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Just a scoop full(Feb. 6)--Almost seems like a broken record to me when I call in to ask what the cattle futures and grain market is doing. Particularly, the wheat market has made unbelievable new highs. A person gets to thinking that surely there is no way it could get any higher. And then they prove you wrong. Farmers have needed these higher prices for a long time. I do not begrudge them getting a fair price for their product. However, I am disgusted with how cattlemen seem to be able to market our product. I fear the day we lose the individual cattle feeder. Some constantly say the big boys do not want to own them all. They will not have to, if it ever gets to where three or four groups buy all the feeder cattle. At that point, they would immediately control the calf market. I do not like to think negative but we must be realistic. We cattlemen must constantly tell our politicians the importance and snowball effect of too much control. I like the cattle business and I want the next generation to be able to do the same. Our cow numbers at the sale are a lot lower than normal. And our stocker and feeder numbers are two-thirds the normal size, also. The number of feeder cattle to go to the feedlot from March and later should be a lot less. That should definitely make the fall months a lot higher on cattle. If grain prices don't kill us in the process and my banker doesn't realize how much money I have lost, maybe by fall we can get back in the driver's seat. I am tired of sitting in the back. Editor's Note: Jerry Nine, Woodward, Okla., is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family's ranch near Laverne, Okla. 2/18/08 Date: 2/13/08
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