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At Saturday's luncheon, $72,000 in college scholarships was awarded to 46 children and grandchildren of MCA members.
These scholarships were made possible by The Wax Company, CattleWomen's Association and the "cattlemen's car tag".
President Jacob Megehee commented during the presentation, "Today, we are making an investment in our future with these young people."
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Dixie National Beef Barn
Thanks to the help of 93 great volunteers, the Dixie National Beef Barn a success!
Exhibitors enjoyed the Ribeye Steak Sandwiches, Beef Burgers and Hot Beef Sundaes served by MCA members in the association's concession booth.
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And the winner is....
After 1,100 voters nominated 150 restaurants, the top 10 were recognized. Then a team of expert judges visited the top restaurants and, based on their scores, The Blue Rooster in Flora & Clinton was declared the winner. But you may be an "expert" burger judge too, so try all of the nominated restaurants and make your own choice for Mississippi's Best Burger! |
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Sumrall in Hall of Fame
Congressman Allen Nunnelee was on hand Saturday evening to address the First South Farm Credit President's Banquet and share in the induction of Gerald Sumrall into the Cattlemen's Hall of Fame.
A longtime supporter of MCA, youth programs and several breed associations, Sumrall served our association as President in 1990.
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Sale of Junior Champions
Buyers at the Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions paid $316,913 for 42 animals. In addition, 34 scholarships were awarded totalling $53,500.
A new sale record was established when Tellus Operating Group and Herrington Services purchased the reserve grand champion steer for $25,000.
Since its inception, the sale has totaled $5.1M for animals and awarded over $550,000 in scholarships.
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Beef Sampling
Extension Service agents from four counties served steak and beef sausage samples to hundreds of consumers attending the Dixie National Farm Expo.
The Beef Council booth was sponsored by Polk's Meats.
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Correction
The Hinds/BCIA Bull Sale will be held Thursday, March 7, 2013. It was incorrectly listed as 2012 in the magazine.
On Wednesday evening, March 6th, the Mississippi BCIA Annual Meeting and educational program will be held on the Hinds Campus. Click for details.
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Beef Exports Set New Record
U.S. beef exports set new value records in 2012, topping highs set in 2011, according to end-of-year statistics released by USDA and compiled by USMEF.
The achievement was more significant in light of challenging export conditions that included non-science-based trade barriers in several key markets and an anemic economy in certain regions.
"The export markets are a critical profit center for the industry at a time when the industry is challenged by high input costs and, on the beef side, a historically low herd size," said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. "2012 saw record highs for per-head export values for both pork and beef at a time when those returns were sorely needed by producers."
The value of beef exports for the year rose 2 percent to a record-high $5.51 billion on 12 percent lower volumes (1.13 million mt).
The per-head export value for beef hit $216.73, a $10.36 increase over 2011. Contributing to that was a new monthly record value of $242.65 set in December.
For the year, U.S. beef exports accounted for 12.7 percent of total beef production and 9.8 percent of muscle cut production. This compares to 14.2 percent and 11 percent, respectively, in 2011.
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Prices Rise as Herd Shrinks
Bloomberg News reports that the beef herd shrunk to its smallest number in 61 years as a result of drought in much of the United States.
The worst U.S. drought since the 1930s cut Midwest corn harvests for a third straight year, sending prices to a record in August. Higher feed costs discouraged herd expansions, even as retail-beef prices surged to a record.
Cattle futures advanced 8.9 percent last year on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the fourth straight annual gain. Prices rose 0.4 percent in January to $1.328 a pound yesterday, capping the fourth monthly gain.
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Cattle Market Notes
Dr. John Michael RileyFebruary 8, 2013
Cash Cattle: Live cash trade was slow to develop this week. In Texas and Kansas, live prices were at $125/cwt by Friday. In Nebraska, live and dressed cattle sold at $125/cwt and $200/cwt, respectively. Trade in the Western Cornbelt was at $124-$125/cwt and $200 for live and dressed respectively. The five-area price was higher at $126.52/cwt on a live basis and at $198.41/cwt for dressed.
Light feeder steers and heifers were steady in Oklahoma City, while 800 pound and up cattle were $1-$3/cwt lower. Calves were called steady to $3/cwt higher. In Mississippi auction markets feeder steers were $2-$5/cwt higher and feeder heifers were steady. Cull cows were steady and bulls sold $1-$2/cwt higher.
Futures:
Live cattle futures remain in a state of flux. Short-term demand cannot seem to find any footing. The snow storm that has hit the Northeast is yet another instance where beef consumption will likely take a hit. Longer-term, limited supplies should under-pin prices further out. However, the market is reluctant to support this fundamental idea until some semblance of steady-to-improving beef demand is established.
Corn futures prices finished lower this week. For the most part, prices slid each day. Continued weakness in the export market showed up early in the week and then again on Friday with the release of the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report. The report increased corn carry-over from 602 million bushels to 632 largely due to slower exports. Pre-report expectations looked for a 618 million ending stock number. A stronger dollar mid week added to the weak export mind-set. The higher than expected ending stock number and a sharply lower soybean market pushed prices much lower on Friday.
Beef:
Wholesale boxed beef prices continued to slide lower with Choice once again dropping at a faster pace than Select. Choice finished with a weekly average of $183.31/cwt, down $2.52, and Select finished at $180.03/cwt, down $0.65.
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February
21 Tishomingo
CCA
28 Pontotoc CCA
March
6 BCIA Annual
Meeting
7 Hinds/BCIA Bull
Sale
12 Heifer
Development
Short Course
14-16 AI School
19 Pontotoc CCA
23 Beef Agribition
28 CLM CCA
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