June 12, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is aglife. My name is Bob Quinn,
with you for the next hour talking about agricultural production
here in the valley, in all across the country. Well friends,
warm weather and other factors are behind accelerated melt of
the western mountain snowpack. Rod Bain starts us off.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
It is an important source of water for the Western
United States. Runoff of mountain snowpack into reservoirs at lakes
after a winter's worth of accumulation water essential for irrigation
of farm crops and in many cases municipal water systems.
And when the Western water season ended on April first,
and as USDA beri ologist Brad Rippey pointed out beyond, we.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Were heading into really the month of May in pretty
good shape across the western US, especially along the north
of a line from this Sierra Nevada to the Central Rockies.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yet that changed in many parts of the West during
the month of May. Rippy says recent warm spells that
month led to several instances a premature mountain snowpack melt, and.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
That has led to reduced expectations for runoff.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
The warm spells were not the only contributor to the
quick belting a mountain snowpack.

Speaker 3 (01:08):
Above other complications, soil seem to be unusually thirsty across
much of the West, so we're not seeing all of
that runoff go right into the reservoirs. If that were happening,
we really wouldn't have as much of a problem because
that water would still be conserved. It would be held
in a different form than the snowpack, but at least
would be stored in reservoirs. But we are seeing some
loss due to thirsty soils.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Also part of this equation one is known as sublimation.

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Periods of very dry weather, it has actually led to
some sublimation of snow. That is, when you go directly
from the solid form snowpack or ice into the gas form,
which is just evaporating it right into the thin air.
You are not retaining any water for irrigation purposes when
sublimation happens.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
The contributor to premature mountain snowpack belt in the desert
Southwest has been.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
The number of dust storms. Some of that dust has
ended up on the slopes on the mountain sides, and
that has led to an accelerated snow melt of an
already subpar snowpack in parts of the south Southwest, so
we have lost some snow there well.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Looking at various areas of the West at their mountain
snowpack going into summer.

Speaker 3 (02:06):
The far northern tier of California, much of Oregon, and
even extending into parts of the Northern Rockies looking pretty
good for water supply. But areas further to the north
as we move up into Washington State and then especially
to the south from the Sierra Nevada and Central Rocky
South where we have lost some potential on how much
water is going to be available for this summer.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
One example a premature snowpack belt is found in the
Sierra Nevada Range.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
That entire range we had basically an average snowpack this year. Well,
by the time we came out of the Memorial Day weekend,
that liquid equivalency of the existing or the remaining snowpack
was down to under two and a half inches. This
time of year, we still expect to see almost ten
inches contained in that snowpack, so we lost it very quickly.
The remaining snowpack is only about one quarter of what

(02:50):
we expect to see for late May.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
I'm Rod Bain reporting for the US Department of Agriculture
in Washington, d C.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Coming up, the nation's cattle herd starts a slow rebuild.
You're listening to aag life Bob went back with some
farm news this morning. Friends. Aspiring entrepreneurs now have more
time to complete their applications for the ag Innovation Challenge.
Chad Smith as our story.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
The American Farm Bureau, in partnership with Farm Credit, has
extended the deadline to register for the twenty twenty six
ag Innovation Challenge to June fifteenth. Chase Heineman, director of
industry Relations for AFBF, says entrepreneurs from across the country
are encouraged to apply.

Speaker 5 (03:33):
Farbuo's ag Innovation Challenge is a nationwide business competition that
seeks applications from startups entrepreneurs who are developing unique and
innovative solutions to the challenges farmers and ranchers are facing
every day.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
He says, the competition is open to businesses of all types.

Speaker 5 (03:51):
We've had innovators from all aspects of the agriculture sector
participate in the past, everything from livestock, specialty crop grow
crop culture. We're looking for companies that have identified a
need in agriculture and have worked to develop innovative solutions
to fill that need.

Speaker 4 (04:08):
Farm Bureau, in partnership with Farm Credit, is pleased to
offer significant prizes to help startups get going.

Speaker 5 (04:16):
We're happy that we can once again offer one hundred
thousand dollars to the winner of the agg Innovation Challenge,
as well as twenty five thousand dollars to the runn
offf and ten thousand dollars a piece to the other
two teams competing in the final four. We offer also
a lot of other benefits from participating in the program,
including different trainings as well as the opportunity to interact
with potential investors.

