USMEF's Phil Seng Briefs Japanese Media on TPP, U.S. Red Meat Exports 

The importance of the U.S.-Japanese economic relationship, particularly as it relates to U.S. agriculture and red meat exports, was highlighted by U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Philip Seng in an address before a packed media audience in Tokyo Friday morning.

"On Feb. 1, 2013, Japan rationalized its import restrictions to allow beef imports from U.S. cattle less than 30 months of age," said Seng. "The United States appreciates the action and the way this was handled (by Japan). We appreciate how smoothly the process has gone thus far. The U.S. beef industry is committed to the Japanese market and looks forward to an even closer partnership."

This change in Japan's policy on beef imports is expected to contribute to a 45 percent increase in U.S. beef exports to that nation in 2013. In 2012, Japan purchased 152,763 metric tons (336.8 million pounds) of U.S. beef muscle cuts and variety meat valued at $1.03 billion.

At the same time, Japan remains the No. 1 value market and No. 2 volume market for U.S. pork, buying 455,776 metric tons (just over 1 billion pounds) valued at nearly $2 billion last year. Seng noted that while volatile weather trends can affect livestock feed costs and supplies, it is anticipated that the U.S. will see increased pork volumes available in the year ahead and continued solid pork exports to Japan, where U.S. pork has been the No. 1 imported pork for eight consecutive years.

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Colder-Than-Normal Temperatures Slow Crop Development  

According to the latest USDA Crop Progress and Condition report, small grain development in Oklahoma was significantly behind normal, while conditions continued to be rated mostly good to fair.  Severe storms last Wednesday and Thursday dumped heavy rains in some areas.

Wheat jointing was 86 percent complete by Sunday, while only five percent was headed, compared to 87 percent last year and a five-year average of 43 percent. (This is going to be a LATE crop this year- versus the extremely early crop of 2012) Thirty-seven percent of the crop was listed in fair condition with 36 percent in poor to very poor shape. Twenty-five percent was listed in good condition- two percent in excellent shape.

Canola was rated mostly good to fair, with 43 percent in poor or very poor condition. That is significantly better than a week ago- when canola was rated 50% poor to very poor. (Click here for the full Oklahoma report.)

Kansas received plentiful rains, but cold temperatures were holding back crop development.   The winter wheat crop was 43 percent jointed, behind 96 percent a year ago and 3 percent average.   The condition of the crop was rated as 16 percent very poor, 21 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 27 percent good, and 3 percent excellent.  (You can read the full Kansas report by clicking here.)

Freezing temperatures in the Texas Plains negatively impacted wheat in the boot and early heading stages. Producers were still assessing damage from previous freeze events.  Irrigated wheat across the rest of the state continued to show promise, while dry land wheat struggled due to a lack of moisture. (Click here to read the Texas Crop Progress report.)

Derrell Peel:  It's Spring But Cattle Markets Are Still Frozen

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist writes in the latest edition of the Cow-Calf Newsletter:

There seems to be a chill on cattle markets...both literally and figuratively. Cattle markets remain hunkered down due to weather and other impacts. The unrelenting cold, wet spring continues to have a variety of impacts on both the supply and demand sides of cattle and beef markets. Domestic beef demand is stagnant and certainly seems to be lacking the seasonal push that usually accompanies warm weather. Choice boxed beef cutout has been hovering near the $190.cwt. range with little sense of direction the past three weeks. The Choice-Select Spread has widened seasonally but is the result of weaker Select values rather than strength in Choice values. International demand for U.S. beef has also weakened amid Russian concerns with Ractopamine and weakness in major markets, such as Mexico, where relatively high U.S. beef values have been aggravated by a somewhat stronger dollar since January.

There is growing evidence that extended cold weather has increased beef cow liquidation. Total beef cow slaughter has been up 11.1 percent the last 4 weeks after declining early in the year. Year to date beef cow slaughter is now down a scant 3.7 percent from last year. Increased beef cow slaughter appears to be regionally widespread, though regional slaughter data are incomplete.

