As trade issues become increasingly prevalent in headlines throughout both the agricultural media and the popular press’ coverage of the current election season, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will be hosting a webinar on international trade beef trade. The webinar will take place May 12, 2016, at 7:00 pm CST. Trade has long been an important component of the … Read More
AgriClear Partners with Sandhills Cattle Association
AgriClear, an online transaction and payment platform for cattle buyers and sellers, has announced a collaborative arrangement with Sandhills Cattle Association (SCA), based in Valentine, Nebraska. I spoke with Nevil Speer, Vice President of U.S. Operations for AgriClear, to learn more about what this partnership will mean for both sides. “This arrangement represents another important step forward as we work … Read More
CattleFax Webinar to Outline 2016 Calf Market Expectations
An upcoming free CattleFax webinar, sponsored by Elanco Animal Health will address an outlook for the second half of 2016 for the cow-calf segment and entire beef sector. The CattleFax Trends+ Cow-Calf Webinar will be at 5:30 p.m. MT, May 25, 2016. To participate in the webinar and access program details, producers and industry leaders simply need to register online. … Read More
NFU Appalled by Latest GIPSA Stall Attack
The National Farmers Union (NFU) doesn’t understand the House Appropriations Committee’s passage of amendment designed to further stall the Grain Inspection and Stockyards Protection Administration (GIPSA) rule after Congress let the USDA implement a provision included in the 2008 Farm Bill to provide needed marketplace protections to contract farmers. “The idea that the House Appropriations Committee would ignore the progress … Read More
NMPF Economist Talks Impact of Declining Milk Prices
Since the record highs of 2014, when milk was priced at well above 25 dollars per cwt, U.S. milk production has continued to grow at record numbers, and the USDA has projected that a record 212 billion pounds of milk will be produced in the U.S. in 2016. The demand, however, has begun to slow, and this new dynamic of … Read More
NCBA Holds Press Conference on TPP
This morning, the National Cattlemen ‘s Beef Association (NCBA) hosted a press teleconference regarding the organization’s sustained support for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Michael Froman and NCBA Vice President Kevin Kester discussed how the agriculture industry and the administration are working together to promote the TPP. Following the presser, an estimated 300 cattle … Read More
USDA Expands MPP for Dairys Adding Next-Gen Family
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that dairy farms participating in the Margin Protection Program (MPP) can now update their production history when an eligible family member joins the operation. MPP protects participating dairy producers when the margin falls below levels of protection selected by the applicant. “This change not only helps to strengthen a family dairy operation, it also helps … Read More
U.S. Meat Exports Sluggish In February
According to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), while February exports of U.S. pork and beef were roughly steady with last year’s volumes, export value moved lower during the month as prices continued to decline from the 2014 highs. The price reductions reflect more abundant red meat supplies and a fiercely competitive international marketplace. Pork export … Read More
NMPF March Dairy Market Report
The National Milk Producer’s Federation (NMPF) March Dairy Market Report notes that while domestic use of milk continues to outpace production, prolonged weakness in world dairy markets is weighing more heavily on U.S. milk prices, particularly the price of skim solids. Production of the major dairy commodities is continuing to increase faster than milk output, with the exception of the … Read More
Rabobank Quarterly Report on South American Beef Exports
Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Research (FAR) and Advisory group have released a new report on their “Beef Quarterly Q1 2016: South American Exports to Rise.” The report finds South America’s beef exporters are set to increase exports by an estimated 11% in 2016. This increase is supported by favorable currency values, improved access to importing countries and increased availability of … Read More