Speaker 4 (04:37):
Visit fb dot org Forward Slash Challenge for more information
or to apply by June fifteenth. Chad Smith, Washington.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
Just because bird flu hasn't been in many headlines recently
doesn't mean the virus is no longer a concern for
the farming community. One of the more recent concerns for
the health community is farm workers who have come down
with HPAI, both at dairy and chicken farms. Washington State
veterinarian doctor Amber i tell says for the last three years,

(05:08):
HPAI hasn't had a massive human health impact, which could
breed complacency.

Speaker 6 (05:13):
In fact, CDC says the risk is low to the
general public, moderate to farm workers, and mostly what we're
seeing is conjunctivitis, you know. So the most important things
that we can do is provide PPE that doesn't just
protect the farm worker, but it's comfortable so they actually
wear it. Right So what you know, right now, we
really need folks to wear eye protection.

Speaker 1 (05:32):
Masks Idol says with the virus activity fairly low, now
is the time for farm owners and managers to take
inventory of what they have and what they need to
protect employees. She says, managers need to ask what PPE
they need to have stockpiled so when appropriate response can
be initiated.

Speaker 6 (05:51):
You know, you don't have to have enough to last
you a month, but you have to have enough to
last you a few days until you can you know,
you know what you need, So I would encourage producers
in that space to make sure you're prepared. What we
do know is that the virus you know right now,
like I said, doesn't have a huge human health implication,
pretty low risk. But what we don't want is to
have an opportunity for people to get infected or have

(06:13):
an opportunity for the virus to reassort in a way
that it does become a human health crisis, so that
there is human to human transmission. They're not yet, and
let's keep it that way.

Speaker 1 (06:22):
Idle added that states can't respond to a farm for
proper containment and protocol until steps to ensure workers' safety
have been taken by that farm. Well, Friendsly, Trump administration
is in the middle of trade negotiations with a large
number of countries to help rectify trade imbalances. Kenneth Harkman,
Junior President of the National Corn Growers Association, says China

(06:42):
and Mexico are two of the biggest international corn customers.

Speaker 7 (06:46):
China has brought corn from the US. Definitely want them
as a customer. There's definitely concern there as far as
carn there major concerns Mexico. You know, the Trump administration
negotiated USMCA in its first administration, and right now Mexico
is our number one purchaser of corn.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
US corn growers also can't forget Canada as an important market.

Speaker 7 (07:05):
Canada is our number one purchaser ofthanl so Mexico is
probably more important to US than China. There's opportunities there
and we definitely want to be able to sell to
China too, so we're hoping that the President can do
some negotiations there when it comes to the carn side
of it too, and any opportunities that we can have
with S and L or dry Distillers.

Speaker 1 (07:20):
Green Kenneth Junior, National Corn Growers Association farm News. You're
listening to WAG Life.

Speaker 8 (07:26):
It's another agnews update. Will consumer demand keep up with
high beef prices? More after this?

Speaker 9 (07:36):
As farmers and ranchers, stewardship of the land comes naturally.
The work keeps our water clean and improves the soil
and enhances wildlife habitat. It also provides countless benefits, not
just for you and your family, but for millions of
Americans who depend on this region every day without even
realizing it. Thank you for being stewards of America's prairie

(07:57):
for all of us. Take a moment to find out
how conservation pays. Is it conservation.

Speaker 8 (08:02):
Past Bob Melwers with Manka Trading Chicago.

Speaker 10 (08:08):
You still got the tightening supply trends. You got strong
consumer demand, which I'm kind of surprised at because prices
are so down high, but nonetheless it is what it is,
record cast prices that doesn't seem to be scaring anybody off.

Speaker 8 (08:20):
At the moment.

Speaker 10 (08:21):
Funds are bullish, kind of like the hogs, and the
input to the live cattle is the feeder cattle, and
that market is still on fire too, so several things
working its way, generally speaking, to help that market be
well supported.

Speaker 11 (08:33):
I would think the thing.

