USDA Designates 85 Missouri Counties Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Decision Allows Farmers and Ranchers to Apply for USDA Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 85 Missouri counties primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred Jan. 1, 2006, and continuing. Those counties are:
Andrew Daviess Linn Ray
Audrain Dent Madison Reynolds
Barry Douglas Maries Schuyler
Barton Franklin McDonald Scotland
Bates Gasconade Mercer Shannon
Benton Gentry Miller St. Charles
Boone Greene Moniteau St. Clair
Buchanan Harrison Monroe St. Francois
Caldwell Henry Montgomery St. Louis
Callaway Hickory Morgan Ste. Genevieve
Camden Howard Newton Stone
Carroll Iron Osage Sullivan
Cass Jackson Ozark Texas
Cedar Jasper Pettis Vernon
Christian Jefferson Phelps Warren
Clark Johnson Pike Washington
Clay Knox Platte Webster
Cole Laclede Polk Worth
Cooper Lafayette Pulaski Wright
Crawford Lawrence Putnam
Dade Lewis Ralls
Dallas Lincoln Randolph
Also eligible because they are contiguous are the following counties:
Adair De Kalb Macon Saline
Bollinger Grundy Marion Shelby
Carter Holt Nodaway St. Louis City
Chariton Howell Oregon Taney
Clinton Livingston Perry Wayne
In addition, the following counties in the adjacent states of Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma are also eligible because they are contiguous.
Arkansas: Baxter, Benton, Carroll, Fulton and Marion counties
Illinois: Adams, Calhoun, Hancock, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, Pike, Randolph and St. Clair counties
Iowa: Appanoose, Davis, Decatur, Lee, Ringgold, Taylor, Van Buren and Wayne counties
Kansas: Atchison, Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Doniphan, Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami and Wyandotte counties
Oklahoma: Delaware and Ottawa counties
All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on Oct. 10, 2006, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.
USDA has also made other programs available to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Emergency Conservation Program, Federal Crop Insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=diap&topic=landing.
- USDA
Cattle Industry News
USDA Agrees
to Change Cattle Price Reporting
In a move that
will provide more accurate pricing information for cattle producers, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting feeder cattle prices
reported on a delivered basis with a freight adjustment. The delivered basis
transactions will be included with those already being collected and reported on
a free on board (F.O.B.) basis, and will be eligible for inclusion in the
Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Feeder Cattle Index™ (Index).
This reporting change comes in response to concerns expressed by producer-members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) regarding the low volume of animals that were being used for calculation of the Index. USDA limitations on the types of cattle sales eligible for inclusion in its reports were identified as a major contributing factor to this situation.
“This alteration will enhance the transparency and effectiveness of the Index by allowing producers who receive feeder cattle on a ‘delivered’ basis to convert the price paid to a F.O.B. price by subtracting out the transport costs they incurred,” said Jason Jordan, manager of legislative affairs for NCBA.
The Index serves as a valuable risk management tool for producers and is based on feeder cattle prices collected and reported from a 12-state region by USDA. The accuracy of the Index depends upon a sufficient number of animals being included in the calculation. However, in recent years it had become clear that the current reporting parameters limited the volume of reportable sales such that the validity of the Index was in question, especially during fall months.
Recognizing that an alteration was needed, NCBA collaborated with key officials from the CME and USDA to identify changes that would facilitate a higher volume for calculation of the Index. Specifically, delivered-basis transactions may be converted to an F.O.B basis by the buyer or seller, and reported by telephone, e-mail or facsimile. In order to ensure accurate reporting, the following stipulations apply.
As producers begin to report these delivered transactions, USDA will compile the information and make it publicly available for a period of time in order to illustrate the effect of this alteration before including delivered transactions in its reports. Also, understanding that cattle are often sold on even weights, USDA will begin including 850-pound (lb.) animals in the 800-849 lb. weight category.
