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The National Livestock Weekly May 19, 2008 • Vol. 87, No. 32 “The Industry’s Largest Weekly Circulation” Web site: www.wlj.net • E-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] A Crow Publication INSIDE WLJ Congress passes Farm Bill, veto threat looms MMEATEAT EEXPORTSXPORTS GGROWROW — U.S. red The farm bill conference report, administration put forward. If this to a variety of gimmicks, such as icizing “airdropped earmarks” bur- meat exports continued their strong long waiting in the wings, finally bill makes it to my desk, I will veto pushing commodity payments ied in the legislation. showing in the first quarter of 2008 with an increase of 41 percent in took its first step towards the it,” Bush said in a statement re- outside the budget window,” he “Clearly, it’s known by most pork exports and 29 percent in beef president’s desk last week as the leased through the White House. said. “Adding nearly $20 billion Americans that Washington is (including variety meats), according House passed the conference re- Bush has long accused the bill in additional costs to the current broken,” Boehner said. “The to a U.S. Meat Export Federation port by a 318-106 margin. Despite of containing ‘budget gimmickry’ 10-year spending level of ap- farm bill is frankly another ex- report. Strong overseas demand and Bush’s lobbying efforts against the which spills payments over into proximately $600 billion is exces- ample of that.” a weak U.S. dollar have helped con- tinue export growth. PPageage 4 bill, it would appear that Congress deferred fiscal years to hide the sive, especially when net farm After the House passage, the has enough votes to override any accounting cost of the bill. income is at a record high and conference report moved to the FFEVEREVER TTICKICK CCONTROLONTROL — With potential veto. The administration “Congress claims that this bill food prices are on the rise.” Senate, where it passed by an the help of cowhands who comb is firmly set against the bill, citing increases spending by $10 billion, Prior to the bill appearing on the overwhelming 81-15 margin on the border areas of Texas for signs irrational spending and possible but the real cost is nearly $20 House floor Wednesday, Bush al- Thursday. Others in Congress have of cattle who carry fever ticks, tax increases as reasons for the billion when you include actual lies were still working feverishly praised the new Farm Bill, for- USDA and the Texas Animal Health Commission are constantly waging president’s opposition. government spending that will to build resistance to the report, mally titled the Food, Conservation battle against the invading pests, “I am deeply disappointed in the occur if this bill becomes law. including House Minority Leader and Energy Act of 2008, including though progress is slow. PPageage 6 conference report filed today as it Instead of fully offsetting the in- John Boehner, R-OH, who joined livestock industry groups. falls far short of the proposal my creased spending, the bill resorts USDA political appointees in crit- See Farm Bill on page 8 BBRSVRSV PPREVENTIONREVENTION — For many years, the feedlot industry identi- fied a respiratory problem in cattle that was diagnosed as an allergic reaction to changes in feed. The lesion, called a syncytium, became Trade incorporated into the common name of the virus. A virus causing lung disease in the bovine and called producing syncytial lesions became known as the Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV). PPageage 7 steady PPINEINE BBEETLEEETLE SSPREADSPREADS — Threats to the health and productivity of pub- Trade was slow among lic lands in the West are common feedlots last week ahead of today, as both natural dangers and the cattle on feed report due environmental policy pose risks to out last Friday. The market the varied landscape of the western states. In some states, the ongoing was expected to trade at crisis has reached epidemic propor- steady money for the week as tions—a growing infestation of the a combination of factors mountain pine beetle threatens to pointed in different direc- overrun pine forests, causing death tions. The boxed beef market to millions of afflicted trees. PPageage 9 showed some signs of weak- IINDEXNDEX ness early in the week as Beef Bits . Page - 3 South Korea announced a Sale Reports . .Page - 11 delay in opening the market Sale Calendar . .Page - 11 Pine bark beetle has spread devastation across the forests of the western U.S. According to Forest to U.S. beef and analysts pre- Markets . Page - 10 Service officials, there is little hope the plague will end soon. Severe forest fires will continue to be dicted much sharper declines Classifieds . Page - 12 a threat for years to come. in fed cattle inventories Weekly Choice Cutout ahead than expected. The result was a call for South Korea puts the brakes on beef trade trade in the neighborhood South Ko- The trade delay has the poten- nations imposed different restric- of $94 live and $148-150 rea said last tial to completely derail a U.S.