HOGS

Who Needs Chocolate? Make a Bacon Bouquet for Your Sweetheart

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:30:19 GMT

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Chocolate may be the more famous Valentine’s Day treat, but there’s no better way to say “I love you” than to give your sweetheart the best treat of all -- bacon.

Step 1: Pick a plastic bouquet with removable flowers. Take off the plastic flowers.

Step 2: Roll your bacon tightly into a role. Secure with toothpicks.

Step 3: Pin the bacon at the base to form a “T.”

Step 4: Bake the bacon for 30 to 40 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit atop a wire rack on top of a foil-lined baking pan.

Step 5: Cool the bacon, remove the toothpicks and attach the bacon “rose” to the plastic stem.

Step 6: Give your bacon bouquet to your sweetheart.

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Ten Years of Discovering Ag in the PIPESTONE Discovery Barns

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 23:10:20 GMT

Bridging the gap between the farm and the public has been the focus of the PIPESTONE Discovery Barns across county, and state fairs in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota for the last decade. For the past ten years, these educational hubs have brought the world of agriculture to life for fair goers of all ages.

The highlight of this celebratory year is the Sioux Empire Fair in Sioux Falls, SD, running from August 2-10, according to a release from the fair. The Discovery Barn will offer an interactive experience for the whole family. With a focus on hands-on learning, visitors can expect to see:

• Farrowing Sows and Weaned Pigs: Witness the miracle of birth and learn about the early stages of a piglet’s life.

• Educational Displays: Explore engaging exhibits that provide insights into modern farming practices and the importance of agriculture in our daily lives.

• Live Animal Displays: From piglets to calves and chicks, see farm animals up close and learn about their care and significance in agriculture.

2023 Highlights:

• 14 sows donated to FFA & 4-H families for pigs

• 218 piglets born in public view

• 10 iso-wean pigs on display and donated to FFA & 4-H families

• 1 calf born

• 36 chicks hatched

PIPESTONE Discovery Barn 2023 Stats

(PIPESTONE)

For more information, you can follow along on @PIPESTONEDiscovery on Facebook . There you can find year-round agriculture facts, updates and live coverage from the Sioux Empire Fair.

Malaysia Emerges as Promising Destination for U.S. Pork, Beef Exports More Complicated

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 15:52:46 GMT

U.S. pork exports to Malaysia have gained significant momentum in recent months, due in part to the impact of African Swine Fever on domestic production and tightening supplies of European pork. While Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, the non-Muslim portion of its population has a very strong appetite for pork.

Last year U.S. pork exports to Malaysia reached 5,170 metric tons valued at $16.3 million – up more than 1,500% from 2022. Through May of this year, exports are about 50% above the 2023 pace, already topping $10 million in value.

Jim Remcheck, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) director of export services, explains that in the past, it was difficult for U.S. pork plants to gain eligibility for Malaysia.

“Malaysia had requested to come do a physical audit of five pork facilities,” Remcheck says. “They wanted a selection of five facilities to physically audit. If all five pork plants passed the audit any future pork plants wanting to be registered for Malaysia could do so via a paper application process and not have to post a physical audit.”

Just recently a sixth pork facility was approved to export. Approving beef plants has been more complicated, but USMEF continues working on the process.

“Because there’s no halal aspect to the pork approvals we are in a scenario in which we can do this paper process,” Remcheck says. “When it comes to approving a beef facility, not only does the Malaysia department of veterinary services need to be involved in the physical audit, but their halal authority does as well.”

Policy Priorities Highlighted at 2024 National Pork Industry Conference

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 18:44:27 GMT

Pork producers and allied industries across the value chain gathered at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisc., for the 28th annual National Pork Industry Conference (NPIC).

More than 900 attendees participated in various seminars covering biosecurity, sow and nursery production, animal traceability, industry financial health, and policy topics. NPPC is a lead sponsor of the event, which is produced and hosted by 21st Century Strategic Forums, L.L.C.

NPPC Vice President and Iowa producer Rob Brenneman, as well as NPPC board member and Ohio producer Pat Hord, provided attendees with insights on sustainability and animal housing. NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys discussed animal health, workforce issues, trade, and industry advocacy efforts, while underscoring NPPC’s 2024 policy wins to date.

Humphreys, Vice President of Government Affairs Maria C. Zieba, Senior Director of Congressional Relations Matt Grill, Director of Animal Health Dr. Anna Forseth, and Director of State Policy Drew Beardslee participated in a Q and A session on policy priorities for the pork industry, including the 2024 Farm Bill, California Proposition 12 and Massachusetts Question 3, international trade issues, and foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness.

During the meeting, former NPPC CEO Neil Dierks was honored with the NPIC Larry Graham Pork Legacy Award for his more than 20 years of service to the pork industry. (Read about Dierks’ contributions here.) The award is named after NPIC founder Larry Graham, who, along with his wife Jean, started the conference in 1996.

Why does it matter? Industry conferences such as NPIC serve as a platform for NPPC to raise awareness and educate pork industry stakeholders about the current public policy issues and challenges facing pork producers and how they can get involved.

Immersion Program Aims to Keep Best and Brightest in the Pork Industry

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 20:19:32 GMT

In an effort to make sure the best and brightest minds in agriculture stay in agriculture, the National Pork Board in partnership with the National Pork Producers Council and state pork associations joined together to create the Pork Industry Immersion Program.

One of the Immersion program members, Harrison Furlow, joined AgriTalk’s host Chip Flory and Farm Journal’s PORK editor Jennifer Shike to visit about his experience.

“Without our next generation, what do we have? They’re so talented,” says Shike, who had the opportunity to hear Furlow speak at the Pork Forum.

“His ability, his composure his knowledge, his past was impressive,” she adds. “And all of that is getting fueled and shaped by the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council who are investing in trying to identify these top young leaders, and help them get experiences in all aspects of the industry.”

Furlow says he looks at the program as the opportunity to see a need and fill a need.

“The need for industry is to develop a pipeline of talent for state leadership in particular, but also at a national level was NPPC and NPB,” he says. “This is an opportunity to get a mile wide and an inch deep on a lot of different topics and industry. My goal is to be a mile wide and a foot deep. I’m digging into all the great content that all of our industry partners have in terms of subject matter, leadership and personal development.”

Flory points out that identifying these young leaders is a great benefit to the industry. Shike agrees.

“The reality is, he’s super talented, so any industry is going to want to tap into that. But his heart is in the pork industry. He grew up with pigs. He loves pigs, so we’ve got to figure out who those kids are and find a way to meet them where they’re at, provide them with these opportunities and bring them in,” she says.

When asked about his goals, Furlow says he thinks about what he is rooted in over a particular outcome.

“I grew up with a great family and a great community back home that raised me in agriculture,” he says. “My parents worked in the policy side, but I had a passion for livestock. So for me, not only is this opportunity uniquely catered to work within both of those realms, it also grounds me in the fact that the folks who raised me growing up in the livestock space weren’t just my parents, they were local farmers who took a chance on me.

“When I think of my goals, I think of how can I serve the people who initially served me,” he adds. “This is an opportunity where I can take the skill set I grew up with, which is the policy and the livestock, meld it together in a program like the immersion program, and then apply it for our producers. That’s what I want to do. I’m not goal oriented, specifically, I just want to serve.”

Furlow thinks that for young professionals today, if you can find something that really lights your heart on fire, set out and do it and chase that, because life is too short to do things that don’t really fulfill you.

Furlow recommends this program to anyone who wants to be a servant leader, who is searching for a formative opportunity and not just a job. If anyone wants to be a future leader and likes research, promotion and education, as well as policy, Furlow says this is the spot to be.

“When I look at the role, it’s a project-oriented role,” he says. “There are some long-term things that I’m doing, but it’s a lot of professional development and networking as well. My goal is to be a competent professional, but then also somebody with a great wealth of industry knowledge and a great network. And I think that’s what this program is achieving.”

Flory notes it takes some honing and practice to become an effective leader. The Immersion Program attempts to build those skills through professional development opportunities. Furlow will spend the first eight months of the program with the Pork Board, another eight months with NPPC and a final eight-month rotation with Minnesota Pork.

“When you look at the corporate culture that I’m starting off with at NPB, and really forming me as a young leader and getting to understand how people become talented leaders. You don’t just wake up one day just exist as one. All of that honing you mentioned, all of that opportunity is here at NPB,” Furlow says. “I’m looking forward to hearing it on through NPPC and with Minnesota Pork.”

Data and Discussions Will Drive the Pork Industry Forward

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Look at the numbers. Have big discussions. Pull in multiple voices. At World Pork Expo last week, AgriTalk’s host, Chip Flory, sat down with Cara Haden, DVM and veterinarian with Pipestone; Randy Kuker, The Equity; Brad Eckberg, MetaFarms; and Farm Journal’s PORK Editor, Jennifer Shike, to talk about the importance of the State of the Pork Industry report and its implications to the industry.

“Randy brings so much to the table that’s different from my perspective,” Haden says. “Brad has a perspective that’s different from mine. The more we can throw these numbers out and have conversations around them, I think the more other people will start having conversations and we can continue to move forward as an industry.”

In light of economic conditions, we can’t be isolating ourselves, Eckberg adds.

“We need to be able to collaborate with other people to be able to say, ‘Hey, what are your issues? What are my issues,’” he says. “Especially from a veterinarian perspective, if you can have a vet-to-vet conversation, and ask, ‘Hey, where are these pigs going? What are the health issues?’”

He points out asking these questions and working together to keep disease out will help the industry from a production standpoint. Kuker agrees.

“I always say you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” he says. “Our company uses Brad’s platform that provides some good insights and provides different ways that we can analyze that data. From the top down, taking it to the people that work in the barns, and telling them these are the KPIs that you need to really be interested in—these key performance indicators. This is what’s going to give our producer the best chance for profitability, so he’s going to continue to be able to afford to put pigs in their barn.”

Having real-time data is important to producers to be able to address the goals and needs of their operations.