“Open communication and information sharing have led to this distinct change in USDA policy,” Jordan said. “Producers are strongly encouraged to report all of their cattle trades both on a F.O.B. basis and delivered with a freight adjustment. This will increase the volume of animals going into calculation of the Index and ensure that it is a true representation of current market conditions.”
To maintain the integrity of direct feeder cattle reporting, information collected on feeder cattle transactions, or documentation provided to support the transaction, may be retained by Livestock and Grain Market News for a period of one year. However, as with all proprietary information collected by Market News, this information is not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and can only be provided to another government agency during the course of an active investigation. For more information visit www.beefusa.org. - NCBA
Limousin
Plans Free Member Workshops
The North American
Limousin Foundation (NALF) plans a series of free regional workshops for
members. Topics to be addressed include breed improvement and marketing issues.
The dates and sites include:
No advance registration is required. Workshop agendas will be posted in the "Programs" section at www.nalf.org. For more info, contact Frank Padilla at frank@nalf.org or 303-220-1693.
Banner Year: Angus Breed Records Nearly 350,000 Animals in FY 2006
The American Angus Association experienced significant growth in all levels of business in fiscal year (FY) 2006, which ended Sept. 30. The Association recorded 347,572 registrations, posting a continual increase over the past two decades.
“Angus breeders have enjoyed phenomenal success in recent years and especially the past two years,” says John Crouch, Association executive vice president. “The versatility of the Angus breed and its ability to excel in maternal traits and end-product quality has made Angus the breed of choice for commercial cattlemen throughout the United States.”
Registrations rose more than 7% from the previous year. Transfers, which represent the sales of cattle to new owners, also increased with a total of 206,121, also up 7% from a year ago. Of the registrations processed, more than 10% were embryo transfer calves, and nearly 49% of all animals registered were sired via artificial insemination (AI).
The number of new regular members grew more than 4%, with 3,558 adults joining. New junior memberships remained steady at 1,342.
Reports of Angus cattle sales showed growth as well. Fourteen percent more bulls were reported selling through auction sales attended by Association regional managers, and they averaged $135 per head more than a year ago. Female sales increased, as well, and averaged $243 more per lot than FY 2005.
Angus breeders continue to use Beef Improvement Records (BIR) to keep performance records in order to focus on genetic improvement. A 6% increase in participation was posted with nearly 9,700 herds submitting more than 882,000 birth, weaning and yearling weights. Additionally, more than 150,000 ultrasound measurements were submitted, marking an 18.5% increase in that technology.
AngusSource,® which earned status as a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Process Verified Program (PVP) during the past year, experienced growth this year, posting a 4% increase in enrollments. Producers are realizing the value of information when selling their calves as the use of marketing profiles has jumped nearly 36% compared to a year ago.
A record-high 13.1 million cattle were identified for the Certified Angus Beef LLC program, which sold more than 543 million pounds of Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand product this year, the highest figure since 2003.
A more complete year-end summary will be provided in the American Angus Association Annual Report to be distributed at the Association’s Annual Convention of Delegates during the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ky., in November. The Annual Report will also be published in the December Angus Journal, along with traditionally reported year-end statistics, such as the top 25 bulls for registrations and herds recording 100 head or more during FY 2006.
— American Angus Association
NCBA Annual Convention Announcement
Registration information available in National Cattlemen magazine
Join us at the 2007 Cattle Industry Annual Convention & Trade Show, being held Jan. 31-Feb. 3 at the Gaylord Opryland® Resort and Convention Center Nashville. New this year, the registration brochure for Convention will be sent with the fall issue of the National Cattlemen magazine (which will be mailed October 12), and not with the Beef Business Bulletin.
NCBA Urges Producers to Research Candidates for Upcoming Elections
The 2006 mid-term Congressional elections are just about a month away, and if you’re undecided about candidates in your state, the time is NOW to research their background and voting record. The polls are continuing to show a possible rebalance in both houses of Congress. U.S. cattle producers should be urging friends, family and neighbors to get out and vote for the candidates that understand agriculture, support our livelihood, and will stand up for cattle producers in Washington D.C.
