Iowa

What is the Difference Between LRP and LGM Cattle Insurance?

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:10:24 GMT

With cash outlays for feeder cattle and replacement females at record highs, Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) have become essential tools for managing financial risk. Recent USDA updates have made these subsidized programs more accessible, now allowing producers to insure unborn calves and set price floors for multiple stages of production. According to Iowa State University’s Patrick Wall, these tools are designed to protect equity without limiting the upside of a strengthening market.

“Cash outlay for feeders, replacement heifer calves, yearlings, bred heifers and bred cows is certainly higher than ever in all sectors,” says Wall, ISU Extension and outreach beef specialist, in a recent Growing Beef Newsletter article. “No doubt, two important programs supporting the market are Livestock Risk Protection and Livestock Gross Margin. Recent updates have made these programs more attractive and less expensive to a much wider audience in the supply chain.”

Can You Insure Unborn Calves with LRP?

According to Wall, unborn calves can now be insured for a future sale date.

“This program can be utilized for both purchased bred females just arriving on farm as well as pregnant heifers and cows that have been part of the operation already,” he says. “The premium is subsidized by the government, much like traditional crop insurance.”

He shares these options:

If a producer has 100 cows to calve in April to May they can insure 95 unborn calves up to 599 lb. at weaning.
If a producer bought a group of bred heifers, they can insure their upcoming progeny to protect their initial investment.
“LRP does not insure the viability, health, weight or gavel price for any of those calves,” Wall explains. “You still have to manage them to the best of your ability. It does insure the futures price for feeder cattle will be at least what you insure it to be, on the date you specify. If the price actually goes up, there’s no penalty or premium increase; simply put those extra dollars in your pocket on sale day.”
If a producer wants to hold on to them post-weaning for another 90 days, they can insure them again for a future sale date.
If a producer wants to market some on-farm feed through the cattle by feeding them clear to finish, the producer can insure them a third time clear to market weight. “You’re setting the floor for the futures market,” he says. “The top side is still open should the market strengthen further during the feeding period.”

What is LGM?

“For the feedlot sector, margins matter,” Wall explains. “This program insures both the revenue side — fed cattle price — and the cost side — feeder cattle price and corn price — of a transaction, working in tandem.”

While the feed necessary to finish a given set of calves may already be purchased, its value can change. Likewise, futures markets on both fed and feeder cattle can be quite volatile.

“In some cases, all three segments of LGM can react negatively to each other,” Wall says. “This program insures that doesn’t happen for you, with a subsidized premium as well.”

Wall recently interviewed Tony Latcham of Stockguard Risk Management for the “Iowa Beef Collective” podcast . The episode summarizes both LRPs and LGMs and how to effectively use them, regardless of the size and scope of your operation.

Primetime to Reform the Conservation Reserve Program

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:26:06 GMT

Droughts, border closures , New World screwworm (NWS) , Argentina beef imports, wildfires, packing plant slowdowns and a 75-year-low in the U.S. cattle inventory — those aren’t just headlines, they are the realities cattle producers are working through every day. They have added volatility to the markets, but they have also created something else. Opportunity.

From my perspective as a feedlot operator in northwest Iowa, that opportunity is sitting right in front of us. When cattle numbers get this tight, everyone feels it. Feedlots are not running at capacity. Packers adjust. Rural communities feel it too. The market is sending a clear signal. We need more cattle.

Iowa is in a strong position to respond. We have the feed, the infrastructure and the people to not only finish cattle, but to help rebuild the cow herd. The piece we continue to run up against is access to land.

That is where the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) needs a harder look.

CRP was designed with good intentions, and it has delivered real conservation benefits. But today, it is also functioning as direct competition for land. When government-backed payments are strong enough to take acres completely out of production, it shifts the market. It drives up rental rates and limits access for farmers and ranchers who are trying to actively use that land.

At the same time, program requirements have created unintended consequences. In many cases, land has needed a recent row-crop history to qualify for enrollment. That has led to pasture being broken out and fences coming out, not because it made sense for the land long-term, but because it made sense to fit within a program. Once that infrastructure is gone, it is not easily replaced.

On the other side, Iowa producers are often shut out of opportunities like Grasslands CRP. Because our land is so productive and has a strong cropping history, we do not always meet the eligibility requirements that favor existing grass-based systems. So we end up in a situation where working pasture is reduced, and at the same time, we are limited in accessing programs that could actually support grazing.

That is a disconnect.

We are taking land out of livestock production, discouraging long-term pasture investment, and making it harder to rebuild the cow herd. All of this is happening at a time when cattle numbers are historically low, and demand signals are strong.

There is a better way to approach it.

Managed grazing within CRP offers a solution that keeps conservation goals intact while putting land back to work. Grazing, when done right, improves soil structure, supports plant diversity and maintains ground cover. It keeps the land functioning as it was intended, while also contributing to the food supply.

More importantly, it creates access. It gives producers, especially younger ones, a way to get started without competing against a system that is designed to sideline the land entirely.
For those of us in the feeding sector, rebuilding the cow herd starts with grass. Without it, there is no pathway to expand. Without it, we continue to tighten supply and limit the future of the industry.

The current situation should push us to think differently. Conservation and cattle production are not opposing goals. In many cases, they are strongest when they work together.

Reforming CRP to allow for responsible, managed grazing and to remove some of the barriers that have worked against pasture and livestock production is a practical step forward. It keeps conservation benefits in place while recognizing the need for active land use.

If we are serious about rebuilding the cow herd, supporting rural economies, and creating opportunities for the next generation, we have to address how land is being used.

This is one of those moments where policy and opportunity line up. We should not let it pass us by.

— Craig Moss from Hull, Iowa, is currently serving as the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) president

What is the Livestock Consolidation Research Act?

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:24:30 GMT

Senate Agriculture Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) have introduced the Livestock Consolidation Research Act , bipartisan legislation to support research into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on farmers, ranchers and consumers.

“Consolidation in the meat and poultry industry impacts Iowa producers and consumers alike, and right now, they’re feeling the squeeze,” Grassley says. “The current patchwork of available data isn’t enough to tackle this problem. Our bipartisan legislation will work to address ag concentration by providing farmers, ranchers and shoppers a full picture of how the market is working.”

According to Grassley’s press release , “Cattle producers often make pennies on the dollar due to a lack of transparency and competition in the cattle processing industry, where just four companies control 85% of the market. The lack of competition means farmers get less for their products, while consumers pay more at the grocery store.”

The senators’ goal with the act is to move beyond existing research to discover the impact of this consolidation on farmers and ranchers, as well as the downstream impacts on consumers. The legislation directs the USDA Economic Research Service to conduct this research.

“Just a handful of large companies dominate the meat and poultry processing industry, which means higher prices for consumers and shrinking earnings for farmers. On top of that, farmers and ranchers are dealing with the worst farm economy in 30 years, skyrocketing input costs, and a cost-of-living crisis at home. We can all see that this market concentration spells disaster,” Smith says. “Our bipartisan bill would bring to light the impact of this consolidation on farmers and consumers and help us create the best possible solutions to fix the problem. I look forward to working with Sen. Grassley and my colleagues to pass this legislation as part of a farm bill.”

Grassley and Smith plan to push for the bill’s inclusion in the research title of the farm bill, which could form a base of data to inform future decisions.

Regulatory Concerns: The Economic Impact of Increased Oversight

“Significant liquidation of cattle herds has brought U.S. cattle numbers to a 70-year low and pushed prices and subsequently, cow-calf returns, to record highs,” says John Nalivka, Sterling Marketing Inc. president. “At the same time, Sterling Marketing’s estimate for beef packer margins is to average — $191/head during the first quarter of 2026.”

Nalivka says consolidation has become a top news headline in livestock and meat industries quite often lately.

“As I read about this [proposed legislation], I once again become concerned about the information that leads to this research effort,” he says.

He stresses packing capacity is a significant factor in the market.

“Consequently, I maintain a rather significant database of plants and their capacities for both the beef and pork industries. This database goes back to the late 1980s when I started focusing on capacity and its impact on the market,” he explains. “I adamantly point out that the importance of capacity in the beef and cattle market goes beyond the packing industry to include all aspects of the supply chain from production to packing and processing to the retail meat case.”

Nalivka has often pointed out that consolidation in any industry is the result of businesses growing larger to achieve economies of scale.

“This is extremely important as it has a direct and beneficial impact on the cost structure of a business and ultimately, its financial success,” he says. “It is related to and has an impact on production capacity and ultimately, the ownership of capacity across the supply chain.”

He predicts with Tyson’s closure of the Lexington plant and reducing Amarillo to one shift, the total U.S. beef packing capacity (including both fed cattle and cows) is 36.7 million head. He adds the strike at JBS’s Greeley, Colo., plant brings annual fed cattle plant capacity down to 27.3 million from 28.9 million.

“This leaves my estimate for the four-firm fed cattle plants concentration with the Greeley plant included at 75.7%,” he says. “That is a notable difference from the quoted figure of 85%.”

Nalivka says a study such as the one proposed by Grassley and Smith should not be taken lightly considering the definite potential for increased regulatory activity.

“For those who do not believe that increased government oversight leads to greater government regulations, in 2025, there were 243 volumes in the Federal Register, proposed and final rules and regulations, which begs the question — Is this too much government oversight?”

From Best Buy Toy to Pro Spray Drone: A Father-Son Duo Takes Flight In Missouri Cattle Country

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:41:26 GMT

Iowa State University freshman Rhett Keaton and his father, Vance, are launching a drone spraying side hustle.

The father-son duo started out just having some fun several years ago, buzzing around the house with a $20 drone from Best Buy that “drove mom crazy”. But now, they are getting serious about turning entertainment to revenue.

Vance, who runs 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., ran out and purchased a DJI Agras T20P spray drone this spring, and both Keatons secured the Part 107 Commercial Pilot Certificate needed to operate on a farm. Combined with the private pesticide applicator’s license 5K Cattle Co. already held, the guys can now apply restricted-use pesticides to their own pasture ground.

University of Missouri Extension experts recently weighed in on the promise of drone usage in farming, and more specifically, in cattle operations. Field specialist Caleb O’Neal likens the technologies’ versatility and practicality to that of a UTV.

