USDA Issues Second Tranche of Market Facilitation Program

(Washington, D.C., November 15, 2019) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the second tranche of 2019 Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. The payments will begin the week before Thanksgiving. Producers of MFP-eligible commodities will now be eligible to receive 25% of the total payment expected, in addition to the 50% they have already received from…

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ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE by Baxter Black

Remains of a Party(from the archives of Baxter’s former life) We all have great memories of ‘the best party’. I had a party. It lasted 48 hours. I lost my socks, my dignity, two days of my life, six ping-pong balls and four pounds. I broke my G-string, achieved a new “personal best” and learned to dog paddle in a bathtub full of beer. The occasion for this all-out, climb the walls, cowboy…

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Brazil’s Implementation of Tariff Rate Quota for Wheat a Win for American Farmers

Washington, D.C., November 14, 2019 – U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue welcome Brazil’s implementation of an annual duty-free tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 750,000 metric tons (MT) of wheat imports. For many years, Brazil failed to implement its obligation under the WTO to establish a TRQ for wheat. Brazil’s implementation of this TRQ fulfills a commitment made to President Trump by President Bolsonaro earlier this year…

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20th Missouri Livestock Symposium focuses on beef profits

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Beef producers will learn to improve profits through management tips at the 20th annual Missouri Livestock Symposium, says Garry L. Mathes, chair of the symposium planning committee. Farmers and ranchers will learn the value of management and genetics at the symposium, Dec. 6-7 in Kirksville. Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension beef specialist, focuses on nutrition and heifer development in Missouri. Temple Grandin will give the keynote Friday evening and…

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Angus Heritage Foundation Inducts Four New Members

Angus breeders and supporters honor industry leaders. The American Angus Association® celebrates innovators and visionaries by selecting individuals for induction into the Angus Heritage Foundation each year. Over the past 130 years, the Angus breed has established itself as industry leader for quality and advancement. This reputation was built by innovators and visionaries who possess drive and wise decision-making skills to better the breed and the industry. On Nov. 4, four Angus industry…

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Turkey safety tips to help ensure a safe holiday meal

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – For many families celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, the centerpiece on the table is the turkey. Oven roasted, deep fried or whatever the cooking method, making sure the turkey is handled safely from the store to the table is of utmost importance. Food safety starts at the grocery store, whether buying a fresh or frozen bird, said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension food specialist. “Food handling…

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Cow-calf Producers Responding to Market Events and the Beginning of a Beef Cow Selloff

Dr. Elliott Dennis, Assistant Professor, Livestock Marketing Economist, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska – Lincoln The Holcomb packing plant fire has certainly been a black swan event – rare, unpredictable and has had dramatic effects on the cattle industry. These dramatic effects have ranged from massive selloffs in the futures market, record packer profit margins coupled with increases in Saturday harvest numbers, and volatile feeder and fed cattle prices.[1] But to…

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Searching for Opportunities

Kevin Laurent, Beef Extension Specialist, Princeton Research and Education Center, University of Kentucky To say that 2019 has been a challenging year would be a huge understatement. From the excessive rain the first half of the year, to the drought and depressed markets of late, 2019 will definitely be remembered as one of those years much like 2007, 2009 and 2012. Like most challenges in life, there always seems to be an opportunity…

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Stalks and Syrup

Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler, Associate Extension Professor, University of Kentucky This fall many producers are questioning if they will have enough hay to get through to spring. Tight hay supplies are making it difficult to find hay as well. Several folks were asking about baling soybeans that had empty pods and Dr. Teutsch addressed this in a previous article (http://news.ca.uky.edu/article/uk-offers-considerations-grazing-harvesting-drought-stressed-soybeans). Now questions regarding options for corn stalks are beginning to surface. Stalks can be…

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Your Hay Storage Impacts Quality and Quanity

David Dugan, OSU Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Adams County Where and how hay is stored can have a huge impact on the quality and quantity that’s available to be used for feed With the calendar turning to November, and the temperatures dropping below freezing several mornings now, the time to feed hay is near, if not already here. Several have been feeding hay due to the pasture situation following a dry…

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