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ATTORNEY GENERAL The Midwest Cattleman · August 24, 2023 · P14
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overreach that attempts to the backbone of our state, that you will take seriously ry’s top-down policies will
stifle our farmers and ranch- and are vital to the econom- our invitation to come and take farms and ranches out
ers.” ic health of our nation. They meet with us, so that you can of production, reduce global
In the letter, Attorney are honest, hard-working cit- see exactly what it is we’re food security, and jeopardize
General Bailey and the agri- izens whose job is never done. fighting for: the farmers who national security.
cultural groups inform Kerry, They rise with the sun and are the very foundation of “From ketchup to cows,
“If you took the time to tour work long after it sets to put our great nation.” farmers and ranchers sus-
and meet the hard-working food on Americans’ tables, "In my opinion, the great- tainably produce products
people of Missouri, many of including yours. Your state- est steward of the land and for consumers in this country
whom earn a living on the ments clearly demonstrate the true conservationist is and beyond,” said Missouri
farm, it might change your your lack of understanding of the American farmer and Cattlemen’s Association Ex-
perspective a bit. These these values.” rancher. American produc- ecutive Director Mike Deer-
farms represent Missouri- They continue, “We are ers have used innovation ing. “It doesn’t take much
ans’ livelihoods and legacies. writing to remind you that to leave their farms better more than common sense
You recently called for dra- they don’t call us the ‘Show- than they found it for gen- to understand that forcing
matic government regulation Me State’ for nothing. Mis- erations. The untold story is farmers and ranchers out of
of agriculture in the name of sourians recognize that when that America’s farmers and business would raise global
‘climate change’, stating, ‘You coastal elites have a ‘great ranchers are producing more emissions because we would
just can’t continue to warm idea’ on how things ‘ought food using fewer resources be forced to import more
the planet, while also expect- to be done’, it always ends than ever before. That’s a food.”
ing to feed it. It doesn’t work. poorly. We aren’t impressed story we are proud of,” said The full letter can be read
So we have to reduce emis- by east-coast elites telling us Missouri Farm Bureau Pres- here: https://ago.mo.gov.
sions from the food system.’ how to think and what to do.” ident Garrett Hawkins. “Un-
“Farmers and ranchers are They conclude, “We hope fortunately, Secretary Ker-

CATTLE PRICES WHAT DOES SUMMER
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Cattle numbers pneumonia appeared to cor-
The cattle inventory is ex- relate with herds that had
fought scours in the calves,
pected to be down 1.5% to 2% had a calving season that
on Jan. 1, 2024. lasted three months or lon-
“I think you’re going to
continue to see cow culling ger, or that brought in orphan
calves from other farms.
probably in 2025, and you Dr. Richard Randle wrote
probably won’t see it turn a BeefWatch article, Summer
until maybe Jan. 1, 2026,” Pneumonia in Beef Calves,
she said. in July of 2015. In it, he ex-
That means cow-calf pro-
ducers are probably going to plained a case-control study
in Nebraska, South Dakota,
see higher returns moving and North Dakota beef herds
forward on smaller calf crops, to better identify risk factors
she said. for nursing calf pneumonia.
LMIC forecasts cow-calf The project was completed,
returns of almost $250 per and identified several risk
cow in 2023 and about $525 ing into fall but thinks those said. factors for the condition, in-
in 2024. prices will remain high. Feedlots have been mak- cluding increasing herd size,
Cull cow prices are a fac- ing quite a bit of money pret- especially herds with 500
tor in that, and they are up, Strong prices ty much all year, and LMIC cows or more, intensive graz-
approaching the highs of the The price for 700-800- estimates annual returns at ing, and estrus (heat) syn-
summer of 2015. She expects pound feeder steers is about $250 per head. chronization. It is thought
the price to come down a lit- $250 cwt. She thinks fed cattle pric- that these practices increase
tle heading into the fall but “These prices have real- es will remain in the 180s or the number of “effective con-
to remain above a year ago. ly maintained very strong 170s through the rest of the tacts” between calves, mean-
The price for 500-600- values, and I would expect year.
pound feeder steer calves is them to maintain relatively ing they have more chances
to effectively spread bacteria
strong at about $285 cwt. flat values from here on out. capitalpress.com and viruses to one another.
“These prices are much The corn crop … we think is These practices may carry
stronger than we thought at going to be still pretty good,” significant benefits for the
the beginning of the year. We she said. beef operation, but care must
thought maybe grass fever Fed steer prices averaged be taken to manage the asso-
was what was taking things $188 cwt for the week ending ciated risks.
off in the spring, and it just Aug. 12.
really has not slowed down,” “This price has been ab-
she said. solutely fantastic, keying off
She wouldn’t be surprised that boxed beef number that’s
if that price weakens head- been above $300 (cwt.),” she