“The Industry’s Largest Weekly Circulation” The National Livestock Weekly January 21, 2013 • Vol. 92, No. 16 website: www.wlj.net • email: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] A Crow Publication INSIDE WLJ Secretary Salazar announces plan to return home to Colorado TECHNOLOGY — Dr. Gary Smith spoke to the 2013 meeting of the In- Secretary of the Interior Ken my home. I look forward to return- pointing out some of the struggles. and favored and new land designa- ternational Livestock Congress on the Salazar announced last week that ing to my family and Colorado “Secretary Salazar was not a tions catered to certain types of technological strides the U.S. agricul- he will return to his home state of after eight years in Washington, friend to my home state of Utah or users can be blamed on the fact tural community has made. But Smith Colorado, having fulfilled his D.C.,” said Salazar. other public lands states for that that this Administration is be- pointed out that technology isn’t the promise to President Obama to While in office, Salazar has been matter. Under his watch, the De- holden to radical special interest only thing that will feed the growing serve four years as secretary. less than popular with many orga- partment of Interior sought to groups. My hope is that the next popupopulation at o oof tthe e woworld. d. Pageage 7 Salazar, who led the response to nizations, and has oft been accused impose historic new limits on ac- Department of Interior Secretary the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling of creating tension and conflict cess and multiple use of our na- is a fellow westerner. It is equally rig explosion and oil spill in the between industries and environ- tion’s resources and worked ag- important that whoever assumes Gulf of Mexico, will leave the de- mentalists. His battle between gressively to hinder certain types the helm of the Interior recognizes partment by the end of March. improving industry relations and of domestic energy production. the importance of multiple use and The former Colorado lawmaker protecting the environment has While Secretary Salazar does bear access and is willing to stand up has spent eight turbulent years in been controversial. some of the blame for the Admin- to special interest groups looking Washington, four as a U.S. senator Public Lands and Environmen- istration’s particularly abysmal to the Administration to impose and four as head of the Depart- tal Regulations Subcommittee first four years, it is not entirely restrictive new policies through ment of the Interior (DOI). Chairman Rob Bishop released a his fault. The fact that certain executive fiat,” Bishop said. “Colorado is and will always be statement on Salazar’s departure, forms of energy were prioritized Continued on page 11 WOLF POPULATION — How far will wolves spread? At this stage, no one can be sure. But preliminary steps are under way to prepare for an influx of gray wolves into the Pacific North- Cash trade west—and beyond. Page 8 down VILSACK STAYS — With the fiscal cliff arguably averted, and a bit of a déjà Cash fed cattle trade strug- vu on a new farm bill deadline ahead, the Obama administration announced gled last week as signals of that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack disappointing consumer de- will continue for the president’s second mand and unsupported fu- term. Page 12 tures levels eroded prices both buyers and sellers could BEEF EXPORTS — The value of beef agree on. Following the prior exports remained slightly above 2011’s record levels, despite continued lower week with its mostly $125 live volumes, and the value of lamb exports and $202-204 dressed prices in November bounced back from an (already a few dollars lower otherwise slow year. Page 13 than the week before that), last week saw sporadic weak trade at $125 live in the south INDEX Beef Bits ......................................P-3 Plains, $122-125 live and Markets......................................P-14 $196-199 dressed in Nebras- Classifieds .................................P-17 ka, and small batches of Sale Calendar ............................P-19 dressed cattle selling for $200 in Iowa and the Corn Belt. As the week progressed, the lower numbers on the Burwell Livestock Auction, Burwell, NE. Photo by Kristian Rennert ranges mentioned were more common. Early-week expec- tations for the balance of the Listing proposal for Gunnison sage week’s trade to be in $125-126 live and $200-202 areas ap- peared to be premature. Ex- grouse called “disappointing” pectations of continued weak- Another member of the sage on privately and publically to pro- have had the option to participate ness going forward into this grouse family has been proposed tect the bird and conserve its hab- in the Colorado