Wednesday October 09 Ag News

 Nebraska Beef Council Members Reflect on Trade Mission Experiences in Japan and Indonesia

Two Nebraska Beef Council Board of Director members, Mark Goes of Odell and Doug Temme of Wayne, recently returned from international trade missions to Japan and Indonesia, where they had the opportunity to promote U.S. beef and strengthen trade relationships.

Goes, who traveled to Japan with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), was eager to participate in the mission. During his week-long trip, Goes experienced Japan’s culture and culinary preferences firsthand, visiting local markets, attending chef trainings, and engaging with Japanese dignitaries and business leaders.

 “I strive to be an advocate for our beef and cattle industries,” said Goes. “The USMEF mission is ‘Putting US meat on the world’s table,’ and I wanted to help build confidence in our product.”

One of the highlights of his trip was a visit to the Hanew Foods Beef Tongue Processing Plant in Sendai, where he sampled beef tongue, a specialty in Japan. Goes noted that Japan’s demand for variety meats like beef tongue and intestine, which are not as popular in the U.S., offers an added value market.

“In a country with little and diminishing ag production, the need for strong U.S. and Japan relations is evident to help provide food security,” said Goes.

Meanwhile, Temme participated in a trade mission to Jakarta, Indonesia, where he explored opportunities for U.S. beef in a country with the fourth-largest population in the world. During his trip, Temme visited commodity markets, feed mills and met with local importers. He emphasized the potential for growth in the Indonesian market, despite existing trade barriers.

“There are some products there, but there’s room for more growth,” said Temme. “Some of it is tariff trade-type barrier issues that need to be worked out.”

Both board members were struck by the cultural differences they observed. Temme, in particular, was encouraged by Indonesia’s openness to U.S. products.

“They do have a largely favorable viewpoint of the U.S. and they are wanting to do business with us,” Temme shared.

Goes and Temme plan to share their experiences and encourage others in the U.S. beef industry to build relationships abroad. Both trips highlighted the growing global demand for U.S. beef and the importance of expanding market opportunities.



US Department of Labor finds Nebraska farm cooperative exposed employees stacking pallets of pork to musculoskeletal disorders

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Wholestone Farms Cooperative Inc. of Fremont, NE for three serious safety and health violations and proposed penalties totaling $36,873, following a March 2024 complaint investigation.

OSHA issued serious violations under the general duty clause, after finding employees were exposed to ergonomic stressors likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders and injuries when working in the palletizing area.

The company put employees at risk of musculoskeletal injuries by requiring them to manually lift boxes weighing up to 99 pounds from the palletizing conveyor onto pallets at floor level and stack them up to nine boxes high. The frequency and duration of lifts, weights lifted, motions repeated, forced exertions, and irregular postures exposed employees to the risk of injuries.

Wholestone also received a serious violation for exposing workers to slip and fall hazards by allowing employees to walk and work on a damaged, uneven surface in the shipping department’s cold storage area and by not keeping aisles and a passageway clear and in good repair.

“Musculoskeletal injuries are among the most frequent causes of lost or restricted work time and a known hazard in the meatpacking industry. Such injuries occur when lifting heavy items, bending, working in awkward body postures and performing the same or similar tasks repetitively,” said OSHA Area Director Matthew Thurlby in Omaha, Nebraska. “Work-related musculoskeletal injuries can be prevented by creating an effective ergonomics program that includes training, hazard analysis and control, medical management, and process evaluation to limit muscle strain.”

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.



Nebraska Delegation Members Earn “Friend of Farm Bureau” Award

All five members of the Nebraska congressional delegation have received the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) “Friend of Farm Bureau” award for the 118th Congress. The awards are given at the end of each Congress to lawmakers based on individual voting records on Farm Bureau priority issues, which in 2024 included protecting animal agriculture from animal rights extremists, supporting a new Farm Bill and other federal risk management programs, pushing to expand agricultural markets, and many others. Nebraska Farm Bureau nominated the members of the delegation for the awards.

