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The Midwest Cattleman · August 5, 2021 · P3

August 5, 2021 Volume 27 No. 6

SEVERE DROUGHT IN THE WEST INVENTORY REPORT: SHRINKING CATTLE
By American Farm Bureau Federation SUPPLIES CONFIRMED
Severe drought By Greg Henderson
in the West is forc- USDA’s semi-annual Cat- slightly from the first half of
ing many farmers tle Inventory report confirms 2020. An additional 9.3 mil-
and ranchers to the U.S. inventories of beef lion calves are expected to be
make the toughest cows, replacement heifers, born during the second half
of choices – selling feeder cattle and calf sup- of this year.
their livestock and plies are declining. The ongo- With its mid-year inven-
destroying crops ing drought in the West and tory, USDA surveys 10,000
– according to a Northern Plains will acceler- operations compared to the
Farm Bureau sur- ate the trend. 50,000 producers surveyed
vey of producers in USDA’s survey indicated for the January 1 inventory.
13 Western states. all cattle and calves totaled All cows and heifers that
Nearly 80% of drought range this time last 101 million head on July 1, have calved totaled 40.9 mil-
the West, including North and year. about 1% below the 102 mil- lion head, 1% below the 41.4
South Dakota, is in severe Many of the areas experi- lion head counted in the mid- million head on July 1, 2020.
drought. That percentage is encing drought are key areas year report last year. Milk cows, at 9.50 million
even more staggering when for grazing livestock, but the USDA’s July 1 count of beef head, up 2% from previous
compared to the 20% of the parched land is offering less cows was 31.4 million head, year.
region that fell into the severe continued on page 10 down 2% from a year ago. All heifers 500 pounds and
Analysts expect the drought over on July 1 totaled 16.0
ANIMAL AG GROUPS LAUNCH PROTEIN PACT to further reduce those num- million head, 1% below the

Twelve organizations repre- Animals, and Climate of To- bers throughout 2021. Given 16.2 million head last year.
senting farmers and companies morrow - the first joint initia- the smaller cow herd, US- Beef replacement heifers,
who make the vast majority of tive of its kind designed to ac- DA’s preliminary calf crop es- at 4.30 million head, down
America’s meat, poultry, and celerate momentum and verify timate was 35.1 million head, 2% from a year ago. Milk re-
dairy, as well as animal feed progress toward global sustain- down slightly from last year. placement heifers, at 4.10
and ingredients, unveiled the able development goals across Calves born during the first million head, up 3% from pre-
Protein PACT for the People, all animal protein sectors. half of 2021 were estimat- vious year. Other heifers, at
The Protein PACT has been ed at 25.8 million head, up 7.60 million head, 3% below
submitted to the UN Food Sys- a year earlier.
tems Summit as a sustain- The supply
ability game changer, and sus- of feeder cat-
tainable livestock and poultry tle and calves
production was featured in a outside feed-
side event at the Food Systems lots is es-
Summit ministerial in Rome timated at
on Tuesday, July 27. 800,000 head
smaller than
continued on page 14
year-ago lev-
FARM REFORM ACT A “DIRECT ATTACK” ON els at 49.5
CATTLE PRODUCTION NCBA’S LANE SAYS million head.
By Katie James Drovers
Last month, New Jersey
Sen. Cory Booker re-introduced
his Farm System Reform Act, a
bill he says would “transform
a broken system.” Similar leg-
islation was introduced in the Coming Sales-30
House by Congressman Ro Life is Simple-5
Khanna (D-CA). The lawmak- Market Report-8
ers claim the legislation will Agribusiness
“create a level playing field”
for independent family farms, Directory-28
Drovers’ Greg Henderson re-
ports.
continued on page 14