California Ag Network

Category: Ag Economics

  • Ryan Goodman and Jen Sorenson to Share Consumer Engagement Tips with 2023 College Aggies

    Ryan Goodman, also known online as “The Beef Runner,” and Jen Sorenson, former president of the National Pork Producers Council, will mentor 2023 College Aggies Online (CAO) participants as they compete for scholarship awards and build resume experience. The 2023 program kicks off on September 11. Registration is now open for undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students studying in the U.S., as well as collegiate clubs and classes. Last year, nearly $20,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded to participants. Sign up for this year’s competition here: https://animalagalliance.org/initiatives/college-aggies-online/.

    Reflecting on the 2022 competition, Morgan Elia, student at California Polytechnic State University and second place individual, said, “I thoroughly enjoyed every week of the competition, and I feel like I walked away with a lot of experience and knowledge. I’m definitely glad I participated. I have had numerous friends and family tell me they learned a lot from my posts and thought it was really cool I was spreading that kind of knowledge.”

    CAO is an initiative of the Animal Agriculture Alliance connecting college students from across the country who are passionate about sharing positive, factual information about agriculture. Participants receive nine interactive and educational weeks of content to help them become confident and effective communicators for agriculture with guidance from farmer and industry mentors. Goodman will support students as they are challenged to write and publish a blog post, and Sorenson will share her tips for engaging online about pork and pig farming.

    Goodman works to bridge the gap between cattle farmers and ranchers in his role as director of communications and community engagement at Certified Angus Beef. He engages the brand’s network of fans to grow its global presence and helps make topics like cattle care and sustainability easier to discuss and understand. He has worked in the beef community with family farmers and cow-calf, stocker, and feeder farms, and as a freelance writer for agriculture publications. Before joining the brand in 2022, he served as director of grassroots advocacy and spokesperson development for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Goodman has been a longtime leader in agriculture advocacy as an early adopter of social media and blogging, reaching global audiences through his writing and digital content.

    Sorenson grew up on a pig farm in southeastern Iowa and has always had a passion for telling the story of agriculture. After receiving degrees in animal science and journalism from Iowa State University, she worked in several communications departments, including at the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Christensen Farms, and McCormick Company. She is now Iowa Select Farms’ director of communications. Sorenson has been with Iowa Select Farms for ten years and is responsible for all facets of internal and external communications, media relations, public relations and industry outreach. She is the immediate past president of the National Pork Producers Council.

    Goodman and Sorenson will help the Alliance in selecting weekly scholarship winners. The top participants at the conclusion of the program will be invited to attend the Alliance’s 2024 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Missouri, for national recognition.

    Students interested in networking with industry professionals and learning from successful agriculture influencers while strengthening their communication skills are invited to sign up today at https://animalagalliance.org/initiatives/college-aggies-online-sign-up/.

    About the Alliance:

    The Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation.

  • Professor Spang Takes Helm of Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science

    Edward “Ned” Spang has been named director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, or RMI, at the University of California, Davis. Spang, an associate professor with the Department of Food Science and Technology, began his new position on Aug. 1. He succeeds wine chemist Andrew Waterhouse, professor emeritus with the Department of Viticulture and Enology, who retired in June after five years as RMI director.

    The Robert Mondavi Institute is home to the university’s winemaking, brewing and food science programs, and their facilities. Through public education events and lectures, the institute provides the departments of Viticulture and Enology, and Food Science and Technology a prestigious forum for collaboration and outreach, built around the central mission of enhancing public understanding of wine, brewing and food sciences.

    Spang brings broad expertise on the relationships between food, water and energy to the institute, which connects faculty and students with a large network of scientists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, consumers and industry professionals engaged in wine, brewing and food science. Spang said he’s looking forward to continuing to shine a spotlight on the innovative wine and food research and education programs on campus.

    “I’m really excited to build on the great history of the Robert Mondavi Institute,” Spang said. “It’s been so successful at bringing people together to celebrate the joy of food and wine and to highlight different voices and perspectives from across the wine and food communities. It’s truly an honor for me to continue this work as the new director.”