“We are very fortunate to have elected leaders working in Washington, D.C. who recognize and value the significant impact of agriculture in our state. Their commitment to advocating for policies that benefit Nebraska's farm and ranch families deserves recognition. We are proud to have the American Farm Bureau recognize all five members of our state’s congressional delegation for their leadership and service,” said Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts received the AFBF “Friend of Farm Bureau” award, as did Rep. Mike Flood (R-Dist.1), Rep. Don Bacon (R-Dist.2), and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Dist.3).

“We look forward to continuing to work with the members of the delegation on initiatives that will grow opportunities for Nebraska agriculture. History has consistently shown, when farm and ranch families and the agricultural economy do well, the people and state of Nebraska do well,” said McHargue.



Nebraska Farmers Union PAC Announces General Election Endorsements

NEBFARMPAC, the political action committee of Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska’s second largest general farm organization with over 3,200 farm and ranch families, announced its general election endorsements today for Congress, the Legislature, State Board of Education, Public Power Districts, Natural Resource Districts, and County Commissioners.

Based on their position on family farm and ranch issues with input from county and district officers the NEBFARMPAC Board of Directors announced the following endorsements:

NeFU members in bold.       * = Incumbents      

U.S. Senate:     *Deb Fischer
U.S. Senate      Preston Love Jr.

Congress Second District: Tony Vargas

Nebraska Legislature
LD3:    Victor Roundtree
LD5:   Margo Juarez
LD7:    Dunixi Guereca & Tim Pendrell
LD9:    *John Cavanaugh
LD11: *Terrell McKinney
LD13:  Nick Batter & Ashlei Spivey
LB15:  Dave Wordekemper
LD17:  Glen Meyer & Mike Albrecht
LD19: *Rob Dover   
LD21: Seth Derner
LD23: Dennis Fujan
LD25: Nicki Behmer Popp
LD27:  Jason Prokop
LD29: *Eliot Bostar (unopposed)
LD31: Mary Ann Folchert
LD33:  Michelle Smith
LD35: Dan Quick
LD37: Stan Clouse
LD39: Allison Heimes
LD41:  Daniel McKeon
LD45:  Sarah Centineo
LD49:  *Jen Day

Nebraska Public Power District
Subdivision 6: Robin Hinrichs

Omaha Public Power District
Subdivision 6: *Eric Williams
Subdivision 8: Morgan Rye-Craft

State Board of Education
Subdistrict 1: Kristin Christensen
Subdistrict 2: Maggie Douglas
Subdistrict 3: Bill McAllister
Subdistrict 4: Liz Renner       

Lower Platte North NRD
Subdistrict 3: *Andrew Tonnies

Lower Platte South NRD
Subdistrict 1: Carla McCullough Dittman
Subdistrict 5: *John Yoakum
Subdistrict 6:  *Anthony Schutz (unopposed)
Subdistrict 7:   Chuck Hassebrook (unopposed)
Subdistrict 10:  Stephanie Matejka (unopposed)

Upper Elkhorn NRD
Subdistrict 6:  *Art Tanderup (unopposed)



Fundamentals of Feeding the Cow Webinar Series

Feed costs are often the largest category of expense for cow-calf producers in Nebraska. Understanding how the cow’s nutrient requirements change throughout the year and how to cost-effectively meet those requirements with the feed resources available can greatly influence an operation’s bottom line.

Nebraska Extension will be hosting a four-session webinar series in November that will explain the fundamentals of understanding a cow’s nutrition requirements and the options available to meet a cow’s needs with grazed or harvested feed. The series will be held Monday and Thursday evenings, November 11, 14, 18 and 21, from 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. CT.

Topics to be covered include:
• What impacts a cow’s nutrient requirements and how do they change throughout the year?
• How do you read and understand a feed test analysis as well as a feed tag? What do the numbers mean?
• When comparing feed options, which is the best buy when all things are considered???
• What are things to consider when developing a year-round feeding plan???

