News Update
April 16, 2014
The Good News: AAA and
the Angus Business
There’s a lot of good news for producers raising Angus cattle.
Since the 2008 economic downturn, average prices for registered-Angus bulls sold at auction and reported to the American Angus Association have risen sharply from $3,031 per head in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 to $4,957 per head so far in FY 2014. That’s nearly $2,000 per head in added value, or a 64% increase in price, for breeders of registered-Angus bulls.
Gross revenue is also up significantly: Sales of registered Angus cattle generated more than $265 million in FY 2013, compared to just shy of $210 million in FY 2008. That’s a 26% increase, or more than $55 million in additional revenue for producers of registered-Angus cattle.
That value-added gap appears to be widening even more in FY 2014.
Fiscal-year-to-date revenue (October 2013 through March 2014) generated by registered-Angus cattle sold at auctions has increased substantially compared to the same time period a year ago: $244.6 million in FY 2014 vs. $192.5 million in FY 2013 — a 27% increase.
That equates to more than $52 million in additional revenue for the first half of FY 2014 — or more than $2 million in additional revenue per week for Angus breeders so far this fiscal year.
This analysis does not include private-treaty sales.
“All of these things are a sign that Angus breeders are working hard to capitalize on their breeding programs’ advantages as U.S. cow herd expansion begins, and that the breed’s long-time investment in genetic evaluation, research and promotion are now paying big-time dividends,” says Bryce Schumann, Association CEO.
For more information, please view the full release here.
USDA Helps Open and Expand Export Markets for
U.S. Agriculture Through 2014 Farm Bill Programs
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced April 16 that the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) awarded funding to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for American products. The funding was made available through the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA will begin accepting applications for 2015 export-development program funding on April 17.
“Now that Congress has passed the Farm Bill, USDA is moving quickly to implement our trade promotion programs to help open and expand opportunities for farmers, ranchers and small businesses and build on the past five years of record agricultural exports,” said Vilsack. “These programs are an important investment in rural America. Every dollar we invest in trade promotion provides $35 in economic benefits.”
Through the Market Access Program (MAP), FAS partners with U.S. agricultural trade associations, cooperatives, state regional trade groups and small businesses to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities that help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products and commodities. The program, which focuses on consumer promotion, including brand promotion for small companies and cooperatives, is used extensively by organizations promoting fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed products, and bulk and intermediate commodities. Through MAP, FAS will provide $171.8 million to 62 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. Participants contribute an average 171% match for generic marketing and promotion activities and a dollar-for-dollar match for promotion of branded products by small businesses and cooperatives.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Animal Welfare for Youth: Part 4 —
Basic Health and Functioning
This is the fourth in a series of articles from Michigan State University Extension to help club leaders discuss animal welfare concepts with youth. In Part 1, animal welfare was defined, Part 2 provided an outline of the Five Freedoms and Part 3 introduced the Three Circles Model of animal welfare. Part 4 will break down the first circle of the model: Basic Health and Functioning. The ideas presented here can be used with any 4-H animal science project because the questions and concepts apply to all species, including livestock, dairy, poultry, rabbits and cavies, companion animals, goats, and horses and ponies.
To review the definition from Part 3, this addresses the physical fitness of the animal, including good health, normal body function, and normal growth and development. This is probably the most easily understood part because caretakers, both youth and adults, want to make sure their animals are healthy, growing and producing!
Most animals present with discrete signs when basic health and functioning are impaired — lethargy, fever, feed refusal, poor conception rate, poor coat quality, and many other behaviors and symptoms. When this occurs, production animals will not grow as efficiently or provide the other product(s) (e.g., milk, eggs or fiber) desired. Companion animals will not perform the tasks asked of them (e.g. a dog on an agility trial).
In looking back to the Five Freedoms, this relates to the freedoms from hunger and thirst; discomfort; and pain, injury and disease. The three freedoms listed will impact basic health and functioning of an animal, both positive and negative.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Upper Gulf Coast Ranch Expo to Feature Program
on Pasture Leases, Weed Management
The second annual Upper Gulf Coast Ranch Expo scheduled May 13 in Simonton, Texas, will feature presentations on the basics of pasture leases, according to organizers.
The event, to be hosted at Twinwood Cattle Co., 4430 Guyler Road, will feature several management topics pertaining to beef cattle production, including sprayer calibration for weed control and a variety of bus tours. Other presentations will focus on forage production and management, weed control and pecan production.
Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide license holders can earn three continuing education credits — one laws and regulations, one integrated pest management and one general.
“Pasture leases are popular among Texas cattle producers and we are anticipating big interest in this topic,” said Greg Kaase, AgriLife Extension program specialist in risk management, College Station. “We are hoping to educate agricultural producers about this topic and show them the importance of having a written lease in place.”
Cost is $10 by May 9 or $20 for on-site registration. Registration and sponsored booth exhibits open at 7 a.m.
Tiffany Dowell, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist at College Station, will help beef cattle producers understand the finer aspects of pasture leases.
“Specifically, I will go through the basic law of leases, discuss why it is important to have a written lease, and then walk through 12 terms that should be considered when signing a lease,” Dowell said.
At 8:20 a.m., Pete Gibbs, AgriLife Extension associate director from College Station, will provide opening comments. Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert will also provide opening remarks. At 8:45 a.m., Levi Russell, AgriLife Extension economist, Corpus Christi, will discuss “Use of Debt to Finance Herd Expansion.”
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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