This year, we’ve made it especially easy for you to find out about the
candidates in your state online. Just go to
http://capwiz.com/beefusa and click on the “Election” section! If you have
any questions about which candidates are best for the cattle industry, do not
hesitate to contact our D.C. office, at 202-347-0228.
- NCBA
Cattle-Fax Market Update
October 11 - Fed cattle trade developed on Wednesday with live values mostly $2 to $3 lower and dressed prices $2 to $4 lower. The bulk of the live trade was at $88-88.50 in the South and $87-88 in the North. Dressed trade occurred at $139 in the South and $137-138 in the North. Trade volume for the week is moderate, including Tuesday's fed sales in the South. Live cattle futures were mixed with October up $0.07 at $88.35 and December down $0.12 at $86.90. Feeder cattle futures were lower for the fourth consecutive day, under pressure from climbing corn prices and declining live cattle futures. October feeder cattle closed $0.85 lower at $109.25 and November lost $0.40 at $107.15. Buyer's concerns over shorter beef production led to active movement of beef product on Wednesday at nearly 550 loads. Choice was quoted up $0.48 at $143.28 and Select up $0.34 at $133.87. The spot December corn contract gained over $0.08 to close at $2.84.
-To join Cattle-Fax, call (800) 825-7525
Missouri Cattlemen’s Update
Make plans to attend the Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show
Plans are shaping up for the 2006 Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show, December 7-9, 2006 at the University Plaza Hotel and Springfield Expo Center in Springfield, Missouri.
For cattle producers, regardless of the size or scope of their farm or ranch, this is an excellent opportunity to help shape the policy of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association for the upcoming year, to take part in a wide range of educational programs, to visit hundreds of trade show exhibits, and to enjoy the food, fun, and fellowship of the Convention.
2006 Cattlemen’s College - a “Don’t Miss” Program
With the most outstanding line-up of speakers ever featured, one of the highlights of the 2006 Convention is sure to be the Cattlemen’s College program. Cattlemen’s College will take cattle producers from “Gate to Plate,” highlighting the latest innovations and changes in the industry, while focusing on how the changes affect your operation and your bottom line. Speakers include: Troy Marshall, BEEF Cow-Calf Weekly and Seedstock Digest; Larry Corah, Certified Angus Beef; Dr. Gary Smith, Colorado State University; and more.
Cattlemen’s College registration is only $75 for the first person and $50 for each additional person from the same household or business. Registration includes a bottle of Dectomax, lunch, and all materials. Student registration is only $20 and is available to current high school and college students. Be sure to register early - after the Nov. 27 early deadline, Cattlemen’s College registration increases to $100 (first person) and $75 (each additional person), and $25 for students. Registration information is available by calling (888) 499-9162, visiting www.mocattle.com, and will also be in the October and November issues of Missouri Beef Cattleman magazine. If you have not participated in Cattlemen’s College in the past, this is a great year to attend! The Cattlemen’s College is sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health and lunch is sponsored by U.S. Premium Beef.
Increased Exhibit Space Creates More Opportunities for Vendors and Attendees
Whether you’re in the market for a product or service, or trying to market your products or service, the Trade Show at the Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade show is the perfect place for you. Businesses – the 2006 convention will be a great place for you to showcase your products and services to cattle producers from Missouri and surrounding states. The Springfield Expo Center is a top-of-the-line facility, with plenty of space for all kinds of exhibits – from large equipment and machinery to live cattle.
Cattle producers – from trailers and chutes to animal health products and feed, our trade show has it all! Live cattle will be on display, and the entire family will enjoy our wide variety of exhibits, from jewelry and accessories to BBQ sauce and coffee. Educational seminars and demonstrations will run throughout the trade show, with topics ranging from basic cattle production to cooking. Activities for youth will also take place in the trade show.
