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ISSUE: 11/23/2009

Meat marketing tactics change with consumer trends

By Jennifer M. Latzke

The grocery advertising inserts are a familiar staple of every hometown newspaper. Chucks, ribeye steaks, ground beef--all so tempting, and at the right sale price for the season.

Consumers are familiar with this communication tactic grocers have used for decades to entice buyers into their stores and ultimately move product. But, with changing demographics and changing consumer habits, meat retailers are becoming more invested in using new and improved methods to reach their target audiences.

New faces in the store

In the past 50 years, consumer demographics at the grocery store have changed, and the meat counter has had to adapt to these trends.

For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of women 18 years and older working outside of the home rose from 33.4 percent in 1950 to 59.3 percent in 2007. These working parents of active children are looking for convenient items in the meat case to simplify mealtime between driving their children to and from after-school activities.


Conventional ag production has economical, environmental advantages

By Jennifer Bremer

With little or no new farmland to exploit, farmers will have to become more productive in the future in order to continue to provide feed, food and fiber for the world, according to Alex Avery, director of research and education for the Hudson Institute.

"Global food demand will at least double, and more likely triple, over the next 50 years," he told a group at the Feeding Quality Forum held in South Sioux City, Neb., Nov. 10.

Avery said population growth is not the only factor in world food demand, though. Affluence and wealth have just as much importance in the need for food.

"When people have more money, the first thing they buy is food and more higher-quality food," he said. "Everyone has always thought Indian people had mostly vegetarian diets because of religious reasons, but it is more because of economic reasons."


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AgriLife Extension to conduct Schleicher County training Nov. 19

Texas The Texas AgriLife Extension Service offices of Schleicher and Sutton counties will conduct a public continuing education unit training beginning at 8:30 a.m., Nov. 19 in the Schleicher County Civic Center, located just south of Eldorado at 427 U.S. Highway 277 South. Five Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered, four in the general category and one in the laws and regulations category.

Farm Rescue founder surprised at speed of growth

YPSILANTI, N.D. (AP)--In just four years, Farm Rescue has assisted 100 farm families. It's a fact even the founder of the organization finds a little hard to believe. "I knew it would happen,' said Bill Gross, founder and president of the organization.

Talk to your children about H1N1

There is a lot of talk among people and in the news about the H1N1 flu and seasonal flu. With all the uproar many children and parents may be anxious. Debbie Richardson, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension parenting assistant specialist, said children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events.

NMSU Cooperative Extension Service workshop to focus on sustainable ag

New Mexico The future of sustainable agriculture has never looked more promising or more challenging. Looking to education and funding is one way to meet this challenge.

U.S. biodiesel leaders visit with lawmakers

Members of the National Biodiesel Board, the trade association for the U.S. biodiesel industry, Nov. 17 called on lawmakers to extend and reform the biodiesel tax incentive. "The biodiesel tax incentive is working. Since its enactment in 2004, U.S. biodiesel production has reached commercial scale, and the nation has realized the job creation, environmental and energy security benefits that come with the expanded production and use of biodiesel," ...

Potato research project feeds the hungry

Texas Texas AgriLife Research scientists had perfectly good potatoes laying in the field after a field study. Michael Hoy was a Boy Scout looking for an Eagle Scout project.


Gelbvieh enthusiasts gather for the 2009 American Royal Gelbvieh and Balancer Show

Gelbvieh enthusiasts exhibited 59 entries in the 2009 American Royal Ring of Gold Gelbvieh and Balancer Show on October 28, 2009 in Kansas City, Mo. Troy Thomas of Harrold, S.D. evaluated the Gelbvieh and Balancer females and bulls that were exhibited by 33 breeders. Winning the Gelbvieh female show was BVLK U121 Star exhibited by Britney Volek from Highmore, S.D. This November 2008 heifer is sired by ELK ...

Use of ultrasound, market outlook among beef topics at Meeteetse program

Wyoming Learning how ultrasound can improve herds is one of three livestock topics presented from 9 a.m. to noon in Meeteetse, Nov. 12. The sessions are at Lucille's Cafe.

Firm plans meatpacking plant in Bismarck

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)--A company is looking for a site in the Bismarck-Mandan area for a meatpacking plant that could slaughter up to 800 cattle a day and export 60 percent of the beef to South Korea. Hank Imm is the executive vice president of FK Corp. USA Inc. He said the company has been working with state officials on a site and a business plan.

Researchers study link between climate change, nutritional stress

Kansas State University's Joseph Craine, research assistant professor in the Division of Biology, and KC Olson, associate professor in animal sciences and industry, have teamed up with some other scientists from across the United States to look into the possible effects of climate change on cattle nutrition. Comparing grasslands and pastureland in different regions in the U.S., the study, published in Global Change Biology, ...

Ventilate and take other safety precautions to prevent manure pit explosions

Nebraska Recent explosions and flash fires that occurred in livestock buildings with manure pits in Iowa and Minnesota have a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension engineer and others offering advice on how to avoid these potentially dangerous situations. So far, the explosions have resulted in building damage with few animal losses and no personal injuries or fatalities, said Rick Stowell, extension engineer in ...

Industry advisors say it is time to capture direct, maternal heterosis

Longevity, rebreeding and calf survivability are gaining importance as the nation's cow herd becomes more straightbred. That likely is because commercial cow-calf producers have forgotten or ignored hybrid vigor (heterosis). A crossbreeding program can increase lifetime production by more than 20 percent if you design it to capture both direct (individual) heterosis in crossbred calves and maternal heterosis in crossbred...

    Consider on-farm storages

    By Richard C. Snell Barton County Extension Agent, agriculture Once again it's deja vu all over again.

    Farmers may want to think twice before selling corn stover

    Nebraska While there have been some offers from a couple of energy companies to buy corn stover this year, Nebraska farmers need to take into account the soil structure loss and nutrient loss before making that decision, University of Nebraska-Lincoln experts say. Corn stover, or the residue left behind after harvesting corn, can be made into pellets and sold to coal burning power plants generating electricity, said Paul Jasa, UNL ...

    Kansas farmer tries growing peanuts

    HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP)--If he's been called any nicknames, they haven't been to his face, Rice County farmer Clark Schmidt says with a grin. Yet, he figures he's been the talk of the local elevator and morning coffee shops for his 65-acre peanut field not far from Sterling. Peanuts in a state known for wheat production, after all, aren't typical.

    Late wheat planting requires extra planning

    Kansas Some wheat has not yet been planted this year across Kansas--especially in the eastern third of the state--due in some cases to wet soil conditions. In other cases, producers are still waiting to harvest their soybeans, grain sorghum or corn before planting wheat, said Jim Shroyer, Kansas State University Research and Extension crop production specialist.

    Spying on corn rootworm predators' nightlife

    Agricultural Research Service entomologist Jonathan G. Lundgren, while exploring corn fields at night, has found a very different group of predators than the ones that feed during the day. It turns out that these night-time predators have a great appetite for corn rootworms, the most costly pest of corn in the world. Research on day-active and night-active predatory insects is important for scientists who are developing strategies that maximize ...

    Scientists plot genetic ploy against grain pest

    Aided by a genomic map of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, Agricultural Research Service and university scientists are plotting a kind of genetic sabotage on the pest's basic life functions--from locomotion to digestion. Nationally, infestations of flour beetles and their beetle cousins cost millions of dollars in losses annually to stored grains and the food products made from those grains. Warehouse sanitation usually keeps beetle ...


Clovis livestock sales report

The Clovis Livestock Auction, Clovis, N.M., reported receipts of 4,635 head Nov. 11, compared to 5,090 head last week and 4,045 head last year, according to the USDA-New Mexico Department of Agriculture Market News, Clovis, N.M. Compared to last week, feeder steers were $1 to $6 lower except those at 400 to 500 pounds were steady, and 500 to 600 pounds were $9 lower. Heifers were $4 to $5 lower.

Presho livestock sales report

The Presho Livestock Auction, Presho, S.D., reported receipts of 1,360 head Nov. 12, compared to 5,653 head last week and 2,190 head last year, according to the USDA-South Dakota Department of Agriculture Market News, Sioux Falls, S.D. Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Potloads were not as prevalent this week.

High Plains slaughter news report

High Plains weighted average direct slaughter cattle sales for the week ending Nov. 15, totaled 114,804 head, compared to 106,394 head last week and 158,168 head last year, according to the USDA Market News Service, St. Joseph, Mo. The report was based on sales in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa and Minnesota feedlots. Steers: Live FOB basis, over 80% Choice, 1,877 head, 1,250 to 1,450 lbs., 80.00 to 85.50 (81.49); 65 to 80% ...