“Putting the right information in the right hands for the right role is something that we try to strive for every day,” Eckberg says.

That data includes animal health information, which is usually the No. 1, if not for sure the second topic that comes up at World Pork Expo, Flory observes. From a veterinarians perspective, a healthy animal and animal health from a producer’s perspective of efficiency have to be aligned for the industry to move forward.

“I think more and more people are starting to see the value of a healthy pig,” Haden says. “It is so fun to raise healthy pigs. I think everybody’s starting to realize that pig health is a huge make or break for the industry.”

Pig health translates to efficiency in the farrowing house in a big way. The industry is seeing big numbers of pigs saved per litter.

“I think the foundation of these farms that are having astronomical numbers, it’s absolutely pig health,” Haden adds. “You just cannot achieve some of these amazing numbers that Brad is showing if you don’t have a foundation of a healthy sow and healthy pigs.”

Kuker also reiterates the importance of pig health as he’s seen some unhealthy flows. He says it affects moral in the barn when producers can’t execute some of those health protocols.

“You better have a healthy pig when it comes in the door if it’s going to be a profitable pig when it leaves the finishing house,” Flory says.

“I think as a veterinarian, it’s really easy for me to say that but it’s good when production and numbers people chime in and say it’s all about the health,” Haden adds. “There’s been so much work done. If you get a healthy pig in the door, your production is going to be better. If you can keep that pig from getting sick, absolutely your production is going to be better We talked about one of the main things we saw on the report was these astronomical differences between the top 25% and the bottom 25% of producers. I think so much of that it’s health that makes those differences.”

As with animal health, profitability tops the discussion list for producers. While it’s not a great economic time, some producers get creative reducing feed costs, looking at different technology, looking at different feeder types, water types, ventilation types, having that visibility.

“Ultimately, when it comes down to a breakeven standpoint, it’s all about revenue and expenses,” Eckberg says. “So how can it make as much money and keep expenses low?”

Sow numbers, heavy carcass weights and even the recommended temperature to cook pork are also topics the pork industry continues to have. Along with those, demand is also an important component of this profitability in the industry.

“We need to talk about the demand side as much as we do anything else,” Flory says. “We’ve got to make customers happy. If we can make customers happy, we can take more of that consumer dollar, work it down the supply chain, and get it all the way back down to the producer that’s putting pigs in the in the trailer and taking them off to the farrowing house. Eat more pork.”

The demand discussion is one Kuker gets excited about.

“The good news is I’ve heard more about what you’re talking about from many people in the industry at different levels,” Kuker. “They’re talking about more in the last six to nine months than I’ve ever heard in my 20 some years. Keep talking about pork.”

Full episode

Check out the State of the Pork Industry Report here and watch for the next quarterly report.

In Pork We Trust, But Do Consumers?

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:17:49 GMT

In just 10 months, the Real Pork Trust Consortium (RPTC) has conducted 26 listening sessions, held 18 trainings, impacted 420 students, reached 1,714 pork producers and allied industry partners, and had 865 website visits along with 13,942 social media impressions. It’s the beginning of a concerted effort to increase trust and confidence in pork production and provide the tools and knowledge to protect the industry’s freedom to operate.

As director of the RPTC, Nicholas Gabler, professor of animal science at Iowa State University, is leading the charge to meet the ever-growing need for training, extension and outreach, research, science education and communication. The RPTC puts these important priorities under one umbrella.

Gabler and other leaders of the consortium shared their priorities with producers at the 2024 World Pork Expo, and discussed how they plan to provide the tools and knowledge to protect producers’ freedom to operate.

“There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about pork so we’re doing gap analyses to see if there is evidence to support the information or if they are, in fact, myths,” Gabler says. “Is the research [behind the information] peer-reviewed and published? Feeding this information back to the National Pork Board will help us develop research targets.”

The consortium has launched a social media platform but it’s presently more producer-focused to make sure industry players are aware of what RPTC is doing on their behalf.

“We’ve conducted listening sessions with consumers on both coasts, specifically around food safety concerns and how healthy pork is for them,” says Alexa Lamm, professor of ag leadership, education and communication at the University of Georgia.

There are loud groups that have a lot of influence with consumers, she adds, but that’s understandable because “the food we eat is the most personal choice we make every day and we have to communicate effectively about food. Doing that in a scientific connotation is not an easy task.”

Consumers around the world are diverse, says Lamm. “We’re creating consumer personas so we can find the best way to reach different groups of consumers and make information personally relevant to them.”

Pedro Urriola, assistant professor of animal science at the University of Minnesota, is also involved with the RPTC. He says consumers want to know about food safety and antibiotic use.

“We have different areas of research that follow the WeCare ethical principles because the industry will continue to evolve,” Urriola says.

Katie Sanders, assistant professor in animal science at North Carolina State University is focusing on training the next generation. She works with the National Pork Board’s Real Pork Scholars program, noting that in the fall of 2023, “We primed our scholars around the WeCare principles and started to ground them in scientific research and training.

“Students are passionate about the research they’re doing,” she continues. “But we really have to connect with folks to make sure the science resonates with them.”

To address that issue, she brings in the foundations of communication through speakers who work closely with the industry to implement sound communication practices.

“We’re plugging into educational opportunities,” says Sanders. “We’re looking at the trainings taking place and the gaps where the consortium can offer support.”

Context is Important, notes Urriola, and consumers need to understand the complexities of pork production. “We’re trying to improve our way of thinking about the issues in pork production,” he says. For example, producers have eradicated important diseases and consumers need to know that.”

The consortium has held listening sessions in Iowa, Minnesota and North Carolina. Producers are concerned about public perceptions but generally speaking, they’re hesitant to lead the charge due to occasional negative feedback.

“We’re giving them ideas for ways to share their stories,” says Sanders. “Farm tours, both physical and virtual, will help get them into urban settings. We’ve held training meets to help them interact with journalists and we help them develop stories that are relationship-building. There are concerns about animal welfare and we’re working to simplify the research findings.”

It’s not an easy solution, says Lamm. “Public trust in science is at an all-time low but trust in the ag industry is rising because people trust farmers. When we ask consumers where they get their information, they say they Google it, or they get it from their family doctor. Doctors aren’t nutritionists… so we need to work with that community.”

The consortium has an advisory board that is independent of the National Pork Board, explains Gabler. “We’re entrusted with producers’ checkoff dollars so we want to make sure producers are involved. We bounce questions off them regarding research and/or training programs.

“We want to be responsive to industry needs,” he continues. “We have a clear direction but if something comes up that we need to address, we have that built-in flexibility.”

We will be uniting together June 3-8 for PORK Week across all of our Farm Journal platforms to elevate the important role the pork industry plays in feeding the world. Share your stories and post photos on social media using #PORKWeek to help us honor the pork industry. From “AgDay TV” to “AgriTalk” to “U.S. Farm Report” to PorkBusiness.com and everything in between, tune in and join us as we acknowledge the most noble profession there is: feeding people.

Company News: Caterpillar, Bobcat and Lallemand

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:03:19 GMT

Caterpillar to Enter Utility Vehicle Market
Caterpillar has entered into a manufacturing and supply agreement with Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. and will offer UTV models sold through participating Cat dealerships starting in 2018.

The new Cat UTV models were developed in collaboration with Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., a division of Textron Inc. Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. (TSV) manufactures utility vehicles and equipment to serve numerous industries, marketed under a number of brands. TSV product lines include Cushman utility vehicles, Textron Off Road side-by-sides and ATVs, Arctic Cat snowmobiles, Jacobsen professional turf equipment and E-Z-GO golf cars.

Featuring a rugged steel cargo bed, the new UTVs from Caterpillar reliably handle up to 1,000 lb (450 kg) of material and tools, and offer 2,000-lb (900-kg) towing capacity. The UTVs also provide ample headroom and legroom for tall riders.

For more information, go to: www.cat.com/requestCatinfo

New Bobcat Telescopic Tool
Building on the success of prior Bobcat telescopic tool carriers, Bobcat Company has expanded its line with the new V723 VersaHANDLER telescopic tool carrier.

The new V723 expands the Bobcat family of VersaHANDLER telescopic tool carriers, also known as telehandlers, making it ideal for operators who need extended reach and greater lift capacity. The durable V723 is in the 7,000- to 8,000-pound size class, and it can confidently handle heavy loads. Its low profile fits on more farms and construction jobsites while easy maneuverability provides operators with enhanced comfort throughout the day. Plus, the new V723 features the Power Quick-Tach attachment mounting system to increase utilization.
Add strength to handle heavy loads with new V723 boom pivot and enclosed frame welds. For additional support, heavy-duty, enclosed frame welds offer extra reinforcement throughout the frame.

The V723 has a variety of other uptime protection features:
• Fine mesh intake screen to help prevent large debris from entering the engine basket and plugging the radiator.
• Diesel fuel is contained in a durable, rust-free polypropylene tank to minimize condensation and contamination of the fuel system.
• Battery run-down protection that automatically shuts down after the predetermined time and voltage level, preventing accidental battery discharge.
• Machine shutdown protection system to continuously monitor engine coolant, hydraulic oil, engine oil and other vital machine functions.

With the standard Power Quick-Tach system, V723 operators push a button to retract the pins and release to quickly secure the attachment. Operators can change non-hydraulic attachments, such as buckets and pallet forks, without even leaving the V723 cab.

For additional information about Bobcat Company, its products and services, go to Bobcat.com/our_company/media_center .

Lallemand’s 2017 Scholarship Recipients
Lallemand Animal Nutrition is pleased to announce the 2017 Lallemand Forward Scholarship recipients, which were selected from more than 150 applicants.

Sasha van der Klein is the recipient of the doctoral scholarship, receiving $3,000. Van der Klein is currently working on her Ph.D. at the University of Alberta, studying Poultry Management and Nutrition.

Lauren Kett is the recipient of the master’s scholarship, receiving $3,000. Kett is currently pursuing her graduate degree in Meat Science at the University of Nebraska –Lincoln.