    Spang first joined UC Davis 12 years ago as associate director of the Center for Water-Energy Efficiency, where he led a team of researchers studying ways to improve how resources are used by managing water and energy together. He’s been with the Department of Food Science and Technology faculty since 2015. He’s the faculty advisor for the Food Loss and Waste Collaborative, an interdisciplinary research program on campus focused on developing solutions and innovative approaches to reduce loss and waste throughout the food life cycle.

    He also dedicates his time as a board member for the Yolo Food Bank to ensure the community has access to healthy foods. The topic of food security is an important issue that Spang hopes will spur meaningful conversations about how to improve access to nutritious foods for our campus population and the broader region.

    “Anytime you take a position like this, you want to add some of your own flavor to the programming,” Spang said. “I’ve been working on the topic of food and sustainability for a long time, so I’ll be pursuing some things in that area that will be exciting for both the students and the community.”

    Helene Dillard, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, said Spang is ideally prepared to support the mission of the college and the institute.

    “We are very excited for Professor Spang’s vision and commitment to the future of the RMI,” Dillard said. “His experience in working across disciplines, reaching diverse audiences and connecting with communities will ensure that the RMI continues to reach public and academic audiences and support our mission of ‘enhancing our quality of life through wine, brewing, and food sciences.’” — By Tiffany Dobbyn, UC Davis College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

  • 2023 California Agriculture in the Classroom Conference

    The California Agriculture in the Classroom Conference is September 22-24, 2023!

    Our goal? Make agriculture come alive in classrooms throughout the state!

    Learn exciting ways to teach K-12 students where their food and fiber come from. The conference includes hands-on activities, farm, and ranch field trips, the ever-popular farmer panel, an exciting author panel, exhibits, and collaboration with other educators. Dynamic presenters and speakers enhance the experience and make the Ag in the Classroom Conference a must-attend event!

    “We think every teacher should attend this conference!”

    – 2022 Conference Attendees

    “I enjoy the Ag in the Classroom Conference for the expansion of awareness that enables the educators and students to learn more about their environment (earth), and their place in it. Students always gain insights and appreciation for agriculture’s role in our daily lives.”

    – 2018 Conference Attendee

    Attendees will explore California’s prolific food and fiber industry and enrich their current curriculum at the same time! Participants will receive teaching resources designed to meet California’s academic standards. The annual event will energize classroom teachers, administrators, afterschool coordinators, and community volunteers to bring agriculture into theirclassrooms and programs.

    The California Agriculture in the Classroom Conference aims to help educators teach K-12 students about the importance of agriculture to California’s economy and environment and to their health and lifestyles. The conference is hosted by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

    Conference registration is available online here!

    The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California’s K-12 educators and students.

  • Cattleman’s Four Decades of UCCE Collaborations Advance Ranching Practices

    Siskiyou County rancher Jack Cowley, 91, joyfully recalled the special Christmas gift that delighted his seven children in the 1960s. Cowley, then a practicing eye doctor in Sacramento, and his late wife Barbara surprised the children with a white quarterhorse, which they named Silver.

    “That’s how it all started!” exclaimed Cowley, reflecting on the gift horse that would eventually lead to a 40-year collaboration with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

    Silver was the impetus for his family’s involvement with the 4-H Youth Development Program, a part of UC ANR. Cowley also would later transition to a second career in cattle ranching, and collaborate with UC Cooperative Extension on research projects ranging from weed control to cow genetics.

    “Jack has been an extremely committed supporter of UCCE,” said Grace Woodmansee, who became the UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Siskiyou County in 2021. “He has worked with UCCE extensively and contributed a lot of time and resources to supporting local and statewide projects.”

    Lately Cowley and his son David have been working with Woodmansee and Gabriele Maier, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, on a cow deworming study.

    Not only has Cowley allowed UCCE scientists to study his cattle over the years, he has been willing to personally share information with scientists and cattle producers across the country and internationally.

    “It is important to foster exchange and linkages, said Dan Drake, UCCE farm advisor emeritus in Siskiyou County, who collaborated with Cowley for 30 years. “He went to so many meetings, especially with the early and uncharted areas of cattle genetics. Jack was on a first-name basis with the leaders from other states and the relationships were important in both directions. Frankly, I think many of those folks were jealous of the great cooperator we had in California.”

