MAFES Sale Sets New Records - Buyers from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama made the 25th Annual Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) Production Sale a record-breaking event.  The sale held on November 15, 2007 at the Mississippi Horse Park featured 75 lots including Angus, Charolais, and Hereford bulls, Angus and Charolais heifers, commercial bred heifers, and cow-calf pairs.  The sale offering consisted of livestock from MAFES research stations throughout Mississippi.  Twenty-seven bulls averaged $2009 and 48 females averaged $1328.

Spring BCIA Bull Sale – Only a month remains to get nomination forms in for the Spring Sale to be held March 6th at Hinds Community College. The sale will be in conjunction with the sale of bulls coming off the Hinds Bull Test which will offer buyers the opportunity to select from two sources of bulls on the same day. Go to the MSU website, for a nomination form.

Cattlemen’s Company Store – Shop the Cattlemen’s Company Store for gifts for the cattlemen on your list.
Caps, jackets, windbreakers, shirts and much more - all with the MCA or “Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner” logo.  Stop by the MCA office on Monroe Street during regular business hours and check it out. 

Gift Ideas - Books

Dr. Don Ball’s Southern Forages - $32.00
Dr. Gordon’s Hazard’s Thoughts and Advice - $25.00
The Healthy Beef Cookbook - $21.95
Steak Lovers Cookbook - $12.00

Scholarship Applications Online – Forms for convention scholarships are now available online at www.mscattlemen.org . At this year's convention, $40,000 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 30, 2007, Dr. John Anderson, Mississippi State University – Over the week of Thanksgiving, fed cattle prices jumped higher; with the 5-Area average live steer price working out to $95.09 – up from $92.68 the week before.  This week cash business was active on Wednesday in most regions.  Live prices were basically steady with last week at $95 to $95.50. 
Calf prices appeared to be a bit stronger around the country this week following last week’s improvement in the fed cattle market.  At Oklahoma City, feeder steer and heifer prices were steady to $1 higher in a light test.  Stocker steer and heifer prices were $2 to $4 higher, with the greatest advance on the steers.  At Arkansas auctions this week, prices on all classes were called $2 to $6 higher compared to the last report two weeks ago. 
At Mississippi auctions this week, steer prices were $1 to $5 higher, and heifer prices were steady compared to two weeks ago.  Steer prices at Mississippi auctions this week were reported as follows: 200-300 pounds, $135-$145; 300-350 pounds, $125-$135; 350-400 pounds, $120-$125; 400-500 pounds, $110-$120; 500-600 pounds, $95-$108; 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-$44; lean (850-1,200 pounds), $35-$44.
Live Cattle futures took a good bounce last week in holiday-shortened trading as stronger cash prices provided a fundamental boost to the market.  This week, cattle futures gave back all of that gain and then some as fairly early cash business took place at prices no better than steady.  In Friday’s trading, the February contract broke through support at just over $96.50 and then fell to its lowest level since last June.  April is flirting with a break below the $97 mark.  Live Cattle futures closing prices on Friday (with change from last Friday’s close in parentheses) were as follows: December $93.85 (-2.92); February $95.77 (-2.93); April $97.10 (-1.92); June $93.02 (-1.58); August $93.77 (-1.08).
Feeder cattle futures started the week with modest gains in response to lower corn futures early in the week.  Feeder futures quickly picked up on the bearish sentiment afflicting the entire cattle complex, however, and posted sharp losses for the week.  Feeder Cattle futures closing prices on Friday (with change from last Friday’s close in parentheses): January $107.70 (-3.00); March $108.30 (-2.80); April $109.90 (-2.40); May $111.00 (-2.22).
December Corn closed on Friday at $3.84 ½, down 4 ½ cents from last week’s close.  Soybean futures were down pretty sharply on Friday after a week of bouncing sideways.
Prices remain high.  January beans closed on Friday at $10.80, down 20 ¼ cents from last Friday’s close.  Dr. Anderson’s complete report can be accessed from www.mscattlemen.org

