The head of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says consumer demand confirms a desire for real meat. NCBA CEO Colin Woodall tells Brownfield plant-based protein sales for some companies seem to be falling flat. “The stock price of Beyond Meat is absolutely cratered, losing almost 70 percent in the last year,” he says. When it comes to cell-based protein, Woodall says there’s a lack of transparency and sustainability metrics. ...
A livestock economist says after Russia’s invasion into Ukraine the global food supply is under a microscope. Rupert Claxton with Gira, an international research firm, says global commodity supplies were already tight and exports of corn, wheat, barley and sunflower oil could be impacted. “We are not going to lose Russian exports to the world markets as a result of this. But they are going to flow to different places. […]
Milk futures and cash dairy prices were mostly higher on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Friday. April Class III milk was up a penny to $23.69. May closed up $.08 at $24.55. June closed up $.08 at $24.35. July was up $.22 at $24.17. August through March contracts ranged from twelve cents lower to eighteen cents higher with November and December futures dropping. Dry whey was down $.0525 at $0.61. six […]
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is having a big impact on South Dakota poultry operations. Dr. Mendel Miller with the South Dakota Animal Industry Board says, “We’re actually at 22 cases now, and we’ve had new cases almost every day.” Miller tells Brownfield as of April 1st, the 22 cases of avian influenza in the state include 21 commercial flocks and most of them are turkeys. He says the producers are […]
Cattle producers can now receive additional assistance to offset the impact of unparalleled drought and skyrocketing input costs. Allison Rivera with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says the USDA has expanded the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) to now cover a portion of the costs incurred from the transportation of livestock to feed sources. “Producers were also really concerned about having the flexibility to transport […]
Fieldwork is underway for Western Indiana farmer Kevin Cox. “We’ve been getting all the equipment ready to go because any day the weather could change, it could warm up and dry up and we want to be prepared and be ready to roll,” he says. “We had the ability to be able to get in the field and start putting on some anhydrous. So that was good. We ran for […]
A rancher in the Nebraska Sandhills says time is running out to get relief from an on-going drought. Frank Beel tells Brownfield he has 30 days before he’ll have to make tough decisions about grazing. “If we don’t get any rain toward the end of April, we’re going to have to ship off some yearling cattle. Our fall calves, we try to hold off until to July to sell them […]
The Army Corps of Engineers is studying how to reduce flooding risks to agriculture land along the Missouri River. Colonel Travis Rayfield, district commander for the Kansas City District of the Army Corps of Engineers, tells Brownfield Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri are developing a plan to improve the river’s resiliency after crops, livestock and business were destroyed by the historic 2019 flood. “We’re going to build a big computer […]
The National Grain and Feed Association (NFGA) and USDA are asking the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to investigate rail disruptions for ag products. NGFA’s Chief Economist Max Fisher tells Brownfield feed stocks and grain shipments are being delayed from the Corn Belt to the West Coast. “Just flat out not receiving enough grain in time to fill vessels and to make sure feed mills to have enough grain to meet […]