    Cowley has turned most of the cattle operations over to his children, but he keeps a hand in the business.

    Breeding for better beef

    After retiring from his Sacramento ophthalmology practice in the 1990s, Cowley settled in Montague in Siskiyou County, 246 miles north of the closest UC campus. There he met then-UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Steve Orloff and Drake. Orloff advised him on alfalfa production and pasture management while Drake offered counsel on animal health records, organizing breeding, animal nutrition and water issues. 

    Drake explained to ranchers that by selectively breeding cows based on genetics, they could improve the production and quality of beef so that it’s healthier for humans.

    “My medical background helped me understand animal genetics,” Cowley said. “We can modify the genetics to improve the quality of the beef to make it more heart-healthy.”

    In 2009, Drake introduced Cowley to UC Cooperative Extension specialist Alison Van Eenennaam, who studies animal genetics at UC Davis.

    “I was looking to set up a research trial where we would follow cattle from the ranch all the way through to the Harris Ranch processing plant in the Central Valley,” said Van Eenennaam, who worked with Cowley on a three-year project.

    Using DNA samples from Cowley’s cattle, they evaluated the data they received from processor Harris Ranch of the beef characteristics – such as tenderness — to compare the different breeds.

    “I really thought I knew what I was doing and my cattle graded terribly,” Cowley said.

    Since beginning the genetics project, his beef quality steadily improved.

    “We’re now up to where all of our animals are graded anywhere from 20% to 40% Prime and the rest Choice,” said Cowley, adding that he stopped striving for higher grades because the buyer said there was a limited market for the more expensive meat.

    Cowley takes pride in knowing breeding practices developed from the research he and UC Cooperative Extension conducted have been adopted globally by dairy producers and beef producers.

    “The type of research we were doing there has eventually evolved to now we have these genomic tests that you can use that genetically predict the performance of animals,” Van Eenennaam said. “Nowadays people just take an ear tag and send it in and get their genetic prediction.”

    Van Eenennaam credits Cowley for allowing research on his large herd. “Jack was very patient with things that take a long time. When researchers come onto your ranch, that could slow you down.”

    She added, “Genetic improvement, of course, is a huge component of sustainability because the more efficient cattle are, the less feed they consume and the less time they take to finish, which ultimately lessens their environmental footprint.”

    Grace Woodmansee, who became the UCCE livestock and natural resources advisor for Siskiyou County in 2021, sits with Cowley in his kitchen, which features chicken decorations collected by his late wife Barbara.

    Growing up in Utah

    Looking back, Cowley marvels that he has been fortunate to do what he wanted to do in life.

    “I was interested in ranching when I was probably seven or eight years of age,” said Cowley, who delivered the local Deseret Newspaper on horseback as a boy. “I grew up in Utah, you know, a little town in Utah called Holladay. It was not a ranching community.”

    After serving four years in the Air Force during the Korean War, he returned to Utah to find the cute girl he met in first grade had graduated from college and was still single. He married Barbara in 1956. When he was accepted at George Washington University medical school, they drove with their three-week-old baby from Utah to Washington, D.C. He got a job in the Senate office building as an elevator operator working from 5 to 11 p.m., which enabled him to study, meet influential people and finish medical school without debt.

    “I actually got to meet Khrushchev,” he said, recalling his encounter with the Soviet leader..

    After finishing his ophthalmology residency at UCLA, Cowley established his practice in Sacramento and later taught a few classes at UC Davis Medical School.

    Becoming a cattleman

    One Saturday afternoon, after Silver the horse joined the family, Cowley and his oldest daughter, Kathryn, were driving in Placerville and saw a ranch for sale. He bought the 90 acres. For two summers, Barbara and the children lived at the ranch and Cowley joined them on weekends.

    “Of course, I had to have a few cows to play with,” he said with a chuckle. “Basically, I thought I could make some money off of 50 cows.”

