F&R LivestockResource
Summer 2020 | Volume 3, Issue 4
Your direct source for livestock news and information
Published by Farmers & Ranchers Livestock, Salina, Kansas
In this Issue: 1 Rural America’s State of Mind
At no time in modern history has rural America been at more risk for mental health awareness than today. Mental health across all social strata is complicated and the problem is compounded in rural American by lack of access to healthcare, lack of knowledge, and intervention apprehension. Paige Nelson is tackling the issue, head on, in three parts.
10 Baby, Bathwater and All
Supply disruption brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic has rallied the industry factions that are consistently calling for dramatic change in the beef marketing system. Industry analysts and most stakeholders agree, more government involvement is not the answer.
16 Demand is Key to Further Market Recovery
Add it all up and cattle prices will likely be challenged through the third quarter this year, but could see improvement by the fourth quarter. Wes Ishmael keeps his finger on the pulse of the industry and offers a realistic look moving forward.
20 Masked and Ready
Even Hooter McCormick is doing his part to avoid getting or carrying the dang virus home to his loved ones! Humor helps these days. It just does.
Rural America’s State of Mind: Part One Understanding mental health is agriculture’s best path forward. By Paige Nelson
“I’ll be frank, this is something that I have never really opened up about,” says Drew DeSutter, a fourth-generation farmer and rancher from west-central Illinois, of his bouts with anxiety and depression. “As an industry, we’re all in this together. I’ve changed my perception on [mental health]. I think that I would
look at someone who has mental health issues a lot differently today than I would have ten years ago.” In this series, we aim to change/ challenge your perception of mental health. This is part one of a three-part series. We will discuss mental health in
Continued on page 4 ________________________________________
PRSRT STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Jefferson City, MO 65101 Permit #303