Beef Checkoff Introduces Four New Beef Snacks - The Beef Innovations Group announced four new hand-held beef snacks for children it has researched, created, tested and is now bringing to market.
The new products include:
Beef Snackwich: a self-contained bun stuffed with a beef and sauce filling
Steak and Egg Breakfast Bites: steak, egg and cheese in a potato crumb coating
Breakfast Pancake Flip: beef sausage, egg and cheese in a pancake
Standing Beef Sandwich: a hollowed-out bun, turned upright and stuffed with beef and other ingredients
The group said it plans to launch Cheeseburger on a Stick and Mini Burger in 2008.
The process began with more than 100 concepts resulting in 19 products, four of which made it through testing by more than 200 consumers ages 5 to 18.
The Beef Innovations Group uses Beef Checkoff dollars to create new beef products and is part of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. from meatingplace.com

USDA Staff News - USDA announced last week that USDA Chief Economist Dr. Keith Collins will retire effective January 3, 2008.  Collins served as USDA Chief Economist for the past 15 years overseeing USDA's program of market forecasts and projections. Deputy Chief Economist Dr. Joseph Glauber will serve as Acting Chief Economist beginning in mid-December.

First Certificate For Organic U.S. Beef Issued - The first South Korean certificate for organic U.S. beef was issued Nov. 12 to DJ Food, a U.S. beef importer who can now import and distribute U.S. beef produced and processed at U.S. establishments that are certified as organic.
The certificate was granted by DolNara, one of the private agencies for certifying organic livestock products for Korea, after visiting three organic cattle ranches and one processing facility in the United States. The certificate is valid for one year from its issue date, and DJ Food will import the first organic U.S. beef in Korea once the beef trade situation is resolved between the two countries.
DJ Food plans to launch organic U.S. beef at leading upscale department stores initially, due to the expected higher price and then expand to discount stores. Currently, only one organic Australian beef brand is available in Korea. Its certification will expire at the end of the year and there is no word as of yet whether another certificate will be issued.

Call to Action: Support Expanding Markets for U.S. Cattlemen - The Senate is set to consider the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement TOMORROW!
This well-negotiated trade agreement is precedent setting and will allow U.S. beef products to compete in the Peruvian market against other regional beef producers.
Under the Peru Trade Promotion Agreement:
- U.S. choice and prime beef will have immediate duty-free access.
- All tariff rate quotas will be eliminated within 12 years.
- Peru has committed to recognize the U.S. meat inspection system as equivalent to its own, thereby allowing imports from facilities approved by USDA-FSIS.
- Peru has committed in writing to specific Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) terms.
Please contact our Senators TODAY and URGE them to support this precedent setting agreement! Click Capwiz for a quick and easy way to send your message. 

Cattlemen Amplify Opposition to Energy Bill Options - When Congress returns to Washington this week, energy legislation will likely take the spotlight.  With the Senate shelving the Farm Bill for the time being, cattle producers are again focused on arguing for a market-based approach to renewable fuels policy while discussions continue regarding an increase in the mandate for feed grain-based ethanol.
In June of this year, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 6, the CLEAN Energy Act of 2007, which mandates production of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022 with 15 billion gallons of grain-based fuel produced by 2015.  The House version, passed later in the summer, contains no increase to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
However, House and Senate leaders are reportedly discussing alternative language that would result in a bill requiring 20.5 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2015, with 15 billion gallons produced from grains and 5.5 billion gallons of advanced biofuels.  
“If these are the new numbers being kicked around on Capitol Hill, they don’t really represent any improvement to the existing Senate language,” says Jason Jordan, NCBA manager of legislative affairs.  “For cattlemen, any increase to the RFS mandate would be too much because renewable fuels production should be market driven, not government driven.” 
The current RFS calls for the production of 7.5 billion gallons by 2012.  NCBA member policy is specifically opposed to increasing the government mandate.
“The uncertainty of year-to-year corn crop yields creates a concern for everyone – not just livestock feeders,” says NCBA Chief Economist Gregg Doud.  “If the government mandates an unrealistic amount of grain-based ethanol production, what happens if corn supplies are not sufficient to meet the food, feed and fuel demand?  Everyone would suffer from this short-sighted approach to energy policy.”
NCBA will be urging for a final package that does not include an increased RFS.  The existing RFS, enacted in 2005 and extending through 2012, has already spurred rapid development in the renewable fuels industry. "Cattlemen are simply asking for the ability to compete for a bushel of corn on a level playing field,” says Doud. “Subsidized ethanol production and mandated demand through an inflated RFS – when the infrastructure is just now developing – is a recipe for disaster when there's a short corn crop."

