Who involved in agriculture, and of sound mind, would get involved with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)? The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM)—that’s who. Two weeks ago, OCM, teaming up with HSUS, filed suit in Kansas district court against USDA.

beef industry’s report card came out during the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s midyear meeting a couple weeks ago. It shows that most beef producers have done a pretty good job improving the product over the past 20 years when the first National Beef Quality Audit CROW.

Cattle markets have declined a bit over the past few weeks but they are still relatively strong. Yearlings at 750 pounds are still selling for $150/cwt. And light calves are still selling around $200 or more. The big question is, what are you going to feed them?.

Corn went over $8 a bushel last week, and soy beans were around $17 a bushel. These are new record level prices for these commodities. This situation makes one wonder where the grain markets will end up when it’s time to harvest. I don’t see moisture conditions getting.

Last week, the markets pulled a fast one that I’m still having a hard time figuring out. Corn moved up the limit, feeder cattle moved up the limit, and fed cattle moved up near the allowable trading limit. When corn goes this high, feeder cattle just aren’t supposed to go limit up.

Last week we prayed for rain and it seemed to work pretty well here in Colorado with a couple inches of the golden material hitting the ground. It also was a godsend for the fires in the area. So far this has to be the most destructive fire season we’ve ever seen in Colorado.

Time to pray for rain, just don’t pray too hard. We certainly don’t want it all at once. Recent weather patterns have been very disturbing. It’s hard to make any kind of feed without water and we’re past the point where we’re going to make any summer pasture that is worth much.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell most of you about it, because most of you all can feel it, but this dry weather is really becoming a problem. Last year, the dry weather was limited to mostly the south and southwest. We had some hot weather in the Midwest, but it wasn’t the CROW.

The first big video sales are getting underway; Superior Livestock Auction held their first two-day sale in Des Moines, IA, last week and it was a good one. Buying feeder cattle this summer is going to take nerves of steel. It appears the heavy cattle will be selling for big money.

I have felt a little out of the loop the past few weeks, not keeping up with cattle markets and issues. A few weeks ago, I had to have major back surgery which took me out of the game for a while. It’s been difficult to stay up with the markets, but I figured it’s time to make some kind of appearance.