Riding Herd Saying things that need to be said. March 15, 2022 • www.aaalivestock.com
Volume 64 • No. 3
Held Captive BY LEE PITTS
T
hirty five years ago we warned that the big beef and pork packers were going to use the same contracts the chicken processors used to make beef producers “serfs on their own land.” In an attempt to find a nicer sounding word than “contracts” packers came up with terms like “committed supply”, “committed procurement” and “alternative marketing arrangements”, or AMA’s, which seems to be the least offensive phrase according to academics. The producers called it something else entirely...”take it or leave it pricing.”
Tournament Pricing
NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING
Chicken markets started using AMA’s back in the 1960s and since then the poultry industry has become so packer-dominated that they effectively control all aspects of production. Twenty-five years ago we were able to get our hands on one of those contracts the chicken processors were using. It was a 24 page contract for captive chicken producers that identified the responsibilities of both buyer and seller. The responsibilities of the packer were outlined in three paragraphs on the front page and the other 23 pages identified the duties and responsibilities of the chicken grower. The contract producers had to buy all their chicks from the processor, all their pharmaceuticals and all their feed. You could not have one house for Pilgrim’s Pride and another for Tyson. Any dead chickens were the responsibility of the grower and the contracts were for mul-
tiple years. The contract DID NOT include the price paid for the chickens. That would be based on a formula of the packer’s making and the prices paid for the best chickens were dropped from the average used to calculate the final price. Have you ever heard of an av-
locality.” To get bank financing for hog and poultry operations today it is now often contingent upon entering into one of these AMA’s.
Crime Pays When we predicted 35 years ago the same thing would hap-
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
erage where the higher numbers were excluded? According to R CALF the chicken processors used “tournament pricing which pits captive producers against each other and uses secretive formulas to rank producers and determine their final pay after chickens are delivered.” This despite the fact The Packers & Stockyards Act specifically prohibits any packer from giving “any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any person or
Aerial Snipers The U.S. Forest Service’s Latest Livestock Management Tool
BY CAREN COWAN
pen to cattlemen our detractors said that would be impossible because beef production was spread over millions of acres and could not be dominated like chicken houses and pork palaces. Oh, yeah? Seventeen years ago we reported there were 36,688 head of fat cattle per week being “held captive”, that is, sold under contract where no one saw the prices paid for the cattle except the packer and the cattle
feeder. Twelve years later that average had risen to 40,303 head and as of February 10, 2022, there were 54,000 cattle being held captive per week. See a trend here? But it could never happen to the beef business, right? According to R CALF, “In 1977, the four largest beef packers only accounted for 25 percent of the market, but as of 2018, the four largest packers controlled 85 percent. In beef, AMA’s are increasingly becoming the normal course of doing business with unintended consequences. In the last 15 years, the percentage of cattle purchased on the spot market plummeted from 52 percent to 23 percent in 2020. This is due to the emergence of these captive supply contracts which negate or significantly reduces the need for packers to participate in the cash market.” Four years ago the government did a study and found that, “On a week-to-week basis, higher levels of AMA procurement were associated with lower negotiated cash prices. This finding is consistent with the complaint and with many previcontinued on page 2
I
f you ever thought the Old West was harsh, those outlaws and renegades had nothing on today’s US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Wildlife Services. On February 10 and 11, 2022, Wildlife Services aerially gunned down 65 head of cattle in the Gila Wilderness. They did it with a sniper in a helicopter. The cost was $40,000. The USFS paid for it. The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) applauded it. The sniper shot 29 bulls, 32 cows and four calves. The large continued on page 4
The reason cited for this government killing spree was supposed damage along stream beds. Other than the bull shot in the eye, does this stream bed display damage?
by LEE PITTS
Cowboy Diversity
T
here’s been a slow drift towards cultural diversity amongst the cowboy clan and it hasn’t always been pretty. I witnessed this trend firsthand when I leased a ranch from a cheapskate owner that was bordered on the back side by two more cheapskate owners each waiting for the others to fix the deplorable fence that divided us. (I think they were afraid of cutting their carrying capacity). As an astute barb wire collector I can tell you that the first wire strung on the old fence was of the Kettleson Half Hitch genus and species that was patented in 1878 and some of that wire was repaired and replaced with a more modern version, Wright #2 to be specific, patented in 1894. The only other wire on the old cedar posts was a patch job here and there with the “Japanese Suicide, Scars, Scabs and Stitches” brand. Thanks to the huge prices we were getting for calves back then (not) the three owners decided to each contribute one cowboy to the job with the cost to be shared equally. (The cost budgeted would have been more than their ancestors had paid for their entire ranches!) On the morning of fence-fixin’ day we all arrived on horseback, which was the only way to get to the bad fence. It was a clash of cultures so diverse war almost ensued. I was there as a proud representative of the vaquero tradition and a Texas cow puncher was present wearing his pants stuffed into very tall boots and huge batwing chaps that were heavily scarred by South Texas brush. Displayed prominently and resting in a pommel bag on his saddle was a six gun, which frightened me because I had come to the fence-fixin’ unarmed. The two of us twiddled our thumbs until the third ranch representative arrived. It seems the Great Basin buckaroo was late because it took him 30 minutes to dress his horse. I’d never seen so many ropes and fancy knots! He wore a flat brimmed hat and what he called “packer boots”, which were lace-up cowboy boots which I thought defeated the whole purpose of boots because cowboys wear them so we don’t have to tie any laces.
continued on page 4
Page 2
Livestock Market Digest
March 15, 2022
HELD CAPTIVE
cont from page 2
ous studies.” Ranchers faced a similar situation back in 1921 when the Big Five controlled 70 percent of the market while today the Big Four control 85 percent. In other words, concentration today is far worse than it was at the time of the passing of the Packers and Stockyards Act and the breakup of the big five. “Unsurprisingly,” said R CALF, “as markets have concentrated, the number of cattle, hog, and chicken farms have also dropped dramatically.” Ranchers must have had their heads in the sand and evidently couldn’t see the pork industry lose 90 percent of its producers in a very short period and the ones that were left were contract producers. At the same time our government regulators allowed the communist Chinese to buy Smithfield, our largest pork packer. Just as they let two Brazilian companies buy up our crown jewel beef packers to become two of the Big Four. The owners of one of the packers, JBS, bribed Brazilian politicians to get the millions of dollars needed to gobble up most of the smaller companies. And they were finally put in prison for it. And yet they are now the biggest beef packer in America and the world. Who said time crime doesn’t pay?
Drinking The Kool-Aid Many feedlots who signed up to supply the packers under contract couldn’t see they were signing their own death certificate. As R CALF says, “AMA’s may appear beneficial to producers because, at least initially, they provide a premium, or ‘bump’, over cash markets. But they do not provide a fixed price nor are they made publicly available for bidding by interested producers. Instead, they are exclusive offers to specific producers and tie directly to prices discovered through regional cash markets or other price indices, such as those provided
by third party data services that the packers and processors can influence, and even manipulate with coordinated efforts. This creates a problem for all producers. Additionally, these contracts move demand away from the cash market, which not only decreases the market prices but also reduces the eventual price paid to the producers who entered AMA’s tied to the cash market price.” Another group of cattlemen that fell hook, line and sinker for the lure of contract production were some of our biggest seedstock producers. Wanting to promote the sale of their bulls they got busy finding feedlot buyers for their customers’ cattle. The idea is that those cattle could be sold direct and the cattlemen could receive premiums for their “superior” cattle. So those cattle then sell every year to the same packer and the purebred breeder, who only wanted to help, made it possible for those superior cattle to become part of the captive supply. It would be better if those same purebred breeders just advised their feedlot connections as to when those cattle would be sold on the video or at an auction market. They’d be doing themselves a favor and could advertise that their cattle topped a video sale or a special off the grass sale held at an auction yard. Would-be-bull-buyers would be far more impressed. Other large purebred operators are buying back calves sired by their bulls and are using this as a selling point. Then they are feeding out those cattle themselves and contract those cattle to a Big Four packer who pays them off a grid. Again, we’ll never know the sale price of those superior calves. In this manner purebred breeders, having good intentions, drive another nail in the coffin of the rancher whose price for their calves is determined eventually by the prices paid for fat cattle. When that
price is determined by the lowest prices paid because the price for the better cattle is unknown, all cattlemen suffer. We’d all be better off if the purebred breeders stuck to doing what they do best, producing superior seedstock.
How Did It Happen? The U.S. Senate held a hearing titled “Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer.” During the hearing the Senate heard the testimony of two cattle ranchers, two college professors, and a banker. When the NCBA was asked to suggest a rancher to testify, who did they name? Mark Gardiner, whose family owns one of the biggest and best Angus operations in the country. According to Jim Mundorf writing in Lonesome Lands, “Gardiner was introduced as a rancher from Kansas and he testified, “I am very pleased to represent beef producers who are committed to the industry to raise the safest and highest quality beef in the world.” According to Mundorf, “He then went on to give what seemed like a completely delusional testimony that described the cattle market as being, “driven by pure economic market principles.” He gave the typical beef packer lobby excuses of, “a processing plant fire, a pandemic, and a ransomware attack.” He talked about how great confidential alternative marketing agreements are and how wonderful they have worked for the industry. It seemed his main reason for testifying was to tell the Senate how great the current system was working and to warn them not to change it.” Mundorf wondered, “Why would a cattle producer give testimony defending beef packers and the massive profits packers make through market manipulation and the screwing of the American cattle producer? After doing a little checking, I found
For advertising, subscription and editorial inquiries write or call:
Livestock Market Digest (1SSN 0024-5208) (USPS NO. 712320) is published monthly except semi-monthly in September in Albuquerque, N.M. 87104 by Livestock Market Digest, Inc. Periodicals Postage Paid at Albuquerque, N.M.