Canadian Trade Update - USDA’s final rule to amend the BSE minimal risk region rule (Minimal Risk Rule II, or MRRII) became effective last Monday, November 19, 2007.  This rule expands trade of cattle and beef products - including cattle 30 months of age or older – from Canada into the United States. 
At the end of last week, only 362 head of over-30-month cattle had been imported from Canada. “We could see the pace increase as ranchers become more familiar with the paperwork requirements, but the flow of cattle is still expected to be slow,” said NCBA CEO Terry Stokes. “We have, however, seen an increase in feeder cattle imports from Canada during the last few months. But they were already coming regardless of whether or not Rule II took effect. This is due to the severe shortage of feedgrains north of the border, not the change in the import rule.” 
NCBA maintains that U.S. cattlemen will see long term benefits from the expanded trade with Canada.  “We are likely to see is an increase in our opportunity to export breeding cattle to Mexico in the very near future,” says NCBA Chief Economist Gregg Doud.  “Mexico’s policy on U.S. imports generally mirrors the U.S.-Canada relationship, so our ability to export breeding stock and beef from older cattle has been very limited.”

Cattlemen Seeking Disaster Assistance Extension - NCBA is urging Senate leaders to extend the eligibility date for disaster assistance coverage to include producers who faced hardships after February 2007.  Fourteen Senators sent a letter on November 16th urging this extension to Sens. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.), Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Robert Bennett (R-Utah).  Byrd chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee; Kohl chairs the Ag Appropriations Subcommittee, and Cochran and Bennett are the respective ranking members.  The letter asks the Committee to extend the eligibility date for ag disaster aid programs, specifically the Crop Disaster Program, the Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) to December 31, 2007.
In the emergency supplemental bill passed earlier this year, Congress included agriculture disaster assistance to provide much-needed aid to livestock producers who were dealt a blow by floods, wildfires, drought and other natural disasters. But the cut-off date for eligibility is February 28, 2007, which leaves out many producers who have experienced losses this year.  A similar request has been made to appropriators in the U.S. House of Representatives. 
“Unfortunately, this deadline leaves many agriculture producers who have experienced economic losses during this turbulent year without a safety net,” wrote the Senators.  “Such timely assistance makes a significant difference in the lives of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”

USDA Proposes Naturally Raised Marketing Claim Standard - The USDA announced November 27th a proposed voluntary standard regarding a naturally raised marketing claim for livestock and meat.  NCBA will be preparing comments for submission by the January 28, 2008 deadline. 
Increasingly, livestock and meat producers are using production or processing claims to distinguish their products in the marketplace.  AMS, through its voluntary certification and audit programs, verifies the accuracy of these claims.  The proposed standard will establish the minimum requirements for those producers who choose to operate a USDA verified program involving a naturally raised claim.  The naturally raised marketing claim also will be a voluntary program. 

NCBA Rolls Out Newest Member Benefit With Cabela’s - Just in time for holiday gift shopping - NCBA has announced a member benefit program with Cabela’s – the world’s foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear. NCBA members can now receive 15 percent off of all Cabela’s gift cards purchased through NCBA’s Web site, www.beefusa.org.  The gift cards are redeemable wherever Cabela’s conducts business - whether in-store, online, or through the Cabela’s catalog.
“Whether it’s for holiday shopping or the hunting season, this program with Cabela’s is a tangible benefit that cattlemen can really get excited about,” said Steve Foglesong, a cattleman from Astoria, Ill., who serves as NCBA Policy Division chairman and Membership Committee chair. “When you look at the range of products Cabela’s has to offer cattlemen and their families, this discount can really add up in a hurry.”

Don't Miss NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen - On this week’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen, beginning at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 4th, we showcase some of the 2007 regional winners of the Environmental Stewardship Awards.  First, we head to northwest Pennsylvania where we find Paul and Beth Wingard.  The Wingards run a 125 acre, intensively managed grazing operation focused on a unique corner of the cattle industry.  Then we visit the Dee River Ranch in Alabama where a brother and sister are running their ranch as a team.  And finally, we head to Missouri and the Oak Knoll Ranch where stewardship and conservation go hand in hand.
 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.

Dec 4                      Yazoo CCA
Dec 6                      Lafayette CCA
Dec 6                      Lauderdale CCA
Dec 13                    Jasper CCA

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