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The latest Cattle on Feed Numbers are out on Friday afternoon, December 16, 2011. The "On Feed" numbers were in line with pre-estimate reports, Placements were larger than expected and Marketings also a little larger than expected.

Overall, the report has a slightly negative tone and we can expect to see downside in the cattle futures at the open Monday morning. Tom Leffler of Leffler Commodities analyzes the report and you can hear it by clicking here for Tom's visit with our own Ed Richards.

We also have the thoughts of OSU Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel on the report from Friday- and some input on why cash cattle prices dropped another $1 to $2 as the report was coming out on Friday.  Click here for our Monday Beef Buzz featuring Dr. Peel talking Cattle on Feed.


Here's some of the key numbers from the report- Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.1 million head on December 1, 2011. The inventory was 4 percent above December 1, 2010. This is the second highest December 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.  

Placements in feedlots during November totaled 2.04 million, 4 percent above 2010. Net placements were 1.94 million head. During November, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 755,000, 600-699 pounds were 499,000, 700-799 pounds were 375,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 410,000.  

Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.77 million, slightly below 2010. 

As Legislative Year Closes Out, Push Continues on HR 872 in the Senate 

As the legislative year draws to a close, Senators and members of the agriculture community continue pushing for consideration of H.R. 872.

The legislation would clarify Congressional intent with regards to new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements that went into effect at the end of October. The bill was passed by the House in late March on a bipartisan basis and approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee in June on a voice vote.

Despite these demonstrations of widespread support in a very tense political environment, Senators have not had the chance to consider H.R. 872 as a stand-alone piece of legislation or within another bill.

Last Thursday, a quarter of Senators signed onto a letter directed at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), asking them to allot floor time to the bill. 

Click here for more information on H.R. 872.  

Major Gains in Efficiency of Livestock Systems Needed 

By 2050 an expanded world population will be consuming two thirds more animal protein than it does today, bringing new strains to bear on the planet's natural resources, according to a new FAO report.

Populations and income growth are fueling an ongoing trend towards greater per capita consumption of animal protein in developing countries, says the report, World Livestock 2011. Meat consumption is projected to rise nearly 73 percent by 2050; dairy consumption will grow 58 percent over current levels.

Much of the future demand for livestock production - in particular in the world's burgeoning cities, where most population growth is occurring - will be met by large-scale, intensive animal-rearing operations.

"As it stands, there are no technically or economically viable alternatives to intensive production for providing the bulk of the livestock food supply for growing cities," FAO's report says.

Click here for more information from this latest FAO report.  

Social Security Tax Holiday Continued For Two Months in Senate Passed Bill- Includes Keystone XL Language 

The U.S. Senate voted 89-10 Saturday morning to approve a package that would extend a payroll tax holiday and jobless benefits until Feb. 29 and force the Obama administration to make a decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline within 60 days. The House is expected to take up the plan early this week.

The payroll deal also includes a two-month extension of paying unemployment benefits for 99 weeks and the so-called "Doc Fix" with freezes scheduled cuts in reimbursement rates for Medicare providers  

House and Senate GOP leaders insisted on including Sen. Dick Lugar's, R-Ind., bill that forces President Obama to make a decision on construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline within 60 days - unless the president determines the pipeline, which is supported by some labor unions but opposed by several environmental groups, was not in the national interest. The bill was co-sponsored by Sens. Hoeven, R-ND, and Vitter, R-La, along with 41 others.

If the Keystone XL project is approved- it will include running a pipeline from the oil complex in Cushing south to the Houston area.  Earlier construction of the Keystone pipeline has a pipeline running from southeast Nebraska to Cushing.  The controversial part of the proposed pipeline would come from Alberta, Canada down across the Sand Hills of Nebraska and over top of a portion of the Ogallalla Aquifer. Environmentalists contend that the pipeline would be an ecological disaster waiting to happen. Proponents consider it a jobs bill- as well as a way to set ourselves up to be less dependent on oil from countries who don't like the US.   

Ag Groups Push Back on Attack Against Christmas Tree Checkoff Program

In an attempt to address the fallout to all checkoff programs from the unfair and erroneous characterization of a proposed Christmas tree research and promotion program as a "Christmas tree tax," a total of 19 agricultural groups that represent producers who also participate in checkoff programs have sent a letter to Congress and Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack reiterating their support for these programs.

Groups included both the American Farm Bureau and the National Farmers Union- as well as commodity groups across a wide spectrum of interests.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has indefinitely pulled the Christmas tree growers' proposal for the creation of an industry-funded 15-cents-per-tree research and promotion program, which was sought by growers of more than 500 trees a year, after a blog post calling it the "Christmas Tree Tax" spread quickly throughout the Internet and into mainstream newspapers and television news outlets. Meanwhile, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) introduced an amendment to the Energy and Water appropriations bill to terminate all research and promotion programs, and legislation to prohibit the Christmas tree checkoff also has been proposed in the House. 

Click here for more from these groups and for a link to a copy of the letter.

McDonalds To Show Farmers in New Ad Campaign

McDonald's will spotlight a former President of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association among the four suppliers it is using in an advertising campaign set to launch January 2, 2012, the company said.

The four suppliers McDonald's is using in its ads are Steve Fogelsong of Black Gold Ranch in Illinois, potato growers Frank Martinez and Jenn Bunger and lettuce producer Dirk Giannini.

McDonald's has five direct beef suppliers- including Lopez Foods of Oklahoma City. Other beef suppliers for the Golden Arches include Cargill, OSI, Golden State Foods and Keystone.

McDonald's is focusing on farmers and growers in its ads as part of an effort to show consumers where their food is coming from and emphasize the quality of the ingredients. 

Click here to watch a sneak peek at one of the new commercials. 

Oklahoma 2012 WheatWatch- We've Got Progress- Your Can See It For Yourself 

Expectations for the 2012 wheat crop was rather shaky as the crop was being planted in September and early October- but hopes have been raised with a series of timely rains that came in October and especially in November. 2012 WheatWatch pictures show that the 2012 hard Red Winter Wheat Crop has made significant strides in establishing itself in advance of the winter season.

We've got pictures that  show a respectable amount of growth from October 27 to December 17- click here to take a look at those pictures as found on our website- we also have even more pictures that have been added to our 2012 WheatWatch set on Flickr- the link to those photos are in that same story.

2012 WheatWatch is a courtesy of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, working hard for Oklahoma's Wheat producers.