NCBA Secures Critical Wins for Cattle Producers in Government Funding and COVID-19 Relief Packages

Clint Thompson Cattle

WASHINGTON (Dec. 21, 2020) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) secured critical wins for cattle producers today through the latest government funding and COVID-19 relief packages. The deal includes additional Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) support for cattle producers, expanded resources for state-inspected meat processors through inclusion of the Requiring Assistance to Meat Processors for Upgrading Plants (RAMP UP) …

American Peanut Council Holds Winter Conference

Clint Thompson Peanuts

The American Peanut Council (APC) recently held its virtual Winter Conference, where various items were discussed and new officers were added. Tyron Spearman has the details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 9, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support …

Secretary Perdue Announces Groundbreaking Proposal

Clint Thompson USDA

Proposal to Transfer Agricultural Animal Biotechnology Regulatory Framework to USDA (Washington, D.C., December 21, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today a significant step in modernizing regulations of agricultural animals modified or produced by genetic engineering. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be moving forward with an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public input and …

Florida Beef for the Holidays

Clint Thompson Beef, Florida

The Florida Beef Council (FBC) is promoting various ideas where beef would make a great choice for any of your holiday meals. FBC Director of Education & Promotion, DeAnne Maples, says there are so many great recipes you can use during the holiday season. That beefitswhatsfordinner.com, or for more information go to the FBC website, floridabeef.org. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers …

Alabama Beef Checkoff Plan Approved for 2021

Clint Thompson Alabama, Cattle

Cattle producers serving on the Alabama Beef Checkoff Council recently met. At the event, it approved the marketing plan for programs to be implemented in 2021. Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Executive Vice President, Erin Beasley, says the plan will use state and national checkoff dollars. For more information about the Beef Checkoff marketing plan in Alabama, contact the ACA office …

Georgia Beef Board Promoting Drool Log

Clint Thompson Georgia

Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner released a video called the ‘Drool Log’ last year for the holiday season. It was a two-hour long video of a Beef Prime Rib Roast slowly cooking over an open flame. This year, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, brought it back again. Georgia Beef Board (GBB) Director of …

Cattle Feedlot Inventories Close to ’19 Levels

Clint Thompson Cattle

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its December Cattle on Feed Report. The number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on Dec. 1, 2020. This was slightly above Dec. 1, 2019. According to a story from Gary Crawford, there …

CoBank: 2021 Year Ahead Report on U.S. Rural Economy

Clint Thompson Coronavirus, Economy

The speed of the economic recovery will largely hinge on the availability, dissemination and reach of COVID-19 vaccines, pushing a pent-up consumer demand to later in 2021. That’s according to a comprehensive year-ahead outlook report just issued from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division. “The coming year will be a recovery year for most Americans and the businesses that make up the …

240,000 Chickens Die in Florida Fire

Clint Thompson Florida, Poultry

At least 240,000 chickens died early on Thursday morning when a fire roared through two barns in Florida owned by one of the nation’s largest distributors of eggs. The New York Times says the fire was reported at 1 a.m. by workers at the Cal-Maine Foods Facility in Dade County, Florida. Both barns destroyed by the fire contained two large …

Georgia Cotton Commission Annual Meeting to be Held Virtually in January

Clint Thompson Cotton, Georgia

The Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC) announces its plan to hold January’s annual meeting virtually amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Taylor Sills, executive director of the GCC, said the meeting will be held online on Jan. 27 beginning at 9 a.m. “We regret this decision, but they told us from the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center that it wasn’t going to …