Representatives of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) question the affiliation of R-CALF with the animal rights and environmental activist group Food and Water Watch. According to separate news releases issued by the two groups, R-CALF and Food and Water Watch are joining forces on the campaign to support USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration’s (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock marketing.

In response to a major rangelands fire, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) initiated an emergency gather of the Idaho Saylor Creek horse management area (HMA) Aug. 31 in a bid to temporarily relocate horses due to lack of available forage.

The joint USDA/Department of Justice workshop on competition in the agricultural markets drew an estimated 1,300 people to Fort Collins, CO, on Friday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder heard testimony from agricultural producers and other industry representatives about how concentration in the industry is affecting the markets.

Sandhill Farms was honored with the 2010 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Seedstock Producer of the Year award during the 2010 BIF Annual Meeting and Research Symposium June 30. Outstanding seedstock operations in the U.S. and Canada have been awarded this honor annually since 1972.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.0 million head on January 1, 2010. The inventory was 2 percent below January 1, 2009.

Cooperatives Working Together announced today they would start accepting bids this month for a third dairy herd retirement. The program is working to remove cows from production in an effort to prop up sagging prices for dairy products due to a sharp decline in demand.

The Food and Drug Administration will extend by 60 days the April 27 effective date of the agency's enhanced ban on high-risk cattle material in feed for all animals, according to industry sources.