Speaker 10 (08:34):
That one thing that will keep an eye on is
carcass weights. They remain well above prior years, even though
the quantity of head out there isn't what it used
to be. We would say that or as heading in
the wrong direction in terms of any kind of relief,
definitely the weights might be offsetting a bit of that.
And in terms of trade and the next sport not
necessarily great. April bfxsports were down about nine percent year

(08:55):
on year, obviously big declines to China, Mexico and Canada,
and those are the three top targets in terms of tariffs, however,
and also imports up around forty five percent year a year,
especially from Brazil and Australia, which kind of makes sense
when you think about the price of cattle here in
the US. We're gonna go elsewhere to try to find it.
You know, some kind of source that might reduce the price,
and that's working its way in the market.

Speaker 8 (09:17):
It's another agnews update.

Speaker 4 (09:20):
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Speaker 13 (09:35):
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Speaker 4 (09:39):
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Speaker 13 (09:43):
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your support.

Speaker 8 (09:48):
Today American Cattle News, there's an intersection between agriculture advocacy
and mothers. More after this, here's farmer and lend donor
John Prue.

Speaker 14 (10:01):
We purchased the land about three years ago and there
was an old farmstead on there with trees. We're going
to clear the lands we could farm through it. We
thought we knew where the pipe was, so we didn't
call to get it located. The work on our property
led to the damage of a light crude pipeline. Unfortunately,
no one was hurt, but it could have been much worse.

Speaker 8 (10:17):
Never assumed the location or depth of underground lines. Always
call eight one to one or visit clickbefore youdig dot
com before you start work.

Speaker 15 (10:24):
A message from the pipeline operators for egg safety campaign.

Speaker 8 (10:27):
Amy Kirkland is a school teacher and the feedyard mall.

Speaker 16 (10:32):
I think one of our biggest opportunities is being able
to tell our story. And for years that's you know,
that's what I've said that we that we as Kirkland
feed Yard and be producers, need to tell our story.
But what we heard this morning is that consumers love
our product and they're going to pay for our product.
But what consumers also want is authenticity and transparency and

(10:56):
they want to trust the product that we have in
the grocery store store. And so I think that gives
us a real opportunity to tell our story, to be authentic.
And so they want to hear from us about how
do we care for our animals and how do we
stir the land and how do we produce this high
quality protein and they want that connection. And I will

(11:17):
tell you that as a mom, I can remember twenty
six years ago looking at that computer screen and making
a connection with the people that I saw right or wrong.
You know, what was I going to feed my kid
or what was I you know, what were the decisions
I was making for my family? And now as I
watch my daughter about to have a little girl of

(11:39):
her own, I see the same things happening, and I
see the people on that computer screen that are influencing
her to make the decisions that she is making for
her own child and family right now. So I think
that is such an opportunity for us on that computer screen,
on that phone screen, is to reach out to consumers

(12:01):
and just say, you know, tell our story of beef
and what we're doing and how are we making this
great product.

Speaker 8 (12:09):
American Cattle News. This is Dairy Radio Now.

Speaker 11 (12:14):
I'm Jean Clark, probably in the country side for Feedwick's
USA today. Mike North, I've ever agged, Mike.

Speaker 17 (12:20):
Welcome, good to join you down. The biggest movers of
late has been the cheese market, And if you've been
watching it since March, when at that point we kind
of bottomed out with block cheese at around a bucks
sixty and barrel cheese bottoming out at that same time
around a buck fifty five. We've seen a couple big
surges a break that kind of closed out the month

(12:43):
of April, followed by renewed gains through the month of May,
and it's really provided a lot of support to this
Class three market specifically. But cheese markets averaging a buck
eighty seven right now between the block and the barrel.
Mind you, the barrel by way of price doesn't quite
mean as much anymore because of some of the adjustments

(13:03):
in the new Federal Order reforms and the way that
milk is priced, but nonetheless, cheese making a run back higher,
definitely supporting that Class three market, and alongside of that
a way market that has renewed its strength. If you
go back to that same timeframe in March, we dropped
to about forty five cents. We've been just grinding our

(13:24):
way back higher, found our way back to fifty seven cents,
which as you look at where we've come from late
last year, we were just under eighty cents, so a
little bit of room to go to catch up to
where we were last fall, but making some moves back
higher on that front as well.

Speaker 11 (13:39):
And how doly relate worldwide in terms of our pricing
and doesn't help products move or is the tariff situation
impacting that.