The cost is $65 and includes a notebook of Nebraska Extension resources. The course is limited to 35 participants. To register, visit https://go.unl.edu/feedingthecow. Participants are asked to register by Nov. 1 to ensure webinar resources are received before the series begins. A computer and internet connection will be needed to participate in the webinar series.

For questions about the webinar series, please contact Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator, at 308-235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu.



Connecting Buyers and Sellers at Southeast Asia Ag Cooperators Conference

Recently Jolene Riessen, Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) Chair and farmer from Ida County, joined the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) as part of the Southeast Asia Ag Cooperators Conference held in Vietnam.  Iowa Corn’s investment in this conference directly helped to bring buyers and sellers together from across Southeast Asia to learn about U.S. corn and corn co-products.

While at the conference Jolene participated in a panel discussion revolving around topics of sustainability and many of the buyers in the room also wanted to discuss the market and harvest outlook in the U.S. During the business-to-business meetings where buyers and sellers were able to interact a lot of interest was expressed in getting grain booked.

“The Ag Cooperators Conference provide the perfect opportunity to put all the right people in one room together,” shared Riessen. “Meeting our customers where they are and being able to directly answer questions about our crops and products provides a lot of trust to help us build these relationships.”

Finally, the delegation visited a poultry manufacturing plant, who has an interest in building a feed mill. Jolene extended an invitation to come to Iowa to see first-hand the ISU Feed Mill, a state-of the art facility and investment of Iowa Corn Promotion Board.



Iowa Organic Conference to Highlight Economics and Climate-Smart Systems

The country’s largest university-sponsored organic conference will return Nov. 25 to the University of Iowa in Iowa City. A joint effort of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the University of Iowa, the conference will feature producers and experts from across the country sharing tips for transitioning into organic production and methods to enhance organic operations.

Registration is $100 through Nov. 10 and $150 after that date. Conference registration is available online at https://www.regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/iowaorganic/.

Iowa Organic Conference.This year’s theme is “Organic Agriculture: Economic Opportunities and Climate-Smart Systems” featuring keynote speaker Thelma Velez, research and education program director, Organic Farming Research Foundation. Velez will speak on how OFRF surveys organic farmers on their research and education needs and how they work to have their voices heard through various outlets, including the Farm Bill.  

The conference begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, with vendor setup, and a reception featuring local and organic food and drinks at 6 p.m. in the UI Memorial Union.

Monday’s breakout sessions start at 8 a.m. and will include information on transitioning into organic farming, weed management, organic livestock production and specialty crops. Other sessions include improving soil health, organic no-till, transitioning to organic and working with NRCS, among others. Monday’s lunch will highlight local and organic produce, meats and dairy products assembled into a gourmet meal by Chef Anne Watson and her University of Iowa dining team.

“The Iowa Organic Conference is the largest university-sponsored organic conference in the country,” said Kathleen Delate, professor and extension organic specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Last year’s conference brought over 30 exhibitors, ranging from organic seed sales to local food system nonprofits, to government offices working with transitioning and certified organic farmers. Despite the challenges of storms and wet fields, organic farmers are anticipating successful organic yields.”

Hotel rooms are available at The Graduate Hotel for Sunday, Nov. 24. Guests may access room reservations online.

For additional conference information and directions to the conference, visit the 2024 Iowa Organic Conference webpage or contact Kathleen Delate at kdelate@iastate.edu or 515-294-5116.