Read more of this story by clicking here.  

Weekly Boxed Beef Trade Posts Gains for Last Week

USDA Market News Reporter Ed Czerwien reports for the week ending April 20, 2012:

The most recent ten-week rolling boxed beef sales average was 6,649 loads per week which compares to 7,307 loads per week last year at this same time and was 658 loads less than last year average. To put that in perspective, that's like not selling the product from roughly 39,000 head of steers and heifers each week for 10 weeks in a row compared to last year. Remember however that we cut our kills roughly 12,000 head of finished cattle per week since the first of the year. 

The daily spot Choice boxed beef cutout ended last week at $190.10 which was about 60 cents higher on 925 loads of the daily spot beef reported, which represents about 12 percent of the total trade for the week.

The comprehensive Choice cutout, which is the weekly average of all types of sales (including the spot trade, formula trade, and out-front trade, etc,) was at $191.34, which was $1.08 cents lower than last week but we saw the largest volume week that we had seen since Sept of last year.

You can listen to Ed's weekly audio report by clicking here.

 

OFB Survey Reports Farmers Concerned About Government Regulations

High input costs, too much government regulation and the ever-changing weather patterns were listed as major challenges by visitors to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau booth during the Southern Plains Farm Show, April 18-20, Oklahoma City.

Other challenges noted on the informal survey included water, low farm income and lack of a new farm bill.

"The government is regulating us to death," said Bobby Lee, Newcastle, Okla. "I am especially concerned about the EPA regulations."

Despite the concern about government regulations, 80 percent of the survey respondents indicated they are optimistic about the future of agriculture.   

Click here to read more of this story.

 

Winners of AFR/OFU Annual Cattle Grading Contest Announced

American Farmers & Ranchers/Oklahoma Farmers Union (AFR/OFU) sponsored the Southern Plains Farm Show Commercial Cattle Grading Contest April 19 at the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City. AFR/OFU provides scholarship dollars, trophy awards and other necessities. Each year, the event awards more than $6,000 in prizes and scholarships to 4-H and FFA members.

To excel in the contest, participants must employ their knowledge of high-quality cattle traits to choose breeding and market animals that will prove profitable in real-life production situations. The contestants rank animals by structural soundness of replacement heifers, profitability of cull cows, market steer yield potential and more. Ultimately, contestants are rewarded for their recognition of high-quality cattle-just as a producer would profit from similar selection within his own herd.

"Contestants' ability to identify the best animals within their herd and in purchasing situations ensures their success as future cattle producers," said AFR/OFU President Terry Detrick. "We are proud to sponsor a competition that translates to real-life situations and encourages Oklahoma's youth to pursue careers in production agriculture."

You will find the complete list of winners by clicking here.

Biotech Debate at BIO International Meeting- Talking GMOs with Consumers

The U.S. Farmers  & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) convened a panel of experts on Monday from multiple disciplines, including farmers, media, industry and academia,  to answer some of the toughest questions surrounding GMOs. This discussion was moderated by CNBC Senior Analyst and Financial Industry Expert Ron Insana at The Food Dialogues: Chicago, which took place during the 2013 BIO International Convention. During the panel, "The Straight Story on Biotech in Agriculture: The Media and its Impact on Consumers," panelists addressed what more can be done to give consumers access to important information about the use of biotech seeds (GMOs) in agriculture.

It was an interesting give and take as a lot of the worries that activists and others advance about GMOs all surfaced. We have the video of the entire presentation on our website- and I would strongly suggest that you take the time to watch some or all of it- the haters of modern agriculture have already gotten the upper hand in several battles like BST in milk and in raising questions in the minds of consumers about this modern technology in plant and animal breeding- exhibit A is the marketing ploy of Whole Foods in declaring they will demand GMO labels on all of the products they buy to sell at sky high prices to their clientele. Click here and check it out.