    As his herd grew, he moved it to Corning, 50 miles south of Redding, and finally to the site in Montague that could accommodate several hundred head of cattle. “That’s when I really became interested in animal genetics,” Cowley said. “That was back when we had slide rules to do our calculations. It was pretty crude, but it was a start.”

    In 1990, Cowley was honored as the California Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s Seedstock Producer of the year and, in 2007, was named Siskiyou County’s Cattleman of the Year. He has served as president of the Siskiyou County Cattlemen’s Association, on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, as well as on committees for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

    “Jack spent countless hours traveling to the Midwest and other beef research institutions to share knowledge, learn more and plan for needed information,” said Drake, emeritus UCCE livestock advisor. This made for better Extension work, better research and recognition of UC Cooperative Extension work nationwide.”

    In 2011, when Van Eenennaam and Drake presented their research at an international genomics conference, he joined them in Australia to learn from other researchers. They also visited Australian producers to learn their practices.

    “We really rely on cooperators like Jack to enable our research to have translation to farmers and ranchers,” Van Eenennaam said.

    In recent years, Cowley has handed the ranch reins over to his children David, Brian, Brent and Kathryn, who live in Siskiyou County.

    David, who retired from a nearly 40-year career as a software engineer, plans to continue working with UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists.

    “Any time you have questions, you can call and they’re more than happy to help you,” he said. — By Pamela Kan-Rice, UCANR

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings the power of UC to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.

  • August USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for August 2023, which are effective Aug. 1, 2023. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans

    FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time, or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including, beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.

    Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for August 2023 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

    To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

    Commodity and Storage Facility Loans

    Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.

    Simplified Direct Loan Application

    FSA developed a new, simplified direct loan application for producers seeking a direct farm loan. The new application, reduced from 29 to 13 pages, provides improved customer experience for producers applying for loans and enables them to complete a more streamlined application. Producers now also have the option to complete an electronic fillable form or a traditional paper application for submission to their local FSA service center.

    Disaster Support

    FSA also reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the past year’s winter storms, drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters, that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared to deliver a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to agricultural producers and impacted communities. Many programs are available without an official disaster designation, including several risk management and disaster recovery options.

    Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Producers

    On Aug. 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. It is a historic, once-in-a-generation investment and opportunity for the agricultural communities that USDA serves. Section 22006 of the IRA provided $3.1 billion for USDA to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations are at financial risk. In October 2022, USDA provided approximately $800 million in initial IRA assistance to more than 11,000 delinquent direct and guaranteed borrowers and approximately 2,100 borrowers who had their farms liquidated and still had remaining debt. On May 1, 2023, FSA announced that nearly $130 million in additional, automatic financial assistance had been obligated for qualifying farm loan program borrowers facing financial risk. This assistance included:

    • Assistance to direct loan borrowers who were past due on a qualifying direct loan as of Sept. 30, 2022, but by fewer than 60 days, and remained delinquent on that loan as of March 27, 2023.
    • Assistance to borrowers who restructured a qualifying direct loan after Feb. 28, 2020, through primary loan servicing available through FSA.
    • Assistance to borrowers whose interest owed on their qualifying direct loan debt exceeded the principal owed (on a loan-by-loan basis).

    Since payments began in October 2022, USDA has provided $1.14 billion to 20,615 financially distressed direct and guaranteed FSA loan borrowers.

    In May 2023, FSA began accepting and reviewing individual requests for assistance if they took certain extraordinary measures to avoid delinquency on their direct FSA loans, such as taking on or refinancing more debt, selling property, or cashing out retirement or college savings accounts. On May 19, USDA mailed a letter to all FSA direct loan borrowers detailing eligibility and how to request extraordinary measures assistance.

    Also in May, FSA started accepting and reviewing individual distressed borrower assistance requests from direct loan borrowers who missed a recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled installment. All FSA borrowers should have received a letter detailing the process for seeking this type of assistance even before they become delinquent. As the letter details, borrowers who are within two months of their next installment may seek a cashflow analysis from FSA to determine their eligibility.

    For more information producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/inflation-reduction-investments/assistance.

    More Information    To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other fam records data and customer information by logging in their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.