POSTMASTER-Send change of address to: Livestock Market Digest, P.O. Box 7458, Albuquerque, N.M. 87194
Subscribe Today
Livestock Market Digest P.O. Box 7458 Albuquerque, N.M. 87194 Telephone: 505-243-9515 Fax: 505-349-3060 www.aaalivestock.com EDITORIAL and ADVERTISING STAFF CAREN COWAN . . . . Publisher LEE PITTS . . . . . . . . . Executive Editor CHUCK STOCKS . . . . Publisher Emeritus RANDY SUMMERS . . Sales FALL MARKETING EDITION AD SALES
RANDY SUMMERS, 505-850-8544 email: rjsauctioneer@aol.com
NAME
FIELD EDITOR
ADDRESS
DELVIN HELDERMON, 580/622-5754 1094 Koller Rd, Sulpher, OK CITY
STATE
ZIP
— MY CHECK IS ENCLOSED FOR —
One Year: $25
Two Years: $35
Single copy: $10
Clip & mail to: Livestock Market Digest, P.O. Box 7458, Albuquerque, N.M. 87194
ADMINISTRATIVE and PRODUCTION STAFF JESSICA DECKER...Special Assistance KRISTY HINDS.........Graphic Designer
the answer was pretty straightforward. Mark Gardiner profits directly from massive beef packer profits.” Although Gardiner was supposed to represent ranchers, during his introduction it was also mentioned that he was a founder and board member of U.S. Premium Beef. Wrote Mundorf, “What was conveniently left out of that introduction is that USPB currently owns 15 percent of National Beef Packing. National Beef is one of the four beef packing corporations that control 85 percent of the cattle market in the U.S. and between 2003 and 2011, USPB was the majority owner of National Beef. So while Mr. Gardiner is a rancher, he is also a partner and part owner of one of the companies that is accused of manipulating the cattle market. This is a massive conflict of interest. One that definitely should have kept him from testifying, or at least, one that Senators should have been made aware of.” Continued Mundorf, “What U.S. Premium Beef does, is they are a company that sells memberships to cattle producers to allow them to deliver directly to National Beef Packing plants and get in on those confidential AMA’s that pay premiums over the actual market price. So not only should Gardiner’s connections to packers have disqualified him from testifying, but also the fact that as a cattle producer he never really participates in the cattle market. There are probably very few people who have ever gained more from both beef packer concentration and confidential cattle marketing agreements than Mark Gardiner,” wrote Mundorf. “So how does this happen?” asks Mundorf. “How does the last person who should ever be giving testimony end up being asked to give testimony? Well it just so happens that the President of the largest beef packing lobbyist organization, NCBA, is the Secretary of the Board at USPB. So, both Gardiner and NCBA President Jerry Bohn are board members of a company that owns 15 percent of National Beef. All the while on his
USPB website it states, “With ownership interest in National Beef Packing Co., LLC, USPB members share in the success of one of the nation’s largest beef processors.” So while the rest of the cattle industry has been suffering over the last couple years, Mark Gardiner, NCBA President Jerry Bohn, and their company have been proudly sharing in the successes of the beef packing industry.” Gardiner told the committee he does not believe that the big packers participate in anti-competitive practices or illegal predatory practices that harm smaller processors. He doesn’t believe this happened in the past, either. “I don’t believe that there is criminal activity going on. They are highly scrutinized. They are audited. They are investigated all the time by the Department of Justice. I don’t know of any illegal activity,” he said. “The big four packers do not need to be broken up.” According to the Jeffries Financial Group it entered into an agreement to sell its remaining 31 percent interest in National Beef Packing Co. LLC to Brazilian meat company Marfrig Global Foods S.A. The purchase would raise Marfrig’s ownership to 81.7 percent of National Beef. The deal made Marfrig the world’s second-largest beef processor with combined sales of $13 billion. So Gardiner was speaking on behalf of you, the NCBA and as a shareholder of one of the Big Four. As this was happening it was being reported that beef packers were making $1,000 on every carcass they processed. At the same time cowboys were complaining about packer’s profits I received an email from an old friend who’s in the auction market business. He wrote, “All of these cattle people ranting and raving about the packer concentration. They go on and on about it and then send their cull cows direct to a packer or sell off the ranch to a feedlot that has a sweetheart deal with one of the Big Four. I had one customer with some cull cows to sell. Normally he sent his culls continued on page 3
March 15, 2022
HELD
Livestock Market Digest cont from page 3
directly to the packer but the packer was backed up and they had to wait two months to get them killed. He told my friend, “I guess I’m going to have to send them to you guys.” In other words, selling their cattle in an auction format where the price would be discovered by competitive bidding in a transparent manner was the last resort. My friend said, “I’m not very smart but doesn’t that make him part of the problem?” Yes it does. And it will only get worse and if we try to rein in the packers now, they’ll just import more beef from their operations around the world. Sadly, the damage has been done and if you want to find the guilty party then look no further than your fellow cattlemen.
▫
Page 3
Upperman Named A Regulatory Load for Every Room of Your House Executive Director of Government meddling in our everyday lives is extreme. Angus Foundation BY KEN LESSMAN / PRESIDENT & CEO, COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE
M
y colleague Ben Lieberman recently wrote a piece for The Wall Street Journal addressing the breadth of the problem at home. As he explains, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) latest measures ignore costs and limit freedom of choice. “With or without government meddling, any homeowner who wants environmentally friendly appliances is always free to choose them. So why force the politically correct option on everyone? Part of it is the self-interest of the Washington swamp: Plenty of bureaucrats inside the government as well as activists and lobbyists outside it make a nice living from an endless regulatory process. And while appliance manufacturers occasionally oppose new regulations, they often welcome them as potential money makers.” Appliance energy-use restrictions are hugely unpopular with middle-America because they raise costs and waste time. During the past decade, CEI’s efforts have been highly effective, convincing the DOE to roll back or even eliminate several of these constraints. For example, in 2019, the agency granted our petition to withdraw and revise its energy efficiency rule for home dishwashing machines which would have permitted greater water use and increased the average cycle time. But the Biden administration is now threatening to undo many of these gains. Time is one of the few non-renewable and non-substitutable resources in our life. Again and again, federal regulators make rules telling us how we must spend our time and the trade-offs with cost, efficiency, and risk that are necessary. I think you know better than a bureaucrat if you would like to pay more to have appliances run longer.
What Is ▫ The Best Advertising ASA’s 54th Annual Meeting Board of Trustees Election Value In Western Livestock Industry?
T
he American Simmental Association (ASA) held their 54th Annual Meeting virtually, the first week of January, 2022. The Annual Meeting highlighted each committees’ minutes for the previous year, and reflected on the successes of 2021, including the continued growth of International Genetics Solutions, successful Progress Through Performance shows, the AJSA National Classic and Regional events, and the Association’s navigation of two challenging years due to COVID-19. During the Annual Meeting, Barry Wesner, Chalmers, Indiana, was formally seated as Chairman of the Board, succeeding Randy Moody, New Market, Alabama. Also seated on the Executive Committee were Vice Chairman Doug Parke, Paris, Kentucky; Treasurer Steve Eichacker, Salem, South Dakota; Immediate Past Chairman Randy Moody, New Market, Alabama; and Brandon Callis, Minco, Oklahoma. Four newcomers were also elected to the Board, including: Joseph Hensgens, Rayne, Louisiana; Maureen Mai, Bonners Ferry, Idaho; Ryan Thorson, Glendive, Montana; and Loren Trauernicht, Wymore, Nebraska.
▫
T
he American Angus Association® has named Jaclyn Upperman executive director of the Angus Foundation. She will lead the Foundation’s mission of serving Angus youth, education and research. “Jaclyn’s passion for the Angus family runs deep,” said Mark McCully, chief executive officer for the American Angus Association. “We are fortunate to have her extraordinary enthusiasm and drive leading the Foundation.” The Foundation is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit and an affiliate of the Association. A product of the National Junior Angus Association and its leadership opportunities, Upperman knows the ways the Foundation influences the success of the junior program. “I’ve had the privilege of seeing first-hand the positive impact the Angus Foundation can have,” Upperman said. Upperman has served as the American Angus Association Director of Events and Education, including junior activities, for eight years. Many of the junior programs are funded by the Foundation, providing opportunities for Angus youth to develop strong leadership skills for the future of the breed and agriculture. “The combined legacy of so many Angus supporters makes a difference in not only youth programs, but also in education and research initiatives for the beef industry,” she said. “I’m excited to lead efforts to expand the Foundation’s reach.” A native of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Upperman served on the National Junior Angus Association board of directors from 2009 to 2011. She worked for the American Chianina Association before directing the Events and Education depart-
ment for Angus. Upperman replaces Thomas Marten, who leaves the Foundation to pursue seminary studies. Marten joined the Foundation in 2020 and had a significant impact in his two years. Caitlyn Brandt, who has worked side-by-side with Upperman for six years, will be promoted to the Director of Events and Junior Activities. Upperman and Brandt will take on their new roles in early March.