Make your Hotel Reservation Now!
To take advantage of the University Plaza Hotel’s special discounted rate for the Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show, call (417) 864-7333. Rates are $79/night plus tax.
For more information on the Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show, keep reading Iowa Farmer Today – Missouri Edition, call the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association at (888) 499-9162, or visit www.mocattle.com.
Attention Cattle Producers - Save your Ralgro Wheels for “Wheels for Bucks” Program
Program Benefits both MCF and MCA Educational and Junior Programs
From now until December, please make an effort to collect empty Ralgro wheels and Magnum strips from your friends, neighbors, and business associates. For every 10 empty Ralgro wheels and for every 5 empty magnum strips, we will receive one wheel of Ralgro to be auctioned Friday, Dec. 8 during the Foundation Auction at convention. This is a wonderful fundraising opportunity and it goes to a great cause – half the proceeds benefit Missouri’s Cattlemen Foundation and the other half benefit MCA’s educational and youth/junior programs. Last year, the Wheels for Bucks program raised more than $16,000 for MCF and MCA.
Wheels and strips can be brought to the MCA office prior to convention or directly to the convention. Both county associations and individual producers are encouraged to participate and help Missouri’s youth! The Wheels for Bucks program is sponsored by Schering-Plough. Please take time to thank your local Schering-Plough representative for bringing back a great program!
Your Beef Checkoff at Work: Chef Richard Chamberlain visits Missouri
Nationally renowned Chef Richard Chamberlain, will be traveling the St. Louis area with Alane Lidolph, MBIC Director of Consumer Information, teaching beef customers how to prepare healthy and delicious beef cuts. Chef Chamberlain grew up on a Texas cattle ranch and owns gourmet restaurants that feature prime beef dishes in cities such as Dallas and Las Vegas. He partnered with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Dietetic Association to author “The Healthy Beef Cookbook” which is chock full of wonderful recipes using beef’s 29 lean cuts. – Missouri Beef Industry Council
Mid Missouri Cattlemen’s Association plans Chili Cook-off
Chili Cook-off - On October 21, the Mid Missouri Cattlemen’s Association will host a Men’s Chili Cook-Off. The event will be held at the Miller County Regional Stockyards, with serving from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Teams or individuals are welcome. Registration must be made by calling the Stockyards at (573) 392-5572. Entries will be judged and prizes will be awarded. A meal and meeting will follow.
Girls, dust off those cook books - you are invited to bring any baked goods to sell during the cook-off. The winner of the Browning Shotgun raffle will be drawn after the meal; tickets will be available up to the time of drawing from any board member or at the Stockyards. - Mid Missouri Cattlemen’s Association
Calendar of Events
Oct. 12 Polk County Cattlemen – Smith’s Restaurant, 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 13 MU Collegiate CattleWomen Hayride
Oct. 13-15 Southwest Cattlemen – Apple Butter Making Days, Mt. Vernon, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Oct. 14 Crawford County Cattlemen – Fall Social, Wallis Farm, Bourbon, 3:00 p.m.
Oct. 17 Henry County Cattlemen – Membership Dinner, Windsor High School, 6:00 p.m.
Oct. 19 Greene County Cattlemen – Golden Corral (N. Kansas), Springfield, 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 21 Mid-Missouri Cattlemen – Chili Cook-off (see details above)
Oct. 22 Vernon County Cattlemen – Focal Dairy, 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 6 Macon County Cattlemen – Lolli Livestock Market, Macon, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 19 Johnson County Cattlemen – Johnson Co. Fairgrounds, 6:30 p.m.
For more cattle industry events, visit www.mocattle.com/calendar.htm
The Fine Print
This newsletter is a publication of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. All rights reserved – this newsletter may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without permission of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Did someone forward this message to you? To subscribe yourself, send an email to cattleinfo@mocattle.com.
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If so, please contact McKenzie Disselhorst at (573) 499-9162 or mckenzie@mocattle.com.