Karin SchaeferDelano, MinnesotaExecutive DirectorMinnesota Beef Council

The Ranch Hand Rodeo Weekend in Winnemucca, Nevada, isn’t a run-of-the-mill summer Sunday competition. No, the folks who come to this one know it’s about real life, real ranching and real satisfaction for a job well done. It’s about celebrating who we are.

Golden Guernsey, the 83-year-old dairy processor that closed abruptly in southeastern Wisconsin and left area schools scrambling for milk, has filed for bankruptcy. Days after closing its plant in Waukesha, Wisconsin, OpenGate Capital – which is based in California – reported filing for bankruptcy protection.

Andrew Novakovic, an expert on the Farm Bill and professor of agricultural economics at Cornell University, said Congress’ failure to produce a new long-term Farm Bill in its “fiscal cliff” compromise provides predictability to 2013, but not beyond.

The USDA has announced a final rule establishing general regulations for improving the traceability of U.S. livestock moving interstate. Under the final rule, unless specifically exempted, livestock moved interstate would have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner-shipper statements or brand certificates. After considering the public comments received, the final rule has several differences from the proposed rule issued in August 2011.

Larry Berger, head of the University of Nebraska animal science department, talks about the advantages of early weaning.

U.S. agriculture has seen tremendous changes and challenges in recent years. Unprecedented new demands for agricultural products have caused significant changes in crop production and have provoked huge impacts on livestock production. Input market shocks, dynamic global markets and drought have all contributed to volatile short-term market conditions. The changes and impacts are not merely short term in nature.

It can be a costly experience when rebuilding cow herds, but beef cattle producers can learn about strategies to consider at the 51st Blackland Income Growth Conference Feb. 4-6 in Waco.

U.S. pork exports for the first 11 months of 2012 continued to exceed the record-setting pace of 2011, the value of beef exports remained slightly above 2011’s record levels despite continued lower volumes and the value of lamb exports in November bounced back from an otherwise slow year, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).