Mississippi BCIA News
Nominations are due this Friday for the Spring MBCIA Bull Sale. Click here for the nomination form.
MBCIA's annual meeting will be held Friday, February 10th at 1:00 p.m. in the Jackson Trade Mart.
The January MBCIA newsletter is available online.
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USDA to Close 259 Offices
Eight Mississippi county FSA offices were included in the USDA list of 259 domestic offices, labs and other facilities that are under consideration as part of an effort to save $150 million per year.
Michael Sullivan, State Executive Director for USDA Farm Service Agency in Mississippi, announced that public hearings regarding consolidation of FSA county offices will be held in each location and that a final decision will not be made until after the hearings.
Counties affected are: Benton, Choctaw, DeSoto, Itawamba, Lamar, Lawrence, Smith and Yalobusha.
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Mississippi Beef Agribition
Bull and heifer consignments are being accepted for the 15th Annual Mississippi Beef Agribition Sale to be held Saturday, March 24th at the Lee County Agri-Center in Verona.
For details, contact Mike Howell at: office - 662-566-2201, cell - 662-871-8468, mhowell@ext.msstate.edu .
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Fed Beef Challenge
The Mississippi Fed Beef Challenge is accepting entries for the 2012 contest.
Cattle must be delivered to Mississippi State University on April 9 or 10.
Contact Dr. Brandi Bourg for details. |
Cattle Haulers Destroyed
The animal rights group Animal Liberation Front (ARF) has taken credit for last week's fire that destroyed 14 tractors and several cattle trailers at Harris Farms, California's largest cattle feeder, beef processor and beef marketer. No people or animals were harmed in the fire.
According to the ALF statement distributed about the Harris Farms arson, "containers of accelerant were placed beneath a row of 14 trucks with 4 digital timers used to light four of the containers and kerosene-soaked rope carrying the fire to the other 10. We were extremely pleased to see that all 14 trucks 'were a total loss.'"
NCBA President Bill Donald said, "This is not only an attack on a family-owned and operated business; this is a domestic terrorist attack on our nation's providers of food and fiber. This extremist behavior goes above mere activism and the freedom of speech. These criminals are threatening lives and causing substantial economic harm.
"Anyone concerned about the welfare of animals would not orchestrate attacks on individuals who are experts at caring for these creatures. Ranchers are undoubtedly the very best caretakers of livestock. Cattlemen and women implement the highest animal handling and food safety standards designed by veterinarians, animal behavioral experts and researchers.
"These extreme attacks are nothing more than bad people doing bad things and they must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, just as any other criminal would be in this country.
"The National Cattlemen's Beef Association strongly condemns any and all attacks against farming and ranching operations. As a rancher, a father and a proud grandfather, I feel for the families impacted by this senseless attack. As president of the leading national cattle organization, I applaud my fellow cattlemen for their efforts to provide the safest and highest quality beef to consumers in the United States and beyond."
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| Opposition to Production Agreement
A coalition of livestock and poultry organizations, including the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), recently sent a letter urging Congress to reject legislation to implement an agreement between the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the United Egg Producers to seek federally mandated egg production practices.
NCBA Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts said legislation to mandate on-farm production practices sets a dangerous precedent to allow the federal government to set prescriptive production practices for other animal species.
Read more about this issue as well as learn a little about exciting entertainment opportunities at the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in this week's edition of Beltway Beef.
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MCA Convention
&
Trade Show
February 10 & 11
Convention Schedule
Registration Form
Pfizer Animal Health is again sponsoring Cattlemen's College at this year's MCA Convention.
Among the outstanding speakers slated for the program is Dr. Mike Nichols, managing veterinarian with Pfizer Animal Health U.S. Beef Cattle Technical Services Group.
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Market Notes
Dr. John Michael Riley
January 13, 2012
Cash Cattle:
Cash Cattle:
There is not much to report this week for cash fat cattle. Trade was limited across all regions and so few changed hands that no trends were called. Bids and asks never came together as packers watched beef prices slip, while feeders had little wiggle room holding expensive cattle that have eaten expensive grain. The first sale of 2012 in Oklahoma City saw five weight steers top $180/cwt and feeder steers came in just under $150/cwt. Much of the same sentiment was true in Mississippi markets this week. Feeder steers were $7-$16/cwt higher and heifers were $5-$20/cwt higher. Cows and bulls across Mississippi were $1-$7/cwt higher.
Futures:
Corn futures took a dive late this week following USDA's supply and demand report released Thursday. Traders were expecting a cut in 2011/12 carry-over but the report revealed no real change. This coupled with rainfall across Southern Brazil and Argentina - helping to revive what was looking to be a poor crop for both corn and soybeans - pushed corn lower.
Both live and feeder cattle futures were aided by the drop in corn. The stall in cash price development for fed cattle and lower boxed beef prices had been pressuring cattle futures prior to the release of the report.
Beef:
Wholesale beef prices were lower this week. Choice was down sharply at $187.92/cwt, down $4.42. Select faired better but still ended down $1.82/cwt at $178.00.wt.
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Calendar
January
19 Marshall CCA
19 Webster CCA
27 Hinds CCA
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SAVE THE DATE
February 1 - 4 |
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