October 5, 2021 | Vol. 14 : No. 9
Years of progress in efficiency and genetics may not be enough to satisfy the demands put on cattle producers moving forward. That was the message from speakers at the 2021 Feeding Quality Forum, hosted by Certified Angus Beef Aug. 24-25 in Fort Collins, Colo. They say there’s more demand for beef than ever, but there are new challenges, too.
Read more about two December feeder-calf sales that will feature AngusLinkSM, special features for commercial cattlemen at the 2021 Angus Convention, guidance on the Packers & Stockyards Act, and the September farm income outlook released by the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri.
Farms and ranches are home to many things that are beneficial to both children and adults. Many adults who grew up on farms are happy to talk about the benefits of being raised on a farm — from instilling a good work ethic and teaching responsibility to building character and a passion, love and respect for the land. However, youth doing work that doesn’t match their developmental level and abilities increases the risk of injury.
Choosing a feedyard is a bit like selecting a life partner: Success comes from clear communication and shared goals.
“It’s maybe not as serious as picking a spouse, but probably not too far away, either,” says Warren Rusche. The South Dakota State Extension feedlot specialist says it all starts with a conversation.
“Not every ranch is alike. Not every pen of cattle is alike, and not every feedlot is ideally suited to handle the same class of cattle,” Rusche says.
There is a huge shortage within the ag sector. It’s not of the natural resources we all depend on to make the circle of agriculture coincide with the goal of feeding the planet. It’s quite simply labor — and skilled labor at that. When asking any member of the American Angus Association, cow-calf producer, feedlot manager or the packing sector what their biggest challenges moving forward are, they all have the same answer: labor.
“Folks must smell somethin’ funny,” said North Dakota rancher and vice chairman of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Tax and Credit Committee. Dan Rorvig was commenting on the near-record attendance for that policy committee’s meeting hosted during the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Indeed, the filled room illustrated a shared concern over proposed income and estate tax changes and their effects on farm and ranch operations.
