25th Anniversary MAFES Sale – MSU will be selling 36 bulls and 44 commercial heifers Thursday in its annual production sale at the Horse Park in Starkville. Angus, Charolais, and Hereford bulls will be offered as well as bred heifers from several experiment station herds. Sale begins at 1:00 p.m.

$1000 Scholarship – The winner of this year’s Mississippi Beef Ambassador Contest will receive a $500 cash award, expense-paid trip to the national  contest in Oklahoma City, and a $1000 college scholarship.  Second place will receive a $500 scholarship.  The competition will be held on February 3rd.  For details and an entry form, contact the MCA office.

Sign ‘em Up! – New MCA members, as well as their recruiter, will be entered in the drawing to win the Big Tex utility trailer to be given away at the MCA convention in February.

Scholarship Applications Online – Forms for convention scholarships are now available online at www.mscattlemen.org . At this year's convention, $48,000 in college scholarships was presented to the children and grandchildren of MCA members.  The Wax Company, Mississippi CattleWomen's Association, and Mississippi Cattlemen’s Foundation each sponsor scholarships. 

Cattle Market Notes, Friday, November 9, 2007, Dr. John Anderson, Mississippi State University – Last weeks 5-Area average live steer price came in at $91.77 down from $92.41 the prior week.  Once again this week, any significant volume of sales is very late in materializing.  USDA reported relatively light trade in Nebraska and Iowa/Minnesota on Friday at prices mostly $1 higher than last week: $143 dressed in Nebraska, $90 live/$142 dressed in Iowa/Minnesota.  Packers appeared to be reining in their production some this week.  Estimated slaughter is down noticeably this week: 637,000 this week versus 656,000 a week ago and 648,000 a year ago.
Calf prices appeared to be mostly lower this week.  This is not surprising given last weeks softer cash fed cattle market and the recent surge in grain prices.  At Oklahoma City, feeder steer prices were steady to $2 lower.  Feeder heifer prices were steady in a light test. Stocker steer prices were also steady, and stocker heifer prices were steady to $2 lower. 
At Mississippi auctions this week, steer prices were $1 to $5 lower, and heifer prices were steady.  Steer prices at Mississippi auctions this week were reported as follows: 250-300 pounds, $125-$130; 300-400 pounds, $115-$125; 400-500 pounds, $105-$115; 500-600 pounds, $95-$115; 600-700 pounds, $85-$95; 700-800 pounds, not reported.  Slaughter cow prices were steady this week.  For the week: breakers, not reported; boners, $40-$45; lean (850-1,200 pounds), $32-$41.
Live Cattle surged higher on Monday.  Fundamentally, the market was supported by higher wholesale beef prices.  Live Cattle futures closing prices on Friday (with change from last Fridays close in parentheses) were as follows: December $95.50 (+0.78); February $98.32 (+0.72); April $98.92 (+1.30); June $94.37 (+0.57); August $94.32 (+0.15).
Feeder cattle futures were lower for most of the week, feeling continuing pressure from higher corn prices.  Feeder Cattle futures closing prices on Friday (with change from last Fridays close in parentheses): November $107.95 (-0.40); January $108.02 (+0.10); March $108.67 (+0.25); April $110.50 (NC).
December Corn closed on Friday at $3.86 ¾, up 9 ¾ cents from last weeks close. Soybean futures also moved higher this week, including strong gains on Friday despite moderating crude oil prices.  November beans closed on Friday at $10.43, up 41 ¼ cents from last Fridays close.  Dr. Anderson’s complete report can be accessed from www.mscattlemen.org

USDA Lowers Cattle and Hog Price Forecasts - USDA lowered its cattle and hog price forecasts, predicting increased cattle slaughter, decreased beef exports and strong hog slaughter through the end of the year.
In its monthly World Supply and Demand report released Friday, USDA forecast average national choice steer (1100 to 1300 lbs) prices at $91.61 per hundredweight in 2007, down from its October forecast of $92.11. It dropped its 2008 average price forecast to a range of $87 to $94 per hundredweight from its October forecast of $88 to $95.
For live hogs (barrows and gilts 51 percent to 52 percent lean) USDA forecast an average 2007 price of $46.98 per hundredweight, down from October's forecast of $47.73. For 2008, it dropped its forecast to $44 to $47 per hundredweight from $44 to $48 predicted in October. The report pointed to higher total meat supplies as pressuring prices.

U.S. Beef Exports Continue To Gain - U.S. beef and beef variety meat exports through September increased 17 percent in volume to 562,781 mt and 29 percent in value to $1.9 billion compared to the same time last year Growth in exports to all markets, except Mexico and Taiwan, brings year-to-date volume to 58 percent of volume in 2003 for the same time period, even though today, Russia, China and Indonesia remain closed to U.S. beef exports and Japan has limited access.
Mexico is the top market for U.S. beef and beef variety meat, however, with exports through September reaching 262,597 mt, which is 5 percent less than the same time last year, but up 1 percent in value, at more than $872 million. Exports to Canada increased 31 percent to 93,203 mt valued at nearly $426 million. Exports to Canada and Mexico comprise 63 percent of total export volume compared to 34 percent during the same period in 2003. from USMEF

Canadian TB - About 470 cattle in British Columbia and Alberta will have to be destroyed after a random test showed a bull that had lived in both provinces had bovine tuberculosis.
As many as 30 farms in the two provinces have been quarantined, although no additional infected animals have been found, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The CFIA found a bull with the disease at a slaughterhouse in Quebec in August, veterinarian Maria Koller-Jones said. The B.C. rancher had shipped about 400 head of cattle to Innisfail, Alta., and some animals had moved on to another 20 other farms in the province.
It's unlikely the infection spread, but in an announcement on its website on Friday, the CFIA said all infected animals or any that had been exposed to the disease had to be immediately destroyed. "This is the only proven way to eliminate the disease," the announcement said.
Bovine tuberculosis can cause weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and fluctuating fever in animals. It can spread to humans or other mammals through prolonged, close contact. The last case in Canadian cattle was in 2004.
Human infections with Mycobacterium bovis were relatively common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but dairy pasteurization laws and the culling of infected cows has reduced the number of cases.

Increased Inspection of Canadian Meat - The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is stepping up requirements for imported Canadian meat and poultry. Effective last week, the agency will increase testing for salmonella, listeria and E. coli O157:H7. Products will be held until testing is complete and the results are confirmed negative for the pathogens. In addition, Canadian meat and poultry will be subject to increased FSIS re-inspections to confirm the products are eligible to enter commerce when presented at the U.S. border.
According to Richard Raymond with FSIS, an audit of the Canadian food safety system will begin immediately and focus on Ranchers Beef, which was identified as a likely source of the multi-state E. coli outbreak linked to Topps Meat Company. Ranchers Beef has ceased operations and no product from this firm has been eligible to enter the U.S. since October 20.
“These measures are being taken to further ensure the equivalency of the system already in place,” said Raymond. “We continue to work together with our food safety partners both domestically and internationally to ensure imported meat and poultry products are produced under systems at least equivalent to those in the U.S.” 

House Passes Peru Trade Agreement - Export opportunities for American cattle ranchers got a boost last week when the House of Representatives approved the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) by a vote of 285 to 132 today, November 8th. 
For U.S. cattlemen, the PTPA is one of the best-negotiated free trade agreements to date providing for immediate duty-free access for U.S. prime and choice beef.  Implementation of the Peru agreement will give U.S. cattle producers the ability to compete aggressively against Argentinean and Brazilian beef in this market.
Beef comprises less than eight percent of Peru’s total agriculture gross domestic product, making it an exceptional export growth opportunity for U.S. beef.  In 2003, Peru was a $6 million export market for U.S. beef products. Improved access via PTPA could amount to roughly $15 million a year, about half the value of Peru's current total beef imports.
“America’s cattlemen rely on our nation’s policymakers to support a pro-trade agenda in order to grow their businesses and help support the U.S. economy,” says Stacey Satterlee, director of legislative affairs for NCBA.  “A vote for expanding trade is a vote for American agriculture and small business.”
Trade Ambassador Susan Schwab said, ”The pending agreements will give American farmers, manufacturers, workers, and service providers access to growing markets. For years we have imported nearly all products from Peru, Colombia, and Panama duty-free. Finally, our producers will have the same access to their markets.”