“Back in the 1980s, it would have been rare to see a UTV being used on a farm,” he says. “Visiting farms today, I’m hard-pressed to find an operation larger than 20 acres that doesn’t have some type of UTV that they utilize on a regular basis.”

And while the Keaton’s are banking on custom application services with a spray drone as their next play in ag, you don’t have to spray crops or weeds to use drones for the benefit of your farm or ranch, according to O’Neal.

Use of drones in agriculture is increasing as row crop and livestock producers find new ways to improve efficiency and productivity.

(Photo courtesy of Caleb O’Neal.)

“Livestock producers can monitor fences and availability of water and can make sure animals are where they should be without even opening a gate,” O’Neal explains. “Drone technology lets cattlemen quickly check estrus indication patches for optimized breeding timing, monitor cows during calving season, look for hidden newborn calves and look out for potential predators.

Getting back to the Keatons, the next step is for Rhett, who is majoring in ag systems technology in Ames this fall, to secure his Missouri commercial pesticide applicators license.

Once that happens, the pair can start marketing drone spraying services to neighboring farms. Their plan is to start locally with pasture and grassland applications before seeking out work on row crop farms to the north once foliar fungicide season hits.

Related - The Scoop Podcast: What’s Next For Ag Drone Application?

Even though the T20P is one of the smaller spray drones offered by DJI, Keaton says it’s proven to be the perfect fit so far. He also rents a neighbor’s spray drone, paying a per-acre fee, when he needs more than one bird to cover more ground.

“We do a lot of flying in and out of trees and stuff like that,” Keaton says. “Having that smaller drone with less capacity and a more efficient battery, I get about double the battery life as [the bigger drones] do. But I also have about half the tank.”

The reservoir on the T20P holds about 5.5 to 6 gallons of tank mix, so Keaton will usually need to land and refill his tank after about five or six minutes of spraying. He averages 23 acres per hour when everything is set up for a quick land-refill-takeoff cycle.

Keaton says Corteva’s DuraCor herbicide, an aerial application-approved formulation containing two Group 4 AIs, is the main product he’s been spraying from the drone thus far. The product label calls for 2 to 3 gallons of active ingredients (mixed with carrier water) applied per acre with coarse droplets.

A fellow rancher kicks the tires on Vance and Rhett Kaiser’s spray drone trailer at a field day event. The Kaisers operate 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., and have plans to launch a spray drone custom application business in the near future.

(Rhett Keaton )

Keaton and Vance also picked up a nicely appointed spray drone trailer off — of all places — Facebook Marketplace. The whole setup – drone, trailer, extra batteries, etc. – cost about $30,000 all-in, Keaton says.

“We found one that was cheaper to buy than it was to build our own, especially with the generator — that is probably the most expensive part of that trailer,” he explains. “It already had the generator, pumps, the mix tanks and a thousand-gallon freshwater tank, and everything was lined up.”

With the spray drone in the air and the nice, shiny trailer parked edge-of-field as Keaton makes his passes, cleaning up weed escapes in fields that he says are “pretty clean” already, neighboring farmers often take notice and stop by to ask if he and his dad can come by and spray some of their ground, too. Their plan is to find the sweet spot between a $12 to $20 per acre fee to charge for their drone spraying services.

Speaking of sweet spots, O’Neal feels that spot spraying, guided by aerial imagery or even first-hand producer knowledge of where weed problems are significant and need to be addressed, is a good target for drone service providers like the Keatons.

“A pasture with a rash of blackberry weeds in isolated areas has great potential for a prescription herbicide application where only the problematic areas receive treatment via a spray drone, as opposed to a broadcast application where the entirety of the field is treated whether it needs it or not,” he says.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity [for it] around us. There’s a lot of guys with hay fields, and they do a lot of burn down applications. That’s one thing we are planning on hitting on,” Keaton says. “I think some guys would be interested in that. Especially if we have a wet spring and guys can’t get in the field.”

Missouri Extension field specialist O’Neal agrees with that assertion.

“In my neck of the woods in southwestern Missouri, the topography can be quite unforgiving, with some areas too harsh to allow access by ground spray rig or even an ATV,” O’Neal says. “With an aerial piece of equipment like a utility drone, landowners can now get herbicide applications on these problematic areas and put them into useful forage production.”

With a pilot year of flying his family’s acres fastened securely under his belt, Keaton says the arrow looks to be pointing up on spray drone technology in agriculture.

“Hopefully we can expand and get maybe another trailer or a bigger drone, it just depends kind of on what’s calling for us,” he says. “I’ve got to see exactly how much work is out there in this business and from there just make it all work out. Our foot is just in the door [right now].”

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Dung Dynasty: A Critical Role in the Sustainability

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 12:57:36 GMT

Cattle are the original model for sustainability. They are able to take a moderate to poor forage that no other species will eat to reproduce, convert it to food for other species to consume, and provide fertilizer for the forage it took in the first place.

In 2017, it is estimated that 29% of all U.S. land is primarily used for livestock grazing. It is estimated that 20-47% of pastures are smothered by dung after 200 grazing days. In order to maintain the grazing pasture, dung beetles play a critical role in the sustainability of cattle production in the U.S.

Dung beetles, also known as scarabs, play a vital role in sustainability for cattle production in the U.S. Depending on the type of dung beetle, each has a role in releasing fertilizer and freeing pastures from the feces for new growth to form.

There are three functional types of dung beetles worldwide: dwellers, tunnelers, and rollers. Dwellers work to aerate the dung so it can be broken down by nature more efficiently by mother nature than ones that do not have dung beetles. Tunnelers burrow underneath and integrate dung into the soil to act as fertilizer. And finally, rollers spread the dung over large distances and bury it, fertilizing the soil across the pastures. All of these combined release nitrogen, ammonia, phosphate, and organic matter, and in turn reduce soil compaction as well. Which, in a study completed in Florida, has equated to $120 million saved by freeing and fertilizing grazed pastures.

Over the years, more farmers and ranchers have become more aware of the value of dung beetles, and questions are being raised about maintaining the overall population. One of the questions being asked has been whether do parasiticides we commonly use in beef cattle practice impact the effects of dung beetles in the pasture.

Several studies have shown negative effects across the globe on macrocyclic lactones (ex., Ivermectin) and the dung beetles. However, none have been done in the U.S. It is also known that macrocyclic lactones are predominately excreted through the feces, and anywhere from 62-98% of the active ingredient has been found.

Therefore, there was a need to evaluate macrocyclic lactones and the effects of fecal pat degradation and dung beetle populations in a commercial cow-calf operation in Iowa . Our original hypothesis was that macrocyclic lactone would have an effect on dung beetles compared to cattle that did not receive it.

Results from Year 1

This is preliminary data from one year of a two-year study. There was no statistical difference between treatment groups and the number of dung beetles collected between intervals. There was also no difference in dry-matter percentage between treatment groups.

(Iowa Beef Center)

Treatment did have a small statistical difference (p <0.05) in female calves only for both weaning weight and average daily gain between cows that received doramectin and cows that did not (Table 1). No treatment difference was noted in calf performance between male calves. There was no statistical difference between dung beetle populations between treated and non-treated pastures (Figure 1).

(Iowa Beef Center)

Based on this preliminary data set, there is no evidence that doramectin decreases the population of dung beetles or fecal pat degradation in a cow-calf operation in central Iowa. However, a continuation of this study needs to be completed in order to note if there is a pasture or age of cow effect from this study.

Acknowledgements: IVMA Bovine Pre-conditioning Grant for funds to complete the project, McNay Research Farm for the cattle, and Zoetis for supplying the Dectomax for this project.

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Agriculture in the Bull's-Eye: Raids Reportedly Resume on Farms, Meatpacking Plants

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 18:40:22 GMT

After President Donald Trump reportedly ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ) to pause raids on farms and meatpacking plants last week, new reports say the administration is reversing course again. The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and already causing labor shortages due to employees not showing up for work.

There was an update again late Friday, with President Trump saying he’s looking at new immigration policy steps that would allow farms to take responsibility for people they hire.

The Washington Post first reported Monday that ICE officials told leaders representing field offices across the country they must continue to conduct raids at worksite locations, which is a reversal from guidance issued just days earlier.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wouldn’t confirm the Washington Post’s report, but an agricultural association told Farm Journal the article is accurate based on their discussions with the administration.

Instead, DHS told us this:

“The president has been incredibly clear. There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” says DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safe guard public safety, national security and economic stability. These operations target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation.”

By Friday, there was another update. Reuters reported President Trump said he was looking at immigration policy steps that would allow farms to take responsibility for people they hire.

“We’re looking at doing something where, in the case of good, reputable farmers, they can take responsibility for the people that they hire and let them have responsibility, because we can’t put the farms out of business,” Trump told reporters. “And at the same time we don’t want to hurt people that aren’t criminals.”

According to Farm Journal’s Michelle Rook, the recent ICE raids are already creating absenteeism and labor shortages that could severally disrupt the U.S. food supply. Ag groups are again calling for immigration reform with hopes the issue will finally come to a head.

Ripple Effect of Immigration Crackdown

Joe Del Bosque, owner of Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, Calif., is experiencing the rollercoaster with labor, saying the shifting policy strikes fear in farmers and workers.

“There’s so much uncertainty as to what the administration’s going to do,” Del Bosque told Rook on AgriTalk this week.

Del Bosque says the raids on California produce farms are disrupting the harvest of perishable produce.

“They haven’t been really huge sweeps. They’re usually picking up a few people. But it creates a lot of fear, and people don’t show up to work. That’s just as bad as if they were taken away,” he says.

According to an exclusive report by Farm Journal’s The Packer , the ripple effect of Trump’s immigration crackdown on agriculture could be far-reaching — if the administration revives its focus on ag.

Kevin Kelly is the CEO of Emerald Packaging — the largest flexible packaging supplier to the leafy greens industry. Based in Union City, Calif., the company has been in the packaging business for 62 years. Kelly says the immigrant workforce in California is feeling uncertain and afraid.

“We’ve certainly heard folks aren’t turning up to work in the fields, and we’ve seen it in our facility. We verify everybody, so we know everybody in our facility is documented and can legally work in the United States,” Kelly tells Jennifer Strailey, editor of The Packer. “In our case, it’s brothers and sisters being deported, and other family members being afraid. Our employees are staying home to help their family members move, to take care of them or to take them to see an attorney — that kind of thing.”