Speaker 17 (13:46):
Yeah, certainly, as we moved towards tariffs, that did dampen
some of that outlook for price and certainly brought that
market down a bit. But as you compare cheddar cheese
as traded in global dairy trade last week was at
two dollars and sixteen cents, and while we're here at
a dollar eighty seven average, we are competitive now. We

(14:07):
also noted that as we got close to two dollars,
which we were near just a week and a half ago,
ultimately that market was not competitive. So markets have softened some.
Coming back into this mid to upper one eighty range
allows us to compete and do so very well, you know.
And butter really seeing the surge and butter prices moving

(14:28):
from about two point thirty up into this two fifty
five zone, settled back off here a little bit, but
nonetheless making a pretty big stride higher. And that comes
as we are more than a dollar under the world
market and very competitive in that space, to the point
that we see the US as a pretty big contributor
to the world butter market this year, when on most

(14:50):
years we are net importers. Hardly ever would we call
ourselves an exporter of butter.

Speaker 11 (14:56):
And let's talk a little bit about the feed grains.

Speaker 17 (14:58):
Yeah, so corn over so the course of the last
twenty four hours has dropped off precipitously, testing some old
support that we've established on this December contract at four
thirty five, I'm trading four thirty eight. Soybean market has
held along in this ten to thirty range. Meanwhile, soybean
meal kind of hanging right around three hundred bucks a ton.

(15:20):
As we look forward on the forward curve out through fall,
looking at that over at twenty year horizon, you're going
to find that that's super low relative to history. Generally
you get down to about two eighty to three hundred bucks,
and that defines the bottom of the market going back
for twenty years, and so pretty good pricing for Derryman

(15:41):
as they look at that protein space right now, at
least on the soybean meal market. You know, as we
talk about the road ahead, big report coming out at
the end of the month, we're going to take another
look at acreage. We of course got the prospect of
plannings report in March, but the end of June is
when they confirmed if we actually planted everything that we
prospect actively mite plant and that will kind of seal

(16:03):
that conversation and then it's just a weather story all
the way into harvests as to whether or not that
yield number that they put forward can be met as well.

Speaker 11 (16:12):
Mike North, give us your web address again.

Speaker 8 (16:15):
Ever dot ag.

Speaker 17 (16:17):
That's www dot ever dot ag.

Speaker 11 (16:20):
Thanks for being with us, Mike North of ever Egg,
Thanks for having me. Don John Clark traveling the countryside
for Feedwork's USA.

Speaker 18 (16:26):
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(16:49):
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Speaker 19 (16:57):
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation is having some slight
changes and reporting. I'm Patrick Cavanaugh with the California Trina
Report part of the vastag Information Network. Roger Isisam is
president and CEO of the new Western Trinut Association, which
is replacing the Western Agricultural Processors Association. He talks about

(17:18):
these pesticide regulations coming from DPR.

Speaker 20 (17:21):
Big ones on the pesticide front. You know, DPR is
now implementing their notification guidelines, so we're tracking that now
as people start having to notify if they're using a
restricted material in advance. And then DPR just had their
first workshop on their Priority Pesticide process on on how
they're going to prioritize pest sides for the Sustainable Pest
Management program and they just had that first workshop and

(17:43):
asking for comments on that. So we'll be developing our
thoughts and suggestions with regards to that program.

Speaker 19 (17:48):
That's Roger isom He's president and CEO of the California
Trinut Association. For more information, go to California DPR dot com.
A wider ray of trucks, trailers in heavy equipment will
be open for public bidding at the Richie Brothers Los
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(18:10):
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Speaker 21 (18:20):
For over forty years, the AG Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world, agriculture. The AG Information Network gives you worldwide
updates from local producers to regional organizations, from major crops
like wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to specially crops
like apples, almonds, and cherries. We report on stories that

(18:40):
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Speaker 15 (18:49):
It's been popping up in orchards and vineyards all over
in the origin theories colors.

Speaker 13 (18:53):
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Speaker 8 (18:58):
How do you explain these healthy crops.

Speaker 13 (19:01):
Well, longer lasting residual Plus, it's built for current regulatory
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Speaker 15 (19:08):
So a fungicide that is out of this world.