The three undergraduate scholarship recipients, who will each receive $2,500, are:

Daniel Wedmen, Cornell University, Ag and Life Science

Haley Stark, Oklahoma State University, Ag Communications & Animal Science

Trevor Lee, Auburn University, Poultry Production with a minor in Agribusiness

“The overwhelming number of exceptional applicants pursuing degrees in agriculture continues to impress our team year after year,” says Jeff Ast, Commercial Director, Lallemand Animal Nutrition. “We are proud to support the next generation of passionate agriculturalists. We know from their essays that this year’s winners truly represent the diversity found in agriculture. Our graduate-level winners have specific research interests that will inform our industry for years to come, and our undergraduate winners demonstrate an energetic commitment to growth. The future of agriculture is in good hands.”

The Lallemand Forward Scholarship recognizes North American students at the PhD, Master’s and undergraduate levels who are excelling in their agricultural programs.

Profit Tracker: Feeding Margins Improve

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:16:19 GMT

Cattle feeding margins climbed to $18 per head for the week ending July 26, after cash cattle prices improved $1 per cwt to $112. Packer margins improved $6 per head at $193, according to calculations by Sterling Marketing.

(Note: The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are intended only as a benchmark for the average cash costs of feeding cattle and hogs.)

A year ago cattle feeders were losing an average of $41 per head on cash prices of $112. Feeder cattle represent 72% of the cost of finishing a steer compared to 73% a year ago.

The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are calculated by Sterling Marketing Inc., Vale, Ore.

Farrow-to-finish pork producers saw their margins improve $19 per head with profits of $51. Lean carcass prices traded at $84.72 per cwt., $9.67 per cwt. higher than the previous week. A year ago pork producer margins were positive $14 per head. Pork packers saw average losses of $14 per head last week.

Sterling Marketing president John Nalivka projects cash profit margins for cow-calf producers in 2019 will average $138 per cow. That would be 14% lower compared to the $161 estimated average profit for 2018. Estimated average cow-calf margins were $164 in 2017, $176 in 2016, and $438 per cow in 2015.

For feedyards, Nalivka projects an average profit of $62 per head in 2019, which would be $38 better than the average of $24 per head in 2018. Nalivka expects packer margins to average about $155 per head in 2019, about $11 less than in 2018.

For farrow-to-finish pork producers, Nalivka projects an average profit of $13 per head in 2019, as compared with an average profit of $1.35 per head in 2018. Pork packers are projected to earn $16 per head in 2019, about $4 less than the $20 per head profits of 2018.

Profit Tracker: Feeder Margins Lower, Packer Jackpot

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:16:15 GMT

Cattle feeding margins declined $27 to total an average loss of $55 per head for the week ending August 23, 2019. The decline was the second week of average losses following the Tyson plant fire at Holcomb, Kan. Cash cattle prices averaged about $108, or $5 lower than before the fire. Packer margins continued to improve reaching $491 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

(Note: The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are intended only as a benchmark for the average cash costs of feeding cattle and hogs.)

A year ago cattle feeders were losing an average of $77 per head on cash prices of $109. Feeder cattle represent 71% of the cost of finishing a steer compared to 74% a year ago.

The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are calculated by Sterling Marketing Inc., Vale, Ore.

Farrow-to-finish pork producers saw their margins decline $7 per head with profits of $21. Lean carcass prices traded at $69.70 per cwt., $3.34 per cwt. lower than the previous week. A year ago pork producer margins were negative $47 per head. Pork packers saw average profits of $16 per head, $7 less than the previous week.

Sterling Marketing president John Nalivka projects cash profit margins for cow-calf producers in 2019 will average $138 per cow. That would be 14% lower compared to the $161 estimated average profit for 2018. Estimated average cow-calf margins were $164 in 2017, $176 in 2016, and $438 per cow in 2015.

For feedyards, Nalivka projects an average profit of $62 per head in 2019, which would be $38 better than the average of $24 per head in 2018. Nalivka expects packer margins to average about $155 per head in 2019, about $11 less than in 2018.

For farrow-to-finish pork producers, Nalivka projects an average profit of $13 per head in 2019, as compared with an average profit of $1.35 per head in 2018. Pork packers are projected to earn $16 per head in 2019, about $4 less than the $20 per head profits of 2018.

Related stories:

Lower Board Hinders Cash Rally

Profit Tracker: Packer Margins Went Up How Much?!

Profit Tracker: Margins Reflect Spring Feeder Cattle Prices

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:15:59 GMT

Despite a $2 decline in cash fed cattle prices last week, average feedyard closeouts showed a $5 per head profit, roughly $47 per head better than the week before. The improvement was due to significantly lower feeder cattle prices for animals placed in April against last week’s marketings, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker .

Additionally, all costs associated with the Profit Tracker for the first full week in September were nearly identical to those from the same week a year ago – except for the price of feeder cattle. The Profit Tracker from the first week in September of 2019 saw fed cattle prices at $100.70, compared to $101.09 this year. Feedyard closeouts last year were $203 in the red. The difference between this year’s margins and last year’s is the near-$200 per head difference in the cost of April-bought feeder cattle.

Packer margins saw a modest dip last week of $16 per head, but their profit margins remain huge at $428 per head.

Feedyard margins reported by the Sterling Profit Tracker, by Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore., are calculated on a cash basis only with no adjustment for risk management practices.

(Note: The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are intended only as a benchmark for the average cash costs of feeding cattle and hogs.)

Sterling Marketing projects 2020 feedyard margins to average a $1 loss per head, while annual packer profits are projected at $338 per head.

Farrow-to-finish pork producers have seen their margins steadily improve over the past month with rising lean carcass prices. Last week saw average losses of $2 per head, about $5 better than the week before, and $34 per head better than a month ago.

Lean hog carcass prices traded at $54.12 per cwt., $7.65 per cwt. higher than the previous week, and 46.47 per cwt., up $2.16 per cwt. Lean carcass prices are $5.61 higher than a month ago, and $4.39 higher than the same week a year ago. A year ago pork producers lost an average of $21 per head.

Pork packers saw average profits of $48 per head last week, about $7 per head less than the previous week.

Sterling Marketing projects 2020 annual per head losses for pork producers at $34 per head, while projected packer profits are $52 per head.

(Editor’s note: Sterling Marketing is a private, independent beef and pork consulting firm not associated with any packing company or livestock feeding enterprise.)

Related stories:

Fed Cattle Lower, Feeder Cattle Uneven

Profit Tracker: Feeding Margins In The Black

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:15:59 GMT

The seven-week rally in negotiated cash fed cattle prices has finally pulled cattle feeding margins into the black. Last week’s average profit was just $40 per head, but represents a long climb out of what was a dark hole three months ago. Closeouts last week were calculated with a $106.82 average fed cattle price against an average breakeven of $103.92 per cwt., according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker . A month ago losses averaged nearly $142 per head.

Despite higher bids for fed cattle last week, packer margins increased $75 per head to $372. Packer margins benefitted from a Choice beef cutout price that jumped $12 per cwt. higher during the week to $220. Feedyard margins reported by the Sterling Profit Tracker are calculated on a cash basis only with no adjustment for risk management practices.

A year ago cattle feeders saw cash losses of $55 per head on closeouts the third week of August, while packers saw profits of $482. Last year’s Profit Tracker for the third week of August was the first to see the impact of the fire at Tyson’s Finney County, Kan., facility. (Note: The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are intended only as a benchmark for the average cash costs of feeding cattle and hogs.)

Feeder cattle represent 73% of the cost of finishing a steer compared to 71% a year ago. The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are calculated by Sterling Marketing Inc., Vale, Ore.

Farrow-to-finish pork producers saw their margins improve from $6 per head but continue to lose an average of $31. Lean carcass prices traded at $41.58 per cwt., up $2.24 per cwt. A year ago pork producers earned $21 per head profit. Pork packers saw average profits of $60 per head, steady with the previous week.

(Editor’s note: Sterling Marketing is a private, independent beef and pork consulting firm not associated with any packing company or livestock feeding enterprise.)

Related stories:

Cattle Rally Completes 7th Week, COF Up 2%

PORK Perspectives: A Minute with Matthew Rooda

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:03:18 GMT

Matthew Rooda, co-founder and CEO of SwineTech, was born to think outside of the box. As a kid, he drove his four-wheeler to pig farms to do vaccinations. As time passed, he grew stronger and faster, but he still got paid the same. After a conversation with his father, a pork producer, Rooda decided to ask his employers if they would pay him per pig instead of by the hour. The answer? Yes.

This was a pivotal moment for Rooda. He began understanding the value of efficiency.

He started his career in the swine industry working in nurseries and finishers. When the manager of a sow barn took maternity leave, he stepped in to help. His education was also an asset to his experience. While attending Hawkeye Community College and later the University of Iowa for a genetics and biotechnology and business management degree, he worked for Schneider & Schneider Pork Farms as an assistant farm manager. In preparation for medical school, he eventually became a nurse’s aide and then a medication aide at a nursing home called Oaknoll. And that’s where things really got interesting.

“The University of Iowa had an opportunity for students to present business ideas for cash. I’ve worked a power washer a lot, so I’ve had plenty of time to come up with the world’s “greatest” ideas...and most of them were pretty terrible,” Rooda laughs. “But I had this one idea where we could use voice recognition to save piglets from getting laid on.”

Long story short, the idea won and he and his business partner were invited to be a part of a student accelerator program where they were later identified by the Iowa Startup Accelerator.

“They offered us $25,000 to participate in their program, but we had to drop out of school and we only had 24 hours to decide,” Rooda says. “We were going into our senior year. I was pre-med hoping to be an obstetrician and had the MCATs coming up. But my buddy and I decided we were going to do it. We hated it when athletes tried to stay in school when they had these amazing opportunities. We were like, ‘This is our once in a lifetime opportunity, we’re going to take it.’”

