Page 24 - MWC 10-21-2021s

CATTLE PRODUCERS Vilsack testified on what The Midwest Cattleman · October 21, 2021 · P24
continued from page 3 USDA is doing to increase the year and that will begin packers to halve their cattle
Wilkinson cited multiple meat processing capacity in to make decisions and invest- within 14 days of slaughter,
factors impacting profit. the countryside through a ments hopefully in the first dubbed the 50/14 bill.
$500 million fund to support
“The current marketing sit- quarter of 2022.” With multiple issues dis-
uation brought on by COVID, packing plant growth for small In the area of Negotiated cussed in the hearing, each as-
and medium-sized plants.
cybersecurity, packing plant Cash Cattle Trade, U.S. Sen. pect of the testimony impacts
“We have solicited informa-
fires, countless other factors, tion and input from those who Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) also Montana farmers and ranch-
have even the most seasoned testified about the bill he and ers involved in livestock pro-
industry veterans asking for are interested in potentially Montana Sen. Jon Tester spon- duction.
utilizing this fund,” said Vil-
changes,” Wilkinson told Con- sack. “The expectation is that sored. The bill would require
gress. “Something has to give.” that structure will take place 50% negotiated cash trade na- Montana Ag Network
Agriculture Secretary Tom tionally. It would require meat
sometime before the end of

LIFE which her friend was working. in the thousands of boards uti- cle all the lumber and beams it
continued from page 5 I told her that I was sure we lized in its construction. There contained.
could find something, so after are hay mangers running the I’m sure she is right, but
process feed, and serve as the she arrived, we headed for my entire length of each shed, that old barn has withstood
hub of the owner’s multi-mil- creek farm, where a majestic, where thousands of cattle have blizzards, ice storms, floods,
lion dollar investment, but old, wooden barn still stands, been fed over the years. There tornados, and dust storms; it
most lack any character, what- after having been in place for is a harness room, a milking has seen farmers prosper and
soever. Many times, I can look around one-hundred years. By parlor, a corn crib, and a feed go broke and it has seen thou-
across the road, or well off in the standards of a century ago, room. The only improvement sands of people pass the road
the distance, and see the origi- the barn is massive, complete made to the original design beside her, never paying her
nal old barn that has stood for with a main body, symmetrical is the addition of a metal roof a second glance. I find the old
decades, and, sadly and slowly side-sheds, a loft large enough over the old wooden shingles, barn both elegant and strong,
became obsolete in a different to serve as a dance floor, and a but because of the low ceilings, and it will most likely be
age of farming. Many, howev- geometrically perfect gambrel narrow sheds, and inaccessible standing when I am not. That
er, remain just as beautiful as roof. The internal skeleton is doors, I use it only for storage. old barn may well be pieced-
they once were. comprised of oak timbers that Alli marveled at the beauty out for picture frames and
Last week, my daughter- were most likely sawn locally, of the old boards, that served headboards one day, but I’ll let
in-law, Alli, asked if she could and remain as straight and as the outer skin of the barn, her live.
come out to the farm and scour sound as the day it was built. and commented that crafts- Sometimes, a barn is more
an old barn, for some weath- One has to look long and hard, men would pay thousands of than a building.
ered wood, for a project on to find a knot of any sort, with- dollars for the chance to recy-

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