Latest News From BEEF

 A Message to the Ag Industry about H5N1
A Message to the Ag Industry about H5N1

The livestock industry needs a comprehensive, cohesive plan to address the virus. Producers, their employees and veterinarians need clear answers and support from U.S. agricultural leadership, moving forward.

Mistrial Declared in Arizona Rancher’s Murder Trial
Mistrial Declared in Arizona Rancher’s Murder Trial

A lone juror stood between rancher George Kelly and innocent. “It is what it is, and it will be what it will be. Let me go home, okay?”

NEW: USDA Confirms Cow-to-Cow Transmission a Factor in Avian Flu Spread
NEW: USDA Confirms Cow-to-Cow Transmission a Factor in Avian Flu Spread

USDA said this week cow-to-cow transmission is a factor in the spread of avian flu in dairy herds, but it still does not know exactly how the virus is being moved around.

Wild Pigs Kill More People Than Sharks, Shocking New Research Reveals
Wild Pigs Kill More People Than Sharks, Shocking New Research Reveals

It’s not sharks, wolves, or bears that kill the most people—it’s wild pigs, and the numbers are trending up.

It's Scary Dry in the Western Corn Belt, But a Drastically Different Story in the East This Year
It's Scary Dry in the Western Corn Belt, But a Drastically Different Story in the East This Year

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought coverage is now at its lowest level since spring of 2020, but USDA's topsoil moisture map shows it's still extremely dry in areas of the west and too wet in the east.

South Dakota Confirms First Case of HPAI in a Dairy Herd
South Dakota Confirms First Case of HPAI in a Dairy Herd

South Dakota Dairy Producers encourages all dairy producers to closely monitor their herd and contact their herd veterinarian immediately if cattle appear symptomatic.

Six Questions One Industry Veterinarian Says She Is Asked Most Often About HPAI
Six Questions One Industry Veterinarian Says She Is Asked Most Often About HPAI

Kay Russo, DVM, Novonesis technical services manager for dairy and poultry, emphasized the situation is rapidly evolving and more clarity will come with time as researchers learn more.

Twelve Cases of HPAI in Dairy Cattle Confirmed in Five States
Twelve Cases of HPAI in Dairy Cattle Confirmed in Five States

Livestock producers and veterinarians are urged to practice good biosecurity practices to prevent transmission of the disease. Five states have also issued restrictions on dairy cattle movement.

Strange Bird Flu Outbreak, HPAI, Now Detected at Idaho Dairy
Strange Bird Flu Outbreak, HPAI, Now Detected at Idaho Dairy

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced that HPAI, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, has been found in dairy cattle in Idaho.

Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps
Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

BREAKING: Mystery Illness Impacting Texas, Kansas Dairy Cattle is Confirmed as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Strain
BREAKING: Mystery Illness Impacting Texas, Kansas Dairy Cattle is Confirmed as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Strain

USDA says genetic sequencing revealed the mystery illness impacting Texas dairies is the same strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that's been in the U.S. The virus is carried by wild waterfowl.

Minnesota Goat Confirmed to Have Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Minnesota Goat Confirmed to Have Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

While HPAI has been detected in predatory mammals that prey on infected birds, this is the first identified case of HPAI in domestic livestock in the U.S.

irrigation blue sky
Ogallala Aquifer Summit 2024: Tackling Tough Water Issues

The Ogallala Aquifer Summit brings diverse stakeholders and policy makers together to collaborate on how best to manage the High Plains’ precious water resources into the future.

USDA Issues Meat Labeling Final Rule
USDA Issues Meat Labeling Final Rule

Ag Secretary Vilsack hails voluntary “Product of U.S.A.” label as a vital step towards consumer protection and builds on efforts to bolster trust and fairness in the marketplace.

Images From the Smokehouse Creek Fire
Images From the Smokehouse Creek Fire

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photographer Sam Craft was in the Texas Panhandle documenting the aftermath of the largest wildfire in Texas history, and the aid and support for fire victims.

Wildfire Battles Continue Over Weekend for Texas, Oklahoma
Wildfire Battles Continue Over Weekend for Texas, Oklahoma

After burning for more than six days, the Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma was only 15% contained Sunday morning. Drifting sand now poses a threat to rural roads.

Wildfire Burns 71,000 Acres in Central Nebraska
Wildfire Burns 71,000 Acres in Central Nebraska

Nebraska officials say a mower ignited a wildfire that burned roughly 110 square miles of central Nebraska grasslands.

Smokehouse Creek Fire is Officially the Largest in Texas History
Smokehouse Creek Fire is Officially the Largest in Texas History

While the Smokehouse Creek Fire rapidly became the state's largest in history, four other wildfires are burning in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle area. (Additional images contained in story.)