USDA Announces Actions to Lower Food Prices, Bring Fairness to Farmers, and Promote More Competitive Food Supply Chains

Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced multiple steps to deliver on the President’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy to promote fair and competitive markets for American farmers and ranchers, and lower food prices for American families. The following actions were announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a Farmers and Ranchers in Action event hosted by the White House:
    First, through a multipart framework, USDA is leveraging its funding and research capacity, as well as interagency partnerships, to increase transparency and improve researcher access to seed germplasm, the starting materials plant breeders need to create diverse, resilient, and competitive seed varieties. These were key recommendations identified in USDA’s 2023 report, “More and Better Choices for Farmers: Promoting Fair Competition and Innovation in Seeds and Other Agricultural Inputs.”
    Second, USDA today published an interim report that assesses competitive conditions in the meat retail industry. The report draws on over 1,600 comments received from the public in response to USDA requests for information, interviews with small, medium, and large meatpackers, distributors, retailers, academics, and farmer or advocacy organizations. It identifies hidden fees and unjust/anticompetitive pricing strategies present in the beef market as a case study.
    Third, USDA announced the next steps in a new rulemaking effort under the Packers & Stockyards Act of 1921 to enhance price discovery and fairness in cattle markets. For years, USDA has fielded complaints from producers around beef packers using reported regional cash or spot prices as base prices for fed cattle formula pricing agreements, commonly known as Alternative Marketing Agreements (AMAs). USDA is issuing an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to seek comment on several possible interventions to develop new benchmarks as AMA base prices and approaches to trading when using benchmarks.

“Over these last four years, the Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in agriculture to help farmers, small businesses, and rural communities get a fair shake,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Our work on competition is about opening up new markets for farmers and delivering fairer, more competitive choices. Today’s actions will help to deliver on more choice and lower costs for seeds used by farmers, more choice and lower food costs for consumers, and a fairer marketplace for ranchers.”

“With today’s announcements, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking action to lower food prices for working families by enabling small businesses and family farms to compete fairly,” said National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard. “For too long, consolidation in the agriculture industry has been swallowing up family farms, lowering incomes and choices for farmers, and raising prices at the grocery store. Today’s announcements build on our work to restore fair competition in farming and food markets and to lower grocery prices for working families.”

“USDA is taking smart, strategic steps to open up pathways for continued innovation and improved competition in seed markets, new retail choices for small businesses and working family consumers alike, and fairer, more competitive trading in America’s world-leading cattle market,” said USDA’s Senior Advisor for Fair and Competitive Markets Andy Green. “These represent the first steps into these markets in a long time, and so we’re both listening to all while we’re doing so but we’re putting the relevant industries on notice that in the coming months, the USDA alongside its Federal partners will be amping up our scrutiny of these markets closely to protect fair, open, and honest competition.”

As President Biden outlined in the Competition Executive Order, consolidation in the agricultural industry is making it too hard for small family farms to survive as they face concentrated market power in the channels for selling agricultural products. In part due to the Administration’s efforts to tackle predatory pricing throughout the American economy, grocery inflation has improved as has certain key agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, but meat prices remain too high and competition in seeds markets remains highly constrained.

Seed Competition Framework
USDA’s framework for promoting research access to germplasm represents a three-part strategy for enhanced seed system diversity, competition, and resilience. Specifically, the framework:
    Identifies opportunities for better defining patent-related disclosure for seeds so researchers understand their freedom to operate. A letter from USDA to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) USPTO describes the need for more clarity on breeding history and pedigrees and ensuring accessibility to seeds samples placed in patent depositories to adequately disclose plant-related inventions. Clarifying disclosure requirements for utility patents on seeds would help ensure researchers can better understand the scope and bounds of patent rights on plant-related inventions and conduct the research necessary to develop new innovations.
    Provides guidance to USDA researchers around observational uses of protected germplasm in the context of patent law. The ability to observe and understand patented inventions is necessary for federal scientists to pursue critical research and to innovate without fear of infringement. View USDA’s guidance for federal researchers.
    Encourages that germplasm developed by federal funding be shared for research and plant breeding, thus reflecting existing best practices. This will potentially help ensure that the germplasm pool is available for future innovation for both private and public breeders alike to bring new and diverse choices to the market. View USDA’s guidance for federally-funded research.

Access to Retail Report
Released today, USDA’s interim report “Competition and Fair Practices in Meat Merchandising,” uses beef markets as a case study to better understand access to retail dynamics for producers and processors. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) conducted an investigative study, took public comment, and supported academic examination of the topic.

