|
Mississippi Cattlemen's Association
|
Best Steak Winner
Beef Council President Gale Martin and his wife Pam presented Johnny Stewart the award for winning the Best Steak in Mississippi Contest.
Two Rivers Restaurant's 18 oz. Bone in Ribeye was the patrons' choice when voting for their favorite steak. |
Setting the Record Straight
Recent media attention to lean finely textured beef or what the media are calling "pink slime" has brought questions from consumers and school officials concerned about food safety.
Lean, finely textured beef is a healthful, nutritious and safe beef product, even though media reports have portrayed it inaccurately and unfairly.
The linked letter and fact sheet is available for distribution to decision makers in your school.
|
MJCA Spring Tour
MJCA Spring Tour
Junior Cattlemen's Association directors enjoyed a visit to Florida cattle ranches and attractions during spring break.
Stops included Deseret Ranches, Kempher Cattle, Dr. Ashby Green and Lykes Bros. along with visits to the Alabama and Florida Cattlemen's Associations. |
Win this Champion
The Dixie National Grand Champion Steer will be given away to a lucky ticket holder in MCA's annual fundraiser. The beef will be custom processed at Wilson's Meat House in Crystal Springs.
Contact the office for tickets.
|
|
Mississippi Beef Agribition
The 15th Annual Mississippi Beef Agribition Sale will be held Saturday, March 24 in Verona.
The offering will include 19 bulls (11 Angus, 4 Charolais, 2 Hereford, 2 Ultra Blacks).
Also 65 pairs & 35 heavy bred heifers & 3 open heifers will sell, along with 5 show calves. |
GLCI Tour
The South Area Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative Committee (GLCI) will host its 4th Livestock Tour on April 18 & 19 to Greensboro, AL.
Tour stops will include grazing methods, electric fences and erosion control practices.
Click here for details.
|
Plan for Selling More Ethanol
According to Reuters, gasoline containing a higher-blend of ethanol may soon be more widely available to motorists after U.S. environmental regulators approved an industry plan to aid retailers in selling the fuel, the ethanol industry said.
Service stations have been slow to offer the fuel, which has 15 percent ethanol, amid worries about liabilities and costs associated with changing equipment. The industry plan is designed to address those concerns.
The Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to the Renewable Fuels Association last Thursday saying it approved a plan submitted by the industry group that includes a handbook for retailers on how to make sure owners of older cars do not use the fuel, which is 15 percent ethanol and known as E15.
|
| USDA Gives Schools Choice
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on March 15, 2012, that school districts will have choice whether to include lean finely textured beef in purchases of ground beef for the National School Lunch Program.
National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) President J.D. Alexander issued the following statement in response to the USDA announcement.
"Cattlemen and women nationwide firmly agree with USDA's commitment to ensuring the health and safety of the food served to more than 31 million schoolchildren every day. The fact remains that lean finely textured beef is a 100 percent beef product produced from beef trimmings that yields an additional 10-12 pounds of lean, nutritious beef from every beef animal. The production of lean finely textured beef prevents lean, nutritious beef from being wasted.
This lean beef product, like all beef, is naturally rich in nutrients like zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins. It can be added to other cuts of beef to produce ground beef. Lean finely textured beef offers affordable nutrition for kids, which is critical given shrinking school budgets, rising food costs and the fact that for many kids, school lunch is the best chance at getting a well-balanced meal during the day. Hands down, lean finely textured beef is a safe, nutritious product that school districts can choose to include in their school lunch plans.
"When I go to work every morning, my top priority is to raise healthy cattle because healthy cattle are the foundation of a safe, wholesome and nutritious beef supply.
Like all beef producers, I take pride knowing the safe, wholesome and nutritious beef from my operation in Nebraska is served on dinner tables, in school cafeterias and in restaurants nationwide and around the globe.
It is truly unfortunate and a severe disservice to our nation's beef producers and all consumers that media outlets have resorted to misleading the American public and sensationalizing this safe, lean beef product. As school districts and parents work to make decisions about the food they serve their children, they should feel confident, regardless of the type of beef they choose, that they are serving the safest, most wholesome beef product in the world."
|
|
|
|
|
3 Chances to Win
Your choice of a MCA Cap, Tag or T-Shirt.
If you attended any part of the MCA Convention & Dixie National Farm Expo, fill out the survey and you will be entered in a drawing for 1 of 3 prizes.
Your response will help us find ways to make next year's event even better!
|
|
Market Notes
March 16, 2012
Dr. John Michael Riley
Cash Cattle:
Cash fed cattle were steady to slightly lower when compared to last week. Live sales in the Southern Plains were called at $126/cwt. In Nebraska, live sales were at $126-$127/cwt and dressed trade was at $202/cwt. In Oklahoma City, all classes looked to be mostly steady. Feeder steers and heifers were called mixed; slaughter cows and bulls were steady.
Futures:
Live and feeder cattle futures were lower this week. Outside market strength help push prices higher on Tuesday. This was negated in trading on Thursday as cash trade was unimpressive. Lower wholesale beef prices throughout the week also led to weakness in live and feeder cattle futures markets. Losses for the front two contracts was less than those further out as the warm weather has brought on expectations that grilling demand will begin earlier than normal.
Corn futures were higher on the week. Corn moved sharply higher on Monday, especially for nearby contracts as demand continues to support selling now versus storing (often referred to as an inverted market). Corn contracts were steady Tuesday and Wednesday before rallying again on Thursday as a result of Chinese demand and stronger soybean prices. Corn had been losing ground to soybeans over the past few weeks, but appears to not want to continue to give up any more potential acres.
Beef:
Wholesale beef prices were much lower this week. Choice finished the week at $191.24/cwt, down $5.41 from last week. Select ended the week at $189.81/cwt, down $4.46.
|
Calendar
March
19 Panola CCA
20 Tippah CCA
20 Pontotoc CCA
22 Madison CCA
22 Neshoba CCA
|
Monday Memo
Archives
Missed an issue?
Catch up on past
Monday Memos
at the archives page. |
|
