Gate Cuts

Paul Walker, DI Walker Consulting

Notable Quotes and Statistics

• Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and, the wisdom to know the difference. • The best way to predict the future is to create it. • We talk a lot about sustainability, especially as it pertains to the environment. People do not talk as much about economic sustainability. • Regarding plastic bag use in the U.S., 100 billion single use plastic bags are used each year; 12 minutes is the average time a bag is used; average life span of a bag is 1000 years; less than 10% of bags used are recycled. • Beef cattle only account for 2.0% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. • Shoppers who buy eggs spend 2 times as much money per grocery store visit. • A grocery item that is picked up is purchased 85% of the time. That is why packaging is so important. • Regular meat consumers (68% of consumers) are much more likely to purchase beef compared to plant -based alternatives. • Protein in beef is higher quality protein than protein in plant-based alternatives. • Digestible indispensable amino acid score of beef is higher than that of plant-based alternatives. • Alternative plant-based proteins are expected to account for 11% of the total protein market by 2035. • Nearly half (49%) of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products with high quality assurances and verifiable standards. • Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Illinois. • Illinois ranks first in soybean, pumpkin and horseradish production. • Illinois is second in corn and fourth in pork production. • Illinois is first in food processing sales, worth $150 billion annually. • There ae 72,000 farms in Illinois occupying 27 million acres or about 75% of Illinois land. • Between 1980 and 2020 beef production per cow increased 53% but pork production per sow increased 151%, milk production per dairy cow increased 100%, corn yield increased 89%, and soybean yield increased 90%. • Number of U.S. farms with beef cows declined 29.4% between 1978 and 2017 but average inventory per farm increased 27.7%. • Number of U.S. farms with hogs declined 87.0% between 1978 and 2017 but average operation size increased 10 times. • Number of U.S. farms with dairy cows fell 83.6% but average size increased five-fold between 1978 and 2017. • Between 1978 and 2017 the number of U.S. farms growing corn for grain decreased 63.8% but tripled in average size;

while operations growing soybeans declined 44.9% with average acreage per operation increasing 165%. • More than 89% of all farmers and ranchers make more than one half of their income from off-farm jobs. • Sales of prime beef volume were up 55% in 2020. • During their next dining experience, 46% of consumers will order beef. • Illinois had 356,000 beef cows that calved in 2021. This number is down 6% from 2020. • Illinois ranks 26th in number of beef cows and 21 in number of dairy cows. • Illinois ranks 14th in cattle on feed, feeding 230,000 cattle in 2020. That represents 2-days of the national harvest number. • There are 16,269 beef cattle operations in Illinois. • The average size cow herd in Illinois is 65 cattle. • It took 162 minutes of labor in 1991 and 113 minutes in 2021 for the U.S. worker making Median Wage to purchase a 10 lb. ham. • It took 92 minutes of labor in 1991 and 102 minutes in 2021 for the U.S. worker making Medium Wage to purchase four pounds of sirloin steak. • Being the premium meat has an upside and a downside.

It may be possible for beef to price itself out of being the entree of choice. • Per capita consumption in 2020 of pork was 52 lb., beef was 58 lb. and poultry was 113 lb. Pork Consumption has been fairly stable for 30 years. Poultry consumption has been increasing for over 40 years. • Beef consumption increased until 1976, then decreased for 25 years and has been varying between 54 and 60 pounds for 25 years. • You are not finished when you lose. You are finished when you quit. • Action takes you out of doubt. Doubt takes you out of action. • The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. • The Illinois Beef Association works for the Illinois cattle producer everyday promoting beef, lobbying legislators, building positive relationships with government agencies, providing informative activities for producers, and offering educational opportunities for juniors with interest in the beef cattle industry so producers can do what they do best-- produce wholesome, nutritious, tasty beef in a sustainable way.