Speaker 13 (19:11):
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Speaker 19 (19:16):
Librations with the AG Information Network. I'm Patrick Cavanaugh.

Speaker 22 (19:20):
While in appellate court weighs the legality of some US tariffs.
China's retaliatory duties on US pork and beefree main in place.
Most usbef exports to China have also been halted due
to China's failure to renew beef plant registrations. US Meat
Export Federation offices around the globe have worked together to
find new markets for product that would have been headed
to China. Amara Rescio, as a USBF representative for Latin America, all.

Speaker 23 (19:42):
Of the offices got together and we talked about where
and how we could use some of these China items
in other markets. So in the case of Columbia, we
identified processors where we could take some items like the
mask that used to go to Mexico. China out bids them.
Maybe there's an opportunity in so other markets. So looked
at processors, looked at the different wet markets, and some

(20:04):
other opportunities on some off fall that could go to
these wet markets. In Colombia, in Central America and in
South America, a tremendous amount of white rice is eaten
and so you know, we know how short plates sliced
thinly and how they're used in Asia, and so we
thought maybe that was an opportunity.

Speaker 22 (20:25):
One of the most successful promotions came from shifting frozen
beef short plate to Korea, as USMEF Vice President of
Asia Pacific Jiayong.

Speaker 24 (20:32):
Explains, collaborating with the third largest retail chain called lou
De Mart, having one hundred and five stores nationwide. Korean
importer took an advantage because the short beef supply limit
the product availability in Korea for the last couple of
years due to the kettle cycle in the US. So

(20:56):
it's a great opportunity for the retailers to by the
reasonable price of short plate for the Korean consumer and
also good for the US exporters because it creates a
new demand through these promotions.

Speaker 22 (21:13):
For more, please visit USMEF dot org. For the usban
Export Federation, I'm John Hareth.

Speaker 25 (21:18):
The US Swabian Export Council. Recently host of the Soybean
Oil Masters program. Jim Souter, CEO of the US Soybean
Export Council, talks about what went on.

Speaker 26 (21:30):
We've got one hundred and ten attendees in Indianapolis, Indiana,
where together with the Indiana Soybean Association USEK is hosting
the Soybean Oil Masters Program. So we've got people from
about fifteen different countries who are at some stage in
the process of using soybean oil, their food manufacturers, soy processor,
soy refiners, and they're here improving their knowledge of soy,

(21:54):
how to better use it, the safety of soy, the
benefits of soy, and particularly the advance of US soy.

Speaker 25 (22:01):
That's kind of a program offers big benefits to US
SY customers.

Speaker 26 (22:05):
Well, it benefits customers because they understand more about the
differences between soybean oil from US soybeans versus oil from
other origin beings, the quality differences, the shelf life differences,
all of those advantages, so they're able to put that
to use in their business. We have numerous usoy exporters
that will also be an attendance, so we'll be having

(22:26):
seventy business to business meetings with these different people so
they may make some contacts that allow them to be
a better importer of usoy into their country. And also
they just learn the latest and greatest kind of knowledge
about how best to use soy, the latest on the
sustainability of US sooy, which is a big marketing point
in many countries around the world.

Speaker 25 (22:46):
He goes on to say, the programs like this fit
the goals of the US Soybean Export Council when it
comes to promoting US soy.

Speaker 26 (22:54):
Our key strategic goals are differentiate, elevated preference for usoy,
and then of course make sure we have market access.
And I was telling somebody earlier today that I think
this program is a great example of doing all three
of those things because through the educational process we're differentiating,
We're elevating a preference, through the talking about regulations, the

(23:14):
science behind the utilization of US SOI, we're making sure
people understand the opportunity to have market access. So it's
doing that and it's also diversifying markets for US soy.
You know, we want to be in every market where
we can, where it makes sense for US soy to go.

Speaker 25 (23:29):
One of the highlights was attendee has even got a
chance to see the Indianapolis five hundred over the Memorial
Day weekend.

Speaker 26 (23:37):
The Indiana Soybean Association has been such a great partner.
We've done this several years in a row. Now they
really help it come alive because we are able to
show all the way from farm through export locations, how
the process works for these people, how the US export
supply chain works. And there happens to be a big
sporting event in Indy which the international participants, if they're

(23:58):
so interested, have the opportunity to go to. And that's
the ND five hundred again.

