The Pork Checkoff rate will drop by five cents on January 1, 2023, to 35 cents per $100 of value. This change is the result of a resolution passed by voting delegates at the 2022 Pork Industry Forum. Pork Checkoff payments are collected for all pigs sold with a change of ownership. This includes the sale of weaned pigs, breeding …
Confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Non-Commercial Backyard Flock
(ADAI/MONTGOMERY, AL/December 6, 2022) — The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Lawrence County, Alabama. Samples from the flock were tested at the Alabama State Diagnostic Laboratories, part of the …
Senate Action Needed on Key Ag Trade Nominees
With important trade negotiations on the horizon, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom says there is an urgent need for the U.S. Senate to confirm two key nominees. These nominations advanced from the Senate Finance Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee, respectively, back in September. And Halstrom notes that the first negotiating round for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is rapidly …
USDA Announces Plans for a Section 32 Purchase of American Lamb Products
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans for a Section 32 purchase of American lamb products for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. The purchase was a request by the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) and the National Lamb Feeders Association earlier this year. Support for the purchase also came from congressional delegations from several Western states in recent months. “We …
American Lamb Board Sustainability Report
The American Lamb Board is taking a closer look at sustainability. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. American Lamb Board (ALB) working with the American sheep industry has created a new task force of industry stakeholders and research and extension specialists to develop a sheep sustainability report. The report will represent the sheep industry’s commitment to sustainability and …
USDA Projects Drop in Meat Production in 2023
Meat production is expected to decline in 2023. Gary Crawford has more details in this story about the beef, pork and poultry production forecasts issued by USDA. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received …
Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Up 20% per Farm Bureau Survey
(AFBF/WASHINGTON, November 16, 2022) — Spending time with family and friends at Thanksgiving remains important for many Americans and this year the cost of the meal is also top of mind. American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) 37th annual survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of this year’s classic Thanksgiving feast for 10, which is $64.05 or less than …
USMEF Conference Examines Exports, Production, Economic Headwinds
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) held their Strategic Planning Conference this week in Oklahoma City. The event attracted farmers, ranchers, processors and exporters from across the nation. During the event, it was noted that while U.S. red meat exports will likely set a value record approaching $20 billion this year, the industry faces an array of obstacles related to the sluggish …
Cow-Calf Operations Vary in Adopting Rotational Grazing
Rotational grazing is a frequently discussed livestock management practice with a wide variety of public and private benefits. Little information has been available on the adoption rate of rotational grazing, so the Economic Research Service at USDA issued a report on the subject. Data shows that 40 percent of cow-calf operations report using rotational grazing. However, just 40 percent of that number …
Markets Don’t Like Uncertainty
With crop reports coming out yesterday and Tuesday’s election results still up in the air for some states, there is a lot of uncertainty right now. And as Mark Oppold reports, the markets don’t like that. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary …