 Zoetis Cattlemen's College will be held August 28th at Cain Cattle in Pickens and on August 29th at JRW , LLC near Seminary. The program will include the Stockmanship & Stewardship Tour sponsored by NRCS. |
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Making Tracks Camp
Sign up today for Making Tracks Leadership Camp at Mississippi State University on June 17, 18 & 19.
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We welcome our newest Member Discount merchants, Central Mississippi Custom Built Trailers of Pelahatchie and Boot Country of Hattiesburg to a growing list of businesses offering exclusive discounts to MCA members. More information is available for merchants interested in joining the program. |
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Charolais Association
The Mississippi Charolais Association is reorganizing and will meet Saturday, June 8th in the MCA office at 3:00 p.m.
Anyone interested in helping to promote Charolais cattle and youth activities is invited to attend..
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 The Deep South Brahman Assoc. annual meeting and field day will be held May 24 & 25 at Rocking B Cattle in Wiggins. A judging contest and junior show will be held Saturday. Register here to help in planning meals.
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Stocker Conference
Georgia is hosting the annual Deep South Stocker Conference in Watkinsville on August 8th and 9th. Topics will be of interest to both stocker and cow/calf operators.
If interested in group travel leaving from Meridian, contact Dr. Brandi Karisch at bkarish@ads.msstate.edu
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Dairy Field Days
The dairy day program will be presented June 25th in Verona and again on June 26th in Tylertown. The event will feature displays and educational presentations. |
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 A new study called BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet) shows that adding lean beef to the most recommended heart-healthy diet can lower heart disease risk by reducing levels of total and LDL "bad" cholesterol.
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Johanns Concerned about Farm Bill
KMA reports that Senator Mike Johanns has grave reservations about the Farm Bill approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Johanns says the measure that he voted against takes a step backward from the progress made on farm policy last year. Johanns tells colleagues on the committee the bill doesn't save the money it claims and takes a step backward in farm policy.
"It contains what I would describe as a gimmick. It hides $3.1 billion in payments right outside the ten-year budget window," according to Johanns. "It reminds me of the days back when I was governor of Nebraska. Times were tough and somebody was suggesting, well we could balance the budget by delaying the school aid payment until the next fiscal year."
Johanns, a former Secretary of Agriculture, says the bill also double counts $6.4 billion in savings already contained in a bill signed into law in 2011. He claims the bill would only cut spending by 1.5%, saving just $15 billion over 10 years.
The biggest disagreement Johanns has, though, is on the philosophy the bill expresses.
Last year, the Senate Agriculture Committee approved a measure that would move farm policy away from government payments and toward a more market-driven system. It relied on crop insurance to allow farmers to better manage their risks.
The committee measure would double target price payments from $1.5 billion to $3.5 billion. The target price for rice would increase by more than 25%. Peanut prices would rise 6%.
Johanns says the committee measure gives the federal government too large a role in setting crop prices, interfering with the markets. He says no farmer has pleaded with him to restore the government's role in setting crop prices.
"Farmers just basically said the basic crop insurance program that we have is working, try to do everything you can to sustain that program," says Johanns.
The Ag Committee approved its version of the Farm Bill on a 15-to-5 vote.
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Cattle Market
Notes
Dr. John Michael Riley
May 17, 2013
Cash Cattle:The five-area live price was at $124.79/cwt on Friday compared to $126.22 last week and similarly the dressed price was a few dollars lower at $199.76/cwt compared to $202.74. In Panhandle of Texas and Oklahoma, live cattle sold at $125/cwt on Thursday. Trade in Kansas on Friday came in at $125-$125.50/cwt on a live basis. Nebraska live and dressed cattle sold at $125.50/cwt and $200-$202/cwt, respectively. Western Cornbelt live prices were reported at $125, while dressed came in at $198-$202. Feeders in Oklahoma City were mixed with heavy steers and all feeder heifers being steady to $2/cwt higher, while feeders under 800 pounds were steady to $2/cwt lower. Calves in OKC were $2/cwt lower. In Mississippi auction markets this week all steer cattle were lower about $2-$5/cwt and heifers were mixed. Cull cows in Mississippi were steady to $1/cwt lower and bulls were $2-$5/cwt higher. Futures:
Live cattle futures slid lower this week. The nearby contract worked higher early before dropping. Deferred contracts slid all week long. This happened in spite of record setting boxed beef prices. Cash fed cattle moved lower adding pressure. Finally, USDA released their monthly Cattle on Feed and traders were looking for a sharp year-over-year jump in April placements, which likely added to the negative tone. Placements ended slightly higher than expected but the total number on feed was only 0.3 percentage points lower than expected (more here). Old crop corn futures gained and new crop futures fell. A stronger U.S. dollar added some pressure. Mostly, improved weather likely had planters rolling. Beef:
Choice boxed beef soared to $209.51 this Friday setting records along the way. Retailers are gearing up for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday which helped spur purchases in hopes that warmer temps will draw consumers outdoors to their grills. The weekly average for Choice beef was $207.49/cwt, up $4.17, and Select finished with a weekly average of $192.33/cwt, up $1.78.
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May
23 Lauderdale CCA 25 Brahman Field Day June3 Jasper CCA
8 Lowndes Hay Day,
Crossville, AL
15 JRW Field Day
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