The Department of Agriculture this week announced a new Dealer Statutory Trust to Protect Livestock Sellers. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed in December, amended the Packers and Stockyards Act by adding language to establish a “Dealer Statutory Trust” for the benefit of unpaid cash sellers of livestock. Much like the existing packer and poultry trusts, the amendment requires livestock dealers …
Expanding Retail Presence of U.S. Pork and Beef in Colombia
2020 was a difficult year for U.S. red meat exports to Colombia, where COVID-19 took a major toll on meat demand and consumer spending. With demand expected to rebound this year, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is looking to expand the retail presence of U.S. pork and beef in Colombia. Joe Schuele has more details. According to USMEF, last year U.S. …
Economist Says Livestock Producers Need Insurance
(NAFB) — American livestock producers need the equivalent of crop insurance. The Hagstrom Report says American Farm Bureau Chief Economist John Newton made that statement in front of the recent Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Meeting. Newton says that in the 2023 Farm Bill, we will need “careful consideration as to how we are reaching the livestock sector with crop …
Pork Exports for 2020 Shatter Previous Records
New numbers show that U.S. pork exports reached nearly 3 million metric tons last year, topping the 2019 record by 11%. According to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), pork export value also climbed 11% to a record $7.71 billion. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom discuss the year-end pork export results in more detail. …
What Americans will be Eating by the BILLIONS During the Big Game
What Americans will be eating by the BILLIONS during the big game this weekend. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If there is one thing that the pandemic didn’t change this year:  America’s love for chicken wings. In restaurants, servings of chicken wings were up 7% in 2020 versus 2019 despite an 11% decline in trips to commercial …
Facial Recognition May be the Future of Livestock Identification
We’ve heard about facial recognition technology, something that is used for various human applications. But according to a story from Gary Crawford, a simple smart-phone app paired with facial recognition technology may also be the future for livestock identification and traceback. Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding …
Ag Secretary Designate on Pandemic Lessons-Learned
The Agriculture Secretary-designate recently said responses to the ongoing human pandemic provide basic lessons for dealing with infectious animal disease. Stephanie Ho has the story. During that talk with a coalition of land-grant universities, Ag Secretary-designate Tom Vilsack listed some of the top issues he’s concerned about. Sponsored ContentStrong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, …
DIRECT Act of 2021 Introduced in U.S. House
There are many states across the nation that have State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs that are approved by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). But under the existing framework, state-inspected products can only be sold interstate if approved to do so under the Cooperative Interstate Shipping Program (CIS). So this week a bill was introduced in …
Contract Poultry Growers Now Eligible for CFAP Funds
(ACES) — Changes to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) announced earlier this month is good news for Alabama’s contract poultry growers. “The USDA changes mean that relief funds are available to contract poultry and other contract growers affected by COVID-19 market changes,” said Dennis Brothers, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System agricultural economist. Brothers said contract poultry growers need to understand …
Tyson Agrees to Price-Fixing Settlement
(NAFB) — Tyson Foods this week agreed to $221.5 million to settle claims related to price-fixing lawsuits. The settlements are with three consumer and commercial purchasing groups who bought chickens directly from Tyson and require a federal judge’s approval. Tyson did not admit liability in agreeing to settle and said the payments will be reflected in its first-quarter financial statements, …