  • Celebrating 100 Years of USDA Grape Breeding in the Central Valley of CA

    Strategically positioned in the nation’s center of grape production — the Central Valley of California, 2023 marks 100 years for the USDA’s raisin and table grape breeding program at their agricultural research facility, currently based in Parlier, CA. Watch this brief interview with Summaira Riaz, the current head of grape breeding at this one-of-a-kind research station, as she highlights some of the major milestones of this program over the years, and her expectations moving forward. Read more about it in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine. (Editor’s Note/Correction: Craig Ledbetter was referred to at 3:27 as ‘caretaker’ of the the program, when in actuality, he formerly held Riaz’s position as head of the grape breeding program following David Ramming, and is much appreciated for his accomplishments with the Agricultural Research Service.)

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Ranch Systems for their industry support.

  • Congressman Valadao Introduces Package of Bipartisan Bills to Support Specialty Crop Producers

    Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) introduced two bipartisan bills to improve the domestic specialty crop industry – the Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion Program Act and the Specialty Crop Mechanization Assistance Act. Specialty crops are a cornerstone of California agriculture – the state produces the most specialty crops in the country both in quantity and diversity, with over 400 different commodities produced in the state per year.

    “Our specialty crop producers in California have faced many challenges over the last few years. From supply chain backlogs at our ports, rising input costs, labor shortages, and drought – farmers have continued growing our nation’s food despite these obstacles,” said Congressman Valadao. “Specialty crop producers face unique challenges, and we need to ensure they are better equipped to handle them. These bills make technology and resources available to our specialty crop producers so they can access new markets and remain competitive.”

    “American farmers produce some of the best quality and nutritious food in the world. Our fresh fruit and vegetable industries are critical to our food security and rural economies,” said Congressman LaMalfa. “I’m pleased to join my colleagues in cosponsoring these important pieces of legislation for our specialty crop producers and California agriculture.”

    “California produces over half of the nation’s fresh produce. But supply chain disruptions, COVID-19, and the drought have made it more difficult for specialty crop producers to put food on America’s dinner table,” said Congressman Costa. “I’m proud to support these pieces of legislation to equip producers with the tools they need to access new markets and safeguard our food supply chain.”

    “CFFA is proud to have worked with the California Table Grape Commission to co-lead this effort to expand the promotion of the U.S. specialty crop industry domestically. Many healthy specialty crops are grown in the U.S. and should be enjoyed by all Americans. The Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion and Development Program Act of 2023 will enhance the opportunity of American growers, including CFFA members, to better market their produce to U.S. consumers. CFFA thanks Congressman Valadao and Congressman Costa for their bipartisan partnership to support American farmers and consumers,” said President of the California Fresh Fruit Association Ian Lemay.

    California Fresh Fruit Association President Ian LeMay (Photo by Matthew Malcolm)

    “CFFA is proud to have worked with the California Table Grape Commission to co-lead this collaborative effort to help equip farmers with the tools and technologies they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. I would like to thank Congressman Valadao and Congressman Costa for their partnership to support the needs of American agriculture. This bill will not only support farmers, but also their employees, to ensure that America continues to a global leader in agricultural production,” said President of the California Fresh Fruit Association Ian Lemay.

    The Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion Program Act would create a program that helps specialty crop producers market their products to access American markets. It replicates the popular Market Access Program (MAP) through USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) specifically for specialty crop producers to break into niche domestic markets. Rep. Valadao was joined in introduction of the bill by Reps. Darren Soto (FL-09), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01).

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    The Specialty Crop Mechanization Assistance Act makes it easier for specialty crop producers to remain competitive in the face of labor shortages by making expensive automation technology more accessible to producers. This bill aims to create a reimbursement-based cost-share program which would permit growers and processors to invest more in these time and money-saving technologies. Rep. Valadao was joined in introduction of the bill by Reps. Jim Costa (CA-21), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Dough LaMalfa (CA-01).

    Read the full text of the bill here.