Hay, Feed, Fencing Supplies Needed to Support Panhandle Wildfire Victims
Hay, Feed, Fencing Supplies Needed to Support Panhandle Wildfire Victims

Donations of hay, feed, fence supplies, cow feed and milk replacer are needed to support livestock owners impacted by the wildfires that have scorched ranchland across a large portion of the Texas Panhandle.

Wildfires Raging in Texas, Oklahoma Panhandle Region Threaten Residents and Livestock
Wildfires Raging in Texas, Oklahoma Panhandle Region Threaten Residents and Livestock

Devastating wildfires are burning in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle region and the Smokehouse Creek Fire has already become the second largest in Texas history, consuming at least three-quarters of a million acres.

Meet 87-Year-Old Joan Kerns, A True Trailblazer Who Helped Carve Out A Niche For Her Family Nearly 60 Years Ago
Meet 87-Year-Old Joan Kerns, A True Trailblazer Who Helped Carve Out A Niche For Her Family Nearly 60 Years Ago

Edgewood Locker got its start in rural northeast Iowa in 1966. The business now spans over three generations, and it's largely thanks to Joan Kerns who helped start the family business that's now seen phenomenal growth.

Antler Madness: Deer Shed Thieves Poach Farmland, Private Property
Antler Madness: Deer Shed Thieves Poach Farmland, Private Property

Lust or greed, trespassers are drawn to farmland by deer sheds. Private property is no barrier to a shed thief.

2024 Top Producer Of The Year Christine Hamilton: Driven For Excellence
2024 Top Producer Of The Year Christine Hamilton: Driven For Excellence

At Christiansen Land and Cattle, they’re committed to excellence and continuous improvement, a mindset that started when Christine Hamilton’s family homesteaded in South Dakota in 1891.

US Justice Department Probing ADM Accounting Practices
US Justice Department Probing ADM Accounting Practices

According to two sources, in recent days the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has interviewed former ADM employees, ramping up pressure on the global commodities giant.

Hemp Seed Livestock Meal Receives Green Lights On Way to Federal Approval
Hemp Seed Livestock Meal Receives Green Lights On Way to Federal Approval

Wendy Mosher, CEO at New West Genetics and vice president of Hemp Feed Coalition, says this is something that has been in the works for at least four years

USDA Invests $207 Million in Clean Energy and Domestic Fertilizer Projects
USDA Invests $207 Million in Clean Energy and Domestic Fertilizer Projects

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack told attendees at the American Farm Bureau Federation convention that new investments will generate income, create jobs and strengthen competition for farmers and ranchers.

Winter Storm Survival: A Nightmare for Livestock Producers in Western Illinois
Winter Storm Survival: A Nightmare for Livestock Producers in Western Illinois

Despite nearly 24 inches of snow, below-zero temperatures and raging winds that some people are affectionately calling “Death Storm #2,” Illinois livestock producers are finding ways to overcome the horrific conditions.

Judge Orders Wind Turbines Removed From Osage Nation
Judge Orders Wind Turbines Removed From Osage Nation

Removal of the 84 turbines erected beginning 10 years ago without a mining permit from the Osage Nation ends a long legal battle and will cost the developers $300 million.

The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?
The El Niño Effect: Is El Niño to Blame for the Historic Heat and Drought that Gripped the U.S. in 2023?

From the intense heat in the South to drought blanketing much of the U.S., weather stole headlines again in 2023. What caused such extreme conditions? One meteorologist explains the culprits of the heat and drought.

Be proactive in managing through financial stress
Fraud Alert: Don’t Fall Victim to These Common Schemes

Farmers routinely handle high-dollar transactions — and the nature of the payments, often through unsecure methods, leaves them susceptible to foul play.

Want to Avoid Leaving Climate-Smart Money On the Table? There's An App for That
Want to Avoid Leaving Climate-Smart Money On the Table? There's An App for That

AgWeb and Trust In Food’s beta Climate-Smart Opportunity Navigator is matching producers with Climate-Smart Commodities grants tailored to their operation.

8 Factors Shaping the Rural Economy in 2024
8 Factors Shaping the Rural Economy in 2024

CoBank has released their 2024 outlook report, which takes a look at the key themes the organization expects to shape agricultural and the rural economy in the coming year.

Government Seizes Control of Rancher’s Land for Endangered Bug Habitat
Government Seizes Control of Rancher’s Land for Endangered Bug Habitat

The government seized control of John Yearwood’s ranchland in the name of a tiny bug. “There is no shame in Washington,” he says.

Kristin Leigh Lore
How New Carbon Claims Shortchange Sustainable Agriculture and Why It Matters

“I believe we have to broaden the conversation beyond just low carbon,” said Amy Skoczlas Cole. “If we can reconnect to the roots of what this is all about—rather than counting molecules—we will be so much better off.”

