MARKETING...
The Recipe for Beef Demand
Chefs Michael Ollier (left) and Scott Popovic
New web site features empower consumers for meatcase decisions.
Pop quiz, ranchers: Which of the following is a beef cut — hanging tender, butterfly top, sierra cut? Trick question; they all are. Now, match each cut to its respective primal: chuck, loin or rib. Got that? Which should be braised and which broiled? Should you marinate or dry rub? Will 2 pounds feed a family of five?
"As a chef, one of the questions I get asked most by consumers is, 'What do I do with this cut of meat? How do I prepare it?' " says Scott Popovic, chef for the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand.
New tools added to www.certifiedangusbeef.com aim to provide consumers answers. Features include a new, interactive beef cuts chart, electronic recipe file and nearly 300 beef recipes that explain the how and why of various cooking methods. Read more.
Dillon Feuz
In the Cattle Markets
New year, new hope.
This past year is probably one most cattlemen are glad to have over, and I am sure they are looking for better things in 2010. After averaging near $93 per hundredweight (cwt.) for fed cattle in 2007 and 2008, prices declined to average only $83 in 2009. In a disastrous 2008, feedlots lost on average more than $100 per head. That was followed by only a slightly less disastrous 2009, where my model would predict feedlots lost about $85 per head.
The cow-calf industry didn't fare much better this past year. Winter hay feeding cost for the 2008-2009 year was probably the highest many producers had seen. Calf prices this past fall were about equal with 2008 prices, so it is likely that most cow-calf producers will have been less profitable in 2009 than they were in 2008.
What hope is there for 2010? Read more.
QualityCast
Dollars and sense from the Brand that Pays®
Each month, hear from the folks at Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) about the latest news from across the spectrum of the company's divisions.
This month, Vice President Larry Corah encourages producers to take in the Angus-related activities at the 2010 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show. Click here to listen to what is going on in San Antonio, Texas, later this month.
Sara Snider
The Source
American Angus Tag Store is now open.
The American Angus Association announces the grand opening of the "American Angus Tag Store," which offers a wide range of customizable tag options; Duflex® visual identification panel tags,
e. Tags® (RFID tag), Combo e. Tags®, ChoiceSets™ and COOLTags™ ["safe harbor" for Country of Origin Labeling and National Animal Identification System (NAIS)-compliant] are available in a variety of sizes and colors.
The interactive Tag Store allows you to select the tag type and color, then customize and preview the tag prior to ordering. Step-by-step instructions are available to guide you through the process.
Customized options are virtually endless and vary with the tag type chosen. You can include a management number (sequential or uploaded from a text file) and text on the front of the panel tags free of charge. For a small fee, logos or management numbers and text can be added to the back of the panel tags. You may also choose to customize the tag stud with text or a logo.
The Tag Store also offers readers, taggers, replacement pins and other tag-related products.
The Tag Store is open to everyone. You do not need to be a member of the American Angus Association to order. If you would like assistance, you may place your tag order via phone with the AngusSource Department.
For more information about pricing and tag options, click here to view the flier.
To access the Tag Store, click here.
Online Angus Calendar Offers Enhanced Search
Looking for Angus sale dates and events? Visit www.angus.org.
Producers searching for that next Angus sale now have access to an improved Angus Calendar, available at www.angus.org. Search capabilities have been expanded for the American Angus Association listing of upcoming Angus sales and events, located on the home page.
Previously, date searches were limited to a three-month time span. Current searches by date provide a listing of all submitted Angus sales and events throughout the year and beyond. Angus producers may narrow their search for Angus events by any or all of the following categories: keyword, state, date and/or type of event. Breeders can also submit their own Angus events online.
For more information about the sales listed at www.angus.org, contact the ranch or organization listed, or an Association regional manager serving that territory.
Beef Exports for November
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) November meat and poultry export data showed a banner year-on-year month for beef, the largest monthly total so far this year for pork exports but continuing struggles for chicken exports. The data released Jan. 13 are carcass equivalent data from the Economic Research Service (ERS). At the time of this writing on Wednesday evening, product weight and export value data were not yet available on the Foreign Agricultural Service's web site.
Beef exports totaled 172.56 million pounds (lb.), carcass weight, in November. That figure is 27% higher than one year ago and brings total 2009 exports to 1.699 billion lb., only 3% below the January-November 2008 level.
The year-on-year monthly increase was driven by increases to all major U.S. beef markets, with Russia showing the largest percentage increase at +405% from a very small number in 2008. Of the largest markets, Mexico took 4.6% more product this year while exports to Canada and Japan were 20% and 43% higher, respectively.
For 2009 to date, Japan, Vietnam and Other markets have shown healthy growth of 19%, 19% and 10%, respectively, while shipments to all other major markets are lower through November. Mexico has taken 14.6% less U.S. beef this year, even though it is still our largest market. Shipments to Canada are down 7.7% through November, while shipments to Korea are 15% lower than last year.
Resources for Niche Markets
Click here to learn more about producing natural and organic beef
and/or grass-fed beef.
Angus Calendar
To view the Angus Calendar, a complete list of
Angus sales, click here.