Tuesday May 28 Ag News

Senator Ricketts: Happy Beef Month, Nebraska!

Nebraska is the Beef State. Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do. Our farmers and ranchers lead the way in agricultural production, innovation, and conservation. Beef production is the backbone of our state economy. It’s also essential to our national security. As we finish celebrating Beef Month this week, we recognize the grit and determination of the women and men who feed America and the world.

Protecting and growing Nebraska beef is essential to our state’s survival and growth. Last year, we led the nation with $1.78 billion in beef and veal exports. Nebraska also led the nation in commercial cattle slaughter, with 6.8 million head. Our 20,000 beef cow operations have a $12.1 billion impact on our state’s economy. We have the top three cow producing counties in the nation in Cherry, Custer, and Holt counties. Beef production is critical to our state economy and our nation. Global supply chain disruptions have reinforced the need to prioritize food production at home. Nothing is more important to our national security than the ability to feed our people.

As U.S. Senator, I’m also fighting to ensure our ranchers have what they need to be successful. That includes passing a comprehensive Farm Bill and pushing back on burdensome mandates.

I’ve heard directly from ranchers across Nebraska about the importance of a comprehensive Farm Bill. Nebraska ranchers rely on the certainty and stability of these programs to make decisions to sustain and grow their operations. I proudly supported the one-year extension passed in November to avoid a lapse in funding for critical programs. However, our ranchers deserve the certainty of a full, five-year Farm Bill reauthorization. I’m working with my colleagues to get it done as soon as possible. It’s important the Farm Bill maintain risk management tools such as Price Loss Coverage and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). We need to protect funding for the USDA Vaccine Bank and voluntary, working lands-based conservation programs that protect our natural resources while protecting private property rights.

I’m also pushing back on burdensome mandates that threaten our way of life and private property rights from the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. As Governor, I led the fight against the Biden administration’s 30x30 land grab. We successfully fought President Biden’s Waters of the United States rule which sought to regulate drainage ditches and farm ponds. I’m continuing to fight this kind of overreach in the Senate. I’m also leading bipartisan Congressional Review Act legislation to block the Biden administration’s delusional electric vehicle (EV) mandate. EVs just aren’t practical when you’re hauling livestock. Trucks can’t just pull over on the side of the road to charge for two hours in zero-degree or ninety-degree temperatures with a full trailer.

Producers executing critical needs like beef production deserve relief, not regulation. I’ll continue working with my colleagues to pass a comprehensive Farm Bill. I’ll also keep fighting the Biden administration’s unworkable, delusional mandates with every tool I have.

You too can play an important role in supporting Nebraska’s beef industry this Beef Month and all summer long. The Nebraska Beef Passport organized by the Nebraska Beef Council features a list of restaurants and meat processors from across the state that offer outstanding beef. Nebraskans purchase beef products and collect points at each participating location then redeem points for prizes and exclusive offers at participating locations.

Happy Beef Month, Nebraska!



UNL contributes to the identification of new genetic defects in cattle

University of Nebraska — Lincoln researchers have recently identified two new genetic mutations, delayed blindness in Herefords, and bovine familial convulsions and ataxia (BFCA) in Angus cattle.

Understanding and identifying genetic mutations allows beef producers to make breeding decisions that avoid producing cattle affected by those mutations. Working toward that goal, UNL researchers have spent years studying genomics, identifying mutations and developing tests to help producers make those decisions.

The two most recently identified genetic mutations and the tools to address them will help producers make breeding decisions to reduce the health issues caused by delayed blindness and BFCA. These issues were identified because producers either reported to their breed associations or their local university, who then contacted UNL. That communication between breed associations and researchers is important for identifying genetic problems quickly and finding a solution to minimize the impact on the industry.

Herefords: Delayed Blindness
Work between UNL researchers and the American Hereford Association led to a recently announced commercial test for a new genetic condition, delayed blindness.

The investigation began after several American Herefords were reported blind in both eyes, with presumed onset around 12 months of age. The cattle were normal as calves and had no obvious eye injuries. All the blind cattle shared a common ancestor that appeared in each parent’s pedigree, leading to a suspected novel recessive mutation that causes the condition.

