Economic headwinds continued to slow U.S. pork and beef exports in July, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

For U.S. beef, July exports totaled 91,955 mt, down 10 percent from a year ago and the smallest volume since 2010. Export value was $555.7 million, down 11 percent. For January through July, beef export volume was down 10 percent to 619,064 mt. Export value was $3.8 billion, 2 percent below last year's pace.

July pork exports totaled 166,604 metric tons (mt), down 4 percent from a year ago and the smallest since January. Export value was $443 million, down 23 percent from a year ago and the lowest monthly total in more than four years. For January through July, pork exports totaled 1.25 million mt (down 5 percent) valued at $3.32 billion (down 17 percent).

"Market access issues and the sustained strength of the U.S. dollar continue to make 2015 a very tough year for red meat exports," said Philip M. Seng, USMEF president and CEO. "On the beef side, exports are also constrained by lower production, but the herd rebuilding that is currently limiting our beef supplies is overdue, and will pay dividends in 2016 and beyond."

Closure of the Russian market to the top three global pork suppliers has not only cut off direct U.S. exports to Russia but also caused an influx of European and Canadian pork into key markets in Asia, Oceania and Latin America. Compounded by larger production in the major exporting countries, pork prices have been pressured in most major markets, with the exception of China. Even though the record spread between prices in China and the U.S. indicates large export opportunities, limited access for U.S. pork means the benefits are primarily accruing to European suppliers. U.S. beef's lack of access to the Chinese market continues to result in missed opportunities in China and impacts the price U.S. beef cuts command in other Asian markets.

China's mid-August devaluation of the yuan sent currencies of several key importing countries and large competitors lower versus the U.S. dollar. For example, the Korean won, the Taiwanese dollar and the Mexican peso all weakened significantly. As for competitors, the Australian and New Zealand dollars have been trading at levels not seen since 2009 and the Brazilian real is at its weakest point in more than a decade.

To read more about the challenging export markets for U.S. beef and pork, click here.

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson Thursday praised the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its efforts to address the challenges and promises offered by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or drones, operating in the U.S. The administration today selected two individuals to executive-level positions to guide the agency's integration of UAVs into U.S. airspace.


"UAVs have significant potential to benefit America's family farmers and ranchers," said Johnson. "NFU appreciates these appointments as well as the FAA's past work soliciting public comments on how to fully realize the potential, and recognize the problems, that could accompany widespread drone use."


The FAA selected Marke "Hoot" Gibson and Earl Lawrence to help guide the agency as it integrates Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). The two will be tasked with external outreach and education, and drone safety, respectively.


Click here to read more about NFU's comments submitted to the FAA in April 2015.

A new study surveyed beef consumers and cow-calf producers on their view points on animal welfare in cattle production. Kansas State University and Michigan State University were involved in this study. K-State Agricultural Economists Melissa McKendree and Glynn Tonsor reviewed the findings of this new study. McKendree said they were looking at the consumer's idea regarding how important animal welfare was in purchasing food.


Respondents were asked if they had purchased ground beef or beef steak with selected attributes such as animal welfare assured, organic, and hormone-free, as well as the premium they were willing to pay (WTP) per pound for ground beef or beef steak with these same attributes. McKendree said they had a lot consumers didn't recall either purchasing or they hadn't purchased beef products with those attributes. Some of the attributes that were more commonly purchased in ground beef and beef steak were natural, guaranteed tender, but animal welfare and sustainably produced attributes fell toward the bottom. That was a little surprising to her, that consumers weren't all that gung ho on the importance of animal welfare, at least when they started making purchasing decisions. On the consumer survey, she said they stated they were concerned about animal welfare. Sixty-five percent stated they were concerned, but she said it was important to note they didn't define concerned for the consumers.


"So, they stated they were concerned about it, however this concern wasn't necessarily reflected in their current purchasing behavior," McKendree said.


In translating this study into economic signals, McKendree said most consumers were not willing to pay a much more for animal husbandry practices that related back to animal well-being. She said there were a small percentage of consumers that were willing to pay a premium. In ranking these attributes, she said they have found the willingness to pay values received through surveys can be inflated, due to biases. Overall, there were fewer participants that were willing to pay for animal welfare, in comparison to other attributes they investigated.  Click here to read more or to listen to this feature.

The subtitle on this proposal from the HSUS could also be called the "My Way or the Highway" set of animal production practices.  HSUS and other groups have formed a coalition in Massachusetts and a ballot initiative that could go to a vote of the people in 2016- if the groups can gather 90,000 signatures from this urban oriented state.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has filed a petition in Massachusetts that would make it unlawful for a farm owner or operator to "knowingly cause any covered animals to be confined in a cruel manner." The petition, titled "An Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals," would also make it unlawful for business owners to knowingly sell any shell eggs, whole veal meat or whole pork meat that they know to have been "confined in a cruel manner".

The petition defines this as to "prevent a covered animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending the animal's limbs or turning around freely."

The aim is to totally eliminate gestation crates, smaller cages for egg laying hens and smaller confinement pens for veal calves.

Read more by clicking here about the plans of HSUS in this northeastern corner of the US- as they hope to get their agenda fully in place by putting pressure on retailers to demand no tolerance on these animal production practices deemed the right practices by the animal rights group.