- tions on U.S. beef. dressed. That compares to week it would South Korean Free Trade Agree- “The government will protect prior week live sales of $94 delay the start ment, which several members of the people’s health as the foremost in the southern Plains, of beef trade Congress have said they will not priority in any situation,” Han $148.50-149 dressed basis in with the U.S., support until beef trade is fully said, adding that the government Kansas, and $147 dressed in Colorado. Live sales in Ne- 2008 2007 5 yr Avg citing product safety concerns. reopened with the country. How- has no reason to believe that there The South Korean Farm Ministry ever, consumers in South Korea, are additional problems with the braska and Colorado traded Weekly Steer Dressed Weights had been scheduled to begin quar- along with Korean beef produc- U.S. beef supply or that if there at $94, while Iowa/Minnesota antine inspections of U.S. beef ers, have expressed outrage over were, the government would not sold at $92. Dressed sales in which has been in freezers there the deal announced in advance of have signed the agreement. Nebraska and Iowa/Minne- since officials halted trade last a U.S. visit by Korean President “U.S. beef is consumed not only sota sold from $147-149. year. Those inspections were to be Lee Myung-bak with President by Americans, but also people in The announcement that the first step in a process which George Bush. 96 countries in the world,” Han Korea would again stall the would lead to unrestricted market Last week, South Korean Prime said, adding that no new cases of opening of the export market access for U.S. beef in the next Minister Han Seung-soo said in a bovine spongiform encephalopathy meant boxed beef that had four years. nationally televised address that (BSE) have been reported among been allocated to go to the “I think we need a week to 10 Seoul would demand changes to cattle born after 1997 when the market was shifted back to 2008 2007 5 yr Avg days,” Agriculture Minister Chung the pact “if a new situation occurs U.S. Food And Drug Administra- the domestic pool or prepared Woon-chun told the South Korean while monitoring negotiations tion imposed the ruminant to ru- for another foreign market. parliament last week. The delay between the United States and minant feed ban. Regardless, it meant more comes despite an agreement other nations,” apparently an in- “Why would the government do product flowing back last reached with the U.S. last month dication that South Korea would things that hurt the health of our week and added a softer un- LIVE STEERS DRESSED STEERS CME FEEDER $94.00 $150.00 $106.60 to resume and broaden trade. attempt to alter the deal if other See South Korea on page 15 dertone to the boxed beef WEEK ENDING: 5-12-08 markets. Last Thursday at mid-day, Choice boxed beef Plantings lag, but forecast sparks optimism was showing mostly steady —Pasture and range so far this spring. However, last At this point in the year, getting action, trading up 24 cents to week, reports from several regions the crop planted becomes increas- $156.74, while Select product conditions show indicated farmers had been able ingly important as average yields moved up 27 cents to reach decline in the West. to work between storms to get the can drop, according to some esti- $152.42. During morning Corn planting crop into the ground and could mates, by as much as a bushel-and- trade, 235 loads of product in the Midwest quickly catch up in most states in a-half per day after mid-March. traded hands on moderate posted rapid the week ahead. Last week, market analysts point- demand and offerings. gains accord- As of last week, planting prog- ed out that the last time the crop Beef purchases ahead of ing to the May ress in Minnesota lagged 51 per- progress lagged this far behind the the Memorial Day holiday 12 Crop Prog- cent behind the five-year average average, in 1995, the final harvest are reportedly strong as a ress report is- pace. In Missouri, farmers were 49 fell approximately 10 percent be- result of increased consumer sued by USDA, percent behind the average and low the trend line yield as farmers demand for product. That however, grow- South Dakota growers were 30 showed a preference for earlier demand has been supportive ers still lag be- percent behind the five-year aver- maturing varieties of corn which of cutout values despite an hind the five-year average and age.

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