▫
Page 4
Livestock Market Digest
HERD
March 15, 2022
continued from page 1
In true cowboy fashion none of us was happy to be at the fence-fixin. Any cowboy worth his salt would sooner herd sheep, cut hay, wallow in manure, or be drug by a horse rather than fix fence. Hostilities began immediately on the very first post hole we dug. Or tried to dig. Each of us had brought what he considered the necessary equipment. My horse Gentleman and I drug an extra horse behind us who was loaded down with a gas powered auger, a can of gasoline, wire stretchers, tee posts and a post pounder. The Texan, who was not interested in anything mechanical, brought a digging bar and a sardine can and the Great Basin buckaroo brought a roll of sheep fence. We should have brought a jackhammer. I set up the two man auger and the Texas cotton picker and I held on tight while I pulled the rope. We made it through three inches of topsoil before hitting solid bedrock and broke the pin that held the auger to the engine. Next, the Texan got his digging bar and went to work walloping away at the rock. After 20 minutes of back breaking work he knelt down and removed a sardine can full of dirt. The Great Basin buckaroo scoffed at us pathetic examples of the cowboy persuasion and said, “Don’t you halfwits know nuthin”? You don’t dig postholes in ground like this, you build them.” Then he told us about “rock jacks”, which I’d seen on my travels in Nevada, the Dakotas and eastern Oregon. (They even have a champion rock jack competition in Oregon!) The buckaroo took his roll of sheep fence and made several baskets about a yard wide and a yard high. Then he explained that we’d put a post in the middle of the basket and fill the basket with rocks about the size of a softball and that would become our post. That was the theory anyway. To the best of my knowledge that broken down fence remains so to this day because none of us could find a single suitable rock to put in the rock jack.
Baby calf left to starve or be eaten by predators.
www.LeePittsbooks.com
AERIAL SNIPERS
cont from page 1
number of cows versus the small number of calves slaughtered virtually guaranteed that calves have likely died from starvation or predator attacks since the government’s slaughter. While there are no plans for the agencies to use a helicopter and guns to exterminate any more cattle this calendar year in the Gila Wilderness, the government has blown any trust that may have existed between it and the ranching community.
How Did We Get Here? Over time cattle have strayed from active and now-vacant USFS Forest Service allotments and nearby private lands into the Gila Wilderness in the Gila National Forest. In the past at least one agreement was struck between the USFS and the New Mexico Livestock Board (NMLB) to go in and remove some of these cattle via horseback, according to past and long-time Chairman Bill Sauble. Unfortunately, neither agency can locate that agreement now. Since the USFS has systematically retired grazing allotments in the area, the problem has gotten worse. There are no neighbors to help one another in gathering cattle that have gotten through broken fences or gates that have been thrown down and moved into the Wilderness. With an increasing, unmanaged number of elk in the area, maintaining those fences is a
RARE Lander Blue Squash Blossom Set SOLD $100,000
constant task for any rancher. Making matters worse, the USFS removed all infrastructure, fences, livestock corals and anything else that might allow livestock to be gathered and removed from the Wilderness. The urgency in removing estray cattle from the Gila took center stage in early 2020 when the CBD filed a lawsuit against the USFS charging riparian damage by livestock although there are also abundant elk herds in the area. Shortly after that suit was filed, the USFS asked former State Senator Gabe Ramos to request state funding to remove the estray livestock. That plan did not meet with the satisfaction of livestock trade organizations or the NMLB. During the spring of 2021, there began to be rumors that the USFS intended to start aerial gunning of the livestock. That caused an uproar not only in the ranching community but from the public as well. In response, the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association (NMCGA) and others sent a notice of intent to sue to the agency. The Grant County Soil & Water District (GCSWD) tried to work with the USFS. They held a meeting with the Gila National Forest Supervisor to find out what could be done to keep cattle from being slaughtered with a helicopter and a sniper. The USFS indicated a willingness to work on the problem
403 N. Florence St., Casa Grande, AZ 85122
14K Gold & Turq. Squash SOLD $15,000
(520) 426-7702 WesternTradingPost.com
BUY, SELL, TRADE, or AUCTION How can we help you? Oleg Stravrowsky Painting SOLD $18,500
High Condition Henry Rifle SOLD $35,000
Shipwreck Silver Ingot SOLD $30,000
Certified Lander Turq. Collection SOLD $150,000
Engraved Henry Rifle SOLD $40,000
Upcoming Auctions: Feb. 12th, Mar. 12th, Apr. 9th, May 14th
Gut-shot bull.
and admitted that it had a hand getting a temporary restraining derness anytime soon because in creating the problem, but it order (TRO) to stop the killing. spotted owl nesting season beclaimed it didn’t have the monU.S. Congresswoman Ye- gan on March 1. ey to solve the problem. At that vette Herrell took immediate Information about what hapmeeting the USFS stated that action in Washington, D.C., at- pened in the Wilderness has they would not immediately be- tempting to work with the head been slow to get out because gin with the slaughter, but there of the USFS as well as USDA. the USFS slapped a closure orneeded to be plan in place to New Mexico trade organiza- der on the killing sites through start removing the cattle. tions and area ranchers met February 28. The New Mexico The USFS offered money with USFS leadership in the Livestock Board was able to get to the GCSWD or other local state. photos of two bulls. They were organizations to get the cattle Wildlife Services and the dead, lying in the Gila River. removed. But that was a bigger USFS flew cattle-spotting The USFS had said there would project than the locals could missions during the week of be no killing in the River. When tackle alone. The GCSWD of- February 7. Work to stop the confronted, the USFS respondfered to work on a way to find slaughter went forward on ev- ed that it had not killed those funding to send cowboys into ery front. By late the afternoon particular animals, someone the Wilderness to gather the of February 8, the DOJ con- else must have done it. livestock that could be gathered. tacted Karen Budd-Falen and The agency has since changed A discussion draft of a pro- said there would be no killing their tune admitting that the posal was sent to the NMLB as a in 2022. Three hours later, the animals were part of the killstarting point for discussion. In- USFS said they planned to start ing spree and have announced stead, the NMLB called a meet- shooting on February 10. plans to go in and remove the ing on the issue, took testimony Budd-Falen Law Offices animals in the river. and went into executive session. filed the lawsuit in federal court Photo evidence has started When the meeting resumed, the on February 9. The hearing on to leak out of the Wilderness. Board members voted against the TRO was held that after- The evidence demonstrates assistance, although they stated noon. Federal District Judge just how horrendous the killing they were vehemently opposed James O. Browning, Albuquer- spree was. Animals had their to the killing of the cattle. que, ruled that as long as there legs shot out from under them. In the fall 2021 the USFS was no regulation prohibiting Animals were shot in the eye. settled the CBD lawsuit and the USFS from killing the cattle, Baby calves whose mothers had hired a contractor who used it could. been shot were seen wandering, both a helicopter and cowboys The USFS started the ae- now dogies. It appears that at to try and gather the cattle. It rial slaughter on February 10. least two weapon types were was estimated that there could There was no confirmation on used by the sniper. be 250 head or more in the area. February 10 about what had More evidence will be forthThat contractor met with limit- happened. Finally on the morn- coming. The investigation and ed success. ing of the 11th, Congresswom- litigation efforts will continue. As the fall moved on, USFS an Herrell’s office got word that That investigation and litigation officials repeatedly stated that 47 head had been shot the pre- will be expensive. But it is necthere would be no mass slaugh- vious day and the helicopter was essary to keep the government ter of the livestock. up again. Later that day, it was from ever again committing Unexpectedly, on Thursday, learned that another 18 head such an atrocity. February 3, word got out that had been shot. More would If you’d like to help by makthe two federal agencies had have been killed or wounded ing a donation, please contact plans to begin aerial slaughter but high winds forced the he- the New Mexico Cattle Growwithin days. Work began imme- licopter to land earlier than ers’ Association at 505.247.0584 diately on several fronts to stop planned. The sniper and the he- and watch for other donation this action. The Budd-Falen licopter left New Mexico. The opportunities. Law Office was retained to USFS says it has no plans to prepare a lawsuit and work on continue shooting in the Wil-
▫
A
Internet Bidding Available *** Bulls Guaranteed *** Free Trucking 1st 600 miles
125 Bulls Sell Western Livestock, Great Falls Montana
Box 348, Augusta MT 59410 John & Cheryl: 406-562-3670 Mike & Sarah: 406-562-3694 VIEW BULL VIDEOS: cobbcow1@3riversdbs.net cobbchar@3riversdbs.net www.cobbcharolais.com
COBB CHAROLAIS RANCH
Uniform muscular Cobb bull sired cross feeder calves • Pocha Ranches, Helmville, MT
All one brand and home raised.
C
63rd
SPRING BULL SALE Saturday, April 16th 2022
Cobb Bull Charcross calves = more pounds = more $$’s/head See the valuable difference using Cobb Charolais bulls
March 15, 2022 Livestock Market Digest Page 5
Page 6
Livestock Market Digest
Do You Ever Wonder?