Speaker 25 (24:01):
That is Jim Souter, CEO of the US Swabyan Export Council.

Speaker 27 (24:06):
It's time for California AG today on the AG Information Network.
I am Haley's ship. A new bill in the US
Senate could bring good news for California's cotton growers. The
Buying American Cotton Act, introduced by Senator Cindy Hyde Smith
of Mississippi, is designed to increase demand for cotton grown
and manufactured in the United States, using tax incentives to

(24:30):
reward companies that choose homegrown fiber. The National Cotton Council
is throwing its full supports behind the proposal. Patrick Johnson,
a cotton producer from Tunica, Mississippi, and current chairman of
the Council, says the bill is transformative. He believes it
taps into the traceability of US grown cotton and the
buying power of American consumers with transferable tax credits on

(24:52):
the table. Johnson says it could give businesses a real
reason to choose American cotton, strengthening agriculture and creating jobs
nations and wide. Although the bill was introduced in the
US Senate by Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde Smith, its potential
impact reaches far beyond the South. California's cotton rich Central
Valley could see direct benefits if the legislation gains traction.

(25:14):
The National Cotton Council also acknowledged early support from Senators
John Bowsman of Arkansas, Katy Britt of Alabama, and Roger
Marshall of Kansas.

Speaker 15 (25:23):
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(25:45):
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Speaker 27 (26:20):
This is California agg today on the AG Information Network,
I am Hailey Ship. For more agnews, check us out
online at aginfo dot net.

Speaker 1 (26:29):
Bob gwentn back with some farm news this morning. Friends.
Aspiring entrepreneurs now have more time to complete their applications
for the AG Innovation Challenge Chad Smith as our story.

Speaker 4 (26:41):
The American Farm Bureau, in partnership with Farm Credit, has
extended the deadline to register for the twenty twenty six
AG Innovation Challenge to June fifteenth. Chase Heineman, director of
industry Relations for AFBF, says entrepreneurs from across the country
are encouraged to apply.

Speaker 5 (27:01):
Farm Bureau's AGG Innovation Challenge is a nationwide business competition
that seeks applications from startups entrepreneurs who are developing unique
and innovative solutions to the challenges farmers and rachers are
facing every day.

Speaker 4 (27:14):
He says. The competition is open to businesses of all types.

Speaker 5 (27:18):
We've had innovators from all aspects of the agriculture sector
participate in the past, everything from livestock specially crop grow
crop aquaculture. We're looking for companies that have identified a
need in agriculture and have worked to develop innovative solutions
to fill that need.

Speaker 4 (27:36):
Farm Bureau, in partnership with Farm Credit, is pleased to
offer significant prizes to help startups get going.

Speaker 5 (27:43):
We're happy that we can once again offer one hundred
thousand dollars to the winner of the Aggonovation Challenge, as
well as twenty five thousand dollars to the rental and
ten thousand dollars apiece to the other two teams competing
and the final four. We offer also a lot of
other benefits from participating in the programming, leading different trainings,
as well as the opportunity to interact with potential investors.

Speaker 4 (28:05):
Visit fb dot org Forward Slash Challenge for more information
or to apply by June fifteenth, Chad Smith, Washington.

Speaker 1 (28:13):
Recent catalog feed report show producers are starting to keep
a few more heifers in their herds, suggesting that herd
rebuilding may be underway. Doctor Darryl Peel, livestock market economist
for Oklahoma State University, says the rebuild appears to be
starting slowly.

Speaker 28 (28:30):
Well a little bit. I mean, the only real data
point we have now that really kind of suggests heifer
retention and the beginnings of herd rebuilding would be in
that April Catalan feed report. We got the quarterly breakdown
of steers and heifers, and the heifers on feed as
a percentage of total feedlot inventories was at the lowest
level in the last five years. So that's kind of
the first real data point. But when you look at

(28:51):
pepperslaughter again, particularly in the last few weeks, has dropped
off more significantly. Steers have two for that matter, but
heifer's in particular heepperslaughter has dropped, and so you know,
and if you put heifer and cowslaughter together and think
about female slaughter as a percent of total cattle slaughter,
it continues to come down.

Speaker 1 (29:08):
It's not a full scale her rebuild.