Dairy operations in several states have also been raided recently. Dairy producers say they rely on immigrant labor to provide a stable year-round work force and to keep the U.S. food supply stable.

“We need these people to take care of our animals so we can produce food. Without animal care, we won’t have milk, cheese, butter — nothing,” Greg Moes, MoDak Dairy in Goodwin, S.D., told Rook.

The recent ICE arrests at Glenn Valley Foods of Omaha, Neb. have also led to absenteeism at meat processing plants.

“At the beginning of the Trump administration, we had this same worry with the crackdown — whether this was going to impact absenteeism and things like that,” says Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek in Sioux Center, Iowa. “So, hopefully we can put that in our rearview mirror.”

By the Numbers: A Heavy Reliance on Immigrant Labor
The news this week of the Trump administration putting a pause on raids of farms and meat processors is welcome news for those in agriculture. From dairies and produce farms, to meatpacking plants across the U.S., these sectors rely heavily on immigrant labor.

Immigrant labor makes up a substantial portion of the meat processing workforce, with estimates ranging from 37% to over 50%. However, states like South Dakota and Nebraska have even higher concentrations of immigrant workers in meat processing — reaching 58% and 66%, according to the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute.

And a large portion of U.S. dairy farms rely on immigrant labor, with estimates indicating that over half of all dairy workers are immigrants. Specifically, these workers account for 51% of the total dairy workforce and are responsible for producing 79% of the U.S. milk supply.

Farmworker Justice estimates 70% of the produce industry’s farmworkers are immigrants. USDA’s estimates are lower — closer to 60%.

Beef Producers Be Aware: Dangerous Asian Longhorned Tick Continues Migrating West

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:21:51 GMT

The Asian Longhorned Tick (ALHT) poses a serious threat to cattle health. ALHTs carry Theileria, which is a protozoan parasite that infects red and white blood cells. It can lead to anemia and, in some cases, death.

ALHTs are native to eastern Asia, eastern China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Korea but were introduced to Australia, New Zealand and western Pacific Islands. In other countries, it can also be called a bush tick, cattle tick or scrub tick.

In the U.S., ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois , Michigan and Iowa .

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ALHTs are known to carry pathogens, which can cause disease and may also cause distress to the host from their feeding in large numbers. For example, a dairy cow may have a 25% decrease in milk production after becoming a host.

A female can reproduce without a mate and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. This can cause great stress on a heavily infested animal and result in reduced growth and production. A severe infestation can kill the animal from excessive blood loss.

Asian longhorned tick life stages and relative actual size.

(Photos of unfed ticks by Centers for Disease Control. Photos of engorged ticks by Jim Occi, Rutgers, Center for Vector Biology.)

What does it look like?

Unfed ALHTs range from a light reddish-tan to a dark red with brown, dark markings. While the adult female grows to the size of a pea when full of blood, other stages of the tick are very small — about the size of a sesame seed.

Adult females are a grey-green with yellowish markings. Male ticks are rare.

APHIS reports it only takes a single tick to create a population in a new location.

The above photos are of a AHLT engorged (on the left) and an adult AHLT not engorged.

(New Jersey Department of Agriculture)

ALHTs need warm-blooded hosts to feed and survive. They have been found on various species of domestic animals — such as sheep, goats, dogs, cats, horses, cattle and chickens — and wildlife. The tick has also been found on people.

What are the health risks?

APHIS says ALHTs are not known to carry Lyme disease, but they can cause tickborne diseases affecting humans and animals such as:

Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Heartland virus
Powassan virus

APHIS says those diseases have not been confirmed outside of a laboratory setting in the U.S. In addition, U.S. ALHT populations can transmit U.S. Theileria orientalis Ikeda strain (Cattle theileriosis) in the laboratory.

In an Iowa State University release , Grant Dewell, Extension beef veterinarian and associate professor, says cattle affected by Theileriosis will show signs of lethargy, anemia and difficulty breathing. They may develop ventral edema, exercise intolerance, jaundice and abortions.

“Although signs of Theileriosis are similar to anaplasmosis, younger animals and calves often display more severe signs compared to mature cows and bulls,” he says. “Due to anemia from both tick infestation and Theileria, the risk of death can be elevated. If cattle producers suspect either Theileria or ALHT, have a veterinarian collect appropriate samples and submit them to a veterinary diagnostic lab.”

According to an Oklahoma State University press release , under laboratory conditions ALHT is a competent vector of numerous pathogens that can cause disease in humans, including Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), Heartland Virus and Powassan Virus.

In “ Clinical Infectious Diseases, ” Bobbi Pritt, MD, MSC, with the division of clinical microbiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., reported a human bite that occurred in New York in 2019. She says though the report of a human bite isn’t surprising, it proves the invasive longhorned tick continues to bite hosts in its newest location.

“This is extremely worrisome for several reasons,” she writes. “One reason is Asian longhorned ticks can carry several important human pathogens, including the potentially fatal severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus and Rickettsia japonica, which cases Japanese spotted fever. While these pathogens have yet to be found in the United States, there is a risk of their future introduction.”

Also, Pritt says several other human pathogens have been detected in the ticks, but it’s not clear if the ALHT species are able to transmit them to humans. They include Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Borrelia species. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

She warns the organisms are present in states where ALHTs have been found and that it’s possible the tick — known to be an aggressive biter— might be able to transmit Heartland virus given its close relationship to SFTS virus.

How to Tackle Ticks

According to APHIS, various strategies effectively mitigate tick populations on hosts and in the environment.

Regular tick treatments should be effective against ALHTs. Consult your veterinarian or agriculture extension agent about which products to use.
Check your livestock for ticks regularly.
Safely remove ticks from people and pets as quickly as possible. If you think you’ve found an ALHT, seal it in a zip-top bag and give it to your veterinarian for identification.
Habitat modifications can help prevent ticks on feedlots and pastures. This may include mowing grass, removing trees, reducing shade by thinning trees, understory removal and placing mulch barriers.
Apply acaricide using label instructions to tick habitats, such as woodland edges and grassy patches, during times when ticks are most actively seeking hosts. Although it varies by year, ALHTs are generally active from March to November. Consult your state and local regulations for approved acaricides.

“Cattle producers should aggressively control external parasites this summer,” Dewell summarizes. “Insecticide ear tags alone are not enough to control ticks. Consider incorporating a back rubber or regularly applying a pour-on during the summer. Pyrethroid-based products are also available that include a tick control label. If an increase in tick infestations is observed, an avermectin pour-on may be the best intervention.”

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No, John Deere is Not Freezing Production or Stepping Away From its U.S. Factories

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:48:45 GMT

An online report last week claimed John Deere is shutting down ALL manufacturing in response to the ongoing tariff situation in the U.S.

But we looked into it, and we’re here to tell you: don’t take the bait — or, as the kids say, feed the trolls — because it’s simply not true.

An article authored by Kieran Schalkwyk and titled “John Deere Freezes U.S. Manufacturing in Unprecedented Shutdown” appeared on MSN.com and was aggregated by Google News feeds last week, claiming the manufacturer is “making a radical move that some might think is ‘un-American.’”

John Deere shared the following LinkedIn post Friday afternoon. You can also visit Deere.com for more information on the company’s U.S. manufacturing presence.

The MSN.com post has since been taken down and brings up an error page:

MSN.com screenshot

(MSN.com)

It’s somewhat bewildering timing for this particular misinformation ploy.

John Deere recently put out a blog post outlining its commitment to U.S. manufacturing. The statement says John Deere will invest $20 billion into its U.S. footprint over the next decade, which includes major expansion projects in Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Today, the company has 60 manufacturing facilities in more than 16 U.S. states and employs over 30,000 American workers.

What is true is over the past 18 months, the company has been forced to lay off some employees , and it strategically slowed manufacturing at some production facilities in Iowa in response to depressed farmer demand for new tractors and combines.

Of course, John Deere is not alone navigating a treacherous global farm economy. Machinery rivals AGCO and CNH also made the tough choice to layoff factory workers over the past 12 months. CNH even completely shutdown its overseas machinery imports during the first few days of the tariff policy rollout, although that pause was only temporary.

In February, we updated our popular “Who Makes What Where” feature showing where major farm equipment is manufactured around the world.

Our analysis of John Deere’s global factory network shows that of the 60 John Deere machines relevant to U.S. farmers, 50 of them (83%) are manufactured here in North America. Of all the major farm equipment manufacturers we polled, John Deere has the largest U.S.-based manufacturing footprint other than Canadian-based Buhler Industries, which is 100% North America based.

So, it feels safe to say we can put this rumor to bed once and for all: No, John Deere is not shutting down its factories. Myth Busted. Shutdown the rumor mill.

Your Next Read - All The Details: Inside John Deere’s New F8 and F9 Forage Harvesters

How an Iowa Corn Field Saved the Los Angeles Lakers

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:16:06 GMT

It was the night of Jan. 17, 1960. The Minneapolis Lakers NBA basketball team had lost to the St. Louis Hawks on Sunday evening in St. Louis. The team boarded their DC3 at 8:30 that night for their flight back to Minneapolis.

As John Steffes explains, the plane lost electrical power soon after takeoff. They had no instruments, no radar and virtually no vision as they flew into a snowstorm somewhere over Iowa. The pilots decided to try and descend low enough to see the ground and perhaps find a landing spot. They didn’t know it at the time, but they were over the town of Carroll, Iowa.

“One guy who lived by the water tower, he took his kids to the basement,” says John Steffes, who lives in Carroll, Iowa. “It just shook the house. It’s a loud plane. So when you buzz the town at least nine times, you’re waking people up.”

A Loud Roar

Carroll resident, Jack Donovan was in bed, now in the early hours of Jan. 18,1960.

“The plane woke me,” Donovan recalls. “You could hear it go this way and then came that way, and finally, it really got loud. And I got up and my neighbor across the street was waving his arms at me. He said, ‘duck!’”

The pilots knew the roar of the engines were waking people. They could see porch lights coming on, but didn’t know where they were, and flying blind, the pilots couldn’t see if there was some place to land.

“The plane came around the water tower and as it turned left, he saw something out in front of the water tower,” says Donovan. “And he could look out and see this dark spot out here.”

A Corn Field Landing Pad

It was a corn field.

A wet fall had prevented the area from being harvested, and the pilots decided it would become their runway.