P
The View FROM THE BACK SIDE
BY BARRY DENTON
resently, Canadian Truckers are becoming American heroes and heroes to all freedom loving people. It seems they drove their rigs to the capitol city of Ottawa and parked them downtown to protest the ridiculous government-imposed mask mandates. They have been there for almost two weeks and there has been no violence other than the police brutalizing a few residents that support the truckers. The truckers, unlike Black Lives Matter protests have not damaged any property. They hid out the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family and it turns out that there was nothing to hide from. The Canadian government was in total disarray because they couldn’t figure out who’s jurisdiction the truckers fell under. Yesterday, the Canadian Prime Minister came out from hiding in his broom closet and told the truckers to go home. Meanwhile, many of the Canadian provinces got rid of their mask restrictions as they are trying to get rid of the trucker’s blockade. The elitist Prime Minister looks like a bigger fool the more time goes by, and he makes no effort to negotiate with the truckers. It would seem to me that if you are a true “leader”, then you would try negotiating with constituents that are upset but are not causing any violence. One thing about it, truckers can cause a multitude of problems when they are not moving. This is a great example of why government should be free of nepotism. I think the Clintons and Bushes were the American examples of that. We all know according to the climate change experts that methane gases produce heat and global warming. Remember last February, Texas suffered its blackouts during successive ice storms and up to a half million people had no power for several days. Texas is one of the leading cattle producing states with a population of 4,865,000 cattle. You would think that with all the science available that the cattle would have kept Texas warm. Just think if they had put up temporary pens under all those T. Boone Pickens windmills they have there. Then if they drove the nearly five million cattle under there? Why they would have never even iced up according to climate change experts. Funny thing, but even Europe with all their extreme climate change madness decided the windmills weren’t enough last year and went back to natural gas. Besides that, they started opening some of their abandoned coal mines. Imagine that, they decided they would rather be warm than fight global warming. I met some folks that are vegan because they think they are helping the environment. I don’t care if you think that, and I welcome your right to be wrong about such matters. However, which environment are you talking about? Think about this. The world is so complex and full of intelligent design so how many beings are displaced when a farmer drops his plow in the ground? Stop and think of all the bugs, worms, and microorganisms that inhabit that ground. They all have their own little environment in the ground and you vegans are fine with destroying it to get a plant to grow. Just because bugs and grubs aren’t pretty then you environmental vegans don’t mind killing them? Consider what John Dutton said on Yellowstone about environmentalists, “You kill everything on the ground and under it!” I think you so called environmental vegans ought to go out and start petting worms so that you don’t want to kill them. Is there a difference between killing a cow or a worm? I’m happy that people like to eat their vegetables as that helps every vegetable farmer that I know. Alas, the environmental vegans never think of the carnage their food is causing.
March 15, 2022
With New Energy Technologies, Beware of Spontaneous Combustion BY H. STERLING BURNETT
I
t’s not uncommon for films and books in the horror, sci-fi, and mystery genres to feature characters spontaneously combusting. TV reality shows documenting strange mysteries sometimes feature instances where people have, to outward appearances, erupted into flames without any apparent cause. Whether in fiction or the real world, instances of spontaneous combustion are usually traced to outside forces or poor personal choices. In fiction, the cause might be pyrokinesis, a curse, witchcraft, or, in mysteries, some elaborate device that causes the targeted character to catch fire. In the real world, the causes are much more mundane, such as faulty electric wiring in a blanket or nearby space heater or falling asleep with a burning cigarette in one’s hand. A real-world example of spontaneous combustion, instances of which are becoming far more common, is devices with lithium-ion batteries erupting into flames without any apparent outside cause. This endangers lives and property, not just by the flames but also from the toxic fumes these fires emit. Airlines were among the first to take notice of this problem. The risk was so great that they banned certain products containing lithium-ion batteries from planes. Airlines also restricted the class of battery devices that can be taken in carry-on luggage, to batteries with limited storage capacity. Even small backup batteries are banned from checked luggage. A Google News search for the phrases “electric car house fire” or “house solar battery fire” turns up dozens of stories from the past couple of years detailing instances where battery systems connected to recently installed solar arrays or electric vehicle (EV) batteries being charged in garages spontaneously combusted, burning down all or part of peoples’ homes. Dozens more articles warn of the dangers to homes from such devices. In August of 2021, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported approximately 12,000 residential energy solar panel systems’ battery
modules had been recalled by their manufacturers in 2020 and to that point in 2021 because of the threat of combustion. This wasn’t because the electricians failed to do their jobs when wiring up the systems; the fires were caused by the systems themselves. The battery modules’ chemical makeup and construction make them prone to overheat and catch fire on occasion. News stories and government reports detail numerous instances of EVs spontaneously burning. When an electric vehicle catches fire in or after an accident, that’s understandable. Cars with internal combustion engines can catch fire in these cases as well. It’s another thing entirely, however, when a car spontaneously catches fire when stuck in rush-hour traffic or when unattended, parked on the street or in one’s garage. Electric vehicles have been known to do this, especially while charging or caught in highway gridlock. In 2021, Chevrolet recalled all its electric Bolts to replace their battery modules because of the fire risk. Then there are the largescale fires associated with the battery modules intended for or installed in electric vehicles. In late July of 2021, a fire erupted at one of the largest battery factories in the world, a partnership with Tesla in Australia. The factory caught fire during testing and burned for days, with firefighters initially unable to fight the blaze because they lacked respirator equipment to protect them from the toxic fumes. Authorities told nearby residents to stay indoors and close windows and other air vents. The Australian battery factory fire was by no means unique. CNBC has detailed more than 40 such spontaneous combustion incidents at battery factories or battery storage facilities in the past decade, most of which occurred in the past three years. A fire at a battery factory in Arizona in 2019 seriously injured two emergency responders, and two firefighters in China were killed when a battery module connected to rooftop solar panels at a shopping mall burst into flames. It is relatively rare for large, modern ships to catch fire and burn for an extended period, much less having to be aban-
doned and sinking because of fire. They are made of steel and have modern fire-suppression equipment installed or available. Perhaps this equipment is no longer modern enough. In mid-February, a cargo ship carrying battery-powered Porches, Bentleys, and Volkswagens totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in value erupted into flames. Whether the battery modules caused the fire is unknown. What is known, however, is that battery packs at least fueled the fire, making it grow quickly and emit toxic fumes. The crew could not put out the fire before the fumes forced them to abandon the ship. It burned for days and sank before a salvage crew could get it safely to port. In a previous issue of Climate Change Weekly, I detailed some of the environmental drawbacks of the push for a big EV expansion in the United States. And in a recent post on Liberty and Ecology, I detailed some of the practical hurdles that make it unlikely EVs will suit most drivers’ needs in the near future. But inconvenience is one thing; the fact that the battery modules powering EVs and backing up rooftop solar systems are prone to spontaneous combustion and thus potentially deadly is another thing entirely. This much is clear: before you add a solar system with backup battery to your home, check with your homeowner’s insurance to find out what you have to do to keep from voiding your coverage in the case of a battery-caused fire. Do the same when purchasing an electric vehicle you intend to charge in your garage. These systems require special wiring, and you should make sure to get the electrical work certified by your local government agency in charge of such things. Otherwise, if a battery fire burns your house down, you may find yourself in for a second shock when your insurer tells you the incident was not covered. SOURCES: Pennlive; CNBC; Road and Track; Climate Change Weekly; Liberty and Ecology
▫
▫
Advertise to Cattleman in the Livestock Market Digest
March 15, 2022
Livestock Market Digest
Page 7
REAL ESTATE GUIDE
www.scottlandcompany.com
Ben G. Scott – Broker Krystal M. Nelson – NM QB 800-933-9698 5:00 a.m./10:00 p.m.
RANCH & FARM REAL ESTATE We need listings on all types of ag properties large or small!
■ LETS LOOK at these two choices 80-acre tracts of dryland located in close proximity one to the other in Wilbarger County near Vernon, Texas. ■ NEW LISTING! REVUELTO CREEK RANCH – Quay Co., NM – 2,920 ac. -/+ (2,800 Deeded, 40 ac. -/+ NM State Lease, 80 ac. -/+ Private Lease). ■ NEW LISTING! Harding Co., NM – 3,880 ac. -/+, older home, cattle pens, hunting/cattle ranch. Please call for details! ■ NEW LISTING! Union Co., NM – 2,091.72 ac. (1,771.72 Deeded, 320 ac. -/+ State Lease), well watered w/three wells, two sets of steel pens. ■ MAXWELL, NM – 1,500 ac.+/- grassland (1,100 ac. +/- Deeded, 400 ac. State Lease), great location near all types of mountain recreation, located 7 miles NE of Maxwell, NM. ■ RIMROCK RANCH - BUEYEROS, NM – 14,993.49 total acres +/- (12,157.49 deeded acres +/-, 2,836 +/- New Mexico State Lease). Live water with five miles of scenic Ute Creek. Elk, deer and antelope to go along with a good cattle ranch! Significant price reduction! ■ ALAMOSA CREEK RANCH – Roosevelt Co., NM – 14,982 +/- acres (10,982 ac. +/- deeded, 4,000 ac. +/- State Lease). Good cow ranch in Eastern NM excellent access via US 60 frontage between Clovis and Fort Sumner. Alamosa creek crosses through the heart of the gently rolling grassland. ■ SARGENT CANYON RANCH – (Chaves/Otero Co.) 18,460 +/- ac. - 200 +/- deeded, 2,580 +/State, 11,200 +/- BLM, 4,480 +/- Forest - permitted for 380 AUs year-round, well watered, good headquarters, very nice updated home, excellent pens & out buildings. Scenic ranch! ■ CEDARVALE, NM – 7,113 acre ranch (5,152 ac. +/- Deeded – 1,961 ac. +/- State Lease) well fenced & watered w/good pens, new barn. ■ PRICE REDUCED! “RARE FIND” LAJUNTA, CO – Otero Co, CO, 400 +/- acres. 3.5 mi. east of LaJunta, just 65 miles from Pueblo, CO! Home, barns, pens, fenced, good access, close to town. ■ TEXAS PANHANDLE – Let’s look at this 6,000 hd. permitted feedyard w/953 ac. +/-, a recently remodeled owner’s home, 2 residences for employee housing, addtl. home on 6 ac., 5 pivot sprinkler irr. circles, truck scale, cattle scale, excellent perimeter fencing, located on pavement & all weather road, currently in full operation. ■ SUPER OPPORTUNITY! One of the best steak houses in the nation just out of Amarillo & Canyon at Umbarger, TX., state-of-the-art bldg., turn-key w/ complete facilities. ■ EAST EDGE OF FT. SUMNER, NM – a 900 hd. grow yard w/immaculate 7.32 ac. +/-, a beautiful home, & other improvements w/a long line of equipment included, on pvmt. ■ QUAY CO, NM. – 142 ac. +/-, 120.5 ac. +/CRP, very nice site-built home & barn, located on all weather road.
