Cattle Industry News

 

USDA Announces Inconclusive BSE Test Result

(Thursday, November 18, 2004) - Early Thursday morning, the United States Department of Agriculture was notified of an inconclusive test result identified via the enhanced BSE surveillance program. Because this is simply an inconclusive test result identified using a rapid BSE screening test, USDA is not releasing any information regarding the location of the test or information about the animal.  Tissues samples are being sent to USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for confirmatory testing.  Results from those tests are expected in 4 to 7 days.

 

These sort of inconclusive test results are expected to occur, and do not mean the U.S. has identified another case of BSE. Rapid BSE screening tests are intended to be extremely sensitive, and have a certain rate of inconclusive results. This finding is the result of the first of a two-part test process. To test a significant number of targeted animals, the government's first step uses a rapid screening test, which can produce inconclusive results as it did with this animal. The second step is now under way with the sample going to USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. NVSL has the capability to use the gold standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) test to determine the presence of BSE.

 

It is possible that immunohistochemistry testing will confirm that this animal did not have BSE. As with testing for bovine tuberculosis and other diseases, inconclusive results and false positives are normal occurrences. The United States Department of Agriculture has tested over 113,000 samples.  This is the third inconclusive test result of those 113,000+ samples.  The first two inconclusive results were announced in June and were both confirmed negative. 

 

It is important to note that no portion of this animal entered the food or feed chain, and our longstanding firewalls against the introduction and spread of BSE will continue to keep the food supply safe.

 

USDA’s press statement is available at www.usda.gov.   In addition, daily results from USDA’s daily BSE testing log at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse-enhan_surv/bse_test_results.html.  Of course, excellent information on BSE, testing procedures, and U.S. firewalls against the disease can be found at http://www.BSEinfo.org.

 

We will continue to monitor this situation.  Please contact the MCA office at (888) 499-9162 if you hear an inaccurate or inflammatory report in the media, if you have any questions or if you are contacted by the media. 

 

Cattle Producers Praise Reauthorization of Mandatory Price Reporting

Legislation gives accurate and timely market information for cattle industry

Washington, D.C. (November 18, 2004) – Members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) are applauding last night's passage of legislation to reauthorize Mandatory Price Reporting in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The original legislation mandated by Congress in 1999 included a sunset provision. This action extends that sunset provision for one year. The bill passed in the Senate last month.

 

“Mandatory Price Reporting is a valuable component in achieving transparency in the marketplace by providing more information to producers,” explains NCBA President and Kansas cattle producer Jan Lyons. “For years, NCBA policy has stressed the importance of this legislation, and we continue to gather feedback from all NCBA members regarding this reauthorization, to ensure the law works for the benefit of producers and provides producers with the information they need.”

 

Mandatory price reporting requires packers report to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) daily price and volume information on negotiated and non-negotiated purchases of cattle and boxed beef sales. Packers also report beef exports and imports. The legislation directs the USDA to improve its retail price reports. Volume and quality information are also reported for packer-owned cattle.

”During the 1999 legislative session, the cattle industry worked with other meat industry producer groups, packers, Congress and the Administration to develop a consensus on this issue that not only meets NCBA goals, but also could be enacted into law,” says Lyons. “NCBA will continue to work with the USDA regarding the details of this reauthorization.”

 

Despite its recent sunset, the USDA has continued to collect information and implement Mandatory Price Reporting. After passage in both the House and Senate, the legislation now heads to the President’s desk for his signature. The President is expected to sign the bill into law.

 

 

USDA Secretary Veneman Resigns
United States Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman has resigned her post within the Bush Administration. She submitted her letter of resignation Friday to President Bush but will stay in office until her successor can take over.

 

A California native, Veneman has served during a tumultuous four years punctuated with a series of ag disasters. A long-term drought has plagued large portions of the central and western U.S., and hurricanes have ravaged the Southeast. Meanwhile, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, followed by the discovery of BSE in Japan and Russia's ban on U.S. poultry exports in 2001, and the discoveries of BSE in Canada in 2003 and in the U.S. in December 2003, have provided plenty of challenges to the department.  Nonetheless, U.S. agriculture, particularly the livestock sector, has recorded strong demand and record prices during Veneman's tenure.