This interim report has identified a trend of increasing market concentration nationally and regionally, particularly among the top four packers, distributors, and retailers. The report also highlights the views of commenters and interviewees, including farmers and small to midsize or independent packers and retailers, who describe their concerns with problematic practices by intermediaries.

As next steps, USDA will be continuing the investigative study already commenced, including through subpoenas. USDA is also announcing that the Agricultural Marketing Service will be commencing an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the coming months to seek public input around potential next steps.

Together, these efforts will protect free and fair competition on the merits for businesses operating in the retail channel; ensure that small, midsize, or independent businesses can continue to raise and process livestock; and help these businesses distribute and sell meat to the families and local communities that they serve.

Cattle Price Discovery Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)
The Competition Executive Order directed USDA to address the unfair treatment of farmers and improve conditions of competition in the markets for their products through rulemaking actions under the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. USDA was also directed to identify measures to enhance price discovery, increase transparency, and improve the functioning of the cattle and other livestock markets.

Upon publication in the Federal Register, AMS’s Packers and Stockyards Division will be seeking comment on a range of targeted options to improve price discovery and fair and competitive trading in fed cattle markets. The options presented in the ANPR focus on ways to ensure that the base prices in fed cattle purchasing agreements, commonly known as alternative marketing arrangements (AMAs), are representative of relevant market conditions and are not vulnerable to distortion or strategic behavior that could cause prices to shift for reasons other than changes in supply and demand.

These options are intended to mitigate the concern that AMAs have negative price effects on the spot market and otherwise distort the trading of fed cattle, which are complaints that AMS has received over the years. Cattle plays an important role in the economic health of many rural communities, and so fairness to cattle producers is vitally important.



Smith Statement on White House Agriculture Event

Tuesday, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement in response to today’s White House event with select agriculture groups chosen by the administration.

"If the Biden-Harris administration is serious about supporting American agriculture producers, their actions have failed to align with their words.

"Their refusal to open new markets for American products through trade agreements has contributed to an agricultural trade deficit of more than $30 billion. Their failure to forcefully stand up to unscientific protectionism has left the Mexican ban on American white corn intact for far too long. Their lack of leadership or persuasive solution for Farm Bill renewal has left producers without certainty. Treasury’s failure to release biofuel tax credit guidance in a timely fashion or fully incorporate GREET scientific standards for renewable fuels as intended by the legislation’s authors has created broad uncertainty across supply chains while locking out long-time producers who have demonstrated good stewardship of their land. And their resuscitation of the Obama administration’s overturned WOTUS rule puts every farmer and rancher in the country at the mercy of the EPA in a way Congress never intended.

"True support for American agriculture means empowering American producers to feed their neighbors and feed the world from planting to harvest to market, right now and across future generations. I have seen nothing from President Biden and Vice President Harris which demonstrates they truly understand that."



NFU Applauds USDA’s Commitment to Fairness and Transparency for Farmers
 
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday a series of actions in support of a fair and competitive agriculture market. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew said the following:

"We commend USDA for continuing to promote competition across our agricultural markets. The Biden-Harris administration has done more than any other administration since Theodore Roosevelt to ensure that the agricultural and rural economy is fair and competitive for family farmers and ranchers. Today’s announcement demonstrates USDA’s thoughtful and proactive approach to addressing some of the most pressing issues farmers and ranchers face—namely, the need for transparency, fairness and innovation in both seed systems and livestock markets.  

The new framework for improving research access to seed germplasm is a significant step forward. Farmers rely on diverse, resilient seed traits to thrive in an increasingly unpredictable climate. This initiative helps to guarantee that seed choices are not limited by monopolistic practices but are driven by innovation and the demands of sustainability.

