The Maine Beef Producers Association held it's Annual Bull, Heifer & Club Calf Show and Sale at Fryeburg Fair October 3rd.
The event started with a show. The show was broken down into two classes of bulls and steers and a class of heifers.  The winner of the heavy weight class was Findview Mick Jagger, a 746 lb. Shorthorn bull, show by Findview Farm, with second going to Bruno, a 684 lb Simmental cross bull, shown by McGee Farms and third going to Frederick, a 598 lb Shorthorn bull shown by Ken Hoyt. The medium weight class was won by Baxter, a 459 lb Maine Anjou, Angus cross bull show by McGee Farms. Second was Gimmie That Turbo, a 538 lb Angus steer shown by McGee Farms.
The heifer class was won by KEB Charmin, a Herford shown by Top Of The Hill Farm. Second was AJF Dutchess Kate, a Chi-Maine, shown by Top Of The Hill Farm. Third was 4 Star Elsa, a Simmental shown by 4 Star Farm. Fourthe was 4 Star Sophia, a Simmental shown by 4 Star Farm. Fifth was AJF Golden Secret, a Chi-Maine show by Top Of The Hill Farm. Sixth was WWF Dominette, a Hereford shown by Top Of The Hill Farm.
At this point the Beef Producers awarded savings bonds to the highest placing youth that purchased steers from last year's sale. Receiving bonds were Colby Waters, Reserve Champion at Bangor with a Simmental cross purchased from McGee Farms, Monique Bickford, Reserve Champion at Windsor with a Shorthorn purchased from Caverly Cattle Company and Samantha Simpson, 5th Medium Lightweight at Fryeburg with a Shorthorn purchased from Caverly Cattle Company.
The highest selling lot from the six bulls and steers was Gimmie That Turbo, an Angus steer, bringing $1,550 from Autumn Clair. The six calves averaged $1,270.
The high selling lot from the heifers was KEB Charmin, a May Hereford bred heifer bringing $4,350 from Road'd End Farm. The six heifers averaged $1,910.

Four of the Calves 4 Kids youth brought their animals to Fryeburg to show. 

Ashton Caron received the Beltie in 2014, Shelby Walker received a Charolais in 2014, Cierra Waters received an Angus in 2013 and Matthew Carroll received an Angus in 2012.

The Maine Beef Producers Calves 4 Kids program was started in 2007.  Calves were originally donated or bought and given to a deserving youth.  That youth was then to raise the heifer, breed her and give back the first heifer calf their cow had.  To date, eighteen calves have been given to deserving youths.  Eight youth have given calves back. If there is any youth interested in the  program you can e-mail Jenn Grant at Findviewfarm@juno.com for more information.

**New** Maine Feeder Cattle Loan Program 

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Maine Beef Industry Council $1 Beef Checkoff 

By the end of 2014 our office will close. Maine will merge into the "Northeast Unit" to be served by the National Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB). The Northeast Unit includes all of the New England states except for the Vermont Beef Industry Council. Maine's cattle herd size and rate of collections no longer justifies keeping the office open.

This change should have little effect on Maine remitters. You will continue to send checkoff dollars, but directly to CBB instead of to our Maine bank. In November you will be notified as to the new address.

The decision to end the MBIC as a "Qualified State Beef Council" under the Beef Promotion and Research Act came after lengthy debate and discussions by your volunteer board members. Bottom line is that few enough (Maine) dollars remain for effective promotion, after deducting office operating and collection costs.

The MBIC began in 1988 after beef and dairymen voted in a Maine referendum whether to establish this office. Eighty-four percent of those voters said 'yes.' The industry knew that having money to spend on promotion could help to address declining beef market share for improved profitability.

As we evaluated our viability this year, we asked the Vermont Beef Industry Council to consider merging with Maine to form a Maine-Vermont Unit. After lengthy consideration, the VBIC board decided that Maine's small net income would not offset the added cost to VBIC of trying to cover both states. Under Beef Promotion and Research rules, each of our two states would have had to continue separate banking and collections accounts.

The members of the board of directors wish to extend a special 'thank you' to you - our many loyal supporters of the research and promotion that the beef checkoff provides. Your dollars have been used to encourage health providers, nutritionists, dieticians, teachers, counselors, food service, and others to keep beef on the menu. Your dollars have brought experts to Maine in beef and dairy production and marketing, to help Maine's industry grow and improve. We together -- MBIC directors and you -- have accomplished a lot over the years in helping Maine develop a stronger industry.

New forms, a new address, and more information will be coming.

  Beef producers selling through auction houses try to compare the price they receive with the industry average. But the average varies according to when and where the auction is, type and condition on animals, number of animals in various categories, number of buyers present, etc. Ronnie Pollack with Flame Stockyard shared the following information and some prices were from the New Hampshire Weekly Market Report. This comparison is for the past 5-years and the most recent 5-months.

Definitions:  

Bulls = intact males

Steers = castrated males

Heifers = intact females, over a year old and never have given birth

Calf Growers = feeder calves headed back to a farm to put on more weight

Calf Heifers = female feeder calves headed back to a farm to put on more weight

 

Reports are downloadable from State of New Hampshire Weekly Market Bulletin at http://www.agriculture.nh.gov/market-bulletin/index.htm  

• Survey on Impact of State and Municipal Regulations on Farming. The University of Connecticut (UConn) Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy is interested in finding out your views on state and municipal regulations that affect farming activities and profitability. This survey should take approximately 20 minutes of your time, and your participation is very important. Your responses will be anonymous, and your name or contact information is not requested. The results of this survey will be developed into a report which will be shared with Northeast agricultural leaders, and policy makers at the state and local levels. Your participation in this important survey

  is appreciated.To participate, click the following link to be taken to the survey site administered by UConn:

  http://www.zwickcenter.uconn.edu/survey.php 

  If you have any questions about this study, you may contact Dr. Benjamin Campbell at ben.campbell@uconn.edu or Dr. Adam Rabinowitz at adam.rabinowitz@uconn.edu
   
• Maine Hay Directory is maintained by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to link those who have forages with those who need forages for their animals. In the coming months those who have forage to sell will be listing what they have available (hay, haylage, silage, pasture, hay stumpage), the form (large bales, small bales, etc.), where they are located, if delivery is available, etc. The listings are free, we only ask that you update your listing.) Viewing the listing is free too and it is listed by county. A note that some unscrupulous buyers will send unsuspecting farmers a check for too much for their purchase (some are from eBay, Craig's List, etc.) and ask the farmer to wire the surplus back. Be sure to check the Attorney General's Caution to Farmers for Over Payment. If you are contacted by one of these scam artists be sure to contact the AG's Consumer Protection Division at (800) 436-2131.
• How to Test Forage Quality is a new YouTube Video produced by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and features Rick Kersbergen, Extension Professor from Waldo County. Several UMaine Extension Offices have hay probes available for you to borrow to take hay samples. Contact the office nearest you to see if they have one. If not we may be able to get one to that office.

• 2014 Farm Bill Informational Meetings - Dairy sessions will be held in October throughout the state. General sessions will be held in November. For the complete schedule of sessions go to the Maine Farm Service Agency Site here.  

   

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