The Meat Institute issued the following statement from Meat Institute President and CEO, Julie Anna Potts, in response to news reporting of a Harris Campaign proposal to place a federal ban on price gouging: “Consumers have been impacted by high prices due to inflation on everything from services to rent to automobiles, not just at the grocery store. A federal ban on price gouging does not address the real causes of inflation. The Harris campaign rhetoric unfairly targets the meat and poultry industry and does not match the facts. Food prices continue to come down from the highs of the pandemic. Prices for meat are based on supply and demand. Avian Influenza, a shortage of beef cattle and high input prices like energy and labor are all factors that determine prices at the meat case. Prices that livestock producers receive for their animals are also heavily influenced by supply and demand. Prices for cattle producers especially are at record highs, surpassing the 2014-2015 previous record highs. Today, well into 2024, cattle prices remain at record levels because the US has the lowest cattle inventory since Harry Truman was President. Major meat companies have reported losses during the Biden-Harris Administration, with some closing facilities and laying off workers.”
Truterra, a leading agricultural sustainability business that works with farmers to help improve the environmental impact of agricultural production while working to create incremental financial benefits for famers, today announced its first-ever programs specifically for dairy producers. The 2024 Truterra dairy soils carbon programs reward pre-qualified dairy producers who adopt sustainable farming practices on the crops they use for dairy feed – including silage and alfalfa. Sustainable practices include the use of cover crops, strip-till or no-till to improve soil health and increase soil carbon levels.
The first 1,000 days of a baby’s life – encompassing pregnancy through the child’s second birthday – is a critical period for brain development. During this time, a baby’s brain grows from about 10,000 brain cells in the first month of pregnancy to a staggering 10 billion by the sixth month. Nutrition is a key driver of this incredible development and dairy can significantly impact a child’s cognitive development and overall success in life, thanks to nutrients including iodine and choline. Expecting mothers and new parents are seeking guidance on how to best nourish their child and lay the foundation for lifelong health, particularly regarding cognitive development. To address this, the dairy checkoff is launching several strategies to highlight another benefit of dairy consumption.
Applications are now being accepted for the annual W.D. Farr Scholarship program. Established in 2007 by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF), the scholarship recognizes outstanding graduate students pursuing careers in meat science and animal agriculture. Graduate students must apply online by submitting a cover letter, curriculum vitae, description of applicant’s goals and experience, a short essay, statement of belief in the industry, as well as a review of the applicant’s graduate research and three letters of recommendation by Sept. 20, 2024. The 2024 scholarship recipients will be recognized at CattleCon 2025, Feb. 4-6, in San Antonio, Texas.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) is seeking nominations for four top awards presented annually to leaders in the dairy industry. Nominations open today and will close on Friday, Oct. 25. Winners will be announced and recognized at Dairy Forum 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. Nominations are now open for the following awards: The IDFA Laureate Award, the Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year Award, the IDFA Food Safety Leadership Award, and the IDFA Workplace of the Year Award.
More than 50 contestants competed along the Grand Concourse for $4,600 in cash prizes during Iowa Farm Bureau’s 60th annual Iowa State Fair Cookout Contest, with Matt Ouverson of Norwalk crowned champion. Ouverson’s smoked and sliced rack of lamb topped with chimichurri sauce was favored by the judges over a wide array of entries from some of the state’s best backyard chefs.
Beef cattle producers across the state will gain valuable insight on how to overcome bottom-line sustainability challenges in the cattle business during the Auburn University Department of Animal Sciences’ 2024 Beef Cattle Conference, October 3-4. The conference registration cost is $50 before Sept. 1 and $65 before Sept. 20, and it includes conference presentation summaries, content for afternoon workshops, the dinner reception and lunch. If Alabama county cattlemen chapter presidents register at least three paid members for the conference, registration for the president (or their designee) will be waived.
Animal health vaccine manufacturer Medgene announces that it is ready to address critical disease challenges facing the animal health industry – Avian Influenza virus H5N1, Porcine Circovirus PCV-4 andAvian Metapneumovirus aMPV. Utilizing its production platform process, Medgene has unlocked the genetic information needed to create vaccines to address H5N1 in dairy cattle, PCV-4 in swine and aMPV in turkey production. As with all licensed veterinary vaccines, Medgene only needs USDA permission to add H5N1, PCV-4 and aMPV to its list of products and begin distribution.