The DC3 was the right type of plane to make such a landing.

Norman Hutcheson, also a Carroll resident, remembers coming to this spot to see what had taken place.

“It was just a cornfield,” Hutcheson says. “And here here’s this airplane, and it made a track down through the corn and was setting up against the fence down there, and it just looked like he landed in an airport, except it wasn’t an airport.”

A Sight to See

Townspeople rushed to the scene to see the fate of the plane and passengers.

“At that time, I don’t think Carroll had any ambulances, so to speak,” Hutcheson says. “So there were two or three funeral hearses they used as ambulances. And when the fellows got out of the airplane, I guess they wondered what they were sitting there for.”

But the hearses would no have business that night, save to take an NBA basketball team into a town that was now wide awake after a DC3 had buzzed the water tower several times. Townspeople opened the hotel and the switchboard, providing a way to call home and a bed for the night.

1 of Only 8 NBA Teams

The team took a bus back to Minneapolis the next day. The plane was repaired, and a bulldozer cleared a path in the cornfield for it to take off three days later. The team continued to use the plane, but if the pilots had not pulled off the landing — all would have perished, and NBA basketball would be very different today.

“There were only eight teams in the NBA back then,” Steffes says. “And so the Lakers were this close to being wiped out that night.”

And the Minneapolis Lakers, who were to move to Los Angels the next year, would have ceased to exist, eliminating an iconic team in today’s NBA.

An Iconic Outdoor Court

On the 50th anniversary of the lifesaving landing here, the town and the LA Lakers joined together to build a outdoor basketball court at the site were it all happened.

An outdoor court in the colors of the L.A. Lakers marks the spot where the plane landed in 1960.

(Russ Hnatusko )

“This is almost the precise spot where it landed,” Steffes says, “so I think it was destiny to build a little court here in honor of that event. And it’s a good reminder of, like Doc said earlier, we have the good neighbor spirit, the Good Samaritan spirit. We’d like to think that continues today.”

The court is marked with the LA Lakers colors of purple and gold and has a light blue border, a nod to the colors of the old Minneapolis Lakers. You can come here today, to play basketball yourself at the site where a town welcomed a NBA team when they made their emergency landing in a snowy cornfield.

Iowa Cattle Operation Turns Focus To The Future, Invests In Fall Feedyard Expansion

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 18:26:20 GMT

With farm income projected to be lower for 2024 and 2025 due to lower commodity prices, one bright spot this fall is the cattle market.

Kennedy Cattle Company in Atlantic, Iowa is expanding from its current size at just under 1,000 head to more than 3,700. It’s indicative of the optimism they have for the cattle business.

The beep, beep, beep of loaders in reverse has been a familiar sound at Kennedy Cattle Company for the last few months. Construction crews are working to add pens and grow the 990-head feedlot started in 2012.

Zak Kennedy manages the Kennedy Cattle Company with his family in Atlantic, Iowa.

(Provided by BarkleyOKRP)

“As you can see in the background we’re in the process of putting an expansion on and we’re going to triple that size here,” explains Zak Kennedy. “We hope to be done in the next couple of months.”

He says with cattle numbers at historical lows and cattle prices at historical highs that means high risk for expansion, but also possible high reward.

“We just decided it was time to bring some more outside cattle home and try to feed more of our homegrown feeds,” Kennedy says. “We’re working to be more in control of what’s going on.”

For Kennedy and his family, including his brother Mitch, this expansion provides a better opportunity than trying to buy land in Iowa and their growth plan reflects his outlook on the cattle business.

“I’m bullish in the cattle business, especially in the upper Midwest,” Kennedy says. “We raise a lot of feed here and we’ve got some packing capacity. I also think there are some folks that, for whatever reason, probably won’t be feeding cattle here going forward. I think we can fill that void.”

Kennedy Cattle Co. is expanding their feedlot to take advantage of current market conditions

(Provided by BarkleyOKRP)

Kennedy says to grow they had to overcome the regulatory challenges of becoming a concentrated animal feeding operation or CAFO.

“We worked with a really good engineering company that knows the regulations inside and out as well as with our manure management company,” adds Kennedy.

The operation calves 150 head of commercial Angus-based cows that they use to stock their feedyards and they custom feed.

“We’re open to everything,” Kennedy says. “We do a lot of retained ownership with some cow-calf outfits where we feed their calves for them. We do feed a lot of yearlings. I always say we’ll feed about anything.”

Kennedy says they paid financial and mental tuition as the bull cycle in 2014-15 ended abruptly. So, this time they’re risk-proofing their operation.

“From a company standpoint we’re doing a lot better job on our hedging, marketing and in managing the financial aspects of what we do,” Kennedy admits.

One of the biggest differences from 2014-15 are the costs. Kennedy says operating and borrowing costs have skyrocketed and so they’re offsetting that with feed they grow on 1,500 rented acres and being sure to watch the bottom line.

Kennedy Cattle Company is growing more of its own feed to help improve margins.

(Provided by BarkleyOKRP)

“It’s like anything,” Kennedy says. “You’ve got to manage it and knowing your costs is obviously the biggest part of that process.”

They’re also protecting their investment through Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) protocols and comprehensive disease prevention.

“I think it’s so important for what these cattle cost that those protocols don’t cost much,” Kennedy says. “We’re going to spend the money to try to be on the front side of health and not have a wreck on the back side.”

He says the goal is with nearly two-thirds of their cattle marketed on either a grid or dressed basis that the work will pay back in quality premiums and strong closeouts.

“I think we’re going to be sitting in a pretty good place here for a while,” Kennedy adds. “Calves cost a lot and I get that, but there is still margin. We’re going to try to run with it.”

Hopefully, the work today will help them build for the next generation.

Swampbuster Challenged By Iowa Farmland Owner In Blockbuster Lawsuit

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:13:03 GMT

USDA’s sweeping Swampbuster power over private land is conservation by coercion and therefore unconstitutional, according to a blockbuster lawsuit filed by Iowa farmland owner Jim Conlan.

Swampbuster statutes compel farmers to steer clear of wetlands in perpetuity or risk losing all federal agriculture benefits. USDA is judge and jury: designating wetlands, weighing landowner violations, administering penalties, and holding power over appeals.

Conlan contends Swampbuster is compelled conservation under the threat of lost benefits—all government stick and no carrot.

Sealed in Perpetuity

In 2022, Jim Conlan bought a 71-acre (71.85) farm in eastern Iowa’s Delaware County, bringing his total farmland to 1,075 acres as owner of CTM Holdings.

Within the 71-acre farm, 21 acres is forested, of which 9 acres—broken into five separate spots across the timberland—are wetlands, designated by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in 2010.

Conlan’s 9 acres of wetlands do not the fit the public perception of bottomland, swamp, delta, or property adjacent to water. “My wetland isn’t wet,” he says. “It’s the polar opposite of a wetland. It’s extremely valuable black dirt and there’s no water on it at any point of the year. We could remove the trees and farm it tomorrow with no need for tile or drainage.”

(Farm Journal)

In October 2022, Conlan asked NRCS for a wetlands redetermination. Four months later, in January 2023, NRCS declined Conlan’s request and said he had no right to appeal, citing the finality of its prior 2010 wetlands determination. “The same agency that makes the wetlands designation, NRCS, is the same agency that gets to judge the sufficiency of its own designation,” Conlan notes.

(USDA-NRCS declined all Farm Journal questions related to Jim Conlan’s lawsuit , citing pending litigation.)

According to NRCS, Conlan’s 9 acres of wetlands are permanently designated. Case closed.

“It’s outrageous,” he says. “The government took a permanent easement on my land and doesn’t have to pay a dime, forever. If we dare to work that land, USDA can cut off us and everyone associated with us from all farm program benefits, including all the tenants that work the rest of the 1,000 acres. And the whole process stays in-house with one agency, NRCS, the entire time.”

“That is constitutionally off on so many levels,” Conlan emphasizes. “Most landowners and farmers get bullied by USDA, but I’m fighting and our lawsuit shows exactly why Swampbuster is fundamentally wrong.”

Classic Overreach?

Attached to the 1985 Farm Bill, Swampbuster (a common byname) was promoted as a wetlands conservation measure. However, its passage was conservation by government force, Conlan alleges.

(Farm Journal)

Swampbuster withholds federal farm program benefits from anyone planting “an agricultural commodity on a converted wetland that was converted by drainage, dredging, leveling, or any other means (after December 23, 1985),” or anyone converting “a wetland for the purpose of or to make agricultural commodity production possible (after November 28, 1990).”

Right, wrong, good, bad, or ugly, Swampbuster enabled USDA to drop a hammer on any farmer or farmland owner that worked any acreage deemed as wetlands. As in, adios to USDA loans, payment programs, and crop insurance subsidies on all farmland—in Conlan’s case well over 1,000 acres. (Additionally, a producer in violation of Swampbuster rules could lose future Conservation Reserve Program payments and be required to refund all payments from 8 years prior.)

Further, USDA’s denial of benefits stretches far beyond the landowner or entity within the Swampbuster crosshairs, potentially extending to spouse, minor child, guardian of a minor child, tenant, and participants or stockholders of a corporation, partnership, and joint venture.

“Where does USDA’s authority to do all of this on private land come from?” Conlan asks. “It’s certainly not in the Constitution. In fact, this is exactly the type of government behavior our forefathers were trying to prevent when they wrote the Constitution.”

On April 16, 2024, Conlan sued USDA and NRCS in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, represented pro bono by Liberty Justice Center , Pacific Legal Foundation , and Upper Midwest Law Center .

“Swampbuster requires that if a farmer wants any federal USDA benefits they must first agree, without compensation, to conserve any part of their property that the government designates as wetlands,” says Loren Seehase, attorney with Liberty Justice Center. “Then any land determined to be wetlands is to remain in perpetuity untouched, undeveloped, and definitely not used for any agriculture. Otherwise, the government could not only revoke all USDA benefits for that property—like crop insurance, disaster payments, farm dwelling loans, and agricultural structure loans, but also for other properties owned or run by the farmer, and even in some instances require the farmer to repay benefits previously received. That is unconstitutional.”