 

There was no immediate word on who President Bush will nominate to head the department, but potential candidates for the post include White House farm adviser Chuck Conner; former Texas Democratic Representative Charles Stenholm, another former Texas Congressman, Larry Combest, a Republican who headed the Agriculture Committee, Allen Johnson, chief U.S. negotiator on agriculture, Ben Nelson, a Democratic Senator from Nebraska, and Charles Kruse, President of the Missouri Farm Bureau Federation. This marks the sixth resignation in cabinet positions, which is not unusual during a president’s second term. Secretary Veneman was the first woman to head the USDA.

 

Cattle- Fax Market Update

Market Highlights – Fed cattle prices were mostly $2-3 higher this week in an active volume trade.  Southern prices were mainly $85 while Northern values ranged from $81 live to mostly $83-84 live late.  Beef values saw a slight improvement through last Thursday.  Feeder cattle prices were $1-3 lower while most calves fell in a range of $1 lower to $1 higher.  Commercial cow and bull values were steady to $1 lower.

 

Bred Cow Update: Buy Now or After First of Year? – Cow-calf producers are asking the question: Do they buy bred females now or wait until after the first of the year. The 20-year average change in bred cow prices from November to February is a $62 per head increase.  This has been true every year except for two, one being a year ago.  Obviously, the unknown surrounding the BSE scenario a year ago was the major contributing factor for prices to be lower in February than November 2003.  To decide whether to buy bred cows now versus waiting until after the first of the year there are a few key questions that must be answered.  What is your monthly carrying cost per cow?  What kind of cow quality will you give up, if you wait to purchase females?  When is your calving date?  What tax incentive do you gain or lose by waiting to purchase females after the first of the year?

 

Expectations are for bred cows to improve in price from now through February of next year, but prices are not expected to be more than $50 to $75 a head higher.  The two main reasons are producers are going to be willing to wait for spring and procure pairs after they have a better handle on their grass situation, and cows are expected to be aggressively pursued the next 60 days, pushing the market higher now with less of a push later, mainly due to the tremendous profits received from selling calves this fall.                                                                          -To join Cattle-Fax, call (800) 825-7525

 

Missouri Cattlemen’s Association News

 

Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show – December 9-12, 2004

Schedule, Registration Form Now Available Online

Make plans now to attend the 2004 Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show, held December 9-12 at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, MO.  In addition to the annual meetings of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri CattleWomen, convention attendees can participate in a wide range of activities. Some of this year’s highlights include:

 

 

In addition to the great activities planned, Tan-Tar-A has several amenities for your enjoyment including a spa, bowling alley, arcade, pool and fitness center, and the Timber Falls Indoor Water Park.  Tan-Tar-A is also very affordable, with room rates of only $72 per night (plus tax) for four people.  Tan-Tar-A offers convention-goers a special discount pass to the indoor water park for only $12 per person for a day pass. For a complete schedule and registration information, please call (888) 499-9162 or visit http://mocattle.com/Missouri%20Cattle%20Industry%20Convention%20&%20Trade%20Show.htm

 

 

Calendar of Events

Nov. 18             Johnson Co. Cattlemen – Johnson County Fairgrounds, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 18             Randolph Co. Cattlemen – Ricketts Farm Store, Cairo, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 18             Newton Co. Cattlemen – Kitchen Pass Restaurant, Neosho, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 2               Henry Co. Cattlemen – The Village Pavilion, Clinton, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 4               Benton Co. Cattlemen – American Legion, Cole Camp, 4:00 trade show, 6:00 p.m. dinner

Dec. 4               Texas Co. Cattlemen – Texas County Fairgrounds, 7:00 p.m.

Dec. 9-12          Missouri Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show – Tan-Tar-A, Osage Beach, MO

Dec. 12-14        Missouri Governor's Conference on Agriculture - Tan-Tar-A, Osage Beach, MO

 

The Fine Print

This newsletter is a publication of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. All rights reserved – this newsletter may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without permission of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Did someone forward this message to you? To subscribe yourself, send an email to cattleinfo@mocattle.com. 

 

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