Speaker 28 (29:11):
Yet it's still well above levels that would confirm that
we're actively rebuilding the herd. But we're certainly, I think,
moving in that direction, and that's consistent with what I
sort of hear out in the country anecdotally among producers
and lenders for that matter. There's a lot more interest
now in the possibility of retaining heifers and getting started
at least with some herd rebuilding.

Speaker 1 (29:29):
No drought in these southern plains is also encouraging producers
to think about rebuilding their herd numbers.

Speaker 28 (29:36):
Yeah, I think that's absolutely correct. You know, producers have
been wisely, very cautious about this, but with the improvement
we've seen in forage conditions in the last six weeks
or so, producers in the southern plains probably are now
moving forward. I don't think again, we're moving dramatically aggressively
at this point. I think we're still proceeding relatively modest
paced at this point. And of course we know that
there's still a fair amount of drought and drought threats

(29:58):
in the northern part of the country, northern planes in particular,
so that's going to limit it on a total basis.

Speaker 1 (30:03):
According to Peel, significant beef production won't increase until twenty
twenty eight, and beef supply will be squeezed even tighter
in the meantime as fewer cows and heifers enter the pipeline. Well, friends,
the Trump administration is in the middle of trade negotiations
with a large number of countries to help rectify trade imbalances.
Kenneth Harkman, Junior President of the National Corn Growers Association,

(30:25):
says China and Mexico are two of the biggest international
corn customers.

Speaker 7 (30:30):
China has bought corn from the US. Definitely want them
as a customer. There's definitely concern there as far as
carn though, our major concern is Mexico. You know, the
Trump administration negotiated USMCA in his first administration, and right
now Mexico is our number one purchaser of carn.

Speaker 1 (30:45):
Us Corn growers also can't forget Canada as an important market.

Speaker 7 (30:48):
Canada is our number one purchaser of ethanol, so Mexico
is probably more important to US than China. There's opportunities
there and we definitely want to be able to sell
to China too, so we're hoping that the President can
do some negotiations there when it comes to the carn
side of a two and any opportunities that we can
have with sn dol Ar Dry Distillers, Green.

Speaker 1 (31:04):
Kenneth Junior, National Corn Growers Association farm US. You're listening
to WAG life.

Speaker 29 (31:11):
From the Egg Information Networked. This is your agribusiness update.

Speaker 5 (31:15):
Well.

Speaker 29 (31:16):
California's cherry crop is lighter this year, with farmers in
parts of the state blaming the lower yield on last
summer's heat wave and poor pollination. This spring, San Joaquin
County agg Commissioner Kamal Bagri requested a disaster declaration after
estimating the crop was about forty three percent less than
the five year average, a roughly one hundred million dollar loss.
Linden grower Donald Drake says the quality of his fruit

(31:38):
is excellent, but yields are down fifty percent. President Trump's
tariffs will take a big bite out of the US
deficit levels, reducing them two and a half trillion dollars
over the next decade and shrinking the size of the
US economy. A Congressional Budget Office analysis showed the deficit
reduction is almost exactly the same size as a deficit
addition from the GOP's Big Beautiful. Despite several TEARFF pauses

(32:02):
on other countries, some are still in effect despite negotiations
with those countries. The National Milk Producers Federation and others
applauded the Senate Egg Committee for supporting by voice vote
the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. The bill would
provide schools with the option of serving whole and two
percent milk, the two most consumed varieties at home, and
offer thirteen essential nutrients like protein and calcium. Currently, school

(32:25):
meal rules in place since twenty twelve allow only one
percent in fat free options.

Speaker 30 (32:30):
Farm work is tough, and so is staying safe on
a road. Every year, accidents happen when tractors and traffic
share the same space, whether you're behind the wheel of
a tractor or a car.

Speaker 8 (32:40):
Here's what you need to remember.

Speaker 30 (32:41):
Tractors move slower, be patient, don't pass on hills or curves.
Farmers make sure your slow moving vehicles, signs and lights
are visible, and everyone's sailert especially on rule roads. One
moment of caution can save a life. Let's work together
to keep our roads and our farms safe. This message
was brought to you by the AG Information Network.

Speaker 12 (33:00):
Today we're talking with aphis and white flies about sephena
insecticide from basf We.