“The government cannot condition the receipt of federal benefits on the relinquishment of a constitutional right, nor can the government require a private property owner to create a conservation easement without paying just compensation,” Seehase adds. “This is classic government overreach and a violation of private property rights. There are many, many farmers out there who have had wetlands on their farms for decades with absolutely no compensation, but they can’t afford to fight the federal government and jeopardize their federal benefits thereby risking their farm’s financial viability. That is why we are fighting this unconstitutional scheme.”

Act of God

Conlan’s legal case against USDA and NRCS rests on five claims.

One, violation of the Commerce Clause. Federal power to regulate interstate commerce does not include an isolated wetland on private property in Iowa, i.e., Conlan’s 9 acres of wetlands have no effect on commerce and therefore are outside the scope of federal regulation.

(Farm Journal)

Two, government benefits cannot be conditioned on the surrender of a constitutional right.

Three, government is in breach of the Fifth Amendment: “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

Four, action beyond authority. Without congressional approval, NRCS beefed up the text of the Swampbuster rule by adding “removal of woody vegetation.”

Five, a second action beyond authority. The Swampbuster statute allows landowners to request review of a wetlands determination. However, the NRCS administrative rule only allows reviews if there is an Act of God change in the landscape or if NRCS feels that they previously made an error.

Paige Gilliard, attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation, summarizes the claims. “The government believes that to be eligible for farm programs that predate Swampbuster, a landowner must have the property delineated and if any wetlands are discovered the landowner cannot touch those parts of the property.”

“However, the government cannot condition benefits on a landowner signing away their right to use private property as they see fit,” Gilliard continues. “Normally, if the government takes your property, they must pay you. As it stands right now, we’re talking about forced non-use and the government never paying anything.”

Frozen Forever

How many acres of private land are categorized as wetlands? According to a USDA spokesperson, the “estimate for wetlands on non-federal land is 111.2 million acres.”

When asked how many acres of U.S. farmland are in the Swampbuster scope, the same USDA spokesperson says: “NRCS does not track wetland determination results in a way that acreage totals are available on a national or state basis.”

(Farm Journal)

Conlan contends most farmers with Swampbuster acreage would contest the determination if money and time allowed. “I believe the majority of producers do not want any part of their property designated as a wetland. What makes it even more egregious is that the value of land has changed so much since 1985. Farmland values, both by sale or rent, are much higher, and therefore the economic pain is far greater today than in 1985, and the government’s taking has grown in terms of economic impact with no compensation.”

Could Conlan’s lawsuit reach the Supreme Court? Gilliard says SCOTUS recently has shown considerable interest in cases related to agency overreach and protection of private property rights under the Constitution—both of which are tapped by Conlan’s claims.

“The arguments here, if successful, have the potential to help a lot of farmers and landowners. That is part of why Jim Conlan is doing this. This case also has an interesting connection to the Clean Water Act,” says Gilliard, who was a member of the PLF team that won the benchmark 2023 Sackett v. EPA case before SCOTUS. “We’re convinced that since SCOTUS recently scaled back the government’s reach via the Clean Water Act, the agencies may look to use Swampbuster to regulate land.”

In summation, Seehase says the direct link between Swampbuster and loss of USDA benefits is an “egregious” constitutional violation. “No one should have to forfeit their constitutional right to just compensation to ensure they don’t lose their federal benefits, but that’s exactly what’s been happening to Jim Conlan and many other farmers out there. If you are a farmer and your land has been put under a similar designation, please reach out to us for help at LibertyJusticeCenter.org .”

As for Conlan, he is confident in his constitutional standing: “This case is a legal winner because it is backed by the Bill of Rights. USDA can’t take a piece of private property and let it sit frozen forever. It’s true the government can take property—but they have to pay for it with just compensation. That’s what the Constitution says.”

For more articles from Chris Bennett ( cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

Power vs. Privacy: Landowner Sues Game Wardens, Challenges Property Intrusion

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

American Gothic: Farm Couple Nailed In Massive $9M Crop Insurance Fraud

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

Iowa Third State to Create Legislation Regarding Lab-Grown Meat

Tue, 21 May 2024 14:15:35 GMT

In an effort to maintain trust with consumers and protect livestock producers, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed into law SF 2391 , a bill prohibiting the misbranding of certain food products, including lab-grown meat.

Beginning July 1, lab-grown meat and plant-based imitation meat and egg products will have to be labeled with words such as fake, lab-grown, meatless, imitation or vegan, if sold in Iowa stores. The labeling requirements also apply to meat alternatives made with insect protein.

Gov. Reynolds shared her response to signing SF 2391.

“This legislation prohibits companies from exploiting the trust consumers have with our livestock producers and misleading consumers into buying products they don’t want,” she says. “This is about transparency. It’s about the common-sense idea that a product labeled chicken, beef, or pork, should actually come from an animal.”

Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, sponsored the bill in the House. As a pork producer herself, she says the bill protects farmers’ checkoff dollars that are used to market meat and eggs.

According to an Iowa Public Radio (IPR) article, the law will require the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing to inspect food processing plants or grocery stores for compliance if they receive a credible complaint about food products being mislabeled as meat. The law also provides penalties for not following labeling rules.

Furthermore, the law prohibits school districts, community colleges and public universities in Iowa from purchasing lab-grown meat and any foods misbranded as meat or egg products. In addition, the law requires the state to request a federal waiver to prohibit the use of federal food assistance to buy imitation egg products.

While many praised the legislation, some Democrats said their issue was with the purchase of egg alternatives.

IPR reported Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, says he was proud to vote for the original version of the bill but had concerns with the final version.

“Truth in labeling is certainly something that I strongly believe in for consumer protection,” he says. “But I’m also concerned with consumer nutrition. And there are some people who can’t eat eggs because of allergies but still need the nutritive content that might be supplied by alternative products.”

That same day, Gov. Reynolds signed HF 2649 , a bill providing capital gains relief for farmers and ranchers selling certain classes of livestock. This was a bill to reinstate previous tax break exemptions that had ended in 2022.

“Our tax code should promote livestock production, which we know is often how beginning farmers get their start in agriculture,” says Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, who co-sponsored the bill. “We know that livestock production supports rural communities and drives our rural economic activity…We want to make sure that we don’t increase taxes on our livestock producers and farmers here in this state.”

Continued legislation against lab-grown meat

Iowa becomes the third state in the country to pass legislation regarding lab-grown meat. Florida and Alabama both passed laws banning the sale of the cell cultured alternative meat product in their states this month. Florida’s law was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 1, 2024, and Alabama’s Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Alabama Bill , which the prohibits “the manufacture, sale, or distribution of food products made from cultured animal cells,” on May 7.

Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare, shares that consumers have several concerns in the matters of cell cultured meat.

“Policymakers nationwide are grappling with growing consumer concern regarding lab-grown meat’s use of immortalized cells, bioreactors, chemicals and the lack of long-term health studies,” Hubbard says. “I think a lot of this legislative activity is politicians and elected representatives voicing and acting on the concerns of constituents who are saying ‘what is this stuff and have we done our due diligence.’ And to be frank, there is a major yuck factor that a lot of people have when they actually learn about how this is made.”

Hubbard see additional states likely following suit in creating legislation.

“From a transparency perspective, it just seems like the right thing that consumers ought to have a right to know what they’re buying,” he says.

Read more...
North American Cattle Groups Advocates for Oversight of Lab-Grown Proteins

Meet 87-Year-Old Joan Kerns, A True Trailblazer Who Helped Carve Out A Niche For Her Family Nearly 60 Years Ago

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 22:06:28 GMT

Cut by cut. Slice by slice. Every detail counts for Edgewood Locker , a northeast Iowa-based business that’s been spliced together for nearly 60 years in 1966.

With no master plan, it started when Tom, a farmer, and Joan, a nurse at the time, were forced to find a new place to live.

(Farm Journal)

“We were on his dad’s farm for five years when his dad announced he was going to sell the farm. He wanted us to buy it, but we could not afford to buy a huge farm back then,” Joan explains.

So, they found a farm to rent three miles outside of Edgewood, until an accidental fire on that farm sparked another change.

“Talk about an act of fate. We knew the lady who owned that farm was going to make us move, because she believed those stories that we started the fire,” Joan remembers. “Tom came home one day and said, ‘The locker in town is for sale.’ So, we bought it.”

It was that decision that changed the course for the Kerns family. Neither Joan nor Tom knew anything about running a meat locker, but they had the tenacity to make it work.

“Tom wanted to do the actual meat cutting and that sort of thing, and I was going to do all the books and the book work,” says Joan.

The business started out with minimal equipment: only a saw and a grinder at the locker. That didn’t stop the Kerns from seeing phenomenal growth.

“And every year we were in business, we grew. Every year we got bigger. And so, finally, we outgrew our plant,” she says.

The growth wasn’t always easy, and it didn’t come without financial hardships. Joan says the couple borrowed money to expand and grow six different times.

“But I remember, maybe the second or third time Tom said, ‘I’m going to go up to the bank tomorrow and borrow some money for the next addition,’ and I went up to do our daily banking that day. And the girl said, ‘Oh, we can give you the money.’ So, I borrowed the money, got back home and I told him. I said, ‘Well, I got the money borrowed for our new addition.’ Tom said, ‘They let a woman do that?’ That’s the way it was back then,” says Joan.

A Force of Nature

Joan’s son Terry will be the first to tell you how much his mom was a driving force behind the scenes, if she didn’t always get the credit she deserved.

“She’s kind of a force of nature, there’s no doubt about it, and probably even more so than anybody realizes,” says Terry, who’s one of two second-generation owners of Edgewood Locker.

What makes Joan’s role so essential to their growth is the fact Joan’s husband, Tom, was dyslexic. So behind the scenes, Joan handled the paperwork and books, all while raising four kids at home.

Bringing in the Second Generation Straight Out of High School

Joan is still a true trailblazer today, as the Kerns’ unconventional ways and business decisions also helped fuel the family operation.

“The boys had come into the locker business as they graduated from high school, which really let us dream bigger,” says Joan.

That was in the early 1980s. Tom and Joan didn’t just see their sons Terry and Jim as employees, they allowed the boys to buy into the business fresh out of high school.

(Farm Journal)

“It wasn’t popular with their peers that they allowed Jim and me to buy in at such a young age, you know. They gave us a huge opportunity,” remembers Terry.

“And I think that’s why we grew as we did, because they were partners. They were going to be in this, and it made a big difference,” Joan says.

