With conversations over the 2023 Farm Bill set to begin in earnest in the coming months, many in the farming community are asking if the farm portions of the legislation and nutrition segments be separated.  Todd Nash, President of the Oregon Cattleman’s Association said he doesn’t have an issue with those nutritional elements, such as SNAP and WIC being included in the Farm Bill.

Most ranchers raise cows on their land for less than a year. Then, they’re sold into the feedlot system where they’re fed grain to fatten them up for slaughter.  Once the cow leaves the ranch, the rancher has no control over how that cow spends the rest of its life, where its meat ends up being sold — or for how much.

When Cory Carman took over her family ranch in northeastern Oregon, she knew she wanted to do things differently.

The cattle industry has breeding gold standards — 85 days to rebreed, a 60-day calving window and cows in body condition score 6. These figures are especially important when looking to take advantage of improving cattle markets. The 2022 CattleFax Outlook forecasts 550-pound calves to be $225/cwt¹. Using these gold standards to achieve more calves and pounds, with favorable prices, means more potential dollars in your pocket…

It is important to be prepared for the challenges associated with calving time. Most calving difficulties are more commonly observed in heifers than in cows and the economic losses are associated with several factors: an increased risk of calf and cow mortality, longer calving intervals, decreased conception rates, reduced weaning weight, and increased veterinary and pharmaceutical costs. These tips for proper breeding and feeding management will help you prevent these problems before they occur, ensuring a strong, healthy calf crop…

A federal judge in Oakland, Calif., on Feb. 10 restored some wolves in the Lower 48 to the endangered species list, overturning a decision by the Trump administration that was cheered by ranchers…

“You’re feeding America and going broke doing it”: After years of consolidation, four companies dominate the meatpacking industry, while many ranchers are barely hanging on.

Wolves have been on the rebound in Oregon since the beginning of this century. But the numbers are getting to a point where some ranchers have said something else needs to be done.

“They’ll be here tonight, and they may not come back for 30 nights,” Wallowa County rancher Rawley Bigsby said. “You never know with the way that they hit you.”

Bigsby said the threat of a wolf attack is constant.

If you raise cattle, you don’t need to be told that the meat industry has been targeted by some powerful propaganda in recent years. You may have had a nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right about what you were hearing. You may have seen widely repeated statistics making various claims about livestock production. Maybe you even have family members who have gone vegan or challenged you about why you raise meat. After all, you’re “killing the planet”—aren’t you?

Ranchers need to tell their stories, Ahearn told the annual Oregon Cattlemen’s Association convention, especially as more consumers veer toward vegetarian and vegan diets they see as more environmentally sustainable.

Twelve leading Oregon agriculture groups have petitioned the Oregon Attorney General’s office to clarify the sweeping devastating effects (IP) 13 would have on all Oregonians. The measure would criminalize good animal husbandry practices, hunting and fishing, animal breeding of both pets and livestock, and even home rodent
control.

Research recently published in the journal Sustainability documents a role for livestock grazing to support the conservation of imperiled plant and animal species in California.

Believe it or not…. some people receive misinformation about how COVID-19 is spread. These FAQs will help clear up some misconceptions for you.

Like many of you, I’ve spent many hours trying to pinpoint “why” the cattle market is in the state it’s in. Currently, we have consumers who hunger for American beef and are being charged outrageous prices at the meat counter but continue to buy anyways. We have feedlots who are stomaching (barely) the expense of $7.00 corn and selling live cattle for less than $120, and we have a packing industry that’s making an ungodly amount of money but continues to run processing speeds well below full capacity.

If that’s not a signaling cue for market chaos, I don’t know what is.

According to market research, only 24% of consumers say they are knowledgeable about how cattle are raised. This sustainability campaign aims to address that by introducing consumers to farmers and ranchers across the country and showcasing the many efforts underway to help sustain and improve the land.

IP13 would classify slaughter as aggravated abuse, redefine AI and castration as sexual assault.

“Right now, we have a lot of inside deals,” noted President-Elect of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association Todd Nash. “We have large corporate feeders making deals with large packing facilities, and we have no idea what kind of deal they’ve brokered there.  It’s led to a mistrust in the market.”

By Greg Hanes, CEO, Cattlemen’s Beef Board

Low-tech restoration gains popularity as an effective fix for ailing waterways in the American West

Regenerative grazing can store more carbon in soils in the form of roots and other plant tissues. But how much can it really help the fight against climate change?

Besides simply loving the taste and variety of animal protein on the market today, there are so many reasons I feel good about incorporating meat, milk and eggs into an overall diet that is also rounded out by fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats…

If you’ve been missing those family-favorite meals, thinking you were protecting the environment and your health, then it’s time to come up to speed with the science.

Let’s break down two of the most common misperceptions about beef so that you can welcome one of the most nourishing, pleasurable foods in the world back to your table