To find the recessive mutation, DNA samples from the affected cattle, their dams and sires were collected with cooperation from the American Hereford Association. Samples from unaffected and unrelated cattle were used as controls. The DNA samples were sequenced to look for mutations shared among the affected cattle, but that were not present in unrelated, normal cattle.

UNL researchers found a recessive mutation fitting the criteria in a gene associated with a condition that causes progressive blindness in humans (juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses; JNCL). The Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center and collaborating board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists performed eye exams and histopathology that determined the retinas of these cattle were degenerating similarly to human JNCL.

Importantly, the investigation also determined that carriers of the delayed blindness mutation appeared normal. DNA samples from additional cattle (Hereford, Angus, Simmental, and crossbred cattle) confirmed that only Herefords that descended from the identified common ancestor carried the mutation. Since the mutation is recessive, it was spread unknowingly by unaffected carriers until affected cattle were produced by carrier matings.

With enough evidence that the novel mutation is causing delayed blindness, a genetic test was developed for commercial use. This test allows producers to help manage the delayed blindness mutation within their herd to prevent mating of carriers.

Angus: Bovine Familial Convulsions and Ataxia
Not all novel cattle mutations become prevalent in a breed. Nevertheless, genetic analyses can help detect and understand the issue. Through a collaboration with Dr. Tom Hairgrove, professor and extension veterinary specialist at Texas A&M, and Dr. Jon Beever, professor and director of Animal Science at the University of Tennessee, UNL researchers identified a dominant mutation that causes bovine familial convulsions and ataxia (BFCA) in a single Angus herd. The founder had a single copy that he passed on to half of his offspring.

The calves that inherited the mutation experienced seizures and were unable to thrive. Through genetic investigation, researchers discovered that the mutation was only in the affected calves and their sire, though the sire was seemingly unaffected himself. Sometimes dominant mutations cause a less severe condition or none in some animals but can be detrimental to their offspring. It is also possible the sire may have “outgrown” issues he had as a calf, which would be unknown to the owners who purchased him after weaning.

Dominant conditions such as BFCA are often detected sooner than recessive ones such as delayed blindness due to their notable effect in the first generation. Although the sire was culled early on due to the frequency of affected calves he was producing, the investigation provided answers for the owner as to why this occurred.

Importance of Genetics to Beef Producers
Genetic research like the cases studied by UNL helps producers avoid matings that may result in calves that fail to thrive or have other issues detrimental to their wellbeing or productivity. As in the BFCA example, genetics can also provide answers for producers when many calves from a single calf crop have a similar, detrimental condition.

It’s important to note that these issues can be investigated only when reported. Reporting possible issues to a breed association is a good practice. The breed association can track reports to identify an emerging issue. Many breed associations work with UNL to look into these reports, using the expertise at the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center to determine if the issue can be attributed to an environmental cause such as exposure to a toxin, viral infection, or a nutritional deficiency. If an environmental cause is not identified, the UNL Animal Genetics and Genomics Lab in the Department of Animal Science considers genetic conditions, as in the case of delayed blindness and BCFA. By using genetics, these detrimental mutations can be managed to continue improving herd performance while avoiding unfavorable genetic conditions.



Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors Finalize Decision to Provide Support for City of Wayne Prairie Park Project

At the May 23rd LENRD Board Meeting, Directors Approved a motion to provide $150,000 in financial support for the City of Wayne Prairie Park Project. The funds will be distributed in $50,000 increments over a three-year period. Jill Brodersen, Wayne City Council President, and Jason Karsky, Wayne City Council member, were present to answer questions directors may have about the project. Brodersen and Karsky explained that the funds are needed for a bathhouse/bathroom for the project. Currently, the only bathrooms available in the park are located near the ballfields and not accessible 24/7 or ADA compliant.

The Prairie Park project is a Community Redevelopment project that allowed the City to decommission an old sewage lagoon and turn it into a recreational area with the possibility of the addition of workforce housing in the future. Once completed, the park will not only be the largest recreational area in City history, but also the largest public recreational facility in Wayne County. The project is approximately 40% completed and will include a lake feature and camper pads as well as native prairie grasses and numerous trees.

Along with approving the financial support, Directors also approved entering a Memorandum of Understanding with the City. The memorandum will contain the terms and payment schedule and will state that the City is responsible for the ownership and upkeep of the park.

