News Update
July 7, 2017
Released Today: Angus Evaluation Enhancements
The American Angus Association EPDs and $Values released in the national cattle evaluation Friday, July 7, include updated percentile tables, breed averages and revised main and supplemental sire listings.
Several other updates have been made to the weekly genetic evaluation including the move to single step methodology, incorporation of more robust growth and carcass models, addition of more than 200,000 genotypes to the database and annual updates to economic assumptions to predict $Values.
Click here for more information on the Association’s new and improved genetic evaluation.
Net Farm Income Rebounds, But Ag Economy Continues to Slump
Kansas average net farm income somewhat rebounded last year to $43,161 from a dismal stretch the previous year when income fell to $6,744 — the lowest in 30 years. The improvement in 2016 was supported by higher crop yields and a decrease in crop production input and machinery costs, according to data from the Kansas Farm Management Association (KFMA) annual summary of member farms.
Not all Kansas farms are KFMA members, but the annual summary can be helpful in identifying trends in agriculture across the state, said Kevin Herbel, KFMA executive director. The 2016 summary information is based on member data from 1,024 farms, including a range of operations such as dryland crop production to irrigated crop production to various types of livestock production businesses.
Prices for most commodities continued at subpar levels in 2016, Herbel said, but above-average crop yields per acre in many areas helped lead to greater value of farm production. That, coupled with a decrease in overall crop production and machinery expenses, contributed to the rise in net income.
Continue reading this Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA article online.
EU Strikes Trade Deal With Japan
Following the July 6 announcement by the European Union and Japan that they have reached agreement in principle on a trade pact, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) renewed its request that the Trump administration begin negotiations on a free trade agreement with Japan.
“The United States must quickly finalize a trade deal with Japan if it wants to maintain that important market,” said NPPC President Ken Maschhoff, a pork producer from Carlyle, Ill. “We can’t stand by while countries around the world negotiate agreements that give them a competitive advantage over American products.
Japan is the highest value market for U.S. pork exports. In 2016, Japanese consumers purchased almost $1.6 billion of U.S. pork products. Demand in Japan for U.S. pork is very strong despite tariffs and other import measures that limit market access for it.
NPPC has urged the administration to get a Trans-Pacific Partnership-type deal with Japan.
Read the full NPPC news release online.
Canadian Angus Youth Take Honors at World Angus Forum
Twelve Canadian Angus youth are returning from Edinburgh, Scotland, where they spent two weeks competing in a number of challenges at the World Angus Forum Youth Programme.
Travis Hunter of Didsbury, Alta., was the individual champion and Team Canada Believe comprised of Michaela Chalmers of Oro-Medonte, Ont.; Travis Hunter of Didsbury, Alta.; Wade Olynyk of Goodeve, Sask.; and Kelsey Ribey of Paisley, Ont., tied with Team Australia Red for third place. Team New Zealand Toa and Team New Zealand Kaha placed first and second, respectively.
Continue reading this CAA news release online.
Sunflower Supreme Replacement Heifer Program Expands
Coming to central Kansas — the Sunflower Supreme Replacement Heifer Program. The program, which began in 2013 in southeast Kansas, has no true borders in terms of producers being able to enroll, according to program director Jaymelynn Farney. Anyone who would like to enroll is allowed and can potentially market heifers at special sales to be hosted in southeast Kansas or Salina at the Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Market.
Developed by Kansas State University (K-State) and the Kansas Department of Agriculture, the program is for Kansas beef producers who want to improve their management techniques and marketability of their heifers. Heifers that are ultimately certified have been minimally managed the same from an important health, breeding and sire selection standpoint, she said. Its guidelines, which are based on best management practices, can be found at www.sunflowersupreme.org. They can be implemented within any cattle operation.
Learn more in the K-State news release online.
Delacon and Cargill Announce Strategic Equity Investment
Delacon and Cargill have agreed to a strategic partnership that will advance the market presence of natural, plant-based feed additives on a global scale and meet changing consumer preferences of what animals are fed and how food is produced. The deal includes a minority equity investment from Cargill. Terms were not disclosed.
The partnership will connect Cargill’s deep expertise in applied nutrition and global presence with Delacon’s knowhow and market experience in phytogenic feed additives, a category that uses natural ingredients, including herbs, spices, other plants and their extracts, such as essential oils, to improve animal performance and secure animal health for sustainable, wholesome food production.
The agreement also will allow the companies to expand their technical and go-to-market capabilities to meet customers’ needs around the world as they pursue the joint mission of growing the phytogenic feed additives category.
For more information, view the release online.
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