Selling residential, farm, ranch, commercial and relocating properties. COLETTA RAY
Pioneer Realty 1304 Pile Street, Clovis, NM 88101
575-799-9600 Direct 575.935.9680 Office 575.935.9680 Fax coletta@plateautel.net www.clovisrealestatesales.com
Advertise to Cattlemen and Ranchers!
TEXAS & OKLA. FARMS & RANCHES 198 AC Fanninco, TX Good Country Rd. Frontage, Rural Water, Electricity, 35 mi NE of Dallas, SO of Bonnam $20,000 Per Acre 270 AC Miticelle Co., TX 1 mi off I-20, 6 Elect, Trurans Rock Formation Irrigation Well and Sprinkler. All Bring Case, Modest Home & Barns Price $2.2 million 270 AC Pine Timber & Hunting, Anderson Co., TX Co. Rd. Frontage, Small Lakes $7,250 Per Acre
Bar M Real Estate
SCOTT MCNALLY www.ranchesnm.com 575/622-5867 575/420-1237 Ranch Sales & Appraisals
AG LAND LOANS
505-243-9515
for more information
1-800/671-4548
joepriestre.net • joepriestRE@gmail.com
694.9 ACRE RANCH IN ROOSEVELT CO NM 1931 S Rrd B has total new 5 wire, steel post, pipe corners etc, pipe corrals, POND, nice ranch house with 2 good water wells, some CRP time remains $665,000
575-226-0671 or 575-226-0672 fax
Buena Vista Realty
Qualifying Broker: A.H. (Jack) Merrick 575-760-7521 www.buenavista-nm.com
As Low As 3.5% OPWKCAP 3.5%
Bottari Realty
INTEREST RATES AS LOW AS 3.5% Payments Scheduled on 25 Years
Paul Bottari, Broker
Joe Stubblefield & Associates 13830 Western St., Amarillo, TX 806/622-3482 • cell 806/674-2062 joes3@suddenlink.net Michael Perez Associates Nara Visa, NM • 575-403-7970
Joe Priest Real Estate Call
521 West Second St. • Portales, NM 88130
775/752-3040 Nevada Farms & raNch PrOPerTY www.bottarirealty.com
UNIQUE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY IN MT. GROVE! Three addresses including large retail building (105 W., 9600 SF built in 1995) (107 W. 11th, 13000 SG built in 2000); single family home (1103 N Main, 874 SF with 378 SQ unfinished basement built in 1940s) This is the last commercial corner of this size in the city and on MO95 (1.45 acres) so it is perfect for a bigger user who needs access and visibility. Nearby national/ regional businesses including Dollar Tree, Legacy Bank, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Fresenius Dialysis. It is also suitable for any retail business who wants additional income from warehouse and house. The warehouse has a drive-in garage door; and the big building has a dock for second story loading. This has been part of a family-owned business for decades and is currently operating as an antique/collectible store with high quality items. Owner’s inventory is for sale separately in private negotiations. Shown by appointment only after business hours. MLS#60199328
521 West Se
575-226-0
B
A.H. (J ww
AS PRO R
14298 N
FARM LAND IN ROOSEVELT CO NM 2550 S. Rrd 6 159.8 ac some CRP remains, eligible to re-inroll if new program $120,000 — See details on www.buenavista-nm.com
521 West Second St. • Portales, NM 88130
See these Properties with details at www.buenavista-nm.com or call agent for info
Buena Vista Realty
575-226-0671 or 575-226-0672 fax Qualifying Broker: A.H. (Jack) Merrick 575-760-7521 www.buenavista-nm.com
Call Buena Vista Realty at 575-226-0671 or the listing agent
Lori Bohm or Melody Sandberg 575-825-1291. 521 West Second St. • Portales, NM575-760-9847, 88130 Many good pictures on MLS or www.buenavista-nm.com
575-226-0671 or 575-226-0672 fax
U N DEARCT CONTR
Mexico approximately 20 miles northwest of the small community of Elida. Acreage includes 4,700 +/- deeded acres, 640 acres NM State Lease acres and 320 of Uncontrolled acres. Livestock water is provided by three wells and approximately four miles of pipeline. The ranch is fenced into four pastures and one small trap. Grazing capacity is estimated to be 80-100 AUYL. This place has had excellent summer rains and has not been stocked since last year. It’s as good as it gets, come take a look or call for a brochure. Price: $1,620,000
COWBOY DRAW RANCH Excellent small cattle ranch located in southeastern New
Mexico approximately 50 miles northwest of Roswell on the Chaves/Lincoln county line. 7,455 total acres with 2,600 deeded with the balance federal BLM lease acres. Permitted for 151 animal units yearlong with an additional 30 animal units on a temporary nonrenewable basis. Watered with two wells and several miles of water pipeline. Two larger open draws run through the ranch that provide overflow areas to enhance grazing. The terrain is open and rolling with good turf. The ranch has had good summer rains with no cattle since last spring. The ranch is in excellent condition. Call for a brochure and come take a look. Price: $1,350,000
U N DEARCT CONTR
Scott McNally, Qualifying Broker Bar M Real Estate, LLC P.O. Box 428, Roswell, NM 88202 Office: 575-622-5867 Cell: 575-420-1237 Website: www.ranchesnm.com
P.O. Box 145, Cimarron, NM 87714 • 575/376-2341 • Fax: 575/376-2347 land@swranches.com • www.swranches.com
Qualifying Broker: A.H. (Jack) Merrick 575-760-7521 www.buenavista-nm.com
CIMARRON PASTURE, 6.26± deeded acres. $139,000. Sold separately, 3.1116± acres irrigated off 1870 Maxwell-Clutton Ditch. $45,000. Water meter, well. 3 phase power. Next to Cimarron River. MAXWELL ESCAPE, 440 Elm Tree Rd. Nice 2-story home plus park model home, horse barn, many other buildings, shade trees, private, 34.2 irrigable acres, 45± total deeded acres. $575,000
CONTRACT PENDING
MAXWELL 2ND HOME, 2nd Home 461 Elm Tree Rd. 2-story, 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home with usable outbuildings, barn, storage, 22.22 irrigable acres, 42.02 total deeded acres. $500,000 UTE PARK RIVER PLACE 6.83 +/ACRES, 450 +/- feet of the Cimarron River and more than that of Ute Creek are the south and east boundaries of
this unique one of a kind water property. 2 bedroom 1 bathroom cabin, year round access off Hwy 64. $599,000 CIMARRON BUSINESS, Frontage opportunity, house, big shop and office buildings, easy view off Hwy 64. Formerly known as “The Porch.” $295,000 CAPULIN FAMILY COMPOUND, Union County, NM. 40.88 +/- deeded acres with stunning 3,000 sqft plus main home with attached apartment over large garage. Pinon/juniper, two wells, short gravel drive off blacktop. $725,000 COLFAX TAVERN & DINER, Colfax County, NM. Aka “COLD BEER”, turn key legendry regional icon and destination, with anchor staff/team willing to stay on. Prime business on front range. $1,500,000
Patronize Our Advertisers
DOUGLASS RANCH A quality ranch property located in northeastern Chaves County, New
O’NEILL LAND, llc Buena Vista Realty
E
E
Page 8
Livestock Market Digest
The Truth about Beef Price Fixing, the JBS $52.5 Million Settlement, and Justice BY JIM MUNDORF / LONESOMELANDS.COM
I
copied and pasted R-calf’s lawsuit onto their own and sued for price fixing of beef instead of for the cattle. This works because what they are accusing beef packers of doing impacts prices for both cattle and beef.
The Allegations The lawsuit states that Tyson, Cargill, National, and JBS worked together, starting in 2015, to reduce the number of cattle slaughtered which created, “artificial Beef supply re-
“
n early February the world’s largest meat packer JBS announced that it was paying $52.5 million to settle a price fixing lawsuit…and that’s all that was reported. I read all the articles I could about it, and that’s really all the information that was given. There was no mention of who was actually suing them, no specifics about the allegations, no mention of evidence included in the complaint, and because of the lack of details given, many people, publications, and organizations, have simply been making things up.