Update provided on North Fork Elkhorn River WFPO Plan
Directors were given an update on the North Fork Elkhorn River Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) plan. Andrea Gebhart, Project Manager, and Ann Nissen, Water Resources Engineer, with JEO Consulting Group were present to provide the update.

Gebhart provided a project overview and recap of how much has been accomplished on the plan since work first began in fall 2023. The group only has 18 months to put together a plan whereas the typical timeframe is 24 months. She also talked about the existing flooding conditions in the communities of Pierce and Osmond as well as alternatives that are currently being evaluated by the group and Study Advisory Team.

Nissen explained the alternatives consist of both structural and non-structural (building modification) options. Screening criteria for each option being considered are purpose and need, feasibility, practicality, effectiveness, impacts, permitting, local input, cost, and benefit/cost ratio. Alternatives currently being explored for each community include:
    Osmond
        Structural – Levees/berms
        Non-structural
    Pierce
        Structural – Channel modifications, detention cells, levees/berms, and bridge/culvert improvements
        Non-structural

A major focus for both JEO and the LENRD is including more engagement in the decision-making process. To achieve this, a Study Advisory Team consisting of stakeholders within the watershed was established at the beginning of the project, and an additional opportunity to attend an open house and provide input was scheduled for the middle of the project.

The first round of open houses for the North Fork Elkhorn River WFPO were held on November 6th and November 8th 2023 in Osmond and Pierce respectively. The next round of open houses are planned for the evenings of Tuesday, June 25th in Pierce and Wednesday, June 26th in Osmond. Currently, the group is on track to submit a draft plan to the State late this summer.

Certification of Acres Hearing and Action
A public hearing was held to certify irrigated acres. Approximately 125 fields were approved for certification by the Board. Certification is not only necessary to best conserve, protect, develop, and manage natural resources within the District but also to recognize landowners’ abilities to irrigate Certified Irrigated Acres.

Other Happenings in the Lower Elkhorn NRD
    The deadline to renew a chemigation permit is June 1st. After that date, it will be considered a new chemigation permit. The cost to renew is $20.
    Practical Farmers of Iowa is hosting a Field Day with Junior & Katelyn and Gene & Julie Pfanstiel on Thursday, June 27th from 10:00-noon. A flyer with more information is available on our website.
    Stars, Strolls & Smores is back for 2024! Mark your calendars and plan to join us on the following evenings:
        Wednesday, June 19th @ 7:30 p.m. – Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, Norfolk
            Learn about the Elkhorn River with Julie Wragge, LENRD Education Coordinator, and The Sound of Summer: The Cicada Song with T.J. Prochaska, UNL Associate Extension Educator
        Wednesday, July 17th @ 7:30 p.m. – Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area, Stanton
            Discover the many uses of wild plants that most people call “weeds” with Rachel Lynn Liester, Red Road Herbs Retreat & Learning Center and enjoy Telescope 101 – Stargazing App with Todd Young, Wayne State College Professor of Physics & Astronomy
        Wednesday, August 14th @ 7:30 p.m. – Willow Creek State Recreation Area, Pierce
            More information to come! Find us on social media or check out our website for more information.

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of the Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local District can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next board of directors meeting will be Thursday, June 27th at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.



USMEF Members Examine Consumer Trends, Promotion of Underutilized Cuts

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) wrapped up its Spring Conference Friday with a closing general session focused on red meat industry efforts to build demand in international markets for beef and pork cuts that have limited domestic use. USMEF Director of Trade Analysis Jessica Spreitzer moderated a panel of USMEF representatives working in Mexico, South America, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, who highlighted marketing efforts showcasing the attributes of underutilized U.S. cuts.

Spreitzer discussed USMEF strategies to develop demand for cuts specifically from the pork loin and beef round primals, pointing to estimates that loin exports now account for about 20% of U.S. production, up from roughly 10% five years ago. On export demand for underutilized beef cuts, she noted that export markets account for 42% of the total U.S. production of the gooseneck round, 30% of the chuck shoulder clod and 18% of top inside round.

“The export side adds pricing competition, potential customers and ultimately brings added value to these underutilized cuts,” said Spreitzer.