  • Depressed Hog Values Amid Sky-High Production Costs Compound Producers’ Challenges

    U.S. pork producers are facing an increasingly challenging economic environment that is likely to persist through the remainder of 2023. The combination of elevated operating costs and depressed hog values are evaporating producer returns and limiting overall industry growth. While hog prices have risen this summer, they have not kept pace with skyrocketing costs for feed, labor, construction and other expenses, according to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange.

    Soft domestic demand for pork and a murky outlook for U.S. pork exports are compounding the market challenges. Persistently high retail pork prices and a decline in food-at-home spending in the U.S. are limiting domestic consumption growth. Globally, demand for U.S. pork has come under pressure as China’s hog supplies have rebounded from the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). The totality of adverse market conditions, which include higher borrowing costs, will limit U.S. herd expansion and tighten hog supplies.

    “Ultimately, these challenges all fall on the shoulders of pork producers,” said Brian Earnest, lead animal protein economist for CoBank. “In addition to pressuring hog and pork supplies, the current market conditions are derailing hog producers’ expansion plans. And even if the cost structure warranted additional production, demand is a part of the puzzle that needs addressing.”

    Per capita U.S. pork consumption has remained essentially flat since 1990 and averaged 50 pounds annually over the last decade. In the meantime, chicken consumption nearly doubled from 57 pounds in 1987 to 102 pounds. in 2022. Roughly two-thirds of domestic pork winds up in processed items like bacon, sausage or hams, which have performed relatively well in recent years. However, key meat case items like pork loins are struggling to gain the same attraction that boneless skinless breast meat or ground beef enjoy.

    Outside of bacon, pizza toppings and breakfast-type items, pork is usually consumed at home. And pork thrived during the pandemic-era lockdowns of 2020-2021, when food options were either take-out or at home cooking. But as food service has fully reopened in 2022-2023, moving retail case pork items has become more challenging.

    Exports have long played a key role in the U.S. pork industry. Approximately 25% of U.S. pork goes to export markets, the most of any of the U.S. processed animal proteins. When ASF decimated China’s domestic hog herd in 2018, annual U.S. pork exports to China tripled in 2019, and then doubled the following year. Since then, China’s need for U.S. pork imports have rapidly declined as its domestic herd rebounded.

    Fortunately, Mexico has been a bright spot for U.S. pork. Exports to Mexico eclipsed 2.3 billion pounds in 2022, a record high for any single destination that accounted for about 37% of all U.S. pork exports. And today’s export volume to Mexico represents a 45% jump from 2016 levels. Nonetheless, uncertainty surrounding China, the world’s largest pork importer, and concerns about deteriorating global economic conditions cloud the outlook for U.S. exports.

    “Some of the challenges facing pork producers will linger for the foreseeable future,” said Earnest. “But longer term, if retail pork prices begin to return to a normal level it should help domestic demand recover. Also, the popularity of backyard barbecuing has encouraged consumption of some cuts of pork that have historically struggled, which has been helpful in an otherwise difficult situation.”

    Watch a video synopsis and read the report, Pork Producer Optimism Dampened by Triple Threats.

    About CoBank

    CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 76,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.

    CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.

  • Bob Schramm Retires, APG Selects New Federal Advocacy Firm

    Back at the annual American Pistachio Growers (APG) Conference, longtime federal advocate for the association — Bob Schramm was paid special tribute for his dedicated service to the U.S. pistachio industry.  Schramm is now transitioning into retirement, and he has worked with APG in selecting a new firm to take his place in representing and protecting the interests of the pistachio industry at the federal level. Watch this video to learn more, and be sure to keep up with the activities of APG in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Thunder Creek Equipment for their industry support.

  • California FarmLink Program Helps Farmers Plan Successions Successfully

    According to the USDA’s Census of Agriculture, fully 96% of the nation’s 2.2 million farms are family-owned and operated. But as the baby boom generation continues to age, an estimated 70% of U.S. farmland will change hands in the next 20 years – and the USDA warns that if a farm or ranch family has not adequately planned for succession, it is likely to go out of business, consolidate into larger operations with neighboring farms, or be converted to non-farm uses.