The growth has been impressive over the past 60 years, including building a new facility in the late 1990s that has seen even more expansion since.

“We built this business because she paid attention to detail. And she wanted to make sure it was done right. She still keeps us on our toes,” says Terry.

At 87-years-old, Joan is sharp, and attention to detail may still be one of her greatest strengths.

“She is not afraid to tell us when she thinks we’ve done something wrong,” says Terry.

Bringing in the Third Generation

While Joan doesn’t overlook the small things, she’s also the first to celebrate how much the family business has grown. It now includes four grandkids who have become part-owners.

“Oh my gosh, I did not see that coming. And they each bring their own experience, knowledge, their forte to the business,” says Joan.

“All of us in the third generation, all I feel have a very unique skill set, which allows all of us to bring something different to the table,” says Baili Maurer, one of Joan’s grandchildren who bought in as a third-generation owner.

“None of us really overlap much. We all have our own thing that we do, and it just works,” adds Katie, who’s also one of four grandchildren who are partners.

(Farm Journal)

Katie and Bailli, along with Luke Kerns and Payson Kerns, are the third-generation owners of Edgewood Locker.

“They’ve got experience, they’ve got education in meat science in business. So, as fun as it was to grow with Mom and Dad adding Jim and me, this next generation really has the potential to do amazing things,” says Terry.

Third-Generation Growth

“We’re just doing what we can to take the business to a new level,” says Baili.

“We really expanded into wholesale stores and retail stores carrying our products. And we just keep going with what the second generation and first generation have been doing, as well,” adds Katie.

The growth is evident everywhere you turn. Construction in their retail and lobby area is a clear sign of even more progress.

“We had a major expansion of 19,000-square-feet that we’ve been in now a little over a year and a half, and I think it’s running well,” says Terry. “We remodeled our old processing facility and updated that, and it looks like brand new.”

The decision to expand and remodel their retail and lobby area was propelled by the busiest season for Edgewood Locker: deer season.

“I think last year, we did 3,700 whole-carcass deer, and then over 3,500 batches of boned-out deer that came in, so well over 7,000 different batches to jerky,” Terry says.

With that type of volume, Edgewood Locker has also been able to invest in bigger and better equipment.

“I’d like to say we had this great master plan, but we never had a real plan to say, ‘Well, next year, we’re going to get into wholesaling, or next year, we’re going to do this.’ We just kind of took it as it came. Something presented itself, we ran with it, and ran hard with a lot of it,” says Terry.

A Legacy Worth Sharing

With 130 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees, Edgewood Locker also offers other custom processing, and has products for sale, in more than 100 retail stores across Iowa. And it’s that side of the business the third generation has already helped expand.

“I hope we can just continue the legacy,” says Baili.

“I’m hopeful that we can just keep doing like we’re doing, keep growing where we can and keep expanding things and have it all set up for the fourth generation if they would like to join in someday,” Katie says.

Walls of awards are a product of what Joan and Tom started in 1966, but that isn’t what Joan is most proud of today. The greatest gift just may be the fourth generation and the chance to carry on a business that started on hopes and dreams.

Ag Industry Mourns Death of Bill Northey

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 19:44:15 GMT

On Monday, February 5 the news of Bill Northey’s passing quickly spread through the agriculture industry, of which he dedicated his professional life to serving.

Most recently as CEO of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI), Northey was also previous Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and served as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at USDA from 2018 to 2021.

Governor Kim Reynolds has ordered flags be flown at half staff.

“Bill was a great leader whose work ethic and passion for Iowa agriculture was unmatched. Iowans and farmers around the country were fortunate to have such a rock-solid advocate and friend,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said, “I am in shock at the news of Bill’s unexpected passing. Jaime and I send our deepest and sincerest condolences to Cindy and the entire Northey family. Bill was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a farmer. He loved Iowa and he loved Iowa agriculture. His curiosity, care for others, and love of learning made him a leader that everyone could admire. Bill brought a farmer’s work ethic to every aspect of his life, and he was tireless in promoting our state, its people and our agriculture.”

Naig continued, “Bill was a friend and mentor to so many people here in Iowa and across the country, including me. This is an incredible loss for our state, for agriculture, and for everybody who knew and loved Bill.”

Northey was a member of the National Association of State Directors of Agriculture, and the organization’s president from 2011 to 2012.

NASDA CEO Ted McKinney said, “Bill Northey was my good friend as he was to so very many others. We have lost a titan in U.S. agriculture. All of NASDA expresses sorrow for his loss and our love and support go out to his wife Cindy and his family. As a lifelong leader in the industry, Bill had an immense depth of knowledge and experience that he shared to benefit all of agriculture.”

Others posted to social media:

American ag lost a tremendous servant and leader today with the passing of @BillAtUSDA. Former Iowa Secretary of Ag Northey dedicated his life to advancing the health and prosperity of family farms and rural communities. We extend our deepest condolences to the Northey family. pic.twitter.com/VwcXDWvWdz
— Corteva U.S. (@CortevaUS) February 6, 2024

All of us at the Renewable Fuels Association were saddened to learn of Bill Northey’s passing, and we offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends. Bill was a passionate and tireless advocate for agriculture and renewable fuels. He dedicated his career… pic.twitter.com/ASFC9DRkPG
— Renewable Fuels Association (@EthanolRFA) February 5, 2024

Agriculture lost a tireless champion, defender and promoter.

Iowa Farm Bureau's statement on the passing of former Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey ⬇️https://t.co/xpCWs8Q8hn
— Iowa Farm Bureau (@IowaFarmBureau) February 5, 2024

From our President & CEO, Matt Carstens:

The State of Iowa and the greater agricultural community lost a true champion of ag, farmers, and rural communities with the untimely passing of Bill Northey. As the Secretary of Agriculture, he advocated for farmers and farm families.…
— Landus (@LandusAg) February 6, 2024

Iowa Foundation Heifer Award to Khloee Cannon

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 21:08:39 GMT

Khloee Cannon of Hawkeye, Iowa has recently been announced as the 2024 recipient of the Iowa Foundation Heifer Award. Khloee is the daughter of Stephanie and Ben Schulmeister and has 2 sisters: Hailee (16), Brexlee (5) and brother, Layton (8). As an award winner, she received three purebred Shorthorn bred heifers which were purchased from the Gilman Shorthorn herd located at Stuart, Iowa. The foundation heifers of the breed of the winner’s choice are awarded each year by Iowa Beef Breeds Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation. At the end of five years, Khloee will be expected to repay $7,500 to help with funding to keep the program going into the future. The program is in year fourteen and was developed to help youth establish purebred seedstock herds of their own.

Khloee is a seventh-grade student at West Central K - 12 School in Maynard, Iowa where she is involved in Basketball, Volleyball and Softball. She joined 4-H as a Clover Kid when she was in Kindergarten and is an active member of the Harlan Fremont 4-H Club where she has been involved in a number of community service projects. In addition, she is a 5 year member of the Iowa Jr. Shorthorn Association and the Iowa Jr. Beef Breeds Association. She shares her family’s love of the Shorthorn breed and has shown not only at her local County Fair, but also at the Iowa State Fair, Iowa Beef Expo, Iowa Jr. Shorthorn Field Days and numerous IJBBA Jackpot shows. In 2023, she competed against 5 other contestants and was chosen to serve as “Little Miss Cowgirl’ for Fayette County Cattlemen.

Khloee’s recommendations credit her with goals of striving for excellence, being a peer role model and having an exceptional work ethic. Last fall, she went into classrooms of 2nd and 3rd graders to discuss the beef industry and answer questions about cattle. Her 4-H presentation, this year, was “Newborn Herd Health” which was information to educate members about the care needed for a newborn calf at the time of birth. She is planning to learn more about genetics, breeding, feeding, grazing practices, budgets and promotion of the beef industry. She is not only a good showman but is also well versed in current beef industry issues. She plans to promote the Award Heifer project by sharing on their Facebook page and talking about it at Iowa State Fair, Iowa Shorthorn Jr Field Day, local cattlemen’s meetings and at school.

She will be honored at the IJBBA Year End Awards held at 4:30 pm on Friday, February 16, 2024 in the Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair Grounds and later at the Iowa Shorthorn Association Annual Banquet.

Iowa Beef Breeds Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association

Bryan Whaley Named Iowa Cattlemen’s Association CEO

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 04:10:51 GMT

Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA), the leading grassroots organization supporting Iowa’s beef cattle industry, is pleased to announce Bryan Whaley as their new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective December 4, 2023. Whaley brings many years of experience leading successful teams, serving customers, and a deep-rooted passion for the cattle industry that will be invaluable to the future of the association.

Whaley most recently worked as the Director of Field Operations – North for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Before that, he was a regional extension education director for more than seven years. He has also worked with youth development in several roles with 4-H Youth Development through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Upon completing his first college degree, he was a classroom educator. Whaley holds a master’s degree from Iowa State University in agriculture education and a Bachelor of Arts from Simpson College.

The cattle industry is a part of Whaley’s daily life. He and his family own and operate Whaley Cattle in Eagle Grove, Iowa, raising Maine Anjou and Maine Angus seedstock. He has also been involved in many organizations that support the beef cattle industry, including regular membership with ICA, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and American Maine Anjou Association. Whaley is serving as the current president and board member of the Iowa Maine Anjou Association.

“The search committee is very excited for Bryan to join the ICA staff as the new CEO,” said ICA Board President Bob Noble. “Those on the search committee were impressed with his experience leading teams, working with county committees, and his positive attitude toward the work ahead of ICA. The association has just celebrated 50 years, and Bryan’s energy and optimism will bring a renewed perspective to the association and be the perfect way to move us into our next 50 years.”

The hiring of Whaley comes at no better time as ICA heads into one of the busiest times of the year for the association. This will offer many opportunities for him to get out within the state to meet the Iowa beef cattle producers ICA serves.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association,” said Whaley. “I am excited for the opportunity to serve the members of the association, but also the entire cattle industry in Iowa, and support the efforts nationally to advocate for the policies set forth by our members.”

The ICA Board of Directors and staff look forward to welcoming Bryan Whaley to the team and continuing our mission of serving Iowa’s beef cattle industry now and in the future.

