MARKETING...
East-West Food Link
United States,China sign plan of strategic cooperation in agriculture.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and China's Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu today signed a Plan of Strategic Cooperation that will guide the two countries' agricultural relationship for the next five years. The plan was signed as part of the U.S.-China Agricultural Symposium Feb. 16 at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. The symposium focused on bilateral cooperation in the areas of food safety, food security and sustainable agriculture, as well as enhanced business relationships between the two countries."This symposium and plan are a product of a vision I share with my dear old friend Minister Han for the United States and China to work more collaboratively in the future to benefit our nations and agriculture around the world," Vilsack said. Read more.
Opportunities Outside the Border
Access to foreign markets is focus of Joint International Markets Committee.
"We are living in extraordinary times," CattleFax's Brett Stuart told those in attendance at the Joint International Markets Committee meeting Feb. 3 at the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Stuart was referencing the burgeoning global population and said, "In the next 100 years, the things we'll have to develop to keep up with this population will be beyond any other time in history."
He also noted that with the current tight supplies for several ag commodities — including beef — that there are leaders in foreign governments who are very concerned about the future availability and price of food.
Along with that he emphasized that the growing global market is helping boost U.S. beef demand and add revenue. Read more.
Glynn Tonsor
In the Cattle Markets
Glynn Tonsor
Context needed on herd expansion.
As expected, the Cattle Inventory report released by USDA Jan. 27 continues to receive notable attention. As implications from that report regarding herd expansion are debated, some context is warranted.
The report estimated a 1.4% year-over-year increase in the number of heifers held back as replacements. This is the first year-over-year increase estimated since 2006 and has signaled to many that the national beef cow herd may have initiated its expansion. However, a deeper analysis importantly reveals that this increase is largely being driven by historically low retention signaled by the January 2011 report. Narrowly, this year's estimate of 5.21 million heifers being retained is actually the lowest observed (besides 2011) since 1986, when 5.17 million heifers were retained as replacements. Read more.
CAB Mythbusters
What they thought they knew that just ain't true.
The phrase "niche market" conjures up different images and feelings for different people. Some embrace the term, thinking it's ultimately synonymous with added value. Their business plan, their identity, is tied to being a niche-marketer. Others say niche markets are too small to worry about. They pop up and then fade with the change of the seasons, offering no real stable target for which to shoot.
Whatever you think about niche markets, there is one false assumption held by folks on both sides of the aisle:
Myth: All branded beef programs are small, niche programs. Read more.
The Source
Busting myths and misconceptions.
Growing up, my dad was always inventing some story to tell guests visiting our dairy barn. When his eyes would start to twinkle, watch out. After he washed off his cows, he would walk behind each cow that hadn't been milked and start pumping her tail.
The visitor would always ask, "So why do you do that to their tails after you wash them?"
Dad would reply, " ’Cause you have to prime them so they will give more milk."
Some people would start laughing, but every once in a while someone would take the bait — hook, line and sinker. Dad would keep up the charade for a while, then finally quit pumping tails so they could figure it out on their own.
Once in a while someone would ask, "Do the brown cows give chocolate milk?" We had a couple of Brown Swiss, so it was easy to show them brown cows don't give chocolate milk. The myth was busted! Read more.
The Business Has Changed; Be Prepared
"It's a great time to be in ag, but you must adapt to a global market environment," CattleFax's Randy Blach told Cattle Industry Convention attendees Feb. 3 in Nashville, Tenn. The Annual CattleFax Outlook Seminar highlighted the market factors that are setting the stage for beef supply and demand and prices in 2012 and beyond.
Blach underscored how much the cattle business — and the global population — have been changing in the last few decades. Despite decreasing per capita beef consumption domestically, he noted that U.S. beef exports have been setting records for growth and helping fuel global beef demand and the current high market prices for beef cattle.
Read more.
New Records for All Species
U.S. red meat exports top
$11.5 billion in 2011.
According to year-end statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), exports of U.S. pork, beef and lamb set new records across the board in 2011, reaching all-time highs in both volume and value and exceeding $11.5 billion in total value.
Beef exports finished the year at 1.287 million metric tons valued at $5.42 billion. This broke the 2003 volume record of 1.274 million metric tons and easily surpassed the 2010 value record of $4.08 billion. Export volume was 21% larger than in 2010, with value up 33%. Read more.
Angus Calendar
To view the Angus Calendar, a complete list of
Angus sales, click here.