The Complaint The original lawsuit that JBS is settling can be found by visiting: www.docketalarm.com/cases/ Minnesota_District_Court/0--19cv-02720/Pacific_Agri-Products_ Inc._v._JBS_USA_Food_Company_Holdings_et_al/1/ . It was filed on October 10, 2019, by Pacific Agri-Products against the big four beef packers, JBS, Tyson Foods, Cargill and National Beef. Pacific Agri-Products is a wholesale food distributor that, in this case, buys beef direct from the packer and distributes it to retailers and other wholesalers. After filing, five other wholesalers joined the class action. The evidence used in the complaint is pretty much, word for word, the same as a lawsuit filed in April of that year by the cattlemen’s organization R-calf, and a number of cattle producers. It seems like the lawyers just
an “agreement” to reduce their purchase and slaughter volumes in response to what they perceived to be high fed cattle prices.” The witness specifically recalls a conversation with the plants fabrication manager where he was told, “We have had that agreement that we don’t kill while prices are up for a while.” The witness also explains that the plants in on the “agreement” were Tyson, Amarillo, Texas; JBS, Cactus, Texas; Cargill, Friona, Texas; and National Beef, Liberal, Kansas. Last
March 15, 2022 packers all slowed production in 2015, it increased the supply of cattle causing the cattle price to go down while at the same time decreasing the amount of beef available, driving the demand, and price, up. The difference between the red and the blue is the beef packer profit margin and for the past two years it is literally off the charts.
Settlements vs. Justice So JBS is paying $52.5 Million to get out of the beef
Settlements are about money, they are not about justice. The people raising cattle deserve justice. Justice for the past seven years of struggle. Justice for those who’ve
been forced to constantly ask themselves if it’s even worth it anymore. Justice for the liquidations of farms, and ranches that just could not continue to lose money.”
straints.” Reducing the slaughter numbers works to fill packer pockets on both ends. They are able to put the squeeze on cattle feeders because there are too many cattle. The feeders can’t feed them forever and have to take what they can get. The packers are then able to charge more for beef, because wholesalers, like Pacific-Agri Products, are under supplied and have to pay through the nose for the beef they can get.
The Evidence There are pages and pages of evidence provided to show how beef packers did this and the obvious results of lower cattle prices and higher beef prices. The most damning evidence given is the testimony of a packing plant employee. The witness was the Head Quality Assurance Officer at one of the major packing plants for 10 years. The witness, “reports having multiple discussions with the Fabrication Manager during which the Fabrication Manager explained that all of the Defendants (Packers) agreed to reduce their purchase of fed cattle and slaughter volume. For example, during one conversation, the Fabrication manager specifically admitted that the Defendants had
summer the packers’ lawyers tried to have the case thrown out because they said that the witness was unreliable. The Judge looked into the witness and denied their request. Another part of the evidence was simply listing the packing plants that the four packers shut down. In around 30 months they shut down a total of 12 different packing plants. The suit states that if you combine that with the slowing down of other plants this, “stripped out approximately two million head from the industry’s annual slaughter capacity.” Quite possibly the most eye popping evidence given is simply showing the results of what happened to prices when the packers colluded to slow production. The most up to date version of the chart used in both original lawsuits. The red line is cattle prices and the blue columns are beef prices. The in between is beef packer profit margin. The red line is cattle prices and the blue columns are beef prices. When the red and blue are moving together it shows a market functioning properly. When demand for beef went up, the price and demand for cattle went up with it. When beef
wholesalers’ lawsuit. Cargill, Tyson, and National are still involved and probably negotiating their way out right now. All four are still being sued by R-calf and the Cattlemen. I get that some
people in the cattle industry are happy or satisfied to hear that JBS is paying $52.5 million to settle. I’m not. I want this to go to court and I want the packers to lose. The truth is if the USDA had any balls and wasn’t controlled by the packers’ lobby they would be the ones prosecuting these charges. There
25 States Line Up Against Biden Attack on Natural Gas Industry BY THOMAS CATENACCI / HEARTLAND DAILY NEWS
H
alf of all U.S. states have penned a letter to the Biden administration, arguing against its decision to reverse a Trump-era rule allowing energy firms to transport natural gas via rail. The 25-state coalition said that proposed prohibition of natural gas rail transport would have “devastating effects” on the economy and national security, according to the letter led by Republican Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. The letter was addressed to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Acting Administrator Tristan Brown. “Biden’s war on energy is a war on America’s poor and working-class,” Landry said in a statement. “It is high time the Biden Administration to put America first. Biden’s environmental virtue-signaling is burdening American families and
jeopardizing the safety and security of our homeland.” Natural gas is the largest source of electricity production in the U.S., accounting for about 40 percent of all generation, according to the Energy Information Administration. The Republican attorneys general’s letter noted, citing Environmental Protection Agency data, that greenhouse gas emissions have decreased 11.7 percent overall and a whopping 33.1 percent from electricity generation between 2005 and 2019. They argued emissions have decreased as reliance on natural gas has increased over the past decade. Relying on domestic natural gas production for electricity generation also makes the U.S. less dependent on foreign producers, the states said. “The growth in U.S. gas production is a geopolitical and economic asset, contributing to our national and global energy
are laws about price fixing and manipulating markets. These corporations have broken those laws, and the people tasked with enforcing those laws, the USDA, have refused to do their job. If this goes to court and the packers lose, the USDA could finally be forced to take some real action. Settlements are about money, they are not about justice. The people raising cattle deserve justice. Justice for the past seven years of struggle. Justice for those who’ve been forced to constantly ask themselves if it’s even worth it anymore. Justice for the liquidations of farms, and ranches that just could not continue to lose money. Justice for the farmers and ranchers who have had to sell out, and watch, with tears in their eyes, as their last loads of cattle go down the road. Justice for the kids growing up on those farms and ranches, who just wanted the chance to raise cattle like Dad and Grandpa. Justice for the Dads and Moms who have had to tell their kids that the
cattle have to go, because it just isn’t worth it anymore. That is what these illegal activities have forced on a lot of families in the past few years. Settlements aren’t going to fix that. Only a guilty verdict could have the possibility of fixing that. Never settle.
▫
security,” the letter stated. In late February, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops to invade Ukraine, leading to reports of missile attacks, shelling, deadly firefights in city streets and an estimated 536 civilian casualties (casualties continue to increase). Following the invasion, American fossil fuel industry groups argued that the U.S. should boost domestic production given Russia’s grip on global oil and gas markets. In November 2021, the PHMSA issued a notice that it would begin consideration of the rule opposed by Landry and his fellow attorneys general Monday. The Trump administration’s rule allowing firms to send natural gas on railways went into effect in August 2020. Environmental groups, which have also opposed pipeline projects, argued rail transport of natural gas was too dangerous. “The Trump administration’s reckless LNG rule risks explosions and fires in populated areas. We’ll fight to protect our communities from this deadly threat,” Emily Jeffers, an attorcontinued on page 9
March 15, 2022
Livestock Market Digest
Collector 's o r How Professionals Determine Value n BY JIM OLSON askART, subscriptions to vari- much attention to an odd reale ous auction sites such as Proxy- ly high sale—or really low sale. r e have bid, Live Auctioneers, Invalu- There could have been exten-
W
talked about value before. About how the true value of an item, at any given time, is what a seller is willing to sell it for and a buyer is willing to pay for it. How that can change from region to region and time to time. But have you ever wondered how a professional really determines the value of collectibles? First let’s define what we mean by professional. For the purposes of this article we would be talking about appraisers, gallery and auction personnel (dealers), or professional collectors who have been at it a long time. Folks who generally know what they are talking about. Next, we need to clarify that for the purposes of this article, we are going to talk about market value, not replacement or insurance value. Market value is what an item might bring in a sales setting. Reasonable expectations for a buyer and seller. It’s what we as collectors need to know when buying or selling. Whereas replacement or insurance value is almost always higher. The reason for this is the appraiser needs to factor in what it would take to replace the actual item in a short time period should something happen to it. Sometimes this can be nearly impossible unless a larger amount of money is involved to make it happen right away. On the other hand, market value is a less pressured situation. A seller has decided to sell and is looking for a buyer who is in the mood to buy it. This buyer is not under pressure to make a deal at all costs like an insurance company would be if they had to replace an item tomorrow. Sometimes there is also depreciation (or appreciation) involved. Therefore, market value and replacement value are usually different numbers. Now that we have that out of the way, the main thing to remember when researching the market value of an item, is to find out what similar items have actually sold for. Not what asking prices are. Not what someone has it insured for. But actual recent sales of like kind items. Solds are your comparables. What others are asking for similar items is pure speculation. To find sales results, we use services such as Worthpoint,
25 STATES
cont from page 8
ney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement in July 2020. “The fossil fuel industry is desperate to cover its bad bet on fracking by trying to easily move more LNG. Our climate and communities will pay a terrible price if we let these explosive trains roll through our cities and towns.” Meanwhile, top Biden administration energy regulators altered federal policy on approving natural gas pipelines on February 17, adding new climate roadblocks to such projects.