Father, Son Die in Northwest Iowa Farm Shooting

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 17:10:35 GMT

Authorities in northwest Iowa say a father and son are dead following incidents at a farm near Hornick on Sunday night.

A man identified as 72-year-old Todd Sulsberger called 911 Sunday about 7:30 p.m. reporting that his son was shooting at him. Woodbury County Sheriff Chad Sheehan said when deputies arrived at the farm they found the suspect, 44-year-old Walter Sulsberger, sitting in his pickup at his father’s farm.

“At 9:10 p.m., I made contact with the suspect via phone and he told me there would be no peaceful resolution and made threats toward law enforcement officers,” Sheehan said.

The Sheriff then requested assistance from the Sioux City Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol and the Tri-county CERT Team, all of which sent armored vehicles and tactical personnel to the scene. The Iowa State Patrol also provided air surveillance.

Sheriff Sheehan says a crisis negotiator was on the phone with Walter Sulsberger for hours. “At approximately 2:45 a.m. while the crisis negotiator was attempting to negotiate a peaceful surrender, the homicide suspect fired multiple shots at tactical teams who were attempting to move in to take the suspect into custody,” Sheehan says. “Being met with gunfire and in fear for their lives and with no other option, law enforcement personnel returned fire, striking the suspect.”

Sulsberger died at the scene. His father was found dead on the property a short time later. The sheriff has confirmed that just before Todd Sulsberger called 911 to say his son was shooting at him, dispatchers received a call that livestock were running loose and there was a fire on the property. “There were cattle out. How those cattle were made to be free, I don’t know. I’m sure the investigation will determine that,” Sheehan says. “There were fires set. I’m not aware of any that were set to buildings. There were fires that were set to hay bales…large bales that were set on fire.”

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was contacted to investigate the officer-involved shooting and Todd Sulsberger’s homicide. Both remain under investigation and the Iowa DCI is expected to release more information at a later date.

Two of the armored vehicles on the scene were struck by gunfire, but no law enforcement or first responders were injured.

41st Iowa Governor's Charity Steer Show Raises $501,000

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 17:38:57 GMT

Continuing the upward streak, the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show exceeded the previous year’s fundraising total donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. This year’s event raised $501,000. Including this year’s donations, the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show has raised almost $5.5 million since the event’s inception in 1983.

All money raised benefits the three independent Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. These three houses have served over 55,000 families from all 50 states and 62 foreign countries. Families from all 99 counties in Iowa have benefited from the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa.

This event, hosted by the Office of the Governor of Iowa, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, and Iowa Beef Industry Council, is another example of the care the beef cattle industry has for our state, rural communities, and those in need. The youth exhibitors, their families, sponsors, celebrities, and buyers should be proud of their effort given to this year’s event. Their impact through volunteering, donations, and dedication created yet another successful show and fundraising outcome.

Recognizing the Winners

The 41st Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show was held on August 12 in the Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair. Winners in four categories were recognized in the show ring – Community Hero, Grand Champion Showman, People’s Choice, and Judge’s Grand Champion. This year’s event hosted 24 sponsored steers, shown by their youth exhibitor and a local celebrity.

The Community Hero Award recognizes the youth exhibitor that goes above and beyond collecting non-monetary donations and creating awareness for the event. This year two exceptional youth exhibitors were recognized for their efforts. Will Vlasek from Cedar Rapids and Colbie Fevold of Gladbrook were both honored with the Community Hero Award for collecting non-perishable donations, pop tabs, and sharing information about the event on social media.

Will was sponsored by Eastern Iowa Ronald McDonald House and Quad Cities McDonald’s and showed with celebrity, Rebecca Kopelman, a meteorologist from KGAN. Colbie was sponsored by Iowa Premium and showed with the 2022 Tama County Fair Queen, Kaylynn Murty.

Our showmanship contest was judged by Dr. Dan Loy, who recently retired from the Iowa State Beef Center. He commented that showmanship is a partnership between the steer, the youth exhibitor, and the celebrity. He awarded Emma Wayson of Mount Auburn, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Junior the steer, with Grand Champion Showman. Emma, Secretary Naig, and Junior were sponsored by Benton County Cattlemen and Local Supporters.

A fan favorite, the People’s Choice Award, gives the audience and team supporters a voice in the competition as they help select the winner of this event. Show emcees, Bob Quinn with WHO Radio and Duane Murley with KWMT AM 540, worked through the steers and had the crowd on their feet and cheering loud for their favorite. In the end, it was the 2022 Iowa State Fair Queen, Mary Ann Fox, and her youth partner, Taylor Quade from Charles City, along with her steer, Max, that took the award home. Mary Ann, Taylor, and Max were sponsored by Friends of Floyd County.

Finally, the most prestigious award of the show, the Judge’s Grand Champion, was selected. Brad Pellett from Atlantic, Iowa had the hardest task of working through and judging the stellar lineup of steers and showman. Celebrity Blake Boldon, Franklin P Johnson director of the Drake Relays and senior associate athletic director at Drake University, and his youth partner, Tyson Mohr from Ladora, received the honor. Batman, the winning steer, along with Blake and Tyson were sponsored by Dee Zee, Inc.

Following the show, a live auction was conducted to raise funds through the sale of each steer and some additional value-added items donated by industry supporters and celebrities. These funds were added to the donations received by each youth participant, resulting in the $501,000 donation going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.

Thank you to Governor Kim Reynolds for her continued dedication to this event and for her partnership with Iowa beef cattle producers. This event is a rewarding and humbling experience for all that participate. While the financial results are exceptional, the connection our participants, their families, and volunteers experience to the bigger picture of service the Iowa Governor’s Charity Steer Show offers to fellow Iowans and beyond is monumental.

For a list of sponsors, youth exhibitors, steers, celebrities, donors/buyers, and funds raised by each, please click here.

340 Stakeholders Plead for Ag Research Infrastructure Funding in the Farm Bill

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:22:08 GMT

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in its 2023 farm bill primer , estimates baseline spending for ag research will take up $1.3 billion of the total $709 billion farm bill dollars.

House and Senate ag committees received a letter on Monday from 340 ag groups and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), urging legislators to take farm bill spending a step further by prioritizing ag research infrastructure.

“The United States has long been recognized as having the world’s most innovative and productive ag sector, but a massive deferred maintenance backlog and crumbling research infrastructure threatens our ability to innovate and lead at a time of heightened global competition,” said Mark Becker, APLU president.

A 2021 report from Gordian sheds light on the cracks in America’s ag research infrastructure.

Gordian found that 70% of U.S. colleges and schools of ag buildings are at the end of their useful life. To address the long-overdue building maintenance, Gordian estimates a $11.5 billion investment. It also put a price tag of $38.1 billion on buildings that need complete replacement, pushing the total over $50 billion.

In the letter to the ag committees, the authors say a $5 billion investment in ag research infrastructure would be a “significant” step in the right direction.

“With this once-in-a-generation investment in research facilities at colleges of agriculture, we can spur new economic opportunities and innovations for farmers, ranchers, and producers in every state,” the authors said.

But some state legislators aren’t waiting on the Biden administration’s assistance; instead, they’re taking the reins on ag infrastructure investments in their own states.

Latest Ag Investments by State

Kim Reynolds, Iowa governor, announced a $40 million investment to Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) in January to “protect” the state and country’s ag industry and food supply.

“The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is enormously important to Iowa’s nation-leading livestock industry and provides immeasurable expertise on worldwide animal health and food safety issues,” said Mike Naig, Iowa secretary of ag.

Reynolds also hopes to allocate another $60 million to the project through the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF).

Similarly, the Kansas Legislature announced a three-to-one program for private and state funding. Kansas State jumped on the opportunity, raising $75 million in private donations for a $125 million ag infrastructure investment.

“This infrastructure project will provide both new and improved teaching spaces for more than half of all the students taking courses in the College of Agriculture and will eliminate approximately $56 million in deferred facilities maintenance,” said Ernie Minton, Kansas State college of ag director of research and extension.

According to the press release , the buildings will position K-State to attract students and faculty focused on expanding next-generation research.

Robbins Named ICA Outstanding Commercial Producer

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 15:35:34 GMT

Robbins Land and Cattle, is no stranger to ICA

Since taking part in the Iowa Cattlemen’s Leadership Program in 2014, Justin Robbins and his wife, Lacie, have been active members of the organization, serving in many leadership and volunteer roles.

Justin has been the ICA District 8 Director since 2017 and part of the ICA Membership Committee and Foreign Animal Disease Committees since 2015. He has served on the Greene County Cattlemen’s Board since 2014 and is currently serving as president.

Despite all of these commitments, Justin, Lacie and their son, McKinley, are also dedicated to improving their rural Scranton cattle operation.

The Robbins have approximately 200 head of purebred Angus and commercial cows and finish approximately 75 head a year in their feedlot. The other calves are marketed after weaning.

Within their operation they use performance records, including identification of cows and calves as well as birth, weaning and yearling weights. Carcass data is also utilized to continue to improve their genetics.

In order to manage all of this data, the farm has invested in electronic animal identification (EIDs). “Electronic identification helps make the process more efficient when running those animals through the chute,” says Justin.

For more than 15 years, these records have been used to choose herd bulls. “We select certain genetics for the feedlot performance side of our business and other sires to help produce our replacement heifers,” says Lacie.

The Robbins family is part of a cooperator herd with two ranches in the western United States and primarily purchase bulls from those ranches. The family also raises their own bulls and has hosted seedstock sales on the farm in addition to consigning bulls to the ICA’s Bull and Heifer Evaluation Program in the past.

The operation utilizes artificial insemination (AI) to further improve herd quality and says that improved sire selection has been one of the most profitable improvements to their operation.

On the female side of the herd, performance records have been used for 10 years to make decisions regarding culling and replacement heifers. According to Justin and Lacie, disposition is one of the most important criteria used to select replacement females, in addition to feet, udders and maternal blood lines. When culling, the family looks at production, weaning weights and again, disposition.

In addition to AI, embryo transfer is used to produce seedstock for their own operation as well as their cooperator ranches.

Calving occurs twice each year, during the spring and fall. Justin says, “As we started this process, we realized it didn’t just help spread out the workload, but the bulls and cash flow.” This plan allows Justin to maximize pasture usage and herd management.

The operation utilizes rotational grazing throughout the growing season, then grazes corn stalks and bean stubble with cover crops as long as possible. A total mixed ration (TMR) is fed as needed, but no implants or feed grade antibiotics are used.