    To help farming families plan for a successful succession, California FarmLink – a certified nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution – recently launched The Regenerator: A Year of Farm Succession Planning. The program is designed to walk families through all the issues that can arise to help ensure that succession goes smoothly. The next cohort of family farmers and ranchers will begin work in November, said Liya Schwartzman, FarmLink’s Senior Program Manager for their Equity andConservation on Working Lands division.

    “FarmLink actually started out in 1999 with a focus on supporting retiring farmers to find someone to lease or take over their operations, but the work we were doing had its limitations. Short workshops weren’t cutting it, and it’s hard to maintain a trajectory when you’re working with 20 families in different stages of planning,” Schwartzman said.

    “I thought there must be a better way, and after we studied programs across the country, we came up with a cohort model to bring people in who are in similar stages of being ready to seek assistance in transferring their land and their businesses to successors.”

    FarmLink launched The Regenerator as a small pilot program in the fall of 2021 with just three families involved, and all three completed the program and created executable plans. After reviewing and fine-tuning the program, the nonprofit is hoping for seven to 10 participants this year, with a vision of scaling up the program in future years.

    FarmLink engages a team of professionals – including CPAs, estate-planning attorneys, appraisers, and transition specialists – to aid the families in crafting plans that fully meet their unique needs. The program also provides $1,600 to each participating group to work with these providers, using funds provided by a USDA educational grant.

    Schwartzman said one of the first things that a family needs to do is determine if family members are interested in taking overand how that would occur.

    “The majority of successors may be heirs, but there is a trend of the immediate heirs moving away from farming. Sometimes the family will have grandchildren who want to come back to the farm, but if nobody in the family is interested, retiring farmers will need to look outside the family. Often a farm manager could be a perfect successor,” she said.

    “But people should start sooner rather than later because it can take several years to find the right successor and complete the transition process.”

    As part of its efforts to support nonprofits making a difference in California agriculture, four Farm Credit organizations serving the state’s farmers and ranchers – AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit – have sponsored FarmLink since 2018. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, said participating Farm Credit organizations are proud to support FarmLink’s efforts to preserve family farms.

    “This is a relationship-driven business and Farm Credit prides itself on being trusted advisers to our customers – really understanding our clients’ business and educating them on their options,” Ralph said. “FarmLink’s novel program builds on that and will really help farming and ranch families properly manage their succession issues.”

    Regional Marketing Manager Jacob DeBoer with American AgCredit also noted that the evolution of agriculture is inevitable – and exciting. A sizable percentage of farms without family members who want to take over the operation is providing opportunities for new and up-and-coming farmers – especially women and Latinos – to purchase farm and ranch lands and create strong, viable operations.

    “There are nearly six times more California farmers age 65+ than ones under 35,” DeBoer said. “This succession tsunami will provide opportunities to expand the diversity of California agriculture, which will help ensure a prosperous future for farming and ranching in the Golden State.”

    Schwartzman said another key component of the program is working to build communications skills. “Succession planning most often falls apart when retiring farmers, their heirs and successors, have a breakdown in communication. This can be a very emotional and very intense time. It means someone will no longer be with us when plans are executed. And also, it’s the transfer of something the retiring generation has spent a lifetime building, so not preparing and educating people about effective communication skills and including a plan for mediation is to do a disservice and can be the downfall of the transition,” she said.

    But the biggest reason FarmLink is working to provide succession planning is the potential impact of so many farms changing hands. “This will shape the food system for the following century. We need to put as many resources as we can behind preserving and growing these farm businesses that are about to go through these transitions,” she said.

    Applications are still being accepted for this year’s program. For more information, visithttps://www.californiafarmlink.org/courses/the-regenerator or contact Schwartzman at liya@cafarmlink.org.

    About Farm Credit:

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For a link to this article and for more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com

     

    About California FarmLink:

    California FarmLink is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution investing in the prosperity and well-being of farmers, ranchers, and fishers who have limited access to financial resources. Founded in 1999, the organization works across California with a focus on serving communities of color and beginning farmers and ranchers. FarmLink partners with farmers, ranchers, professional advisors, impact investors, public agencies and other nonprofits to advance equity in California agriculture. Learn more at www.cafarmlink.org