Negotiations for this deal have been on and off since George W Bush was President, but heated up in the final months of the Obama Presidency when the Chinese government announced last year that it would be open to allowing US beef back into their country. US beef has been banned in China since 2003, after the cow that stole Christmas situation, involving a case of BSE found in the US.

These negotiations were reinvigorated after a summit meeting between President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping earlier this spring at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

Check our next story to see the industry's reaction- which clearly is focusing on the BIG PICTURE of getting US Beef eligible for the Chinese market- which is a HUGE DEAL.

 

"This is a huge win for Oklahoma," said Senator Jim Inhofe who was joined by the OCA and OFB in a joint statement, "which produces the fifth most cattle in the country, and our hard-working cattlemen by giving them access to one of the largest beef markets in the world."






Read his full statement- available here.

In the latest crop progress report released Monday, June 12, 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture rated the US soybean crop condition for the first time this year, at 66 percent good to excellent, 28 percent fair and 6 poor to very poor. The US corn condition is rated 67 percent good to excellent, 25 percent fair and 8 percent poor to very poor. Nationally, winter wheat harvest has reached 17 percent, up 7 points from this time last year and lagging by 2 points from the average. For the complete USDA Crop Progress report, click here.


According to the weekly crop progress report from USDA, Oklahoma winter wheat harvested reached 52 percent, up 13 points from normal. Canola harvested reached 65 percent, up 11 points from normal. Corn emerged reached 94 percent, up 2 points from normal. Corn silk reached 7 percent. Sorghum planted reached 67 percent, up 3 points from normal. Cotton planted reached 86 percent, up 15 points from normal. To view the complete Oklahoma Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.


In Kansas, winter wheat condition rated 9 percent very poor, 15 poor, 31 fair, 39 good, and 6 excellent. Winter wheat coloring was 85 percent, near 89 last year, but ahead of 74 for the five-year average. Mature was 33 percent. Harvested was 4 percent, equal to last year, but behind the 13% five year average. Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 28 fair, 57 good, and 8 excellent. Corn planted was 97 percent, near 100 last year and 99 average. To view the complete Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.


 In Texas, wheat harvest reached 72 percent complete for the state as a whole, 40 points above last year and 34 points about the 5-year average. Cotton planting made good progress now 89 percent complete, up 6 points from last year and above the average by 2 points. Corn condition rates 76 percent good to excellent, 20 fair and 4 percent poor. To view the complete Texas Crop Progress and Condition Report, click here.

 

USDA announced on April 11 that it was extending the implementation date 180 days for its interim final rule on competitive injury through GIPSA, which was scheduled to go into effect on April 22, with an additional public comment period that closed yesterday.

Now that the comment period has passed, both the National Chicken Council and the National Pork Producers Council agree that the USDA should withdraw from the rule left behind last minute by the previous administration.

"With the extension notice, it was clear the administration recognized this is a complicated and controversial issue with deep economic consequences for American poultry and livestock producers," said NCC President Mike Brown in April. "The comments filed obviously had an impact, and we thank the department for postponing the effective date to allow for a more thorough and meaningful review."

Brown goes on to say that there has so far been no evident purpose behind implementing these rules. He says GIPSA's own estimates low ball the actual costs this program will impose. According to Brown, if this rule was
put into place, it would cause approximately $1 billion in economic harm to the meat and poultry industries, and provide little to no benefit.

For more from the NCC, click here.

The NPPC offered comments, too, delivering to the agency comments from 630 pork producers and others in the pork industry as well, opposing the regulation and asking that it be withdrawn.

In its comments, NPPC said the rule "is illegal and in conflict with the clear direction of every federal Circuit Court of Appeals that has reviewed the Packers and Stockyards Act, was improperly promulgated, is not supported by the Administrative Record and will have a destructive impact on the meat sector by harming the very farmers GIPSA is entrusted to protect."

An independent study found that if the so called, Farmer Fair Practices rules were implemented, it would end up costing the pork industry nearly $420 million a year.

Learn more about the NPPC's argument, by clicking here.

The latest monthly meat production estimate reports from the USDA, have been trimmed back - according to Dr. Derrell Peel in his article included in this week's Cow/Calf Corner newsletter.

Essentially, increased trade momentum is keeping net production of practically all meat varieties range-bound to a lower level, in effect, slowing things down a bit more than what was previously forecasted.

To read Dr. Peel's breakdown of the meat markets and how they are being impacted by trade, species-by-species, click here.

After having declined dramatically over the past few years, cases of trichomoniasis disease in southern plains cattle herds have increased in number so far this year. In an effort to curb this rise in "trich" cases, Kansas State Extension Veterinary Specialist Gregg Hanzlicek, is advising cow-calf producers to stay vigilant in their efforts to avoid this disease, that can be very costly to producers if it infects their herd. Hanzlicek spoke with me recently about the nature of the problem. He says adhering to the test monitoring guidelines, really pays off.


"It's a venereal disease, so it can only be spread during a reproductive act," Hanzlicek said. "It affects not fertility, but it actually kills the early fetus."


Several States implemented tighter breeding stock regulations several years ago to rein this disease in. However, efforts to keep "trich" in check at the farm and ranch level still need to remain a high priority, according to Hanzlicek.


"Any bull, 18 months of age or older, is required to have a negative "trich" test within 60 days of when it's barrowed, sold, or leased," he said, acknowledging the fact that there is likely some producers not adhering to this rule and speculates this cheating could be contributing to the recent uptick in reported cases. "The other great risk factor is for people that buy used cows from other operations that they don't know the background on."


Listen to Hanzlicek and I discuss the threat of trichomoniasis to producers and their herds, and the importance of staying on top of this disease by following standard testing practices, on yesterday's Beef Buzz - click here.

As agriculture enters the projected fourth year of lower farm incomes, the question landowners, operators and lenders have is: Where are land values heading from here?


"The trend in today's land market is hard to discern as some sales bring a better than anticipated price, while others may show a decline in value from previous sales," said Randy Dickhut, senior vice president of real estate operations at Farmers National Company. 


For sellers, buyers and lenders alike, there are important aspects of the current land market everyone should be aware of as it slowly transitions from the declines in value experienced in the past few years.


"Agricultural land values in most areas can be expected to continue to gradually decline over the next several years if commodity prices and the underlying farm incomes remain at current low levels," Dickhut said. "Small interest rate increases, potential tax law changes and world economic uncertainties will also keep some outside pressure on land prices in the coming year."

Nonetheless, Dickhut reassures there are some bright spots on the horizon.

"Those include potential improvements in farm and ranch incomes after bottoming out. If we have limited stress sales and no other shocks to the markets, land values will move to stabilize over the next several years," Dickhut said. "Our agents are actively talking to landowners who are considering selling their farm or ranch and are seeking the marketing exposure and expertise that will get them the best price in the current market."

To read the full report from Farmers National Company, click over to our website.