▫
Thomas Catenacci is an energy & environment reporter with The Daily Caller.
able, iCollector, Gun Broker and other sites as well. We also search our own website for past sales of like kind items since there are thousands of examples of previous sales there. There are numerous such sites online where you can find actual sales results. Some are free, some require a subscription. If you do not want to sign up, or pay for such services, a helpful hint you can use to find results is to google what you are looking for and type in the words “for sale” at the end of the item title. For example, if you are looking for, Oscar Crockett inside marked spurs, add the words, for sale at the end. When you google it, you will get a lot of websites selling spurs which pop up. However, if you go to the images tab on the top of your browser and just look at pictures, you will find images which lead back to a mix of both sold and items for sale. Clicking on the “out of stock” ones in red will let you see sales results from various sites. By clicking on ones that say “in stock” in green, you can see what others are asking for similar items. Just remember, asking and getting are two different things. Anyone can “ask” whatever they want. You are most interested in the “solds” when determining market value. You can also do the same thing on eBay. Type in the title of what you are looking for, and then narrow your search by selecting only “sold” items. Feel free to look at what others are asking so you can see what you are up against when selling yours, but do not pay attention to the odd seller who is asking the moon. This is a mistake we often see sellers make. They come in to sell an item and say, “I saw one on eBay going for $_______, and then think that is what theirs is worth. Like mentioned earlier, asking and getting are two different things. Generally you can search the actual “sold” items and find a big difference in price between what one odd seller is asking for, and what others have actually been bringing. Once you find several examples of similar items which have sold (preferably recently), then you can take an aggregate of those sales to determine a median price range. Don’t pay too
uating circumstances involved which are not obvious to us at the moment. What we are most interested in is the average, day in – day out. So that is it. You now have our secrets on how we estimate what the market value of a particular item might be. However, there are a couple things to keep in mind. First off, make sure you are truly looking at a like-kind item. In other articles we have discussed various factors which play a big part in value. Condition is one of the most important. Make sure the one that “sold” on such and such site is comparable, and in similar condition, as the one you are trying to value. Other factors such as age, availability and authenticity should also be considered. Professionals generally have a pretty good eye for this because they have looked at hundreds or even thousands of examples. But you can also gain this “feel” for like-kind items and valuations with practice. Pretty soon, you will be considered a professional. In closing, finding an estimation of true market value is not all that hard. Look for the actual sold items, find an average price range and make sure you are comparing “apples to apples.” However we need to remember that just because we have a pretty good idea of what the market should be for a particular item, you never know for sure what that is until you put it up for sale and expose it to a broad audience of interested buyers. That is when you truly determine what a seller is willing to sell for and a buyer is willing to pay for it. And since this number does change from time to time, it is good to do the research and be updated on a regular basis.
▫
Page 9
Reps. Smith and Huffman Introduce the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act
“A
s ranchers across the country face increasing costs and land management challenges, this legislation would provide them with the flexibility to do what is best for their land and families. Federal grazing permit holders often face barriers or have limited flexibility to give up their grazing permits, even when it is the best option for their own situation,” said Rep. Adam Smith. “A voluntary federal grazing permit retirement program is a commonsense step to support flexibility for ranchers and promote smart land-use practices. The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act aligns with the Biden-Harris Administration’s ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative to conserve and restore our lands, waters, and wildlife through incentives and rewards for voluntary conservation efforts by ranchers.” “Voluntarily retiring grazing permits to advance conservation goals on public lands shouldn’t be difficult or costly. I’m glad to join Congressman Smith in this legislation to advance conservation and promote smart landuse by giving ranchers the flexibility they need to overcome barriers to voluntary permit retirement,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. On top of the benefits to permit holders, this will ease grazing pressure on public lands and help natural ecosystems recover and thrive. It’s a win-winwin for taxpayers, ranchers, and the environment.” The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act provides grazing permit holders the option to voluntarily waive their permits to graze on Federal lands in exchange for market value compensation paid by private parties. The federal land management agency would then be directed to retire the associated grazing allotment from further grazing activity. In some cases, federal grazing permittees may want to give up their grazing permits simply because it’s the best choice for their business model or their life circumstances. However, due
to the structure of the grazing program and the investments made in their permits, this may be financially untenable without some form of compensation. The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act facilitates agreements between third parties and grazing permittees that increase flexibility for the permit holders while ensuring that the conservation gains from removing livestock are permanent. Livestock grazing on federal public lands can lead to conflicts with other multiple uses including impacts to wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities. Current law and regulations either do not allow for the retirement of grazing permits or make the process unnecessarily difficult and uncertain. The voluntary retirement of grazing permits is the most cost-effective and equitable way to address this issue. The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act is purely voluntary – giving grazing permit holders on Federal lands the opportunity to relinquish their permits if they choose. Retiring these permits will ease grazing pressure on public lands to the benefit of wildlife, the surrounding ecosystem, and other multiple use activities on public lands. The Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act is endorsed by several leading environmental, conservation, and wildlife organizations including Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Defenders of Wildlife, Humane Society Legislative Fund, American Bird Conservancy, Wilderness Watch, Humane Society of the United States, Western Watersheds Project, Predator Defense, Horses for Life, and Oregon Natural Desert Association.
▫
Page 10
Livestock Market Digest
CLASSIFIEDS KADDATZ
Auctioneering and Farm Equipment Sales New and used tractors, equipment, and parts. Salvage yard, combines, tractors, hay equipment and all types of equipment parts. We can sell your surplus items at online auction anywhere in the U.S.
ORDER PARTS ONLINE.
www.kaddatzequipment.com •254/582-3000
March 15, 2022
Why I’m Defying Beltway Cowardice BY U.S. SENATOR RICK SCOTT, WALL STREET JOURNAL OPINION
I
have committed heresy in Washington. I’ve been in the Senate for only three years, and I have released an 11-point plan with 128 ideas on what Republicans should do after we win the coming elections and take control of the Senate and House. In the real world beyond the Beltway, Republicans and independents demand bold action and a plan to save our nation. They see no point in taking control of Congress if we are simply going to return to business as usual. We are losing this country. The militant left has seized control of the federal government, the news media, big tech, academia, Hollywood, the Democratic Party, most corporate boardrooms and even some of our top military leaders. The elites atop our nation’s institutions are working hard to redefine America and silence their opponents. They want to end the American experiment and replace it with a woke socialist utopia, and we are sitting around watching it happen. If we have no bigger plan than to be a speed bump on the road to socialism, we don’t deserve to govern. Most Republicans in Congress agree, but many live in fear of speaking the truth in Washington. If you do, the Democrats will attack you and use it against you. Therefore, they tell us, it’s best to keep your head down, vote as directed, and be quiet. But Americans have never had more information than they do today. They demand and deserve the truth, and it’s time to give it to them. I’ve been told there are unwritten rules in Washington about what you can and cannot say. You can’t tell the public that
Social Security and Medicare are going bankrupt. You can’t talk about term limits, because, while voters want them, nobody in Washington does. You can’t talk about balancing the budget or shrinking the debt. It turns out you also can’t point out that the federal government has figured out how to disconnect many Americans from fiscal reality. Politicians peddle a fiction that they can waste as much money as they want with no downside. They
GeneEditing Breakthrough in the Battle Against Tick-Borne Diseases
Dynamic and Robert Harrell at University of Maryland’s Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research. “Ticks are a public health nuisance. They transmit so many pathogens that can cause diseases in humans, companion animals, and wild animals,” said Gulia-Nuss, faculty member in UNR’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources. “If we understand the [tick] vectors better, we can probably find ways to control them as well, either through new acaricides, vaccines or drug development.” While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease, there are at least 20 different infections that are transmitted by ticks in the U.S. More than 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed each year, and the number of new cases and the areas where ticks are found are increasing. Through collaboration with Rasgon and Harrell, GuliaNuss’ lab was able to develop the first gene-editing protocol for ticks. The researchers successfully carried out targeted gene disruption in ticks through two CRISPR gene-editing methods: embryo injection and Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT Control), a less labor-intensive method of gene-editing
“
g•u•i•d•e angus
Bradley 3 Ranch Ltd. www.bradley3ranch.com Ranch-Raised ANGUS Bulls for Ranchers Since 1955
Annual Bull Sale February 11, 2023 at the Ranch NE of Estelline, TX M.L. Bradley, 806/888-1062 Cell: 940/585-6471
BEEFMASTER
210.732.3132 • beefmasters.org 118 W. BANDERA ROAD BOERNE, TX 78006
BRANGUS
R.L. Robbs 520/384-3654 4995 Arzberger Rd. Willcox, Arizona 85643 Willcox, AZ
C
ollaborative research leads to a noteworthy discovery that could decrease public health threat of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease. University-led research has developed a new method that allows gene editing in ticks at the embryo stage, a protocol previously thought impossible for ticks. This ground-breaking discovery, published in iScience Journal, could decrease the ability of ticks to be a vector for disease causing pathogens. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the research collaboration was led by Monika Gulia-Nuss and Andrew Nuss, assistant professors at the University of Nevada, Reno, and involved Jason Rasgon at The Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Infectious Disease
Republicans don’t deserve to govern
unless we’re willing to
take on the real problems America faces.”