Senate Farm Bill Threatens to Hurt Cattlemen - As the Senate began consideration of their 2007 Farm Bill, the objections from cattle producers across the country were heard loud and clear in letters and emails to Senate offices.  Just as the ban on packer ownership in the Senate Ag Committee’s bill had cattlemen on edge last month, further damage from other amendments could be done on the Senate floor.
- A Captive Supply provision, being championed by Senator Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), would outlaw the ability for cattle producers to engage in confidential, one-on-one business deals with prospective buyers.  Instead, cattle producers would have to conduct all of their business in open markets with competitors and neighbors looking on, watching, and engaging in the process.  The bidding process would also be required to include at least one blind bid.  In addition, forward contracts would be prohibited for more than 40 head of cattle and producers would no longer be able to use a basis pricing mechanism. 
- The “Grassley-Thune” amendment would interfere in what has always been a free market by subjecting our industry to even more oversight and regulation  This amendment, pushed by Senators Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and John Thune (R-S.D.), establishes a full-time special counsel whose sole purpose is to prosecute the agricultural sector.  In addition, this amendment goes against our Constitution by presuming “guilt” and forcing producers and cattle feeders to defend themselves against broad, and possibly unsubstantiated claims in order to prove innocence.  It also establishes a task force which would exclude any representation from the cattle industry and would have virtually unlimited authority to investigate marketing transactions including those used in alternative marketing arrangements. 
- A Competitive Injury amendment, which could be offered by Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) or Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), will have unintended consequences by basing lawsuits under the Packers and Stockyards program on a matter of “fairness” which is not defined.  The use of fairness as a determining factor is dangerous because each individual has their own definition of what is fair, and these disparities could be used to sue marketing alliances if someone thinks it’s unfair for cattle producers to get paid extra for producing the quality animals that fit the requirements of these marketing programs.
- Renewable Energy-related amendments could be another issue of concern for livestock producers.  Some Senators want to mandate and increase the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as part of the Farm Bill.  An amendment, championed by Senators Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and John Thune (R-S.D.), includes language from the Senate energy bill (H.R. 6), which passed June 21st, that would require an increase in the RFS to 36 billion gallons by 2022 creating a defacto mandate of 15 billion gallons for feedgrain based ethanol by 2015.
“Each of these provisions violates one of the founding principles of NCBA which dates back for over a century – limited government involvement,” says NCBA’s Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Colin Woodall.  “America’s cattle producers are entrepreneurs and they work hard to produce cattle of the highest possible quality.  The free-market system dictates how cattlemen are rewarded for their hard work.  If the government intrudes on these business practices, then not only will cattle producers lose, but consumers will lose because these amendments will actually stifle competitiveness in the marketplace.” 

What You Can Do - As the Senate continues consideration of their Farm Bill package, NCBA urges cattle producers to contact their Senators about the negative impacts of some of these damaging amendments that could be presented.  NCBA members can contact Elizabeth Bostdorff, NCBA’s manager of policy affiliate relations in NCBA’s Washington, D.C. office at 202-347-0228 or ebostdorff@beef.org for more information on Farm Bill issues, and for assistance in contacting their Senators. 

Nov 12                   Holmes CCA
Nov 12                   Monroe CCA
Nov 13                   Wilkinson CCA
Nov 13                   Simpson CCA
Nov 15                   Webster CCA
Nov 15                   Lee CCA
Nov 15                   Jones CCA
Nov 15                   Covington CCA
Nov 15                   MAFES Sale, Starkville
Nov 19                   Claiborne/Jefferson/Warren CCA
Nov 19                   Tate CCA
Nov 20                   Adams/Wilkinson/Franklin CCA
Nov 27                   Nutrition Shortcourse, Distance Ed Sites
Nov 27                   White Sands Field Day

Mississippi Cattlemen's Association
680 Monroe Street, Suite A
Jackson, MS 39202
(601) 354-8951
missca1@bellsouth.net