Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is visiting with the Chairman of the All American Beef Battalion, Jon Fort, about upcoming fundraisers and events of the AABB. One of those fundraisers will be taking place on December 18th at the Oklahoma National Stockyards.

The AABB is comprised of a group of individuals involved in the United States Beef Cattle Industry who are working to support troops fighting the global war on terror. Part of their mission is to organize and sponsor steak feeds, entertainment, programs, meetings and projects with service members and their families while also fostering an appreciation and respect for our Armed Forces Military Service Members. Bill Broadie, founder of AABB in 2008 and a Vietnam Veteran, passed away in January of 2021.

On Monday, December 18th, the Oklahoma National Stockyards will auction a calf for the benefit of the AABB, along with National Livestock providing lunch for those in attendance. The AABB crew is bringing their cooker and will be preparing a ribeye lunch. Lunch will begin at 11 a.m. and the actual sale will take place at 12:30 p.m. in the sale arena of the Stockyards.

This is the 12th year for the National Livestock companies to be involved in supporting the AABB. With the 2022 auction bringing in more than $69,000, contributors to this event have raised over $586,800 from the annual auction of a donated calf. Many organizations and individuals have joined together for this worthy cause each year. 



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In this episode of Beef Buzz, I am talking with the CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion Board, Greg Hanes, about work the Beef Promotion Board is doing with education and more.

“As we see in school systems around the country, especially big school districts that are in the big cities- they don’t have any kind of understanding of agriculture, any exposure to it,” Hanes said. “One of the programs has really been geared towards educating those teachers and how you can use cattle production as part of that with the science and the technology behind it.”

Hanes said through workshops, teachers have the chance to see the production system in the beef industry and link it to the curriculum in the classroom.

A new launch Hanes talked about called “Together We Bring More,” is a three-year campaign that started off by focusing on beef’s eating experience and how consumers enjoyed time together over the summer months.

Increase in 4-Wheel-Drive Ag Tractor Sales Continues in November

Unit sales of 4-wheel-drive agriculture tractors grew in both the U.S. and Canada in November, continuing a strong final quarter of 2023, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

In the U.S., the November data shows that 4-wheel-drive tractors grew year-over-year 72.6 percent, the only segment to see growth for the month. Year-to-date, 4-wheel-drive tractor sales are up 38.2 percent, leading all segments in unit sales growth. In Canada, 4-wheel-drive unit sales were up 84.8 percent for the month, and 41.5 percent year-to-date.

“November is historically a slow month for tractor and combine sales,” said Curt Blades, senior vice president, industry sectors and product leadership at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “We are happy to see the year-to-date sale’s strength in the larger equipment market and remain optimistic for the long-term.”

National Sorghum Producers is pleased to announce the winners of the 2023 National Sorghum Yield Contest, including Bin Buster awardee Chris Santini from Stewartsville, New Jersey, securing the contest’s highest yield at 221.75 bushels per acre.

“The winners of the 2023 sorghum yield contest are extended warm congratulations by National Sorghum Producers,” NSP Board of Directors Chairman Craig Meeker said. “Despite a demanding season with weather highs and lows, remarkable top-tier yields are evident nationwide. We applaud the winners and eagerly anticipate honoring them at the 2024 Commodity Classic in Houston.”

Noteworthy yields are spotlighted across three distinct divisions spanning from the eastern to western U.S. regions, along with an overarching food grade champion.

“This year’s contest results underscore the enduring resilience of sorghum,” Meeker added. “While drought significantly impacted numerous growers this season, we take immense pride in the overall achievements of the industry and commend these growers for their exceptional yield accomplishments.”

Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas Beef Councils Unite to Sponsor National Finals Rodeo Broadcast

The Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas Beef Councils proudly announce their partnership as sponsors of the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) broadcast, a celebration of the best cowboys and cowgirls in the nation. The sponsorship encompasses television spots during all performances broadcast on the Cowboy Channel. In addition, a comprehensive digital marketing effort will aim to drive consumers to explore the heritage of beef production and “Rancher Recipes” through BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

The NFR is more than just a sporting event; it’s a time for the rodeo community to celebrate its cowboys and cowgirls. Beef will certainly be at the center of these celebrations, reinforcing the longstanding connection between rodeo and the ranching community. This collaboration reflects pride in raising beef, celebrating ranching communities, and emphasizing the shared values with the rodeo community.

The sponsorship aims to enhance the connection between beef and the NFR audience with the theme, “the spaces between us bring us together.”

From small towns cheering on their local heroes to NFR watch parties, or even a cozy dinner at home, BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com offers a diverse selection of beef recipes. Whether it’s a simple appetizer or the centerpiece of a meal, beef provides unparalleled taste and nutrition, making it the ideal protein for any occasion.

More Eggs This Year Gives Holiday Baking a Helping Hand

Many baking recipes call for eggs. Americans love to bake, especially during the holidays. This seasonal demand typically causes a short but often sharp uptick in table egg prices around this time of year, as seen in figure 1. Egg markets also typically experience a short price spike in early Spring corresponding with the Easter holiday. These price spikes are mostly demand driven but can certainly respond to supply pressure as well. We saw this distinctly around this time of year in 2022 when the egg inventory reached a historic low as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) decimated the layer populations in the egg producing states, losing more than 43 million laying-hens and producing almost 30% fewer eggs. Concurrently, Americans were entering holiday demand. High demand with low supply almost always produces increasing prices. Prices reached as high as $5.30+ per dozen during this time. 

A quick study of figure 2 shows that the current egg inventory (red bars) has rebounded strongly and is higher than both 2020 and 2021. Conversely, it is easy to see how the inventory shortage we suffered in 2022 contributed to the aforementioned high prices. When hen numbers rebounded, and HPAI impact subsided, egg prices went from the historic highs of 2022 to historic lows of below $0.90 per dozen after Easter 2023 and have stayed relatively low up until the current typical holiday increase began. Looking at the inventories currently on hand, consumers should reasonably expect egg prices to stay within “normal” ranges for the season and likely drop quickly back to the recent lows – all assuming HPAI does not cause the great loss of hens we saw last season.