even have a fancy name for it—“modern monetary theory”—and President Biden’s crowd pushes it like crazy. Their plan is to give away money borrowed from your grandkids, get re-elected, and never pay a penalty for their irresponsibility. So, I went out and made a statement that got me in trouble. I said that all Americans need to have some skin in the game. Even if it is just a few bucks, everyone needs to know what it is like to pay some taxes. It hit a nerve. Part of the deception is achieved by disconnecting so many Americans from taxation. It’s a genius political move. And it is bankrupting us. I’m a tax cutter—always have been, always will be. I cut taxes more than 100 times as governor of Florida. But now Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are
faking outrage about my plan. Yet Americans want everyone to pay their fair share. Working Americans already pay taxes on their income, and retirees have paid plenty. The change we need is to require those who are able-bodied but won’t work to pay a small amount so we’re all in this together. That means both free-loaders who abuse the welfare system and billionaires who pay lawyers and lobbyists to help them get around the tax laws. This may be a scary statement in Washington, but in the real world it’s common sense. It’s hard to say which Biden policy has been the most corrosive for America, but paying people not to work is near the top. Disconnecting paychecks from work is cultural cancer. There is honor and dignity in work. I learned this growing up in public housing in a very poor family. My mom often worked multiple jobs, and she taught us that the only way up was to work your way up. But left-wing policies have sent jobs overseas and replaced them with checks from a federal government that has amassed the largest debt in human history. The working class, the middle class, are the heroes of America, and they have been carrying the burden alone, while others—including both woke “victims” and some billionaires—pay nothing. There will be many more attacks on me and this plan from careerists in Washington, who personally profit while ruining this country. Bring it on. The American people are fed up, and they will show that at the ballot box this November. Mr. Scott is a U.S. senator from Florida and chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He served as governor, 2011 through 2019.
▫
first developed in insects by the Rasgon lab. Harrell, an expert in insect embryo injections, was an important collaborator for finding appropriate injection conditions for tick embryos. With this new development, researchers can start editing genes, allowing them to ask questions that weren’t possible before. For example, when editing or removing certain genes, they can examine what happens to the tick and if this alteration interferes with the capacity of the tick to harbor a pathogen. This public-impact research attracted the attention of the congressionally established Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, which invited GuliaNuss to present her pioneering findings at their most recent meeting. “This is the first time ticks have been modified on the genetic level, so this research was really interesting for the [group],” she said. Gulia-Nuss values the collaboration happening across labs, universities and research specialties. With the expertise and collaborative efforts of more researchers, more progress can be achieved in tick research, eventually reducing the tick-borne disease threat. “Together we stand stronger,” she said.
▫
March 15, 2022
Livestock Market Digest
The Four Sixes Stampedes into the Millennium BY DALE BLISS / CANADIAN CATTLEMAN
A
s the cow camp cook’s triangle rings before dawn, cowboys jump up out of their bedrolls like biscuits rising in a Dutch oven over a campfire. They amble over to the chuck wagon for a biscuit with a couple of pieces of bacon slapped inside, and a tin cup filled with piping hot coffee. With expert ease, they saddle their horses and the day begins. Lunch was sometimes hard tack in the saddle and a drink of water out of the canteen, filled from the nearest creek or river. A cowboy’s nine to five begins before sunup and ends long after the stars have blanketed the sky. Scenes just liked this played out on the Four Sixes in its early days, as Captain Samuel Burke Burnett and a handful of dependable cowboys built the ranch’s legacy. It’s no wonder the ranch has lately served as a filming location for 1883, the Yellowstone prequel. Yet, thanks largely to Burnett’s descendants and the ranch’s employees, the ranch has adopted a forward-looking approach to
was Anne Windfohr Marion, a beloved figure and the great-great-granddaughter of Captain Samuel Burke Burnett. Marion, affectionately known as Mrs. Anne, passed away in February 2020. “Mrs. Anne treated her employees as her family. She was an only child and the employ-
Electronic identification tags became a permanent fixture on the Four Sixes after drought in 2011 and 2012.
running the cattle operation. But first, a little history. In 1870, Burnett bought 100 yearlings with the Four Sixes brand attached. He decided to purchase the brand because he felt that it could not be easily changed by a running iron. Burnett chose to raise purebred Herefords and Durham bulls. He travelled throughout the United States showing, and winning with, his prized animals. In 1918, he lost 2,000 head of cattle to a blizzard, but by 1936 he had rebuilt to 20,000 head. The last member of the Burnett family to own the ranch
ees of the ranch were her family. She loyally cared about us and was concerned for us,” says Louise Leathers, who works in administration at the Four Sixes. Along with her admin work, Louise takes care of the day-today running of the household. Louise’s husband, Joe, is the ranch’s general manager. Joe Leathers has been with the ranch for over two decades. When called in for a job interview, he was immediately hired.
Different breed, new technology With the future always on
the horizon, change is constant. And, like any other business that wants to strive for excellence, the Four Sixes has had to make changes. Fast-forwarding past the millennium, the ranch now runs all Black Angus. Due to their production traits and market demand, this has become the beef breed of choice for the Four Sixes. “Mrs. Anne Marion’s vision was to raise the best cattle and finest horses that could possibly be raised. She also wanted to reclaim the land from invasive
Hereford-bred cattle. We have made the transition to all Angus cattle to meet that demand.” To further Mrs. Anne’s drive for excellence in all aspects of the ranch, the ranch not only invested in genetics, but made sure to capitalize on those investments. That meant taking the ranch’s branded product all the way to the plate. The ranch also uses artificial insemination (AI) and expectant progeny differences (EPD) to breed and choose cattle. The EPDs are used on purchased bulls to ensure a more “balanced individual animal that performs and grades well for the consumer,” says Leathers. Leathers makes sire selections after finding a sire herd that will increase “the percent of prime carcasses.” He wants to generate more of “the best” to be highlighted in the reports. “The high quality of Four Joe Leathers, general manager at Sixes cattle is the Four Sixes, has worked for the ranch for over two decades. well known, and that reputation conbrush and set tinues today, thus making the a standard ranch a front-runner in the catfor environ- tle industry.” mental stewAt the Four Sixes, each ardship. Mrs. cow must produce a calf in the Anne was a spring and that calf must be perfectionist healthy enough by fall to run in every as- with the herd. On this ranch, pect because “there are no second chances,” she believed says Leathers. the ranch re“We not only want a cow flected who that is conformationally and she was and genetically good but one that who we are. can get out and make a living,” It is obvious says Leathers. The cattle must by looking also perform well at the feedat the bril- lot. If there is a group of cattle, liant and both female and bulls, that is u p - t o - d a t e not performing up to standards condition of then the bull battery has to be the ranch that her expectations adjusted. were to achieve excellence,” “We work day in and day out says Louise. trying to improve the genetWith consumers becoming ics on our cattle to put more more aware of health and the pounds of meat in the supernutritional value of foods, the market for the American conFour Sixes wanted to be a part sumer,” Leathers says. “Perforof health consciousness. mance and volume is the focus “With the consumer today of production.” looking to where their food comes from and the nutritional EID tags a management value it has and how sustainable tool it is to the environment, we are In 2011 and 2012, when the raising everything all-natural. cattle had to be moved out of Not only quality, but providing Texas to other states because of a story behind the brand,” says the drought, the ranch started Joe Leathers. using electronic identification “The consumer-driven mar- (EID) tags to ease the manageket caused us to reconsider our ment of the cattle. Since then,
Page 11 EID has become a permanent practice for the Four Sixes. Livestock traceability systems in the U.S. vary between states, but the beef industry has been trying to hammer out a cohesive system anchored by EID. Leathers, who co-chairs the Producer Traceability Council, says this was also an opportunity to help develop the program and to present to cattle producers a way to formulate a “logical program.” He explains that ultra-high-frequency is perhaps the highest advanced technology that is available to cattle producers. “It’s more or less hands-free and you can read groups of cattle as they’re commingled and you don’t have to run them back down a chute and single-file them in order to get a read,” he explains. The traceability identification tag has become a management tool for the Four Sixes. Even though it pays for itself, the main reason for its continued use is the consumer demand. Another benefit is it offers “public assurance through the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) program,” he says. “In reality, we don’t dictate what the consumer wants, they dictate to us.” Benefits of the EIDs include a reduction in stress on the cattle as well as reductions in labour costs and overhead. EIDs also allow the ranch to better track and manage cattle for shipping information and performance in the feedlot. Herds can be managed more accurately for depreciation, culling, replacements and breeding records. Carcass grading performance and reports are more easily generated from EIDs.
Reclaiming the land To reclaim the land and return it to its near-original state, a process called mechanical brush treatment was implemented in the mid-1990s. Even though removing mesquite and redberry junipers has taken over 25 years, and is still in progress, thousands and thousands of acres have been reclaimed for cattle grazing and wildlife. Mrs. Anne’s strong belief and vision in ecological conservation and natural habitat led to applying practices that reflect genuine stewardship, while also increasing profitability. Brush management, livestock water development and pre-arranged burnings are continued management practices currently used in unification with grazing management and a strong forage presence. “When it was completely covered with brush, the ranch would run a cow-calf unit on 60 to 80 acres. Today, we can safely run a cow-calf unit, yearround, on 30 to 40 acres,” says Leathers. “We have improved the stocking rate tremendously.” Dale Bliss’ father was a farmer and cattle producer. She writes about agriculture from the small Florida farm where she was born and raised.
▫
Four Sixes Ranch
Page 12
Livestock Market Digest
March 15, 2022