US Cattle on Feed Down Two Percent, Leffler Calls Report Neutral  

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on June 1, 2014. In the monthly cattle on feed report released by the US Department of Agriculture on Friday afternoon showed the inventory was 2 percent below June 1, 2013.


Placements in feedlots during May totaled 1.91 million, 7 percent below 2013. Net placements were 1.81 million head. During May, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 435,000, 600 - 699 pounds were 290,000, 700 - 799 pounds were 477,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 710,000.


Click Here to read more, to find a link to the latest Cattle on Feed report and to listen to an analysis by Tom Leffler.  

USDA Provides $8 Million to Help Boost Declining Honey Bee Population 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), today announced $8 million in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) incentives for Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin farmers and ranchers who establish new habitats for declining honey bee populations. More than half of the commercially managed honey bees are in these five states during the summer. Today's announcement comes in addition to $3 million USDA designated to the Midwest states to support bee populations earlier this year through the Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

"American agricultural production relies on having a healthy honey bee population," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "In recent years, factors such as diseases, parasites, pesticides or habitat loss have contributed to a significant decline in the honey bee population. This $8 million is part of the Administration's ongoing strategy to reverse these trends and establish more plant habitat on Conservation Reserve Program lands to restore the bee population." To learn more about this project Click Here.

In the White House blog, Bob Perciasepe, Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture said pollinators contribute substantially to the sustainability of our food production systems, the economic vitality of the agricultural sector, and the health of the environment. Honey bee pollination alone adds more than $15 billion in value to agricultural crops in the United States each year, and pollination by other species adds another $9 billion. In addition, pollinators help wild flowering plants grow, making ecosystems stronger and more resilient. For more of Perciasepe and Harden's comments Click Here.

Now is a critical time for efforts to support honey bee populations. The honey bee population in the United States has been declining for decades. The number of managed U.S. honey bee colonies dropped from 6 million in 1947, to just 2.5 million today.

As wheat harvest progresses in Oklahoma, farmers are contemplating when should they sell their wheat crop. On this past weekend's edition of SUNUP program, Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson says now is as good as time as any.


"Cash price in Oklahoma is $7 dollars plus in most areas," Anderson said. "You look back at the six-year average annual price $6.52, so we're above that."


The June price average over the last six years is $6.48. In 2013 the June average price was $7.35, so getting $7 dollars plus is relatively very good price if you look over the last six years.


In deciding which month to market your crop, Anderson has analyized the numbers for the six year average. He says the six year average June price is $6.48, the average July price is $6.52, August $6.75, September $6.49, it drops off in October $6.23, November $6.22 and December $5.99. These are the average prices minus storage and interest, so anytime between now and September is a relatively good time to market the crop.

Click Here to read or listen to more insight from Kim Anderson.  

Agricultural Safety Group Announces First Safety Grant Recipients

Delivering on its promise to encourage and provide financial support for agricultural safety and health interventions at the local and/or regional level, the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) has made the first awards of its Safety Grant Program.


"We anticipate these 10 projects will foster new 'champions' of worker safety and health," said Leon Graves, committee chair and vice-president of Dairy Marketing Services.


Grants were judged on their potential to facilitate timely application of evidence-based safety/health strategies by producers, hired farm workers and their families. Grants (up to $10,000) for 2014 include
"Equipment for Onsite Safety Training in Livestock Operations," Gordon Moore, Moore Ag Safety, Goodwell, OK.
 

Click Here for more about Agricultural Safety grants.  
 

Innovative Cuts Create Options for Taiwanese Beef Customers

With the price of a high-quality beef dinner topping $100, options for many beef-loving Taiwanese diners have narrowed, and restaurant operators are struggling to find menu options for the full economic spectrum of their customers.


Rising beef prices have inspired many of Taiwan's top restaurants and hotels to partner with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to develop creative new dishes with more affordable cuts, including the petite tender and the clod heart. Early results indicate that both restaurants and consumers are enjoying the fresh approach, and Taiwanese media outlets are taking notice.


With funding support from the Beef Checkoff Program and the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), USMEF recently hosted seminars for Taiwan's food service operators, retailers and importers to educate them about the quality and value of these two U.S. beef cuts. Cooking demonstrations, product information and recipes showed the participants how the petite tender and clod heart could add menu alternatives at a variety of price points.


Click Here to read more about how these beef cuts are gaining popularity in Taiwan. 

There has been plenty of whistling about the possibility of a much-needed boost to the bobwhite population in Oklahoma.  For decades, the state quail population has been drastically decreasing. While the 750,000 to 1 million population estimate from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) seems like a large number, it is nothing compared to the estimated 7 million birds approximately 20 years ago.


"It's generally thought the decline in the population is mostly due to habitat change over the years, such as eastern redcedar invasion and maturing of forests," said Sam Fuhlendorf, endowed professor in Oklahoma State University's Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management. "They also fluctuate dramatically with weather variation. These are the two primary causes but other factors may be locally important too, such as hunting, disease and predation."


The lack of rain Oklahoma has experienced throughout recent years, coupled with some very high summer temperatures, left quail stuck in a pattern of low reproduction. 

Researchers have found the weather has changed enough they are more optimistic quail will make a return.  Click Here to read more.