^{Matthew Rooda (right) with co-founder and SwineTech chief operating officer Abraham Espinoza.}

They dropped out of school and spent 90 days working 16 hours a day in the program. They had the opportunity to pitch their plan in over 25 business plan competitions during that time, racking up prizes worth over $350,000 at places like MIT, Microsoft, Princeton, Under Armor, Harvard and more. The prize money funded research to work on the piglet crushing prevention idea and validated the idea of using a chiropractic TENS impulse to alert a sow to roll over so her piglet won’t be crushed. This spurred the development of SmartGuard, a solution to help stop this problem. And then, the pandemic hit.

“Nobody was going to be investing in new technology during the pandemic,” Rooda says. “It just wasn’t going to happen. We had to pivot.”

Read on to learn more about Rooda’s business pivot, his leadership philosophy and his outlook on the pork industry.

Q. Why did you decide to pivot your business idea?
A. The COVID-19 pandemic gave us time to think more deeply about the problems we were seeing on sow farms. We had to sit back and think about what we could do to help mitigate the challenges we were facing with SmartGuard, but also help the industry in a bigger way. We scheduled interviews with over 200 employees representing 30 systems. We were able to validate this point: Unless we go in the farm physically, we really don’t know what’s happening, who’s doing it and if it’s compliant. When we talked to employees, they said, “We want to know what we need to do, when we need to do it and if we’re doing a good job.” The two really lined up incredibly well. That’s when we decided we were going to put SmartGuard on the backburner and build a new solution for farms around workforce management.

Q. Tell me about your business. What is your why?
A. When we look at how far our business has come over the past seven years, the initial goal was to prevent piglets and sows from dying. That started out by creating a voice recognition technology that could identify a piglet in distress, alert the mom to stand up and save that piglet’s life. But we quickly realized that in order to have sustained impact, all of the processes that followed saving that little pig needed to be well understood, managed and executed on. And we couldn’t control that. We wanted to step back and figure out how we could do that. That’s when we created PigFlow, a point-of-care platform for pigs, designed to help understand when and where people need to be and whether or not they did a good job. Our mission is to help producers streamline and monitor routine and emergency care, communication, daily workflows, administrative tasks, herd diagnostics, as well as record storage and transmission. We’ve put the pig at the core of what we’re focused on – the health of that pig and the care for that pig – modeling our approach from human health. The results from heightened accountability and ownership have been exciting with substantial improvements in employee efficiencies, engagement, and pig care.

Q. Describe a typical day on the job for you.
A. It starts with a morning standup where everyone on our team gets together to talk about what happened yesterday and what’s going on today. After that, it’s an open game. For me, it might be working on the business as a CEO, as a marketer, as a salesperson...a little of everything. Then you sprinkle in meetings and solving problems and it becomes a very dynamic day for me. I enjoy the opportunity to be a part of so many different things and have the confidence to offer value in all of those areas, despite not being able to spend a whole lot of time on them. I enjoy being able to provide input, guidance and hopefully empowerment to the team members who are actually working on those things.

^{The SwineTech team at the Iowa Pork Congress.}

Q. How does your company help and work with its customers?
A. We believe in a partnership approach – the consult-join-counselor approach. We want to understand: What are the challenges being faced? How do we collectively create a strategy to start solving those problems? With SwineTech pivoting to a more holistic approach to pig care and workforce management, it has allowed us to step in and be helpful in many areas. That’s probably one of the most rewarding parts of what we do – being able to connect with people who are taking care of pigs and trying to grow their business, and strategically walking through solutions and strategies that can help make that better.

Q. What concerns do you have about the swine industry?
A. I believe labor, herd health, public perception and viability of our producers are the greatest concerns moving forward. I think another big challenge is that we are at a tipping point of whether or not the individuals who helped build the industry to what it is today want to stay in it. It will have a profound impact on what our industry looks like in five to 10 years. They all have the purview to make that decision for themselves and we’ll have to figure out how to move forward.

Q. What are the greatest opportunities in the swine industry today?
A. Production potential is a big opportunity because we do not maximize our current genetic potential today. We are, in most systems, hundreds of dollars per sow away from the biological limits or genetic potential of that animal. How do we help elevate our industry to that of the 90th percentile? We have so many resources with labor, genetics and so on, that we are just not maximizing. There will be people who figure out how we stay viable as an industry. There will be people who will figure out how we keep raising the bar of our potential. At SwineTech, our core focus is pig care, so how do we make the most of the resources we’re already paying for today? There’s so much opportunity that just lives within that bucket.

Q. How will the growing threat of foreign animal disease impact the U.S. pork industry’s future?
A. It’s going to push us to be better. Yes, Doomsday might happen. But until then, we’re continually refining our biosecurity approaches to be better. Whether we get ASF or not, I think we’re better for the threat existing. It’s in the back of our minds, right outside of our borders, pushing us to be better than what we would have been otherwise.

Q. What is your business philosophy?
A. Authenticity, ownership and innovation are our three core values. Authenticity is being who you are. Your unique self brings a perspective, a diversity in itself, that is special. As a society we always talk about diversity around race and gender. But we don’t necessarily talk about diversity when it comes to backgrounds and ideas. Even if you’re not in the swine industry, if you can come in open-minded and be who you are, you’re going to bring a new puzzle piece that we’ve never had before. We’re not going to succeed as an industry if we do the same thing we’ve always been doing. As a business, we need to be who we say we’re going to be, not just do what we say we’re going to do. If I say, I’m going to be the point-of-care platform for pigs, I need to go out there and invest in that. I need to be 100% committed to being that for our industry. Regarding innovation, we always say “Find the better way.” Don’t let perfect become the enemy of good enough. With those three values, we hope to be an authentic brand and a servant to the industry.

^{Matthew Rooda loves being a part of an industry that is constantly growing and evolving.}

Q. What do you enjoy most about your job?
A. I love being able to work with our customers, our partners, our team, to build relationships, which are often lifelong. My wife works in mental health, and I’ve got other friends in other industries. I’ve learned from them that people job hop between industries quite often. I think that a really cool thing about our industry is that usually when people are in it, they stay in it. That means every time we go to an event, I’m seeing customers that have been doing this forever. That knowledge and relationship is awesome. I also enjoy building a team. We’re in the trenches. Life is changing every day. We’re growing by leaps year over year. Challenges come our way, but we’re in it together and it’s just so much fun.

Q. Who inspires you?
A. My parents and my grandparents were my biggest inspiration growing up and in everything I do today. My dad has accomplished a lot within the swine industry and my mom was always supportive and a very strong person. My grandparents were entrepreneurs. My grandfather was a producer who didn’t pivot in a timely manner with the rest of the industry. But admirably, and in such a good work ethic kind of way, he persevered. My other grandfather was a schoolteacher who started a real estate management company while he was just having his first kids. He’s grown that into a very successful business that has been passed on within the family. It was really inspiring to be able to go work for both of my grandparents, whether that was on the farm or painting, scraping and evicting homes as a kid. They are two very different things, but they taught me a good work ethic.

Q. What will the business look like 20 years from now?
A. When I worked as a nursing aide and medication aide, in the most respectful way, I saw an opportunity for pig production to emulate that when it comes to providing high-quality individualized care. I think 20 years from now, our business will look like an imitation of workforce management in healthcare. I think we can use that system to provide transparent, high-quality care at an individual basis to pigs. We’ve got computer vision, sensors and technology that is becoming less expensive. I think we will be emulating healthcare on a day-to-day basis.

Q. If you could go back and do something differently in your career, what would it be and why?
A. I am happy where I am today. If I change something, that entire story is gone or could be changed. However, I do wish when I started working, someone had told me how crazy one year of eating out all the time will totally make a difference. I would have drank far less of those Starbucks double shots, and ate far less Casey’s breakfast pizza and fast food.

Q. What advice do you have for someone who might like to do what you do someday?
A. I always tell individuals thinking about an idea to go get involved in an industry that you’re passionate about and work your ass off to figure out what holds you back. Because whatever is holding you back from accomplishing your goals is likely holding the rest of the industry back as well. There’s your problem. Go passionately pursue the problem before you passionately pursue the idea.

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Mental Toughness: Make the Most of What Life Throws at You

PIC Invests in SwineTech

Where Did All the Cash Go?

Wed, 04 May 2022 12:00:00 GMT

As farmers return to the fields for spring planting, lenders are busy reviewing their financial information. One would think that all financial information is prepared alike. However, as a lender, I can tell you firsthand that we work with many different types of financials. Some provide market-based balance sheets and tax returns while others provide full Generally Accepted Accounting Principle (GAAP) statements. No matter what the operation, one question we keep hearing lately is, “Where did all the cash go?”

For the clients who provide market-based financial returns, our analysts will work with the producers to make the proper accrual adjustments on their income statements. This includes accounts receivable, accounts payable, and most importantly, any adjustments to inventories.

As we review market-based financial statements with our clients and analysts, the question inevitably comes up: “Why is cash flow tight when I am making money?”

It isn’t hard to see that we continue to have a rising corn and hog market with impressive positive margins forecast through the summer months. But the problem is, for individuals that are using cash accounting, it may seem like they are struggling to realize the cash flow they were counting on. Where producers can help their own understanding of the financial performance of their operation is to move to GAAP or make the appropriate accrual adjustments to their balance sheets.

Just looking at the database information we compile at Compeer, cost of production went from $69.59 per hundredweight (cwt) at year-end 2020 to $81.94 per cwt by year-end 2021. This was a $26.45 per head increase in production costs year over year with an average 214.2 lb. carcass.

Using the database costs assuming a $40 wean pig cost, that is an average of $107.75 inventory costs for year-end 2021 versus $94.53 per head the previous year. This comes out to a $13.22 per head increase in your previous year’s inventory costs. For an operation that sells 100,000 head or has 50,000 head on inventory, that is an increase to inventory of $661,000 that should be realized on the balance sheet with a positive adjustment to earnings. This is just one example of where your cash went.

