The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $55.2 million in competitive funding will be available through the new Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The new program is being funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. “We are building capacity and increasing economic opportunity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors and producers across the …
Florida Beef Council Chairman Promotes Checkoff
When it comes to the Beef Checkoff program, some producers may not be up to date on what it has done over the past few years and what it continues to do today. Florida Beef Council (FBC) Chairman Flint Johns, explains what the overall program is about and what it is doing in the state of Florida. For more information …
Vilsack Weighs in on PSA Investigator Bill
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack weighed in this week on a bill to create a Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) investigator at USDA to boost price discovery and transparency in the highly concentrated livestock sector. He says a Packers and Stockyards Act investigator could be part of broader USDA action to deal with unfair market practices harming small independent producers. “I …
New Bill Addresses Anti-Competitive Practices in Meat Processing Industry
Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley joined fellow Republican Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, in introducing legislation on meatpacking. The bill would address the anti-competitive practices in the meat and poultry industries that threaten the nation’s food supply and national security. The legislation comes on the heels of a recent ransomware attack on JBS, one …
Alabama Beef Events Being Held This Summer
The Alabama Beef Checkoff is helping sponsor a variety of fun events across the state this summer. Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Director of Education and Outreach, Ali Cantrell, says they have a big picnic coming up. To learn more about Beef Checkoff funded activities in Alabama, contact the ACA office in Montgomery or go to their website, bamabeef.org. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement …
NCBA Takes Action to Increase Producer Profitability
Last week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) to eliminate the use of “Product of the USA” (POTUSA) and other broad U.S. origin labeling claims for beef products that are potentially misleading to consumers. NCBA believes that current “Product of the USA” labels are a disservice to …
Canada’s BSE Risk Upgrade Could Benefit U.S. Beef Industry
The World Organization for Animal Health recently upgraded the BSE risk classifications for Canada and Ireland, with both moving from “controlled” risk to “negligible” risk. According to U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Senior Director of Export Services, Travis Arp, Canada’s upgrade could lead to regulatory relief for the U.S. beef industry. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary 23, …
Strong Momentum Continues for U.S. Beef and Pork Exports
Following that record-breaking March performance, exports of both U.S. beef and pork continued to build momentum in April, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). “Looking back at April 2020, it was a difficult month for red meat exports as we began to see COVID-related supply chain interruptions and foodservice demand took a …
Best Type of Hay to Buy Depends on the Animals Being Fed
The best type of hay to buy depending on the animals your feeding. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Animals can tolerate different types of hay. For example, Cattle vary a bit in what kind of hay they tolerate depending on their age. Lactating cows require high-protein hay. Younger calves might have a tough time with coarser hays, like …
Cattle Market Legislation Introduced in U.S. House
For quite some time, cattle producers have seen the decline of a negotiated fed cattle trade, an issue the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has been discussing on how to increase opportunities for producer profitability. This week, Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-4) introduced the Optimizing the Cattle Market Act of 2021 in the U.S. House of Representatives. If enacted, the bill would direct …