National President’s Visit – John Queen, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will be in Mississippi the week of July 23rd visiting with cattlemen about issues important to the beef business. Stops planned are:

Monday Noon, Lunch Meeting at Coldwater Cattle Company
Monday Evening, Dinner Meeting in Oxford
Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. Glenwild Stockyard, Grenada
Tuesday Afternoon, West Point Stockyard
Tuesday Evening, Dinner Meeting in West Point
Wednesday Morning, Coffee at the Agri-Center, Verona

Drought Meeting – A statewide question and answer session for livestock and equine owners facing drought conditions will be held July 17th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Contact your County Extension office for the participating Distance Education Site nearest you.

Beef Cookout – Two 4-H Beef Cookout Contests, sponsored by the Mississippi Beef Council, MSU Extension Service, and Mississippi CattleWomen’s Association, were held last month in Winona and Gallman. Judges evaluated classes ranging from steaks to shish kabobs to determine the winners.
 

Cattle Market Notes, Friday, July 6, 2007,  Dr. John Anderson, Mississippi State University – This week began with talk of firm prices, but trade was very slow to develop in all regions.  On Friday, with live and feeder cattle futures surging higher, cash business developed in Nebraska at $87 to $88 live and $138-$140 dressed.  This is about $4 higher than last week’s Nebraska live price.  As of mid-afternoon Friday, trade in the Southern Plains was still slow, but word was that feeders in that region were looking for $90 bids. 
Most feeder cattle auctions were closed this week in observance of the July 4th holiday.  Oklahoma City did have a sale this week, but receipts were very light.  In that light test, feeder steer and heifer prices were steady to $3 higher, and stocker steer and heifer prices were steady.
Mississippi auctions were not reported this week due to the holiday. 
Live cattle futures started the week looking a little weak but finished the week on a very positive note.  All contracts rose by over $1 on Friday, supported by higher cash bids and at least some signs of firming prices in the wholesale beef market.  After Friday’s trading, live cattle contracts are at their highest level in about six weeks.  Live Cattle futures closing prices on Friday (with change from last Friday’s close in parentheses) were as follows: August $92.50 (+2.23); October $96.90 (+2.18); December $97.40 (+1.23); February $98.45 (+1.08); April $99.47 (+1.12).
After dropping slightly on Monday, feeder cattle futures climbed steadily for the rest of the week, with all contracts posting large gains on Friday.  The nearby contract gained $2.52 on Friday alone.  The surge in prices was particularly notable in that corn futures were also substantially higher on Friday.  All contracts climbed to new contract highs on Friday.  Feeder Cattle futures closing prices on Friday (with change from last Friday’s close in parentheses): August $114.70(+3.15); September $115.27(+3.42); October $115.40 (+3.50); November $115.00 (+2.85).
July Corn closed on Friday at $3.34 ½, up 5 cents from last week’s close.  Soybean futures were pretty quiet this week after last week’s big gains following the Acreage report.  July soybeans closed on Friday at $8.64 ¾, up 14 ¾ cents from last Friday’s close.   Dr. Anderson’s complete report can be accessed from www.mscattlemen.org
 

Japan's June Imports of U.S. Beef Rose 50 Percent - Relaxed inspection requirements and increased summer demand helped boost Japanese imports of U.S. beef in June, according to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, as reported by Nikkei.
Japan imported 4,311 tons of U.S. beef in June, up 50 percent from May. In mid-June, Japan rescinded a rule requiring that every box of beef from the United States be checked, which might help explain the jump, in addition to larger orders ahead of the summer season's peak demand.
June's volume still fell far short of levels prior to Japan's 2003 ban on U.S. beef imports. Before the ban, Japan took in approximately 20,000 tons of U.S. beef monthly. from Meatingplace.com  

 Korea Trade Update - South Korean inspectors were in the U.S. and touring ranches, packing plants and feed facilities last week. The team is led by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Chief Veterinary Officer Kim Chang-seob. Korean officials are evaluating the U.S. ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban compliance. According to the latest trade reports, sales of U.S. beef to the Korean market continue to increase. This is providing a much needed boost to the cattle industry.
On Saturday, June 30, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab signed the U.S. - South Korea Free Trade Agreement. NCBA will urge Congress NOT to pass the final agreement until beef trade with South Korea is fully re-instated. South Korean Deputy Trade Minister Lee Hye-min told reporters this week that it would not be easy for the U.S. Congress to endorse the agreement, without a full resumption of beef imports to South Korea. There is no word on when Congress could vote to ratify this important agreement.

 McDonald's Plans Expansion in India - McDonald's is planning to double its outlets in India by the end of 2008.
Currently the fast-food giant operates 110 locations in India, which it expects to increase to 150 by the end of 2007 and to more than 200 by the end of the following year.
McDonald's will invest approximately $120 million (USD) in the expansion, Jatia said.  from Meatingplace.com

 Nolan Ryan to Pitch U.S. Beef to Japan - Baseball legend Nolan Ryan plans to visit Japan later this month to promote U.S. beef on behalf of the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Nolan, who is well known among Japanese baseball fans, will be throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a game on July 18 between the Orix Buffalos and Chiba Lotte Marines.  

Congressional Schedule/Farm Bill Discussions - Congress is scheduled to reconvene today and Farm Bill markups will likely take top priority.  The House Ag Committee has scheduled a mark-up of the 2007 Farm Bill for July 17-19, 2007. 