I believe we all understand that. The takeaway is to have that conversation with your lender and make certain you have adequate working capital during an inflationary period, especially when it looks like we will have a similar increase to inventory costs for year-end 2022.

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Dollar Power Continues to Decrease: What Does That Mean for Pig Farmers?

Short Supplies of Live Hogs Drive Markets Higher

Here’s Why Consumer Demand for Meat is Strong

Perdue Suggests CFAP2 May Be Coming

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 20:32:49 GMT

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue suggests a second Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for farmers and ranchers could be coming as soon as the end of August or early September.

Appearing on AgriTalk Friday (Aug. 14) with host Chip Flory, Perdue suggested more financial assistance for cattlemen may be in the works with discussions by legislators. Livestock producers have received half of the CFAP money to date, $3.54 billion, with cattle getting the bulk of that, $3.06 billion. Hog producers have received $442 million. Perdue said the money that has not been distributed is likely due to the fact the applications have not yet been filed. The deadline for filing those applications was recently extended until September 11.

Perdue also noted the livestock cutoff date of April 15 for financial damages was likely not sufficient to cover losses by cattlemen during that time frame.

“There was there was no doubt a cliff there (April 15),” Perdue said. “But that first CFAP program covered the first quarter of the year really kind of ending on April 15. And that’s what we could determine the damages at that point.”

Perdue said CFAP2 would help “even out” support for losses incurred after April 15 “when we release those rules probably the end of this month, the first of September, and sign up will begin early in September.”

CFAP2, he says, will “rectify” the shortfall in assistance to cattlemen found in the first CFAP.

“So the cattle guys need to pay attention to the changes, the updates that are coming, because there’s potential for another payment. Really all livestock, both pork and cattle. But the cattle particularly because there was a pretty good clip on the payment.” He also noted that the 20% of the CFAP money held back would be available, too.

Asked about expanding the payment limits to individual producers, Perdue said he wasn’t ready to answer the question but that there had been much discussion in “this legislation they’re considering about expanding limits.

Five Facts About the Ag Labor Shortage

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:36:50 GMT

Farm labor continues to be an issue, as trends like a generational shift translated into different job expectations and more global competition. Consider these five issues affecting your ability to find qualified workers:

1. Labor shortages are hitting ag hard
Concerns about labor shortages in the U.S. continue to grow in 2021. The June Ag Barometer from Purdue University found nearly two-thirds (66%) of respondents said they either had “some” or “a lot of difficulty” hiring adequate labor, compared to 30% in 2020. Farm Journal reported on the shortage , showing restaurants and food retail , lumber and rural non-farm employment are also affected.

(Farm Journal)

2. But farm labor was a struggle before COVID-19
Two years ago, Farm Journal’s 2019 Ag Labor Study found both employers and employees were struggling. From the employer perspective, trends like a generational shift translated into different job expectations and more global competition, and the skills required were evolving due to automation and technology updates. From the employee perspective, no paid time off or health insurance was the norm. Even so, the study also found that dairy producers in particular were paying more than they ever had before.

(Farm Journal)

3. Farm workers have many options
According to Farm Journal’s 2021 Ag Labor Survey, 59% of row crop and ag retailer respondents say looking for a job is either easier or the same as before. For respondents who said finding a job was easier, the top reasons were more jobs and less competition. For those who said their ability to find a job was about the same, they reported no real changes to the job market compared to previous years. For those who have struggled, the biggest reason was employers who had higher requirements.

(Farm Journal)

4. Meanwhile, farmers and ag retailers are feeling the same pinch
The 2021 Farm Journal Labor Survey found most farm employers (87%) and ag retailers (91%) are finding it harder to fill positions. Many believed unemployment benefits were enough to keep applicants away. Others felt that it’s now harder to compete with other industries offering better pay, hours and benefits, especially if those jobs aren’t in rural areas. Some farmers are now considering hiring H-2A workers for the first time, while retailers continue to struggle to find qualified candidates.

(Farm Journal)

5. It’s not just fewer available workers. New would-be employers are looking to compete
According to the 2021 Farm Journal Labor Survey, 44% of farmers who don’t currently employ workers are looking to hire in the next three years. They are entering the hiring market at a time when farmer videos go viral on TikTok as they point out crops on the verge of going to waste and face hardships to get H-2A workers across the border. Wages are on the rise, and Purdue University’s Jayson Lusk says lower-level employees are quitting to make just as much not working. Meanwhile, commodity prices are volatile but remain high. The one silver lining is that some economists expect inflation to ease off historic highs later this year.

(Farm Journal)

Making Every Pig Count

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 20:40:41 GMT

Dr. Pat Hoffmann, DVM and technical consultant for Elanco Animal Health, recognizes the importance of a proactive approach to swine respiratory disease (SRD) to stave off resulting economic impacts.

“What we forget sometimes is that impacts early on in the nursery will flow all the way to the finisher and to the packer,” Hoffmann said. SRD is responsible for 44.2% of nursery mortalities, which equates to fewer pigs reaching finishing.¹ Pigs that do survive SRD can have lasting effects on their average daily gain (ADG) and overall finishing weight.² For every 10% of lung area affected, ADG decreases by 37.4 grams.³ Mortality loss and decreased ADG cause an economic loss for producers in the nursery through to finish.² Attached lungs at the packer impact bottom lines as well.⁴

Dr. Jessica Risser, DVM and Elanco technical consultant, added, “If swine respiratory disease is not controlled or addressed early, you can actually develop some chronic lesions in those pigs and there will be more permanent fibrous attachment between the lungs and thoracic cavity.”

The true impact of SRD
“Young pigs that experience respiratory challenges may appear healthy later on, but the damage caused by the infections can lead to impacts on feed conversion, ADG, and the like, leading to more weight variation in the barn,” Dr. Risser continued. Keeping in mind that increased variation in the finisher means more necessary cuts at harvest, we can see a clear line of impact from nursery health to profitability. Dr. Risser explained, “We can see this all the way to the packer as well. [Lung lesions] will cause issues at processing due to inefficiencies at the harvest facility where they have to rail out and trim those carcasses to take the lesions out. So, it’s really important to address swine respiratory diseases early in young pigs because you don’t want those chronic lesions to develop and cause inefficiencies all the way through the system.”

SRD signs and symptoms
Hoffmann stated that, “One of the earliest objective signs of SRD that I like to watch for is a drop in 24 hour water consumption. Many times that will indicate something is wrong before clinical symptoms become apparent.” Those clinical symptoms may include lethargy, coughing, sneezing, nasal and ocular discharge, thumping, fever and reduced feed intake.

SRD in the nursery is prevalent due to the stress of weaning, transportation, and co-mingling.⁵ According to Hoffmann, that prevalence means we must be alert. “The first thing I want to understand are any issues with air, water and feed and get that addressed. If the pigs experience stress, they will be more susceptible to pathogens as they move through the barn.”

By staying aware of individual pig health at this stage, downstream profit of the whole herd is defended. Risser warned, “Once clinical signs are visible in one pig, irreversible damage may have already spread throughout the barn, further highlighting the importance of early response on our end.”

Selecting a solution
Even with minimal stress, some level of SRD challenge is still likely to appear. When deciding which treatment option is best, Hoffmann recommended looking at the disease situation. “In my experience as a veterinarian, I rely on differential diagnoses that match my clinical experience, the diagnostic history of the flow, and the sensitivities to the pathogens that I am addressing.”

Depending on the clinical signs, incidence rates and overall sense of urgency, first choice will be injectables for individual pig treatment and then water solubles or feed additives for whole herd treatment. “I tend to think of it as a today, tomorrow, two days or two weeks approach,” Hoffmann added. “If I need to treat today, I’ll choose an injectable, if it isn’t a high mortality, I’ll pick a longer acting injectable or I’ll look for a water solution if I want to get ahead of an outbreak. If I have more time, I’ll look at a feed solution and then even further down the line, a vaccine to prevent if the diagnostics and herd health warrant it.”

Dr. Risser agrees that there is no one-size-fits-all when considering treatment options. “It’s really a combination of a lot of different players — the prevalence of the pathogen, an evaluation of its susceptibility, and what your herd-specific goals are. With a well-thought-out strategy, you can really stop the spread, or even get completely ahead of it before it starts expressing clinically.”

A solid assessment of these herd-specific variables should be performed before heading down the treatment path. Viewing a situation through the lens of the questions above could help jump-start this process of narrowing down the right solution for your operation.

Hoffmann’s final note, “Getting ahead of a challenge and making sure you’re choosing the right treatment solution is critical. Use every resource at your disposal to get the Full Value out of every pig.”

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¹USDA 2007. Swine 2006 Part I: Reference of Swine Health and Management in the United States, 2006. Fort Collins, CO: USDA APHIS: VS, CEAH. Publication N475.1007.
²Qin, S., et al. Viral communities associated with porcine respiratory disease complex in intensive commercial farms in Sichuan province, China. Sci Rep 8, 13341 (2018).
³Straw B., et al. Estimation of the cost of pneumonia in swine herds. Jour of Amer Vet Med Assoc. 1989. 195(12):1702-1706.
⁴Keenliside, J. 2005. Preventing carcass losses. The Pig Site. Retrieved from: www.thepigsite.com/articles/preventing-carcass-losses. Accessed on Sept 20, 2019.
⁵Brockmeier, S., et al. Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex. Polymicrobial Diseases. Washington (DC): ASM Press; 2002. Chapter 13.

African Swine Fever Outbreaks in China Shows ASF Isn’t Under Control

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:47:57 GMT

The African Swine Fever (ASF) issues aren’t over in China. After ASF started to decimate the country’s hog herd in 2018, China said 2021 will continue to be year of rebuilding the hog herd, but now more cases of ASF continue to pop up showing the outbreaks may be worse than originally reported.

China Ministry of Agriculture said this week another ASF outbreak was reported in Sichuan Province, China’s largest pork producing province. Reports show the outbreak was found in a truck carrying 10 pigs, two of which were dead. The ministry said the cause of the outbreak was most likely rooted from the illegal transportation of pigs.