For several years, the Robbins family has been finishing out their steers and working with a local locker to process them for retail cuts that can be sold direct-to-consumer. These cuts can be sold as individual packages and shipped nationwide. Justin and Lacie recently began raising Berkshire hogs on their farm in order to offer their customers pork, as well.

From pasture to plate and farm to fork, the Robbins family works hard towards continuous improvement, which has resulted in a regenerative, diversified, profitable operation to be proud of.

$9-Million Loss In 45 Packing Plant Thefts Uncovered, Three Suspects Arrested

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:46:15 GMT

Uncovering approximately 45 thefts totaling over $9 million in loss, three Florida men have been arrested for stealing semi-loads of frozen beef and pork from packing plants across the Midwest.

Starting June 27, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the events occurring in Nebrask a.

Soon realizing the case reached further than Nebraska, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, along with Homeland Security Investigation (HIS) Omaha identified approximately 45 thefts totaling $9 million in loss beginning in June 2021. Investigators described the theft ring as a “sophisticated and ‘highly organized criminal enterprise,’” reports a local news source .

Additionally, the investigators determined the criminal enterprise to be based in Miami and targets beef and pork packing plants specifically in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

While investigation began in June, thefts continued to occur across the region. In September, more than $100,000 in pork products were reported stolen from the JBS plant in Ottumwa, Iowa .

Utilizing cell phone records and GPS tracking devices, on Oct. 20, investigators identified and arrested three targets in the enterprise, recovering three semi-trailers with stolen merchandise valued at $550,000, says the news source. Yoslany Leyva Del Sol, Ledier Machin Andino and Delvis L. Fuentes were charged with the transportation of stolen goods and money laundering in Florida’s federal court.

A Minnesota news source reports each of the men possesses a valid Class A commercial driver’s license.

At this time, it is unknown what the men did with the stolen meat, however, the investigation remains ongoing.

Seaboard Triumph Foods Faces Over $331,000 in Employee Back Wages

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:54:28 GMT

An investigation found Seaboard Triumph Foods (STF) in Sioux City, Iowa failed to compensate 413 employees for work performed outside of their shifts, totaling $331,807 in back wages.

Processing 21,000 hogs per day, STF’s facility produces 25 billion pounds of pork annually and exports to 30 countries. STF employs 2,200 workers in the tri-state area.

The U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division determined STF violated provisions under the Fair Labor Standards Act as employees were not paid for all hours worked and were not paid overtime beyond a 40-hour work week at time and a half the employees’ average hourly rate of pay. In addition, STF failed to keep required, accurate payroll records.

The investigators also raised an issue from 2018 about certain compensable time and after STF review, it was discovered that employees had clocked into the facility outside of their scheduled work hours without notifying their supervisors.

In a recent release, vice-president and general manager of STF, Frank Koekkoek explained the company compensates employees for work completed before and after shifts and believes all employees were properly compensated. STF has taken steps to compensate employees voluntarily for prior work performed and has implemented additional processes to ensure employees are fairly and fully compensated for their work going forward.

“Targeted” Law in Iowa Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Judge

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:54:21 GMT

Iowa’s second ‘ag-gag’ law has been ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. This specific law created criminal charges for those who gained access to an agricultural facility using deception for the purpose of causing physical or economic harm.

Iowa has passed four laws since 2012 in response to animal rights activists who have published images and video from inside agricultural facilities, sometimes infiltrating them by getting hired as employees, according to the Des Moines Register (DMR).

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose told DMR that this particular law “impermissibly distinguishes between animal rights activists and others who might lie to gain access to facilities for other reasons.” In addition, Rose explained that the law singled out individuals based on their point of view and the government cannot regulate speech of a certain viewpoint due to First Amendment rights.

Similar laws have been seen in several states, including Idaho, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Arkansas and North Carolina, many of which have been tried in court under similar pretenses.

Iowa Pork Producers Association attorney, Eldon McAfee told DMR that courts have been “walking a fine line” in writing the statutes, in part because courts in different parts of the country have disagreed on key constitutional questions. Some laws have been struck down due to being “overbroad” and “now this court is saying very strongly that this law is too narrow, too targeted, aimed at the plaintiffs in this case,” McAfee said.

Of the four laws in Iowa, the first, second and fourth laws have all been challenged in court. The state has the option to appeal this decision.

$80M in Funding Awarded to Roeslein Alternative Energy Partnership for Climate-Smart Project

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 15:00:21 GMT

To be used in a five-year pilot project in Iowa and Missouri, titled Horizon II, Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE) and 13 public and private entity partners will dedicate $80 million in awarded funding from USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities to demonstrate a climate-smart future for corn, soybean, livestock and renewable natural gas production, a release says.

The goals of Horizon II include:

• Enhance climate-smart markets

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)

• Improve carbon sequestration in corn, soybean, pork and beef commodity production

• Create opportunities for small and underserved producers

• Benefit soil health

• Clean water

• Flood control

• Habitats for native wildlife

Improved management of nitrogen fertilizer and other inputs on agricultural land will also be incentivized.

In the pilot program, Iowa and Missouri producers will have the opportunity to be compensated by:

• GHG reductions and carbon sequestration in soil through an outcomes-based carbon credit program

• Cover cropping and grassland restoration though a market-based program, supporting renewable natural gas production through anaerobic digestion of herbaceous biomass and manure

After full development, deployment and verification, the program may be extended and tailored to other agricultural commodities, such as dairy and poultry, and other regions of the country, the release explains.

Partner organizations involved in the RAE Horizon II project include

• Biostar Renewables

• Conservation Districts of Iowa

• Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance

• Iowa Soybean Association•

• Iowa State University

• Missouri Prairie Foundation

• Sievers Family Farms

• Soil and Water Outcomes Fund

• Smithfield Foods

• The Nature Conservancy

• University of Missouri

• Verdesian

• Veterans in Agriculture.

“Since founding RAE, our overarching goal has been to provide farmers an alternative way to use land, especially highly erodible acres, in ways that will benefit the environment, wildlife, and their own livelihood,” says Rudi Roeslein, RAE founder and CEO. “This funding will propel Horizon II forward more rapidly than otherwise would have been possible. We will show how farmers and landowners can do well for themselves while also providing ecological services and wildlife benefits.”

National Beef Halts Construction On Iowa Premium Expansion

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 01:57:09 GMT

Construction has halted on the expansion project at the Iowa Premium beef plant in Tama, Iowa.

Iowa Premium spokesperson Marcy Johnson told the Des Moines Register that construction has “indefinitely paused,” and that the company will decide whether to resume the project later but will continue to operate its current facility with capacity to harvest 1,300 head of cattle per day.

Rising costs are cited as the reason for the construction pause, and one source suggested to Drovers those costs may be triple what was anticipated when the project began in December, 2021.

Brian Sokol, the mayor of Toledo, Iowa, which joins the city of Tama, told the Tama-Toledo Chamber of Commerce on Thursday that construction could be held back from six months to two years, according to the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle .

“This is a big blow to the community,” Sokol said.

The Iowa Premium plant is owned by National Beef Packing Company, which also operates facilities in Dodge City and Liberal, Kansas, both with daily kill capacities of 6,000-head per day. National Beef is the nation’s fourth-largest beef packer, harvesting roughly 10% to 11% of the daily volume.

“We thank the city, county, and state leadership, our Iowa cattle suppliers, and the Tama community for their enthusiastic support for the project,” Johnson said. “We will continue to invest in our employees, our existing Iowa Premium production facility, and this community.”

The Tama plant currently employs 830 workers and the expansion would have added 400 employees.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded Iowa Premium up to $14 million in tax incentives in December. The city of Tama planned to give Iowa Premium a three-year property tax abatement, according to the IEDA.

New Iowa Beef Plant To Seek Federal Funds Through Biden Plan

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:12:59 GMT

The developer of a new beef processing plant targeted for western Iowa says the project expects to receive funding from the Biden Administration’s recently announced Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Action Plan.

Chad Tentinger, founder of Cattlemen’s Heritage, told WNAX radio in Yankton, SD, he expects the project will receive partial funding through the $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds promised by the White House for expansion of independent processing capacity.

“We are in fundraising right now through various means, talking to a lot of investors at this point,” Tentinger told WNAX. “We are 75% done with all blueprints and planning. We have the site under control. We have done grid sampling and boring samples to make sure it’s stable. We’re moving along quite nicely.”

Cattlemen’s Heritage expects to break ground late this spring on the proposed facility in Mills County, Iowa, south of the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. When complete, the facility would process roughly 400,000 head of cattle per year, about 1,500-head per day. The plant would employ up to 750 workers and have an estimated annual economic impact of $1.1 billion.

Tentinger says the project is on schedule to be complete by late 2023 or early 2024.

“We are incorporating all of the latest technology into this plant,” Tentinger said. “We will have age and source verification from the ranch to the plate.”

He says they’re still trying to determine if they will sell direct to consumers or online.

“We have a lot of demand for this high-quality beef that we’ll be putting through this plant and with that demand, we’re exploring all options,” Tentinger said. “It will be domestic and international. We anticipate a lot of restaurant groups. Cattlemen’s Heritage will be an umbrella that will set the gold standard of quality for meat.”

ICA Stresses Need for Custom Cattle Feeder Assistance

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 16:07:12 GMT

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association has sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding the lack of pandemic relief for custom cattle feeders.

The additional assistance announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in January 2021 excluded custom cattle feeders. Several custom cattle feeders in Iowa contacted the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association requesting help due to significant revenue loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to mitigate this shortfall in assistance, we worked with Iowa’s congressional delegation to send a bicameral letter to Sec. Vilsack in February 2021.

Since that time, USDA has modified and extended the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 2 more than once. Most recently, the deadline to apply for or modify an existing application was extended to October 12, 2021. However, this does not apply to custom cattle feeders.

Six months have passed since the letter was sent by our elected officials, yet no solution has been offered. While swine and poultry contract growers are eligible to receive aid, custom cattle feeders remain unassisted.

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association calls on Sec. Vilsack to include custom cattle feeders as part of any upcoming assistance plans.

Read the full letter from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association here .

Read the letter from Iowa’s congressional delegation, sent February 24, 2021, here .

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