Lorenzo Elizalde, USMEF’s director of trade and marketing in Mexico, highlighted USMEF’s mobile training program, which utilizes a variety of U.S. meat promotional vehicles to educate importers and distributors, and their customers, on underutilized cuts. Elizalde described how USMEF is also utilizing these vehicles for month-long promotional campaigns for specific cuts such as U.S. pork loin, beef knuckle and outside round. The U.S. meat trucks also park outside major supermarket outlets, sampling and promoting the cuts that are displayed inside the stores.

USMEF Latin America Director Homero Recio focused his comments on merchandising of underutilized cuts in Colombia, Peru and Chile, and how USMEF is working to promote new uses for U.S. pork and beef in these markets. Recio highlighted a USMEF research effort in Chile designed to promote rotisserie pork, using loin rib-end. In Colombia, where beef liver is popular, USMEF is promoting new dishes such as beef liver brochettes with pineapple.

“For U.S. pork as an example, we’re working to move the trade beyond simply offering ‘pork chops’ to packaging and merchandising U.S. pork ribeyes and cowboy steaks,” said Recio. “We’re also encouraging the trade and their customers to utilize pork in new products such as pulled pork in a waffle cone and Boston butt in a ground pork burger.”

Japan Marketing Manager Taichi Uemura explained that the majority of Japan’s chilled pork imports are loins, mostly sold thinly sliced at retail for use in popular Japanese dishes. Uemara described USMEF’s new roast pork initiative in which USMEF is working to expand consumers’ usage of the U.S. loin. Explaining that many Japanese households do not have ovens, he said the new marketing program works to teach consumers how to create a roast pork dish using U.S. pork loin slices.

Taiwan’s beef import market is traditionally competitive and price-sensitive, and USMEF has been aggressively promoting a range of alternative U.S. beef cuts for about 10 years. Alex Sun, USMEF’s senior marketing manager, said the strategic focus for the foodservice sector in 2024 is on the outside round flat and the top round. Sun explained that importers are typically not familiar with the versatility of these cuts, so USMEF conducts educational seminars showing them how to fabricate them for foodservice. The importers’ foodservice customers are then presented with ideas for new dishes utilizing the cuts.

Elly Sung, senior marketing manager in Korea, reported that USMEF is working to expand U.S. pork’s usage by comparing its quality and versatility alongside domestic product for importers, distributors and their customers. USMEF is also promoting usage of U.S. pork with home meal replacement and restaurant meal replacement companies, pointing out a recent product development success in which U.S. pork is utilized in a crispy, cheesy pork cutlet that is gaining popularity with Korean consumers.

Insights from consumer experts, at home and overseas
Thursday’s general session featured U.S. consumer insights from Anne-Marie Roerink, meat consumer expert and author of the Power of Meat report. Joining her for a panel discussion were USMEF Vice President of Economic Analysis Erin Borror and USMEF representatives from Japan, Central America and South Korea who shared market observations and described how consumer trends guide market development strategies and tactics.

A common theme through Roerink’s presentation and the ensuing panel discussion was how consumer behaviors, domestic and international, have changed due to inflation and the sharp rise in food prices since 2019. At the end of the day, said Roerink, people are simply adjusting their household budgets and trying to do more with less.

“We see some massive differences in where people are getting their meal inspiration ideas. Gen Z, it's all about the visual and it’s all about the digital – Tik Tok, YouTube and Instagram,” said Roerink. “Then you look at some of the older generations and you'll see it's all about routine. So the big question is, how can we make meat a routine in those younger generations as well?”

Lucia Ruano, USMEF representative in Central America and the Dominican Republic, brought up a recent survey in Guatemala showing that family, friends and social media are the top three influences in consumers’ food purchasing decisions. Ruano described how USMEF utilizes social media in the region to establish itself as a trusted resource for consumers on nutrition, food handling and safety, sustainability and how to properly prepare pork and beef to get the best eating experience.

Taz Hijikata, USMEF’s senior director of consumer affairs in Japan, discussed the country’s overall awareness about protein’s importance, especially in the aging population but also among younger generations. USMEF targets Japanese consumers through social media, often with content from influencers that includes messaging about how U.S. beef and pork can meet their daily protein needs.

