Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) is new to Congress this year, winning the seat from Rep. Steve King in Iowa’s 4th congressional district. That district includes includes Sioux City, Ames, Mason City, Fort Dodge, Boone and Carroll so agriculture and biofuels are a big deal for Feenstra. In this interview with Tony St. James of Texas, Rep. Feenstra talks about biofuels …
Senate Hearing Examines Cattle Markets
The Senate Committee on Agriculture held a hearing Wednesday on “Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer” to address a wide range of issues, including the urgent need for robust price discovery and differing industry views on how to achieve it, greater market transparency and oversight, and expanded beef processing capacity. Among the witnesses was Mark Gardiner, …
Sen. Thune on Aid for Agriculture and Biofuels in COVID Relief Bill
The new COVID relief package passed by Congress this week includes help for agricultural and biofuels producers excluded from previous aid legislation. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) says relief includes the Paycheck Protection Program for Producers Act, assistance for livestock and poultry producers who were forced to euthanize animals during the initial wave of the pandemic, and biofuels producers are now …
Conservation Goals Unite Livestock and Sporting Groups
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Monday with Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Safari Club International (SCI) with a commitment to conservation of natural resources through sustainable multiple use. The MOU outlines these groups’ efforts to cultivate healthier ecosystems, wildlife populations, and economies through active management. Hunting, fishing, and …
Fed Cattle Exchange Acquired by Central Stockyards, LLC
The Fed Cattle Exchange, the only weekly fed cattle online auction for the cattle industry, has been acquired by Central Stockyards, LLC from 5150 Productions Company, LLC. Since 2016 the Fed Cattle Exchange has provided the cattle industry with weekly, cost-effective cattle auctions that provide a platform for price discovery through competitive bidding. The prices determined in the weekly auctions …
2020 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting
The Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting features meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board, American National CattleWomen, Inc. and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The cattle industry comes together twice a year to discuss current issues as a group, to work on programs and initiatives, and to set the course we should take with our …
Pork Producers Facing $5 Billion in Losses
With an estimated two million hogs still backed-up on farms, the nation’s pork producers are facing $5 billion in losses and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is urging Congress to act swiftly to preserve their livelihoods. According to an analysis by Dr. Steve Meyer, an economist with Kerns & Associates, based on lean hog futures prices on March 1 …
NCBA Urges Steps to Maintain Beef Supply
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is working to maintain an adequate supply of beef for U.S. consumers during the current COVID-19 outbreak. NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says they have taken a number of steps to help protect the value chain, starting with sending a request to Vice President Mike Pence for assurance that meat inspection …
2020 Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show
Let’s go Deep in the Heart for the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. Click here for the official convention virtual newsroom where all of our photos, interviews and audio are being archived. This will be the 3rd year in a row NCBA has a complete virtual ag newsroom. Content will posted throughout and after the convention. This …
Alltech Global Feed Survey Results
Alltech President/CEO Dr. Mark Lyons shared the results of the company’s latest global feed survey during a livestream presentation on January 27. The 2020 Alltech Global Feed Survey estimates that international feed tonnage decreased by 1.07% to 1.126 billion metric tons of feed produced last year, due largely to African swine fever (ASF) and the decline of pig feed in …
AgButler Serves to Offer Farm Labor Solutions
AgButler is a gig economy platform that serves as a solution to a rural labor shortage by providing on-demand jobs giving farmers and ranchers access to a high-quality labor force while boosting rural economies. Kevin Johansen, AgButler president and CEO, developed the app for agriculture because it has become increasingly difficult for farmers and ranchers to get help they need …
Lamb industry requires further change, says American Lamb Summit
September 5, 2019 For Immediate Release Media Contact: Sharlet Teigen (605) 390-8320 Outcomes from the inaugural American Lamb Summit were clear: all segments of the industry need to further improve lamb quality to keep and attract new customers and become more efficient to recapture market share from imported lamb. Yet, it was just as clear that production technologies and product …
NPPC Launches Keep America First in Ag Campaign
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of establishing a proper regulatory framework for gene editing in American livestock. The “Keep America First in Agriculture” campaign was officially kicked off June 25 with a media teleconference featuring leading researchers, veterinarians, producers and industry experts. Listen to opening remarks from the press conference …
ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference
ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19), held May 19–21 in Lexington, Kentucky, brings together producers and industry experts from around the world to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within the global agriculture industry. Now in its 35th year, Alltech’s conference is attended annually by nearly 4,000 people from over 70 countries. Whether producers are navigating a …
USDA and Nebraska Officials Discuss Flood Damage
Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach is in Nebraska this week surveying weather-related damage and talking with affected farmers and ranchers. He participated in a Facebook Live roundtable with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and other state officials on Monday. Audio with opening remarks from Ibach, Gov. Ricketts, and state Director of Agriculture Steve Wellman: The …