Ag Headlines, Tuesday August 18, 2015

FSA Releases Prevented Plant Acreage Numbers

The Farm Service Agency on Monday released prevented planting acres which saw the largest numbers since USDA began releasing the data back in 2007. AgWeb reports this year’s large prevented plantings were due primarily to persistent rains that plagued the Mississippi Delta states and Missouri through planting season. As of August first, producers did not plant 2.3 million acres of corn, 2.17 million acres of soybeans, and near 700,000 acres of wheat. Other prevented plant crops include cotton at 582,000 acres, 507,000 some acres of rice, near 28,000 acres of barley and more than 156,000 acres of sorghum. Missouri has the most of both corn and soybeans, with 506,039 acres of corn and 1.2 million acres of soybeans designated as prevented planting.

Tyson Shutting Down Iowa Beef Plant

Tyson Foods announced last week the company will shut down beef production at its Denison, Iowa plant because of tight cattle supplies. The move will lay off 400 workers at the facility. Tyson Fresh Meats announced Friday it will “permanently cease beef operations.” The Des Moines Register reports Tyson is the second largest employer is Denison, Iowa. The company said it will offer financial incentives to hourly workers who qualify for openings at a separate plant in Nebraska. Tyson Fresh Meats president Steve Stouffer said in a statement “The cattle supply is tight and there’s an excess of beef production capacity in the region.”

Apply for Angus Association Future Angus Stockmen Scholarship

Undergraduate students are encouraged to apply for scholarships provided by the Angus Association’s Future Angus Stockmen program. The program will award a $1,000 scholarship to a young man or woman involved in the commercial Angus business. The deadline to apply is September 30th. The winner will be notified in October and the scholarship will be presented during the Angus Means Business National Convention and Trade Show in Kasnas City in November. Applications will be judged on the participant’s future agriculture career path, passion for beef cattle and leadership experiences within the industry. For eligibility information and applications, visit www dot angus dot org

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