The findings of USDA’s interim report on competition in the meat retail industry further illustrate the barriers to a fair market and a resilient food system. Family farmers and ranchers deserve a level playing field, and today’s report highlights the concerning consolidation that makes it increasingly difficult for them to compete. We look forward to even more initiatives from USDA and other enforcement agencies to ensure everyone is playing fairly.

Lastly, efforts to enhance price discovery in cattle markets and enforce the Packers & Stockyards Act reflect a deep understanding of the challenges facing cattle producers. For too long, unfair pricing practices have undermined the livelihoods of family farmers. Today’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking is a welcome opportunity for farmers to shape new regulations that will promote fairness, increase transparency and ensure competitive markets for livestock producers.”

NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign has brought the devastating impact of monopolies on family agriculture into the national spotlight. Together, this administration’s initiatives strengthen the economic foundation of rural communities and ensure family farmers and ranchers have fair and competitive businesses.  



NCBA Responds to Misguided White House Ag Event With Activists

Tuesday, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane responded to the agriculture event hosted today at the White House:

“Real cattle producers have faced two hurricanes in two weeks and months of devastating wildfires across the West, and instead of addressing these immediate problems hurting farmers and ranchers, the Biden-Harris administration hosted a pep rally to prop up their failing Bidenomics agenda at the White House, with animal rights activists front and center. Had we been invited, we could have discussed more pressing issues like much-needed disaster relief, regulatory overreach, and USDA’s questionable approval of South American beef imports.

“This event makes clear what cattle producers have known for quite some time: when it comes to agriculture, this administration has prioritized politics over policy that supports cattle producers.”



NCGA President Calls for Action During Meeting at White House

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kenneth Hartman Jr. Tuesday told Biden administration officials that farmers are living through difficult economic times, but the administration and Congress can help by removing barriers so growers can access expanding markets for U.S. corn.

Hartman’s comments came during an event, called “Farmers and Ranchers in Action,” hosted this morning at the White House.

“On behalf of my fellow corn growers, I spoke about the need to make it possible for producers to access tax credits for sustainable aviation fuels,” Hartman said. “The tax credit would help us expand the ethanol market, which is important to growers, while boosting the airline industry’s efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions.”

The White House meeting comes as producers are faced with falling corn and other commodity prices.

Hartman also touched on priorities that he hopes Congress will tackle and called on administration officials to help in any way they can with pending legislation, such as the farm bill.

“While we’re almost out of time this year, Congress should pass a robust farm bill,” Hartman said. “I also think Congress can advance legislation that will allow consumers to access higher blends of ethanol. During my visit today, I asked that the president sign these pieces of legislation once they make it to his desk.”



Meat Institute: USDA Continues to Over-Regulate Beef and Cattle Markets
 
Following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) requests for more information on possible new rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act on price discovery in cattle markets, Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts Tuesday made the following statement:

“Biden’s USDA is once again attempting to assert government control over the free market to the detriment of cattle producers, packers and consumers,” said Potts. “This is not about transparency. This is about the government dictating how cattle may be bought and sold.

“Thanks to the transparency already required in these markets, we know that cattle producers have received record high prices for several years.

“When USDA says it wants to ‘enhance fairness’ in cattle markets, they mean pick winners and losers. They want to end the use of Alternative Marketing Arrangements (AMAs) and force producers and packers into the cash market.  AMAs are a livestock producer-driven innovation that rewards producers who are developing value-added products by investing in their herds’ genetics and other traits, improving quality, or raising cattle using certain sustainability practices. Despite the Administration’s belief otherwise, cattle production operations are not all the same and the cattle they produce are not one-size-fits all.  Moving back in time to a commodity cattle market will reduce competition, innovation, and quality, ultimately hurting the entire industry.  Livestock producers ought to be rewarded for their innovation in the marketplace.

“AMAs offer producers the very benefits USDA says it wants to support: choice, flexibility, transparency and, yes, even higher prices. And most importantly, AMAs provide consumers with more choices and a consistent supply of higher quality beef at stable prices.