Jihae Yang, who is based in Korea and serves as USMEF’s vice president of the Asia Pacific, said it is critical for the red meat industry to monitor and understand the evolving purchasing behavior of younger generations and to evolve along with them.

“Across all markets, younger consumers are looking for convenience, nutrition, quality and to reduce food waste and save money,” Yang said. “And there are foodies who are also looking for professional information about cooking. We are increasingly using social media influencers, which is a cost-effective way for us to reach younger audiences with relevant information and the right messaging about U.S. beef and pork.”

Thursday’s program also included meetings of USMEF’s standing committees, examining issues of specific interest to the pork, beef, feedgrains and oilseeds and exporter sectors. Highlights from the opening day of the conference are available in this USMEF press release.

USMEF members will next meet at the organization’s Strategic Planning Conference, which is set for Nov. 6-8 in Tucson, Ariz.



Masters of Beef Advocacy Program Celebrates 25,000 Graduates

Two years ago the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, hit 20,000 graduates. Today, the program celebrates an additional 5,000 graduates – reaching a new milestone for advocacy in the beef industry.

“It feels like yesterday that we were celebrating 20,000 graduates,” said Paul Dybedahl, Associate Director of Communications for the Masters of Beef Advocacy Program. “Just two years later, it’s incredible to see an additional 5,000 graduates, all willing to dedicate their time to learn more about, and advocate for, the beef industry.”

Created in 2009, the MBA program is a free, self-guided online course that provides members of the beef community – from farmers and ranchers to students, supply chain members and consumers – with the tools and resources needed to become a strong advocate for the beef community.

In 2021, the MBA program launched MBA NextGen – which updated training modules, splitting the course into five online lessons:
    The Beef Community – Context of raising beef from pasture to plate with a focus on the community of people involved throughout the beef lifecycle.
    Raising Cattle on Grass – An introduction to the first step in the beef lifecycle and the many benefits of raising cattle on our country’s vast grass pasture resources.
    Life in the Feedyard – A discussion on the role of feedyards, including animal care, nutrition and environmental stewardship, at this important step in the beef lifecycle.
    From Cattle to Beef – An in-depth look at the slaughter process and the humane handling and safety measures in place at today’s beef processing facilities.
    Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. – A primer on choosing and cooking the right cuts of beef and the important role of beef in a healthful diet.

After completing NextGen, MBA graduates can enroll in MBA Continuing Education where graduates can continue their education with more lessons on beef’s nutrition, sustainability and animal welfare among more. Graduates can also access monthly newsletters and join the program’s Facebook community where updates are given on the latest consumer trends.

Anyone interested in learning about beef’s journey from pasture to plate is invited to enroll today.



USTR Urged to Press South Africa to Lift Pork Import Restrictions
 
In a letter circulated by the National Pork Producers Council membership as a priority during our Spring Legislative Action Conference, members of Congress urged the Biden administration to pressure South Africa to live up to its obligations under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows eligible sub-Saharan African countries to export goods to the United States duty-free but requires beneficiaries of the trade program to provide “reasonable and equitable treatment” for U.S. imports.
 
South Africa has several unwarranted, non-scientific provisions that limit imports of pork from the United States. The country bans pork offal and restricts pork because of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), for example, even though there is no documented scientific case of PRRS being transmitted to domestic livestock through imported pork. In 2023, South Africa imported just 313 metric tons of U.S. pork, representing less than 1.3% of its pork imports.
 
In a letter sent Wednesday to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), 29 members of the U.S. House of Representatives asked USTR Ambassador Katherine Tai to raise the import restrictions during discussions with the South African government and consider them as USTR conducts its annual review of the AGOA program.
 
NPPC supports the renewal of AGOA, which is set to expire next year, but wants the Biden administration to press beneficiary countries to provide “reasonable and equitable treatment” for U.S. imports, a program requirement. NPPC previously asked USTR to remove South Africa from AGOA, pointing out that the country is reaping the program benefits but providing “significantly limited” market access for U.S. pork.
 
AGOA’s objectives are to expand U.S. trade and investment with sub-Saharan Africa, stimulate economic growth in the region, and facilitate African nations’ integration into the global economy. In many AGOA countries, pork is an important source of protein, making them potentially significant markets for U.S. pork.