Higher Beef Prices in 2012
Due to severe drought in the southern U.S. Plains, cattle ranchers in Texas, Oklahoma and other states are liquidating herds at historically high rates, which is expected to increase beef supplies in the near term and help keep a lid on higher beef prices. But Barron’s points to tighter supplies of slaughter-ready cattle next year, which will likely lead to higher beef prices in 2012. “As we...
Read MoreFFA Heifer Wrangle – Colorado State Fair
From left Ashley Wicker and CFB Regional Manager Lori Kester. Ashley and her heifer ‘Jane’ were showing in the FFA Heifer Wrangle. Colorado Farm Bureau sponsors the annual program through the Colorado FFA that helps students start their own heifer project and cow herd.
Read MoreFarmers Facing Massive Regulatory Burden
Like many other industries, agriculture is facing a large uphill battle in combating unnecessary regulations from government agencies including the EPA, USDA and SEC. Colorado Farm Bureau is currently tracking no fewer than 11 different regulatory changes that will have a direct impact on the bottom line of farmers and ranchers across the country. Most of the proposed changes come in the form of...
Read MoreSome Schools Adopting New Lunch Standards
Some of Colorado’s school districts are adopting aspects of the new USDA school lunch standards, even though the rule does not go into effect until 2013. Greeley-Evans School District 6 is intertwining the new standards into its own back-to-scratch cooking methods, titled the “School Food Renaissance”. Under the program, Greeley’s schools will cook from scratch about 75 percent of...
Read MoreAgricultural Swaps Rule Takes Effect Dec. 31
Last September, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on agricultural swaps. The agricultural swaps rule is part of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act approved by Congress last year. Farm Bureau and a coalition of other agriculture-related end-users submitted comments urging that agricultural...
Read MoreLegislative Tracking 2013