Division of Wildlife week were voiced later on last for listing under the Endangered itat in recent years. Candidate Conservation Agree- week. Species Act (ESA). This time it is “The magnitude of the listing, ment with Assurances (CCAA) Last week was another the Gunnison sage grouse which coupled with the designation of program, a voluntary conservation week of steady—and at times has garnered federal attention… critical habitat, is as if ranchers, program. And this is an option concerning—declines in both to the tune of millions of acres of local, state, and national govern- they have been utilizing quite classes of cattle futures. In critical habitat. ment and the conservation com- readily over the years. live cattle futures, the down- Friday, Jan. 11, the U.S. Fish munity had not done anything to “There’s been a fair number of ward trend was clear early in and Wildlife Service (FWS) sub- conserve the species and habitat conservation easements that have the week. Compared to the mitted a proposal to list the Gun- prior to the listing,” read the CCA been done specifically to protect prior Friday’s $130.60 for nison sage grouse as endangered official release regarding the pro- the bird,” Fankhauser said. “Land February cattle and $134.55 under the ESA. Along with this posal. owners have made improvements for April live cattle, Thursday listing proposal comes an astound- CCA Executive Vice President through [the Natural Resource afternoon saw those same ing 1.7 million acres in western Terry Fankhauser, in talking with Conservation Service] or other- contracts over $3 lower at Colorado and the eastern edge of WLJ, spoke at length of the efforts wise with state assistance to pre- $127.25 and $131.50, respec- Utah proposed as critical habitat of Colorado cattlemen to conserve vent fragmentation of habitat and tively. Though painful, these for the bird. The Colorado Cattle- habitat for the Gunnison sage to adjust their grazing practices to Thursday afternoon numbers men’s Association (CCA) called the grouse. not affect the bird.” were not as painful as some LIVE STEERS DRESSED STEERS CME FEEDER proposal a disappointment consid- Since roughly mid-2005, Colo- Fankhauser also described the earlier in the day when con- $124.00 $198.00 $153.12 ering all the effort that has gone rado cattlemen and landowners Continued on page 16 firmed news of the Cargill WEEK ENDING: 1-17-13 plant closure (see the story about it on page 3) cratered Beef production estimates trade, at one point bringing it limit down. The deferred con- tract of August also lost con- up, but still below 2011 siderable money—down $2.52 also at $127.25 com- The most recent World Agricul- Beef production expectations for Additionally, projections of beef pared to $129.77—though it tural Supply and Demand Esti- the balance of 2012 were raised in imports in 2013 also dropped by 55 was not as bad as near-term mates (WASDE) report was issued the most recent WASDE, from mp to 2.57 bp. Though potentially contracts. by USDA on Friday, Jan 11. The 25.97 billion pounds (bp) to 26.01 a good thing, 2013 export projec- As has been the trend of report showed several good things bp. Expectations for 2013 were also tions remained static at 2.45 bp, recent months, the issue of for beef, such as increased produc- raised—from 24.68 bp to 24.90 meaning it is still expected the U.S. demand not supporting pro- tion estimates and reduced import bp—but neither raised estimate will become a net importer of beef duction continues to dog the projections, and also a number of reached the 2011 production level by volume this year. beef market. With the vastly surprising things for corn. of 26.29 bp. Even with these alterations to restricted production weeks Beef and other meat As the number of heads pro- the expected trade numbers, im- of the holidays demonstrating cessed has declined and is expected ports for 2012 and 2013 are looking an inability of the market to Overall red meat and poultry to continue its decline in the near to be higher than in 2011, while move cutout values to needed production estimates for 2012 were future, most of these production export numbers for both years will levels, there is little hope even raised, as were projections for 2013. estimate increases go back to the be lower than in 2011. Time Sensitive Priority Handling the natural supply tightness Export estimates for U.S. meat also increased carcass weights seen in Beef’s 2012 ending stock esti- of the coming year will move increased for the balance of 2012— 2012 and expected to continue this mates—and thereby its 2013 be- the value dial sufficiently. led mostly by increases in 2012 pork year. ginning stock projections—rose 25 “Demand will simply not export estimates and slightly by Beef trade estimate changes for mp to 575 mp.