Faith livestock auction report

The Faith Livestock Commission Co., Faith, S.D., reported receipts of 1,651 head Nov. 16, compared to 3,467 head last week and 2,312 head last year, according to the USDA-South Dakota Department of Agriculture Market News, Sioux Falls, S.D. Compared to last week, steer and heifer calves sold mostly steady with fewer offerings. There was no recent comparison on replacement cattle as this was the first test in several months.

Aberdeen cattle sales report

The Hub City Livestock Auction, Aberdeen, S.D., reported receipts of 7,007 head Nov. 18, compared to 5,451 head last week and 7,319 head last year, according to the USDA-South Dakota Department of Agriculture Market News, Sioux Falls, S.D. Compared to last week, yearling feeder steers and heifers were steady to $2 lower. Steer calves were steady to $1 higher.

OKC West livestock market report

The OKC West Livestock Market Inc., El Reno, Okla., reported receipts of 5,519 head Nov. 18, compared to 9,014 head last week and 6,652 head last year, according to the USDA-Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Market News, Oklahoma City, Okla. Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers were steady on a light test. Demand was moderate to good for feeder cattle.

    Grain market close

    The USDA Market News Service, Greeley, Colo., in the closing grain report for Nov. 9, reported in futures trading that Chicago December soft red winter wheat was $5.20, up 22 3/4 cents; December corn, $3.86, up 19 cents; and January soybeans, $9.72, up 17 cents. The export bid for direct Gulf delivery of No. 1 hard red winter wheat, ordinary protein, rail, $5.51 1/2 to $5.61 1/2, up 20 1/2 cents; No.

    Grain market close

    The USDA Market News Service, Greeley, Colo., in the closing grain report for Oct. 26, reported in futures trading that Chicago December soft red winter wheat was $5.27, down 20 3/4 cent; December corn, $3.78, down 19 3/4 cents; and November soybeans, $9.86 1/2, down 19 1/2 cents. The export bid for direct Gulf delivery of No. 1 hard red winter wheat, ordinary protein, rail, $5.61 to $5.71, down 18 1/2 cents; No.

    Grains close lower with dry weather forecast

    Grains closed lower as drier weather has been forecasted, and this should lead to harvest activity before more rain moves in later in the week, according to the National Grain Market Summary, Oct. 26. Outside markets pressured grains as the stock market, crude oil and precious metals all closed lower. Wheat closed 15 to 21 cents lower.

    Grain bids all sharply higher

    Grains were all sharply higher Nov. 16 as buying spree entered the commodity market with strong outside support from a sharply higher gold market, higher crude oil and a strong rally in the stock market, according to the National Grain Market Summary. A slumping dollar also lent support to the markets. With another round of rain and in some areas snow across the Midwest delaying corn harvest should continue to support the corn market.

    Grain market close

    The USDA Market News Service, Greeley, Colo., in the closing grain report for Nov. 2, reported in futures trading that Chicago December soft red winter wheat was $5.16 3/4, up 22 1/2 cent; December corn, $3.82 1/4, up 16 1/4 cents; November soybeans, $9.97 1/2, up 19 1/2 cents and January soybeans, $9.98, up 21 1/2 cents. The export bid for direct Gulf delivery of No. 1 hard red winter wheat, ordinary protein, rail, $5.50 to $5.60, up 21 cents; No.

    Grains see sharp gains

    Grains had sharp gains as buying entered the market on Nov. 2, according to the National Grain Market Summary. Outside markets were higher with crude oil and precious metals. Widespread harvest maybe delayed in some cases as fields are very muddy delaying harvest progress.

    Grain market close

    The USDA Market News Service, Greeley, Colo., in the closing grain report for Oct. 19, reported in futures trading that Chicago December soft red winter wheat was $5.17 3/4, up 19 cents; December corn, $3.86 1/4, up 14 1/4 cents; and November soybeans, $9.96 1/4, up 18 3/4 cents. The export bid for direct Gulf delivery of No. 1 hard red winter wheat, ordinary protein, rail, $5.58 3/4 to $5.68 3/4, up 18 1/4 cents; No.

    Grain markets rally

    The grain markets rallied closing moderate to sharply higher, according to the National Grain Market Summary, Oct. 19. Wheat saw spillover support from other grains and a lower dollar. Corn and soybeans found support from the higher equities, a lower dollar, and rain in the forecast for parts of the Corn Belt.



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