This is the second case reported in less than a week. Reuters reported new cases were detected last week in Aba prefecture in the southwestern province of Sichuan, and the city of Xiangyang in the central province of Hubei.

Reuters reported that outbreak killed 38 pigs on a farm of 127 hogs in Sichuan, and the cases in Hubei were also detected on a truck of piglets being transported illegally from another province where of 165 piglets, 10 were infected, and five had died.

Analysts and market insiders agree: the ASF situation in China is more than likely worse than being reported and not under control

“We keep getting these tweets and kind of propaganda stories that China has exceeded their previous high in their hog herd and they’re back to normal, but yet they continue to buy pork aggressively. And so something is disconnected there” says Chip Nellinger of Blue Reef Agri-Marketing . “It’s likely they haven’t figured out the ASF issues, they’re probably as bad or close to as bad as ever. And they have attempted to build those hog herds up. But they haven’t been quite as successful maybe as what they would like to have the rest of the world believe.”

Farm Journal economist and host of AgriTalk radio Chip Flory says the situation could bode well for continued pork exports into China, but it could eliminate some of the demand on the feed grains side.

“The thing that concerns me the most is when we look at those demand numbers, and you look at how much we were relying on export demand from China, and the problems with African swine fever. I think it’s worse than what they’re letting on,” says Flory. “And they’re having a devil of a time trying to get that disease under control in that country. The variants are more serious than what they’ve let on so my concern is we could go through another demand disruption for grains because the ASF in China.”

Farm Journal Washington correspondent Jim Wiesemeyer reported China said it will crack down harder on the illegal production and sale of ASF vaccines.

“There is still no approved vaccine for the virus,” says Wiesemeyer. “There have been reports ASF is again spreading across China in both a natural mutation and in a form delivered via these illegal vaccines. These new strains of ASF are said to be less deadly, but also harder to detect. China’s ag ministry is urging local governments to identify any positive samples of the virus and report any strains with artificial gene deletions to provincial veterinary authorities. Farmers are banned from sending infected pigs to slaughterhouses.’

Wiesemeyer says localities are also being urged to increase punishment for illicit activities related to fake vaccines, with drug companies to be fined a maximum amount, and operation licenses to be revoked and those in charge banned from producing veterinary products for life. China is even offering a reward for it.

Related Stories:

China Confirms African Swine Fever Outbreaks in Sichuan, Hubei Provinces

China is Just Part of the Demand Story Sparking a Surge in Pork Prices

Slaughter Rates Higher, Wholesale Prices Lower

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:56:24 GMT

Both wholesale beef and wholesale pork prices have declined dramatically over the past two weeks. Friday’s Choice boxed beef cutout closed at $261.48 per cwt., a 28% decline for the week and 45% lower than the peak May 12.

Similarly, the pork cutout closed Friday at $72.78 per cwt., down 17.5% from a week ago and 40% lower than the peak on May 11.

Wholesale price declines suggest most packing plants have nearly recovered from the COVID-19 virus shock of a few weeks ago.

Steiner Consulting says beef and pork packers have “implemented new procedures, devoted more resources to dealing with the virus, and they are benefitting from the fact – despite the many positive cases – most workers have been non-symptomatic.”

According to the Daily Livestock Report, during the recent COVID testing at Storm Lake IA, 591 workers tested positive but 75% those infected did not have any symptoms. Positive workers had to be quarantined for a period of time but they are now coming back.

“The result has been a notable improvement in the slaughter rate,” Steiner said. “Last week cattle slaughter was estimated at 636,000 head, the highest since the last week of March and only 4.3% lower than a year ago. We think fed cattle slaughter last week was over 500,000 head and only 5% lower than last year. The weight of steers and heifers coming through is likely 4‐5% higher so net fed beef supplies for the week were similar to a year ago.”

Hog slaughter last week was 2.452 millio head, the highest since the first week of April and 1.7% higher than a year ago. With heavier hog carcass weights, pork production for the week was 4.2% above last year.

“The increase in beef and pork supplies comes at a time when retailers are working hard to slow down the quantity demanded,” Steiner says. “You do that by reducing the number of meat protein features, raising prices and imposing limits on the umber of meat packages that a consumer can buy. There is always a lag in the price transmission from wholesale to retail given the way product is distributed and that is especially apparent today.

Dan Murphy: Rules to Eat By

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:50:54 GMT

As if there aren’t enough books telling us how to live, where to work and what to eat, a 10-year-old tome with (literally) a hundred maxims on food and diets still gets traction. Why? Beats me.

It’s been 10 years now, but columnist and author Michael Pollan is still garnering attention (and likely raking in royalties) from his “Food Rules” book.

The book consists of 100 rules (count ’em) that are supposed to provide the ultimate blueprint for healthy eating, and thus optimal wellness and longevity, simply by adhering to Pollan’s perspective on all things dietary and nutritional.

Granted, some of his rules make sense — like the blind squirrel locating some nuts, you’d have to hit the bullseye, if just by chance, if you were to compile a set of rules running into three figures.

For example: #11: “Avoid foods you see advertised on television.”

No question, virtually every branded item on which food marketers lavish ad spending is a processed, packaged product guaranteed to be high-calorie, high-margin “food” that’s positioned as healthy but is generally not.

Or how about Rule #36: “Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.”

Ya think? Does that really need to be a rule for anyone over the age of five?

A shorter, better list

There’s lot more where those rules came from, including such obvious ones as “Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored;” “Do all your eating at a table, not a desk (or a couch);” or “Eat all the junk food you want — as long as you cook it yourself,” which pretty much assures that it’s no longer junk.

But there is one rule Pollan loves to promote that reveals his fundamental hostility toward the consumption of animal foods, and that’s Rule #19: “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”

Obviously, this is thinly veiled endorsement of vegetarianism, and I can confirm that for all his supposed openness and practicality, Pollan is anti-meat production and meat-eating. I’ve conducted interviews, both formal and informal, with him in years past (operative summary: “I’m Michael Pollan … and you’re not.”), and his antipathy toward the “conventional” American diet that includes meat, dairy and eggs, is palpable.

Now, I’m not a big believer in following a bunch of rules, no matter who the source might be. I prefer to sample recommended foods for myself, to evaluate nutritional guidelines personally and to find out for myself if the latest “miracle” diet offers anywhere near the purported benefits some self-styled guru is claiming.

That said, I do have a few rules regarding diet and nutrition — only my list is a lot shorter than Pollan’s. Here it is:

Choose natural foods. By that I mean meat, dairy, eggs, grains and produce, the foods that human physiology is best adapted to consume. The idea that formulated veggie products containing processed ingredients and additives represent that “natural” way of eating is ludicrous. Not to say that such foods are bad; they’re just not superior to what humanity has subsisted on for millennia.
Eat traditional foods. This follows on the first rule. Take any indigenous society in any era of history on any continent and mimic the diet those people ate — and somehow managed to stay healthy without suffering any of modern society’s plethora of chronic diseases.
Choose local sources. This applies not just to trendy foodies patronizing local farmer’s markets or local restaurants sourcing ingredients from said farmers — although both positive moves to make — but to the more challenging task of selecting foods grown and produced where one was born and currently resides. That means “local” climate, geography and agricultural production need to be the primary determinants of what we eat, and what we don’t.

That’s it. With all due respect to the great and powerful Pollan, my rules are easier to follow and, I would modestly suggest, make at least as much sense.

The only downside is that I can’t puff up my list into book-length form.

The opinions in this commentary are those of Dan Murphy, an award-winning journalist and commentator.

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“Plant-Based” Meats Don’t Grow on Vines

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:50:50 GMT

This week the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) is placing ads in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post highlighting many of the ingredients in fake bacon and fake sausage. With market research finding that almost 40% of plant-based protein consumers want to avoid processed foods, CCF is educating consumers about the catalogue of processed ingredients that are used in fake meats.

CCF has launched CleanFoodFacts.com to provide a side-by-side analysis of fake meat products and real meat. The ads and website are part of a larger campaign to show the truth behind fake meat and its supposed health benefits.

The Wall Street Journal ad can be found here . The New York Post can be found here .

CCF managing director Will Coggin said, “Despite what the name leads people to believe, ‘plant-based’ meats are made in industrial facilities, not gardens. Fake meat companies are trying to promote a ‘health halo’ over their products, but consumers should know that imitation meat is highly processed and in some cases has more calories and sodium than the real thing.”

Dan Murphy: World’s Worst Slogan: ‘Leave Animals Alone.'

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:50:50 GMT

The shameless partisans at PETA have made a living claiming that we must avoid all contact with animals — especially food animals. Here’s Exhibit No. 275 why that message is all wrong.

If there is one position associated with our pals that PETA that I truly loathe and detest, it’s their ridiculous mantra of, “Just leave animals alone.”

As if that’s even an option.

Not only is such a sentiment wildly implausible, it’s fraudulently used under the guise of compassion for other creatures as cover for the group’s atrocious public positions and ill-advised campaigns, allegedly in service to some broadly defined vegan lifestyle they want the entire world to adopt wholesale.

Look, I get the whole don’t-wear-fur/don’t-eat meat/don’t-club-seals messaging that’s fueled PETA’s admittedly successful fund-raising efforts, the fruits of which are then directed at initiatives aimed at demonizing farmers and producers who raise livestock and retail and foodservice operators who commit the unpardonable sin of marketing animals foods.

What I can neither abide nor excuse, however, is PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk’s insistence that her core group of city-dwelling Caucasian females — nothing against any of that, but let’s not pretend that isn’t PETA’s base demographic — has standing to argue that humanity in the 21st century can simply turn its back on the animal kingdom, and all will be well.

Meet a four-legged rebuttal to that nonsense.

One caring canine

Her name is Harper Lea, and she’s an 8-year-old Labrador retriever who’s has been instrumental in helping with grief counseling programs throughout Snohomish County in Western Washington.