BT_Feedlot_Bunk_Cattle
Feed Grain Supply Boost Driven by Corn Yield, USDA Predicts

The U.S. feed grain supply is expected to grow by 3.4 million metric tons, propelled by a projected increase in corn yields for the 2023/24 corn production forecast, reports the USDA Economic Research Service.

Look Out Iowa! Cropland Auction Sets Fresh Record in North Dakota
Look Out Iowa! Cropland Auction Sets Fresh Record in North Dakota

North Dakota auction company announces new record-high land sale for cropland in the northeast corner of the state at $17,500 per acre, while in Iowa farmland sales are starting to cool off.

New Price-fixing Suit Aimed at Big 4 Beef Packers
New Price-fixing Suit Aimed at Big 4 Beef Packers

Price-fixing allegations were again levied against America's largest beef packing companies, this time by a group of small distributors.

Farmer Gains Supreme Court’s Ear, Landmark Property Rights Hearing Awaits
Farmer Gains Supreme Court’s Ear, Landmark Property Rights Hearing Awaits

After the government twice flooded a farmer’s home and 900 acres, killed his cattle, and insisted he foot the bill, the Supreme Court will hear the case.

Tyson Foods to Deploy Driverless Trucks in Arkansas
Tyson Foods to Deploy Driverless Trucks in Arkansas

Tyson Foods is deploying autonomous refrigerated box trucks to bolster Tyson routes in Northwest Arkansas. Operating 18 hours a day, these driverless trucks will deliver products to distribution and storage facilities.

Three Florida Men Sentenced in $9-Million Frozen Meat Crime Ring
Three Florida Men Sentenced in $9-Million Frozen Meat Crime Ring

Arrested for approximately 45 thefts totaling over $9 million in loss, three Florida men have been sentenced for stealing semi-loads of frozen beef and pork from packing plants across six Midwest states.

New Bill Excuses Illinois Youth from School Absence to Attend 4-H and FFA Events
New Bill Excuses Illinois Youth from School Absence to Attend 4-H and FFA Events

Just in time for school to start, in the midst of the Illinois State Fair, students across the state will no longer be penalized for participating in a 4-H or FFA event.

Biden Designates New National Monument in Arizona
Biden Designates New National Monument in Arizona

President Joe Biden on Tuesday designated his fifth national monument in Arizona, an action embraced by Native American tribes in the area and opposed by mining companies and cattlemen.

Post-Pandemic Meat Processing Plants: Survival of the Fittest
Post-Pandemic Meat Processing Plants: Survival of the Fittest

A recent study analyzed the probability of meat processing plant survival, finding that business diversification is most important for smaller plants and local context is more important for larger plants.

Which Are The Best BBQ Cities in America?
Which Are The Best BBQ Cities in America?

Which cities have the best barbeque? The answer depends on who you ask, and two recent rankings provide different results.

Ghost Manure Digesters Scheme Sends California Man to Prison
Ghost Manure Digesters Scheme Sends California Man to Prison

A California man has shown that ghost cattle are unnecessary to create a Ponzi scheme, just ghost manure. Or, at least, ghost manure digesters.

High Production Costs Could Weigh on the Ag Economy Through 2024, New Survey of Economists Finds
High Production Costs Could Weigh on the Ag Economy Through 2024, New Survey of Economists Finds

The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a new survey of nearly 50 economists. Most ag economists agree the next 12 months could produce more financial pressure for agriculture, but their views vary depending on commodity.

Cell-Cultured Chicken Gains Final USDA Approval
Cell-Cultured Chicken Gains Final USDA Approval

Three California-based cultivated meat companies have received approval from USDA to begin producing and marketing lab-grown chicken.

Tentative West Coast Port Labor Contract is Tremendous News for U.S. Red Meat
Tentative West Coast Port Labor Contract is Tremendous News for U.S. Red Meat

The tentative agreement that's been reached with the West Coast longshoremen is of paramount importance for U.S. red meat, says USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. Here's why.

Walmart Beef Plant Tied to Investment in Sustainable Beef LLC
Walmart Beef Plant Tied to Investment in Sustainable Beef LLC

Set to open in 2025, the Olathe, Kan., plant will further Walmart’s commitment to creating an end-to-end Angus beef supply chain.

Ireland Proposes Culling 200,000 Cows to Help Meet Climate Goals, Farmers Push Back
Ireland Proposes Culling 200,000 Cows to Help Meet Climate Goals, Farmers Push Back

Ireland's Agriculture Minister has been looking into various ways to reduce methane emissions, including culling 200,000 cows over the next three years.