Got a question about cover crops? Get the latest information from our team of experts. page 3
Monday, May 5, 2014
CHECKING PASTURE PROGRESS
Dave Alwan knows meat. The Echo Valley Meats owner shares his “Shark Tank” experience. page 7
President Guebert to lawmakers: ‘Keep fighting for agriculture’ Two sections Volume 42, No. 18
BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek
Matt Ewing, a cattle producer from Rushville, assesses grass conditions in a pasture on his family’s farm in Schuyler County. The delayed spring slowed pasture growth, forcing cattle producers like Ewing to postpone pasture grazing. See Page 4 for more details about pasture and field conditions. (Photo by Ken Kashian)
Wayne County Farm Bureau members help residents properly dispose of unwanted medications. page 9
Rich Guebert Jr. traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to lobby on behalf of Illinois farmers — his first official trip as Illinois Farm Bureau president. Guebert’s two-day visit consisted mainly of meetings with members of the Illinois congressional delegation. His message? “Keep fighting for agriculture and for what makes agriculture the No. 1 industry in the state of Illinois.” Guebert discussed several pressing issues with lawmakers — from the farm bill to the need for immigration reform. He also explained IFB’s opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency’s
proposed rule defining “waters of the U.S.” He said Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, explained that Congress and the courts have made it clear that EPA’s jurisdiction over navigable waters is limited. Guebert said Davis told him, “We need to focus on rules and not on making exemptions Rich Guebert Jr. for those rules.” Guebert said he gained further insight regarding continued discussion on tax extenders this week and debate centering on the Water Resources Develop-
ment Act (WRDA). “They’re finally getting something done on WRDA,” he said, calling the discussion “encouraging.” “We’ve worked long and hard to get WRDA where it is, the improvements to the locks and dams on the Illinois/Mississippi Rivers.” In addition to Davis, Guebert met with Reps. Cheri Bustos, D-East Moline; Bill Enyart, D-Belleville; and John Shimkus, R-Collinsville. He also met with Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, and Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park. Guebert also talked with Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation and representatives of the USDA National Resources Conservation Service.
Hog, cattle slaughter numbers plummet despite record profits BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
Periodicals: Time Valued
Hog and cattle slaughter numbers continue to fall off the table. USDA recently reported commercial hog slaughter in March totaled 8.67 million head, down 6.9 percent from a
year ago. March cattle slaughter totaled 2.45 million head, down 5.3 percent from last year. “This was the biggest decline in monthly hog slaughter since July 2010,” authors of the CME Group’s Daily Livestock Report noted. Hog and cattle prices subsequently raced to record highs in recent months. “March was the most profitable month ever to sell hogs,” said Ron Plain, University of Missouri ag economist. Farmers in March sold hogs for an average profit of $92.35 per head, according to Iowa State University. It’s the highest profit margin since ISU started keeping records on hog prices in 1965. The previous record profit dates back to September 1975. Meanwhile, wholesale beef prices continue to climb. USDA’s all beef price in March averaged $5.36 per pound, up nearly 40 cents from the previous year. So why are slaughter num-
bers falling at a time of record livestock and meat prices? Drought, particularly in the southern U.S., and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) deflated herd counts in recent years. “PEDV is the key (to lower hog slaughter numbers),” Plain said. “It increased on-farm death losses, so there are fewer pigs to sell. And, since producers have extra space in finishing barns, they’re keeping (hogs) around longer and letting them grow.” Record slaughter weights offset some of the lack of inventory. Hog slaughter this year, through last week, was down 4.3 percent, but U.S. pork production declined just 1.3 percent during the same time. However, red meat inventories continue to decline. Total red meat supplies in cold storage on March 31 were down 14 percent compared to the previous year. “In the case of cattle, those
FarmWeek on the web: FarmWeekNow.com
(lower slaughter) numbers are what you’d expect at this point in the cattle cycle,” Plain said. “The calf crop declined the last several years, and we’re retaining more females on farms.” The U.S. cattle inventory this year slipped to its lowest level since 1951. Farmers in recent years liquidated herds, particularly in the south, due to drought and high feed prices. Plain looks for the recent
trends to continue. “We expect hog and cattle slaughter will stay down all year long,” he said. “As a result, livestock prices will be up and meat prices at grocery stores will be up.” The recent run-up in wholesale meat prices could slow, but a decline is unlikely, Plain noted. Pork prices typically climb this time of year and peak around July.
Illinois Farm Bureau on the web: www.ilfb.org ®