Secretary Perdue Statement on Beef Processing Facility in Holcomb, Kansas

(Washington, D.C. August 28, 2019) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the beef processing facility in Holcomb, Kan.: “As part of our continued efforts to monitor the impact of the fire at the beef processing facility in Holcomb, Kan., I have directed USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Division to launch an investigation into recent beef pricing margins to determine if there is any evidence of price manipulation, collusion,…

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Why Consider Backgrounding a Calf?

Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension The recent packing house fire in Kansas has the potential to cause a backlog in feedyards that pressures feeder calf prices this fall. Backgrounding calves for later sale is an alternative. Typically, when feed prices go down, we see feeder calf prices begin to climb as a corresponding move. That is, unless fed cattle prices are unstable or declining. A fire in a Kansas cattle packing…

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National Classic Promotes Breed, Primes Future Generation

Real-world genetics and youth development meet at Simmental's premier junior show. Bozeman, MT - The Simmental breed is founded on data, but it balances a science-backed approach with youth development. Both existed in tandem during the American Junior Simmental Association's National Classic, hosted in Louisville, Kentucky.   "Here at the National Classic, we pride ourselves in our educational contests that we have throughout the week. We have a genetic evaluation quiz, a cattlemen's quiz,…

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