Speaker 8 (33:05):
Just get nailed with it. So tell us how you
feeling really, really weird.

Speaker 12 (33:10):
And you still wanted to devour this field? No way, bro,
There you have it, folks. Safena insecticide is specifically engineered
to disorient aphis and wife flies so they can't eat,
and when they can't eat, they can't destroy.

Speaker 15 (33:23):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with sefena insecticide. Always
read and follow label directions.

Speaker 29 (33:28):
Get the equipment you need at Richie Brothers next to
Larry Auction June twentieth bid on over eight hundred items,
including a white selection of farming equipment. This absolute unreserved
action is open to the public and free to register.
For more details, visit rbauction dot com.

Speaker 1 (33:43):
Bob went back to Ratha Faglive today. Friends, How does
the latest in a series of Western extreme heat events
over the last three weeks build upon various concerns in
the region. El Rodbain has a report.

Speaker 2 (33:55):
A warmer than normal second half the sprague in the West.

Speaker 3 (33:58):
We did have a very significant heat wave near the
end of May and as we finished up the month
of May, we saw some all time May records being
set in parts of the West.

Speaker 2 (34:07):
Continues after a brief cool down. According to USDA b
rologist Brad Rippe.

Speaker 3 (34:13):
The latest heat wave really began during the weekend and
continues at this time.

Speaker 2 (34:18):
With daily record high temperatures set in communities like Roseberg
at Medford, Oregon. Some of the extreme heat is spilling
it to the Northern Rockies and Northern Plades.

Speaker 3 (34:28):
Which continues to deal with a significant drought, temperatures on
Monday hitting ninety eight in Havermontana and Rippyads.

Speaker 2 (34:35):
No significant break from the heat is expected for the
West in the foreseeable future, implying potential loss of surface
water availability, add to other impacts to agriculture and municipalities
in the region. Abroad. Bayed reporting for the US Department
of Agriculture in Washington, d.

Speaker 1 (34:51):
C Well Friends more on the cattle herd rebuild. Meet
Exports Federation has a report from their spring conference talking
about that rebuild may be underway.

Speaker 22 (35:01):
As the US red meat industry gathers in Fort Worth
this week for the USBT Export Federation Spring Conference. You
younote speaker Randy Block CEO of Cattle Facts informed USMEF
members that the cattle herd rebuilding may finally be gaining traction.

Speaker 31 (35:13):
We're still in in tight fed cattle supplies. We've got
more hooks than we have cattle to fill those hooks,
and we see that not only at the fed cattle level,
but we said at the non fed level as well,
so non fed slaughter, non fed cow bullslaughter has declined
significantly as you would expect. So we're stabilizing and heard
from a lack of harvest of the cows. We're seeing

(35:34):
very gradual, slow, slow, slow expansion. But it does look
like when we look back, January of twenty twenty five.

Speaker 11 (35:42):
Will be the low en the beef cow herd.

Speaker 31 (35:44):
So as I look at the numbers out here, I
think it's important that people recognize that are per capita
beef supplies really are pretty flat.

Speaker 11 (35:52):
They haven't changed much.

Speaker 31 (35:53):
This price increase that we're experiencing in the industry is
demand driven. Beef demands at a thirty seven year high,
and I think when people think about demand, obviously quality
has been the key to that. We've seen the quality
of the animals being produced has increased.

Speaker 22 (36:08):
Substantially USMEF President and CEO Dan Hallstrom said that robust
global demand shows the industry needs to stay focused on
the long term.

Speaker 32 (36:16):
We've see a lot of disruption the first quarter of
twenty twenty five. The disruption and our tariffs on are
they off? Who will be affected? Who won't. This is
just the nature of the market that we're in. The
reality is that demand continues. Demand is record breaking on
both beef ham port in a variety of markets, so
we have the ability to adjust as needed, a good
example being China currently. But I think the message is

(36:38):
that we got to keep our eye on the ball,
and our eye is to stay on the ball, keep
growing demand, looking a little bit medium to longer term
because in the end, I really think all this noise
around what may or may not happen will be superseded
by demand.

Speaker 22 (36:51):
For the Uspeed Expert Federation, I'm John Harrith with.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
That friends, about a time for today, Thanks for joining us.
Back tomorrow morning with another edition A Bad Life