 2019, or last 12 months. For many U.S. pork producers, 2019 was not profitable as they bore the brunt of trade retaliation in China and Mexico, among two of our largest export markets. Using SBA's restrictive language, an estimated one-quarter of the U.S. hog industry is automatically disqualified from applying to the program.
"Our hog farmers are underwater through no fault of their own," said National Pork Producers Council President Howard "A.V" Roth, a pork producer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. "Hog farmers were at the tip of the trade retaliation spear in 2018 and 2019, losing $20 off the price of every hog. In 2020, they were forecast to make a $10 profit on every hog, until the COVID-19 crisis hit. The virus has decimated our industry and for SBA to unfairly punish pork producers and deny them access to this program is adding insult to injury."
"We urge SBA to expeditiously remove this arbitrary restriction and allow our hog farmers, deemed essential throughout this pandemic, to access this vital program," Roth added.
U.S. pork producers desperately need significant and immediate government aid or else many generational family farms will go bankrupt. NPPC will continue to work with the federal government to ensure U.S. pork producers have equitable access to this and other COVID-19 related funding.
WTO COUNTRIES PLEDGE TO NOT RESTRICT EXPORTS
NPPC newsletter
The United States, the European Union, China and other members of the World Trade Organization representing more than 60 percent of world agriculture exports pledged Wednesday to not impose export restrictions on food and agricultural products as a result of COVID-19. "As members take measures to address the pandemic, it is imperative that these measures do not adversely affect trade in agriculture and agri-food products, which would ultimately have negative impacts on the food security, nutrition and health of members and their populations," the countries explained in a joint statement.
The countries also agreed to exercise restraint in establishing domestic food stocks of agricultural products that are traditionally exported. U.S. pork producers have typically exported one-quarter of production to Canada, Mexico, Japan, China and other top markets. However, COVID-19 stay at home orders, closures of restaurants, outdoor markets and food vendors, combined with labor issues around the world, are slowing down exports.
Beef Improvement Federation Online Symposium Program Announced
It was announced on April 2 the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) board of directors, along with the Florida 2020 BIF Research Symposium and Convention committee, made the decision to transition this year’s conference to an online format due to COVID-19.
BIF leadership is in the process of planning an updated symposium online. “Our BIF program committee working with the Florida group has honed the original schedule to work in the new online format,” says Joe Mushrush, BIF vice president and program chairman. “Our goal is to provide learning opportunities that will help producers continue to improve their bottom line focused on beef improvement. As our President Tommy Clark said last week, ‘Our mission as an organization is intact during this challenging time and we will continue to provide educational programing focused on how the beef industry can enhance value through genetic improvement.’”
The virtual event will be hosted online the week of June 8 starting at noon CDT each day. The conference will be hosted on the Zoom webinar platform. By mid-May, participants will be able to register for the event, find a detailed schedule and Zoom tutorials on the BIF website — BeefImprovement.org.
2020 BIF award winners, including Seedstock and Commercial Producers of the Year, Pioneer and Continuing Service award winners will be recognized during the online symposium.
Below is a tentative schedule for the 52nd Annual Beef Improvement Federation Symposium – Online (all times are CDT):
Monday, June 8
Noon - Welcome
12:15 p.m. - YOUNG PRODUCERS SYMPOSIUM - What Will the Purebred Cattle Industry Look Like in 20 years – Bill Rishel, Rishel Angus + Financial Planning for a New Generation of Producers – Adam Trott, Financial Analyst Manager, Rabo AgriFinance
1:45 p.m. - BIF Board/Officer election results - Scholarship award presentations — Roy Wallace, Baker/Cundiff - BIF Ambassador Award presentation
Tuesday, June 9
Noon - Tuesday Welcome
12:15 p.m. - GENERAL SESSION 1 - Consumer Market Research — What They Say They Need, and They Want – Shawn Darcy, Director of Market Research, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Market Research
1:15 p.m. - BIF Awards Program - Commercial Producer of the Year - Pioneer Awards
1:45 p.m. - Perspectives from End-User — What We Need and What We Want – Henry Zerby, VP of Protein Procurement and Innovation, Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-Op (QSCC) Inc.
Wednesday, June 10
Noon - Wednesday Welcome
12:15 p.m. - GENERAL SESSION 2 - Global Perspectives on Beef Sustainability – Don Close, Rabo AgriFinance
1:15 p.m. - BIF Awards Program - Seedstock Producer of the Year - BIF Continuing Service Awards
1:45 p.m. - Systems Approach to Beef Cattle Sustainability – Dr. Clay Mathis, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Texas A & M University—Kingsville
Thursday, June 11
Noon - Technical Breakout – Advancement in End-product Improvement
2 p.m. - Technical Breakout – Advancement in Emerging Technology
4 p.m. - Technical Breakout – Advancement in Selection Decisions
Friday, June 12
Noon - Technical Breakout – Advancement in Efficiency and Adaptability
2 p.m. - Technical Breakout – Advancement in Producer Applications
4 p.m. - Technical Breakout – Genomic and Genetic Prediction
The BIF Board sends well wishes to our beef industry family during this global pandemic. While final details surrounding this transition are still taking shape, we are committed to providing an easily accessible, robust online conference experience that eliminates the health concerns that come with travel and face-to-face meetings at this time. We also wish to thank the Florida committee for their help planning this year’s event and look forward to having the symposium in Florida in future years.
For details regarding the online conference as they develop, visit http://www.beefimprovement.org. Prior to and during this year’s symposium, be sure to follow the event on social media channels using the hashtag #BIF2020.
Individuals who had already registered for the in-person event will be refunded their registration in the next couple of weeks. For those who booked flights, please contact your airline to check their refund policy for cancellations due to COVID-19.
World Dairy Expo to Decide Fate of 2020 Show by July 1
Coordinators of World Dairy Expo have given themselves a deadline of July 1 to determine if the 2020 show will go on as scheduled. General Manager Scott Bently said in a memo on Thursday that the event plays an important economic and social role for farmers and businesses and that the executive committee and staff remains committed to holding the show as planned from September 29 through October.
"Expo continues to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impact to our show," Bently said. "As we move forward with planning, please know that future health declarations and the well-being and safety of exhibitors, attendees and volunteers are of the utmost importance and will guide our future decision making."
He said a final decision to hold or cancel WDE 2020 will be made by the board on or before July 1. If they feel it necessary to cancel, all contracted exhibitors and sponsors will be issued refunds for any payments already made for this year's forum.
World Dairy Expo is traditionally held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison each fall. That facility has already been recognized by state health officials as a possible treatment facility in the event that COVID-19 cases surge beyond what local hospitals can handle.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
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