A feature story in The Herald newspaper noted that Harper has spent much of her life at Dawson Place, where staff from various agencies care for children who’ve been sexually or physically abused or who have witnessed a violent crime.

Harper’s job is to sit with children as they recount abuse, according to her handler, Gina Coslett, a child interview specialist at Dawson Place. “She made children laugh during painful conversations,” Coslett said, “and seems to do things at the right moment for a kid.”

The dog is my definition of a hero, as this excerpt from the article detailed:

“After the Oso (Washington) landslide, where 43 people were killed, Harper went to the site while search teams were looking for the missing. Coslett and Harper planted themselves in the room where crews went to rest. The dogs would be laying down and rescuers would go lay on the dogs for comfort.

“Months later, a teenager opened fire on classmates at Marysville Pilchuck High School, killing four before turning the gun on himself. Officials cancelled school for about a week. When kids returned, they found Harper waiting.

“At first, [she] stayed in the library, where groups of students could sit around her for comfort as they talked with therapists.

“Her main job when kids went back to class was to sit at the desk of one of the girls who was killed, so as they went to each class her desk wasn’t empty. Students would gather around to pet her as they grieved.”

If that doesn’t stir your emotions, please check immediately to see if your breath is still able to fog up a mirror.

Back in June, a veterinarian determined that Harper was sick, and the dog is now officially retired from her work. However, she still goes to the office with her handler and Coslett noted that for the last few weeks, children who have met Harper in the past have asked to say goodbye.

For anyone who loves dogs, I don’t need to make the case that their unconditional loyalty and affection are powerful palliatives for the pain and loneliness that can accompany tragedy.

In fact, should a PETA person find herself in a similar emotional state to that experienced by survivors of a school shooting or natural disaster, I’m guessing even she’d be willing to set aside the group’s self-serving directive to “just leave animal alone.”

The opinions in this commentary are those of Dan Murphy, an award-winning journalist and commentator.

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Overhe(a)rd: Fair Oaks Farms, Meat the Millennial and Shrinking Farms

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:49:27 GMT

Listen up, folks! For your listening pleasure, we’re excited to introduce episode 1 of Overhe(a)rd, the Farm Journal Livestock podcast that connects the hearts and minds of producers and consumers to preserve our sustainable resources and provide high-quality food. Here’s a quick summary of what you’ll hear:

Have you he(a)rd: The latest news in livestock

Farm Journal dairy editorial director Mike Opperman gives a quick summary of the undercover filming that occurred on Fair Oaks Farms.

“You know, unfortunately, if somebody wants to capture undercover video of your dairy, and that someone is really dedicated and passionate about doing that, they’re probably going to find a way,” he says. Want to hear his recommendations? Listen below.

Meat the millennial

We love to talk to millennial consumers to glean their thoughts on food: what they eat, why they eat it, where they shop and how they make purchasing decisions. In this episode millennial meat eater Brooke shares her feelings about meat and dairy—her favorites, guilty pleasures and more.

“I couldn’t live my life without meat,” Brooke says. Listen to her tips to cook steak below.

The main dish

Every episode we interview a thought leader connected to agriculture and conservation. This week John Piotti of American Farmland Trust discusses ranchers’, farmers’ and consumers’ roles in preserving our vanishing farmland.

“American Farm Land Trust has been used in the tagline ‘no farms, no food’ for a long time now, I think well over 20 years, and it resonates with a lot of people,” Piotti says. “But we do think that part of thinking about the future of agriculture is recognizing that as essential as fundamental as it is for us to have farmland to grow our food, we really need to get members of the public in particular aware of the fact that farms and ranches do so much more for us—whether it’s vibrant rural communities or outdoor recreation or wildlife habitat, or perhaps most importantly, plants and soil that naturally purify our water and air, and agricultural processes that capture carbon and can help combat climate change. These are things that we need the public to understand our benefits that our farms and ranches can provide.”

Listen to the full episode here:

Other ways to listen:

Apple podcasts

Spotify

Omny

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Hogs Rise Most in Five Months as Pork Demand Gains; Cattle Climb

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:37:06 GMT

Hog futures rose the most in five months on signs that U.S. slaughtering plants are buying more animals as pork demand improves. Cattle also advanced.

Meatpackers processed 841,000 hogs in the first two days this week, up 7.3 percent from the same period last week and 0.2 percent more than a year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Wholesale-pork prices rallied 0.4 percent yesterday to $1.0431 a pound and are up 3.1 percent this month, after dropping 8 percent in July, government data show.

“Packers seem to be willing to pay up for hogs and keep prices firm, so that is a bullish sign,” Dick Quiter, an account executive at McFarland Commodities LLC in Chicago, said in a telephone interview. “Pork prices have stayed high. We’re also seeing some increased demand for Labor Day.”

Hog futures for October settlement climbed 1.9 percent to close at 88.15 cents a pound at 1 p.m. on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the biggest gain for a most-active contract since March 7. Earlier, the price reached 88.325 cents, the highest since July 9.

Labor Day, on Sept. 2, tends to be the last holiday of the year that is warm enough to barbecue outdoors, and is the third- most popular day for grilling in the U.S., according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.

Cattle futures for October delivery added 0.1 percent to settle at $1.28175 a pound in Chicago, after reaching $1.287, the highest for a most-active contract since March 13.

Feeder-cattle futures for September settlement fell 0.2 percent to $1.5745 a pound.

On the Rebound

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:32:11 GMT

> Following more than a year of red ink, hog producers were back in the black this year. Hog prices need to stay strong to offset the return to costly feed.

> There have been few months with positive returns to cattle feeding. Corn’s price rebound suggests fewer cattle on feed and shorter feeding periods.

Ronald Schultz weighed the pros and cons of getting out of the hog industry last year, but stuck it out. Schultz, with son-in-law Robert Seitzman, markets about 4,500 hogs a year. He admits he is on a “year-to-year” basis when it comes to staying in the business of pork production.

After record-low hog prices last year, the hog industry enjoyed a strong rebound in 2010 on lower hog numbers. In response, USDA’s September Hogs and Pigs report indicated farrowings would be down 1% from last year in the third quarter but increase slightly during December 2010 to February 2011.

The sharply higher price of corn prompted by the Oct. 8 Crop Produc-tion report could squash expansion plans. “If corn is above $5 per bushel, you need $143 to $147 per head to break even,” says Mark Greenwood of AgStar Financial Services. That’s especially true for producers who buy all their feed.

Chris Hurt of Purdue University says the hog price outlook remains optimistic through next summer, with prospects for live prices near $53 this fall and winter, a return to $57 in the second quarter of 2011 and $54 in the third quarter. “These prices imply that hog producers could pay a bit more than $5 a bushel for corn and still cover all costs,” he says.

Control Feed. Volatile corn prices have hog producers seeking more farmland to ensure a stable feed source for the long term. “Producers who do not grow all their corn are considering whether to purchase or rent more land,” Greenwood says. “I’ve heard this more and more from producers with strong balance sheets who could expand on the swine side, but instead are looking at increasing crop production.”

Jerry Fast, senior ag lender at Bank Midwest in Fairmont, Minn., concurs. Prices for prime farmland in his south central Minnesota area have jumped to around $5,500, while not far away in parts of Iowa, some prime land is selling for up to and beyond $9,000 an acre.

Regardless, Fast says, “established hog producers are the most aggressive in some areas in buying land. They know exactly what their cost of production is and, by feeding their own corn, they can lock in hog profits further out. If they are not highly leveraged, the producers who raised their own corn certainly survived the last downturn in much better shape.”

“If you’re a farmer making decent money right now, you’ve got to invest it in something,” says Schultz, who feeds as much as three-fourths of his crop to his hogs. “There’s nothing better than nondepreciable farmland. Even with our prices over $5,000 an acre, if a fellow finagles it right, you can pay for that land.”

Beef Is Bullish. Given a smaller fall calf crop, lower overall herd inventories and a 17% increase in beef exports through July over a year earlier, cattle prices continue to show strength.

USDA’s September report states that strong global demand will remain “robust,” particularly in Asia, where the weak U.S. dollar makes American beef more attractive than Australian beef, its chief competitor in Asia.

Meanwhile, pastures have seen ideal growing conditions this year, which means feeder cattle have remained on pasture longer than normal and are arriving at feedlots at heavier weights.

Bill Galt of White Sulphur Springs, Mont., runs his cow–calf and yearling herd on 100,000 acres of foothill pasture and agrees the season has been excellent. “I believe things are really going to hold up well in spite of the higher grain market,” he says. “The only two possible downsides are feed prices and the general economy,” which he worries could soften domestic demand—especially if higher grain prices result in higher meat prices.

Galt typically looks for a 300-lb. gain on grass with his herd before wintering the animals and selling 900-lb. steers. He’s already forward contracted next spring’s yearlings to feeders in Nebraska.

Both beef and pork producers have a lot riding on the markets headed into 2011. As Schultz says about his future in livestock production, “We will wait and see.”

Snapshot of Dairy Survival

Most of the dairy producers at World Dairy Expo this fall were just trying to survive. All remain concerned about their ability to return to profitability.

“Milk prices are better than 2009, but they’re not as high as we wanted,” said Charles Voelker of Prairieville, Mo., who was showing Brown Swiss cows. He’s continued to cut costs, worked hard to put up higher-quality forages and improve cow performance.

With corn futures again above $5 per bushel, Voelker says, “the industry may have to go with some sort of supply management program, even though I hate it. With five kids, I might not be able to expand with a supply management program in place. We’ve got to survive first.”

Things are better this year for Mark Hornbostel of Campbell Hill, Ill. He’s getting about $18 per cwt. for his milk and has cut back on feed costs, largely by mixing his own feed. He and his father would like to expand their small Brown Swiss operation, but that isn’t going to be easy. “We’ve run into so much red tape with soil and water quality regulations,” Hornbostel says. “To keep going, we’re either going to have to expand or quit.”