 EIGHT Co-Sponsors Sign on to Death Tax Repeal - NCBA continues its long-standing push for full and final repeal of the Death Tax.  Representatives Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.) and Robert Cramer (D-Ala.) introduced H.R. 2380 on May 17. This bill currently has 103 cosponsors, with EIGHT NEW Co-sponsors.
 Currently, a 10-year phase-out of the Death Tax to full repeal is scheduled to take affect by 2010, but the tax is then scheduled to be re-instated in 2011 (back to 2001 levels). H.R. 2380 makes the repeal permanent.
Similar legislation, H.R. 1586, was introduced by Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) on March 20th. That bill currently has 76 co-sponsors. NCBA continues to urge all cattle producers to contact their members of Congress about this important issue. Download our full-color fact sheet on this issue at www.beefusa.org.

 COOL’s Paperwork Burden Makes the Law Unworkable - As livestock producers’ concerns grow about the current mandatory law slated for implementation next September, the paperwork requirements – and the costs that go along with them – are emerging as one of the most problematic aspects of the new law. 
Many agriculture groups agree that paperwork and documentation requirements in the current law are unclear. The current law could allow packers and retailers to demand impossibly complicated documentation.  For example, the American Meat Institute is telling its members that they should demand the following from livestock producers:
- documentation of where the livestock purchased were born and raised;
- affidavit or declaration with each load of livestock purchases stating that there is a verifiable audit trail in place that identifies where the livestock in each load were born and raised;
- access to records so that the packer can perform audits as necessary to satisfy retail customers, ensuring that an accurate record-keeping system exists and that it has been or is being verified by an acceptable third-party; and
- indemnity for the packer for liability incurred from inaccurate information supplied by the producer.
Livestock producers will be responsible for maintaining an acceptable recordkeeping system, as well as bearing the costs of audits to ensure the accuracy of the information.  Although the current law does not specify what kinds of records or documentation are required to comply with the law, we are told that self-certification will not satisfy the requirements. 

 TPA Expires - The President’s Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) expired as of June 30. This undermines our potential to expand and negotiate trade agreements, and is bad news for U.S. producers. With the Doha Round of WTO negotiations languishing, our competitors in world beef trade are already making contingency plans while we sit idle with no TPA. “Due to the expiration of TPA,” says NCBA Chief Economist Gregg Doud, “cattlemen have no ability to do anything about this while our competitors seek bilateral deals to carve up beef markets for themselves. For example, Australia is negotiating a bilateral agreement with the Japanese, and Brazil is talking to the EU about a bilateral agreement as well.”
TPA allows the President to negotiate trade agreements with other countries and requires Congress to approve or disapprove those deals without amendments. Foreign governments are reluctant to negotiate with the United States if the administration doesn't have such authority. 
NCBA is extremely disappointed that Congress did not take this up before its expiration. Cattle producers worked hard for its passage, and expanding our market access and lowering tariffs through trade agreements is the best way for cattlemen to prosper. We need TPA to facilitate passage of those agreements.

 Animal Health - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and members of Iowa's Congressional delegation participated in the dedication of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new high-containment large animal facility in Ames, Iowa on July 3rd.  The new building, which combines several research facilities into one location, contains more than 155,000 square feet and will house cattle, bison, elk, deer, reindeer, sheep and hogs. Employees in the new facility will conduct research, diagnostics and training, as well as test vaccines and evaluate veterinary biological products.
For years, NCBA has actively lobbied Congress for funding to help enhance our nation’s animal health infrastructure.  NCBA has worked over the past several years to ensure that agriculture appropriations bills include funding for upgrading our animal health facilities in Ames and to provide for research on animal diseases and monitoring and surveillance programs to protect our animals from the introduction of foreign animal diseases. 

Irradiation Comments to FDA - NCBA submitted comments on July 2nd to the Food and Drug Administration regarding irradiation of beef.  NCBA believes that processing establishments should make an ardent effort to minimize the threat of foodborne illness and increase pathogen control.  NCBA comments state, “Our industry has found that irradiation is a safe way to address microbial growth of pathogens such as E.coli O157:H7, while maintaining the integrity of the food and its nutritional value.” 
NCBA points to a report prepared by the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the International Atomic Energy Agency titled “Wholesomeness of Irradiated Food.”  The report concluded that “irradiation of any food commodity at any dose introduces no toxicological hazard; hence toxicological testing of food so treated is no longer required.” 
“Irradiation is a time-tested, safe and effective method of food preservation and controls disease causing organisms,” says NCBA. 

Don't Miss NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen - On this week’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen, beginning at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 10th, we will have a special feature show on what you can do to control horn flies and nuisance flies.  Also, industry pioneer W.D. Farr is featured.
The show will be rebroadcast Wednesday at 3:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and Saturdays at 9 a.m. Make sure YOU tune into NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on channel RFD-TV. For more information or to check out past episodes, visit www.cattlementocattlemen.org.

July 17                      Drought Q & A, Distance Ed Sites
July 18-20                 Cattle Industry Mid-Year Conference, Denver
July 19                      Hinds CCA
July 23-25                 NCBA President John Queen’s Visit
July 31                      Nutrition Shortcourse, Distance Ed Sites