“The Meat Institute remains opposed to all of the Biden Administration’s proposed and final rules changes under the Packers and Stockyards Act because they are outside the scope of USDA’s authority.”

Background on Transparency in Beef and Cattle Markets
There is robust price discovery in the cattle and beef markets. Congress established and USDA administers the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act (LMR) program to facilitate open, transparent price discovery and provide all market participants, both large and small, with comparable levels of market information for slaughter cattle and beef, as well as other species.

Under LMR, packers must report to AMS daily the prices they pay to procure cattle, and other information, including slaughter data for cattle harvested during a specified time period and with net prices, actual weights, dressing percentages, percent of beef grading Choice, and price ranges, and then AMS publishes the anonymized data.

AMS publishes 24 daily and 20 weekly cattle reports each week. Weekly reports start Monday afternoon and end the next Monday morning. These reports cover time periods, regions, and activities and the data include actual cattle prices.

Further, packers report all original sale beef transactions in both volume and price through the Daily Boxed Beef Report. This data is reported twice daily, at 11:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m. Central Time. The morning report covers market activity since 1:30 p.m. of the prior business day until 9:30 a.m. of the business day. The afternoon report is cumulative, including all market activity in the morning plus all additional transactions between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and is on the USDA DataMart website. The boxed beef report covers both individual beef item sales and beef cutout values and current volumes, both of which are derived from the individual beef item sales data.

In 2022, Congress appropriated funds for AMS to create a Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program to increase market transparency. The pilot program has packers submit contract and volume information to AMS using a series of data collection forms. This information is added to a searchable database.



NCBA Releases Findings from Cattle Producer Tax Survey

Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) released a report analyzing data collected in a nationwide tax survey of America’s cattle producers. With the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire at the end of 2025, NCBA collected this survey data to better understand how key tax provisions, such as Death Tax relief and business deductions, impact family-owned cattle operations.

“When I was starting out in the ranching business, I saw the devastating impact of the Death Tax firsthand and this tax nearly killed my dream of ranching with my family,” said NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele. “This experience pushed me to fight for lower taxes on farms and ranches, and the data collected by NCBA shows that many other producers around the country have faced similar pressure from devastating tax bills too. I urge our policymakers to see the story this data is telling—that farmers and ranchers need lower taxes to stay in business and continue feeding the world.”

The respondents to the tax survey indicated that 99% operated family-owned farms or ranches and 64% were third-generation cattle producers or greater. Additionally, the survey showed strong support for provisions such the 1031 Like-Kind Exchange, Section 179 Expensing, Bonus Depreciation, and Section 199A Small Business Deduction. The data also showed that a quarter of respondents spend more than $10,000 annually for tax preparation, filing, and potential audits, all expenses that only add further pressure to agricultural operations.

“Farms and ranches are unique small businesses, and they face a variety of challenges that our tax code must address,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus. “The survey data shows strong support for tax provisions that help cattle producers reduce their taxes and invest in essential assets for running a successful cattle operation. To protect our farming and ranching heritage, we need Congress to step up and back tax provisions that help cattle producers save more of their hard earned money and set up the next generation of cattle producers for success.”



August U.S. Ethanol and DDGS Exports Rise
Ann Lewis, Senior Analyst, Renewable Fuels Association

August U.S. ethanol exports rebounded 4% to 141.2 million gallons (mg), with the bulk of shipments headed to a dozen countries. Canada remained the top destination for the 41st consecutive month, accounting for 40% of total exports, despite reducing its imports of U.S. ethanol by 8% to 57.0 mg, nearly all of which was denatured fuel. Exports to the European Union surged by 53% to 12.7 mg. Shipments to the United Kingdom dropped by a third to 16.9 mg, and India imported 6% less, totaling 10.7 mg. Exports to Colombia also decreased by 30%, reaching 9.9 mg. Other larger markets included Mexico (8.7 mg, +249%), South Korea (7.9 mg, -18%), Peru (6.7 mg, +382%), Oman (5.6 mg, up from zero), Jamaica (2.7 mg, +1211%), the Philippines (1.1 mg, up from zero), and Singapore (1.0 mg, a tick higher). Notably, Brazil was absent again from the market. U.S. ethanol exports for the first 8 months of the year have reached a record high of 1.24 billion gallons, up 38% from last year at this time.