Mark and Emily Michel of Waterloo, Wis., say that even with this year’s price improvement, they’re still trying to hold their heads above water. A fourth-generation family operation, they farm 200 acres and milk 55 cows. Their latest milk check brought them $16 per cwt., and this year’s corn crop is much better than last year’s. “But it’s more costly to fix and maintain equipment,” Michel says. An 80-hp tractor costs $80,000 and a brand-new combine is $300,000. They see no way to afford that.

New Profit Team. At his Middleburgh, N.Y., dairy, John Prokop says things are a little better financially with prices at the high end of $17 per cwt. “I can pay my bills now, although it’s difficult to pay back the line of credit I used last year.”

Prokop has set up a dairy profit team: his Farm Credit lender, veterinarian, nutritionist and concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) planner. Every six weeks or so, they walk the dairy, looking for ways to improve the operation. It’s made a big difference. “For example, we didn’t have a calf person before; it was more of a team effort,” Prokop says. “Now we have one person in charge and it’s really paid off, with calf mortality at 1% or less.”

Like the others, Prokop has learned to run his dairy more efficiently than ever. Things can’t get much leaner. Let’s hope their efforts pay off.

— Catherine Merlo

Dan Murphy: The Importance of Being Ethical

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:24:51 GMT

Animal rights activists, veganistas and eco-warriors have coalesced on the message that raising livestock and eating meat is unhealthy and unethical. Guess what? So’s the alternative.

Twenty years ago, if you asked someone why they don’t eat meat, you would likely have gotten a range of answers: It’s wrong to abuse and then kill sentient creatures; or that red meat is horribly unhealthy and unsafe; or that raising livestock is destroying the world’s rainforests, just so Americans can enjoy “cheap” burgers.

Now, anti-meat messaging has solidified around a shorter, simpler mantra: Meat kills animals, people and planets, and anyone who disagrees has neither morals nor ethics.

Let’s break that down.

“Ethics” is formally described as a branch of philosophy, an academic discipline that involves analyzing, defending and promoting concepts of right and wrong. But in practical terms, ethics is best understood as a set of moral principles that govern people’s behavior.

With regard to animal agriculture and meat-eating, activists contend that those moral principles are principally focused on environmental protection, and to a somewhat lesser degree, on animal welfare. In other words, if a person stops eating meat, ethically, hey are protecting the environment from harm and saving animals from abuse and/or demise.

Neither of those assertions are accurate.

The impact of plant-based foods

First of all, most of the world’s accessible, arable land is already in food and fiber production, so replacing the multi-trillions of calories consumed by eating meat, dairy and eggs with plant-based nutrition would require a substantial increase in farm acreage, according to nearly every scientific analysis.

Of course, anti-meat activists always claim that A). people could simply eat the feedstuffs currently fed to livestock — welcome to cornmeal mush at the center of your plate; or B). the newly developed technology of cultured foods will deliver the necessary calories without needing the land or inputs or the energy needed to raise crops the “old-fashioned” way.

Both suppositions are partially correct, but neither would fully address the challenge of replacing all animal foods globally.

More farm acreage would need to be brought under cultivation to replace meat; there is no escaping that fact, and since a majority of the world’s livestock subsist either on forage from prairies, rangeland and savannahs unfit for growing row crops.

Moreover, let’s not forget the fact that farming destroys native vegetation, big time. Take Australia, for example.

In a report on SBS.com, the online website of Australia’s public broadcasting networks, it was estimated that since Europeans arrived there 225 years ago, the continent has lost more than half of its unique native vegetation. The cause is straightforward: cultivation of crops intended for human consumption.

The report stated that, “Most of Australia’s arable land is already in use. If more Australians want their nutritional needs to be met by plants, our arable land will need to be even more intensely farmed. This will require a net increase in the use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and other threats to biodiversity and environmental health.”

Does that sound like high-minded ethics to you?

But wait — there’s more.

“Or, if existing laws are changed [so that] more native vegetation could be cleared for agriculture, an area the size of Victoria plus Tasmania would be needed to produce the additional amount of plant-based food required” to replace animal foods

By the way? Victoria and Tasmania comprise a land mass equal to Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Indiana — combined; about 118,000 square miles.

And it cannot be overlooked that the undeniably serious impact on the global environment that would result from the world’s food-producing countries (somehow) shifting from a mix of food and feed crops, plus animal agriculture, to producing strictly plant-based foods would also result in the deaths of millions upon millions of birds, rodents, reptiles and insects when wild and native habitats are cleared, drained and plowed under for grow more crops.

Again: Are those really the ethics we want to embrace?

Perhaps years from now, refinements in the technology of cell-cultured food ingredients will significantly improve the efficiency of producing food ingredients. But remember: there is no free lunch (literally) when it comes to food production.

More than 300 years ago a scientist named Isaac Newton postulated that total energy within a system — like, say, the Earth — can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

In the centuries since, it’s become abundantly clear that Sir Isaac got it right. There is no magic wand that can wave away the eco-realities of feeding what’s estimated to be nine billion-plus humans alive on the planet just a few short decades from now.

I’d argue that it’s seriously unethical for alt-meat believers and anti-meat activists to pretend otherwise.

The opinions in this commentary are those of Dan Murphy, a veteran journalist and commentator.

Dan Murphy: The Government Is Here to Help

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:23:58 GMT

Partisan views once considered too crazy to be seriously debated now occupy the mainstream in public discourse — especially mistaken ideas about who benefits from government programs.

There is much to dislike about extremist rhetoric, no matter from which misinformed mindset it arises. But one of the worst such perspectives is the idea, first promoted by Ronald Regan 40 years ago, that the federal government is our enemy.

Reagan’s infamous statement demonizing the governing apparatus of We the People, saying that the “Nine most dangerous words are I’m from the government, and I’m here to help” have become a slow-acting contaminant that’s poisoning our public discourse.

Agree or disagree with the policies — put in place by legislators we elected, by the way — and regulations administered by professional staff persons — appointed by the occupant of the White House we elected, by the way — there’s no disputing that even the most vocal haters of “Big Government” love the programs that benefit them, their families and/or their constituents.

It’s only the programs or the funding they believe might go to people who don’t deserve them that are demonized as “proof” of government waste, fraud and abuse.

It literally takes only a few seconds searching online to link up with hundreds of commentators and consumers alike complaining bitterly about taxes (the ones that they have to pay), “wasteful” federal spending (if they’re not getting a share of it) and regulatory overreach (when it impacts their businesses, property or lifestyles).

The common refrain that “I don’t take a dime from the government” implies that anyone who does so is entitled, lazy, greedy or some combination of the three — in other words, undeserving. It’s a satisfying mantra, especially for business people, including those in livestock production and food processing.

Problem is, it just isn’t true.

A Wealth of Benefits

The reality is that the government provides billions of dollars in tax incentives, federally backed loans and outright assistance, and we’re not talking about social welfare; these funds go directly to the private sector business community.

Consider, for example, the federal government’s various export-import promotional programs. Foreign market development has been essential to the profitability of livestock producers, and the federal government funds programs to help finance exporting and provides export development capital and financing for facilities and project development.

Such programs include:

The Small Business Administration. SBA’s Export Working Capital Program provides up to $5 million in short-term, transaction-specific working capital loans to small business exporters to finance labor and materials. SBA also offers an Export Express Program that provides small businesses with up to $500,000 in financing to cover the initial costs of entering an export market or to buy or produce goods or services for export.
The Export-Import Bank. Under this program, the bank does not hand out funding directly to American exporters, but issues loans or loan guarantees to their overseas customers in return for agreements to buy products from U.S. exporters. Tens of billions of dollars have gone to customers of some of the biggest and most profitable corporations, such as Boeing, General Electric and Exxon-Mobil.
The National Flood Insurance Program. This program is intended to “reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures” by providing affordable insurance to property owners and businesses. Sounds great, but it’s basically a government handout: Private insurers get to market and sell low-cost policies (and profit from the premiums) but when a flood actually occurs, taxpayers pick up the tab for the payouts. Thanks to the cheap, subsidized policies program runs tens of billions in the red annually, with some private-sector estimates putting the total risk — to taxpayers, let’s be clear — of insured properties at more than $1.24 trillion.

And of course, the total support system provided by a slew of USDA programs — crop insurance, conservation set-asides, commodity price supports, rural economic development and disaster relief — amounts to about $100 billion annually.

Add to that the multi-billions in federal funding for grants to advance agricultural science, for economic research and to promote international food aid programs that support U.S. commodity exports, as well as the billions spent to subsidize corn production diverted into ethanol production.

Don’t read this wrong: I’m in favor of most of these programs, especially the ones that support the farm community, help mitigate natural disasters and provide a financial foundation that maintains our national food security.

But I can do without the rhetoric from all the rugged individualists out there who never got a cent’s worth of benefits from government.

Collectively speaking, it’s more like hundreds of billions of dollars.

The opinions in this commentary are those of Dan Murphy, a veteran journalist and commentator.

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Elanco is a trademark of Elanco or its affiliates.© 2021 Elanco.PM-US-21-0318 | 615287908

African Swine Fever Outbreaks in China Shows ASF Isn’t Under Control

Slaughter Rates Higher, Wholesale Prices Lower

Dan Murphy: Rules to Eat By

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Dan Murphy: World’s Worst Slogan: ‘Leave Animals Alone.'

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Hogs Rise Most in Five Months as Pork Demand Gains; Cattle Climb

On the Rebound

> Following more than a year of red ink, hog producers were back in the black this year. Hog prices need to stay strong to offset the return to costly feed.

> There have been few months with positive returns to cattle feeding. Corn’s price rebound suggests fewer cattle on feed and shorter feeding periods.

Snapshot of Dairy Survival

Dan Murphy: The Importance of Being Ethical

The impact of plant-based foods

Dan Murphy: The Government Is Here to Help

A Wealth of Benefits

The labels contain complete use information, including cautions and warnings.
Always read, understand and follow label and use directions.

Elanco is a trademark of Elanco or its affiliates.
© 2021 Elanco.
PM-US-21-0318 | 615287908