The U.S. imported 1.9 mg of undenatured fuel ethanol from Brazil and Canada. This was the first time since March that any meaningful imports entered our borders.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS), the animal feed co-product generated by dry-mill ethanol plants, increased 2% in August to a 3-year high of 1.12 million metric tons (mt) amid mixed markets. South Korea’s imports of DDGS surged by 35% to an 8-month high of 166,862 mt, making it the top U.S. DDGS market for the month. In contrast, Mexico’s imports fell 34% to an 8-month low of 163,086 mt. Other notable gains came from Turkey (117,334 mt, +69%), the European Union (105,454 mt, +25%), Vietnam (72,175 mt, +7%), and Israel (59,833 mt, quadrupled to a record high). On the other hand, exports declined to Indonesia (70,676 mt, -4%), Canada (47,923 mt, -19%), China (44,295 mt, -15%), and Thailand (32,503 mt, -21%). The remaining 21% of U.S. DDGS exports were distributed across 29 other countries. Year-to-date DDGS exports have reached 8.09 million mt, 15% higher than the same period last year.



Agricultural Policy, Production Supply And Demand Headline First Export Exchange 2024 Sessions

Export Exchange 2024 began today in Fort Worth, Texas, where the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), partnering with Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), welcomed nearly 500 guests including international buyers and domestic U.S. value chain stakeholders to the conference.

With 28 industry exhibitors to further showcase the breadth of the U.S. agriculture and agribusiness industries, Export Exchange encourages real-time trade and relationship building.

“It is essential for us to strengthen the bonds between suppliers and partner countries, and the connections we make this week will not only help propel our industry this year, but for years to come,” Ryan LeGrand, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council said. “Export Exchange provides the perfect environment for stakeholders to get answers, make contacts and build business.”

Tuesday also included speaker Jason Hafemeister, the USDA acting deputy undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs. Hafemeister presented USDA’s goals for exports and explained the necessity of trade for U.S. agriculture success.

“[Exports] help keep rural American economies strong and vibrant, so we are all in on promoting trade. It is also an important part in our relationships with the rest of the world, Hafemeister said. “The United States is a reliable supplier of agricultural products. We want to develop strong relationships with our trading partners, and we think that the flow of agriculture commodities is critical to do so.”

Other Tuesday speakers included information about global feed demand by Ankush Bhandari with Verition Fund Management; “Requirements of the Agriculture Supply Chain and Transportation Amidst Global Upheaval,” presented by Ken Eriksen of Polaris Analytics and Consulting; and “Understanding Today’s Contracts,” by Alejandra Castillo and Thomas Erickson from the North American Export Grain Association.

The day’s speakers highlighted commodity outlooks and examined the continuous evolution of agriculture industry with "Sorghum, The Smart Choice,” presented by Norma Ritz Johnson from the United Sorghum Checkoff Program; "Co-Products in Petfood,” by Kent Cooper with Evolve Consulting Group; a discussion of new opportunities with “Seafood Protein Demand Outlook,” presented by Gary Morrison from Expana; and “Value-Baded Procurement of U.S. Co-Products,” led by Guy Allen with the International Grains Program.

Wednesday, the final day of the event, will include discussions on new co-products in the market by Joe Ward with the Dried Distillers Council; sustainable corn and co-products exports offered by USGC Director of Global Sustainability, Carlos Suárez; and a panel discussing the value U.S. corn including Dr. Vijay Singh, University of Illinois, Kurt Shultz, USGC and Doug Kitch, CPM Industrial Solutions.

More information about ExEx 2024, including registration details, is available at www.exportexchange.org or on social media using the hashtag #ExEx24.