LMD May 2025

Riding Herd Saying things that need to be said.

May 15, 2025 • www.aaalivestock.com

Volume 67 • No. 5

by LEE PITTS

Beef On Dairy D

A Taxing Time

LEE PITTS

A

NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING

lthough I’ve always hated writing sale reports, I love reading them, especially bull sale reports. Last year I noticed at a few Angus bull sales that the high selling or near high selling bulls went to Grimmius Cattle of Hanford, California, for around twenty to forty thousand dollars. I thought this was odd because I’d known about the Grimmius operation for decades because I often saw family members sitting ringside at Skinner Hardy’s Western Stockman’s Market north of Bakersfield, California, almost every week buying cattle for their feedlot. I also was aware they fed a lot of Holstein cattle.

Skinner always spoke very highly of the outfit and said they had a reputation for integrity and for being really, really, smart. So I wondered what the heck a cattle feeder was doing buying Angus bulls.

Then I noticed at this year’s Sitz Spring bull sale the second highest selling bull at $120,000 sold to the same Grimmius Cattle of Hanford, California.

Again, why would a cattle feeder do that?

I asked a dairyman friend and he told me that since Grimmius Cattle bought so many Holsteins to feed they reasoned why not find Angus bulls that excel in carcass traits and sell semen from those bulls to their dairyman customers which would make their calves better from a carcass standpoint and would also enable Grimmius to

beef cows in this country and 9.3 million dairy cows. Besides milk, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products, dairy cows produce 20 percent of the beef consumed in this country.

A long time ago I wrote about a friend of mine, Harvey Dietrich, who owned Sun Land Packing west of Phoenix.

Calf News called Harvey, “A man before his time,” and he certainly was that.

When Harvey looked around the cattle scene in his neck of the woods he saw Holsteins everyw h ere, at the Los Angeles milk shed and at a big cluster of feedlots near the Mexico border in California. Looking for a profitable niche and a way to distinguish Sun Land Packing Harvey devised a program to buy and feed these Holstein steers and heif-

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain Dance. cash in on higher prices for the fat cattle they sold.

Suddenly it all made perfect sense.

Harvey’s Holsteins Last year it was estimated that there were about 28 million

ers and sell them to the Ralphs grocery chain. Eventually more than half of Sun Land’s daily kill went to Ralphs. The beef was guaranteed to be from Holsteins fed exclusively in California feedyards and if there’s one thing about Holsteins it is they are extremely uniform which was a big selling point.

The Sun Land/Ralph’s program was the first I know of that was built around straightbred Holstein cattle. Keep in mind this was at a time when everyone was insisting that beef be lean and there were essentially no premiums for Choice and Prime cattle. No one was selling on a grid back then either that would have highly devalued Harvey’s Holsteins. Because the market rewarded leanness instead of carcass quality, beef consumption dropped precipitously and this was a dark chapter in beef’s history as cattlemen were experimenting with 35 breeds, the cattle were not uniform and so tall you could drive

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Secretary Rollins Suspends Live Animal Imports Through Ports of Entry Along Southern Border, Effective Immediately Washington, D.C., May 11, 2025 –

U.

S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through U.S. ports of entry along the southern border due to the continued and rapid northward spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico, effective immediately. NWS has been recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle movement as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border.

The United States and Mexico continue efforts to interdict and eradicate NWS in Mexico and work in good faith. However, despite these efforts and the economic impact on both countries due to this action, there has been unacceptable northward advancement of NWS and additional action must be taken to slow the northern progression of this deadly parasitic fly.

As such, effective immediately, the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in conjunction with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will restrict the importation of live animal commodities originating from, or transiting Mexico. This import suspension will persist on a month-by-month basis, until a significant window of containment is achieved.

USDA will continue constant collaboration with Mexico, including a review of latest data and metrics in two weeks. Our teams have been in daily communication discussing how we can build on the good work that has been accomplished to improve our strategy toward eradication. Any livestock currently in holding for

entry into the United States will be processed normally, this includes an APHIS port Veterinary Medical Officer inspection exam and treatment to ensure they are not carrying NWS. “The United States has ordered the suspension of livestock imports through ports of entry along our southern border after the continued spread of the New World Screwworm in Mexico. Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest,” said Secretary Rollins. “The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance. Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety.”

Effective eradication, which remains our shared goal and best interest of both the U.S. and Mexico, requires a three-pronged approach: robust active field surveillance with education and outreach to ensure prevention, treatment, and early detection; controlled animal movement to limit spread; and sustained sterile insect dispersal. Suspending livestock transport through southern ports of entry will assist in the effort to limit northbound transport of NWS through livestock commerce, and will allow the U.S. to reassess whether current mitcontinued on page 3

ateline: April 15...

Well, the worst is over. Our income tax is in the mail, now all I have to do is find the money to cover the check.

You sure gotta hand it to the IRS (literally), somehow they always manage to get another raise, even when we make less money. Every time we send in our state and federal income taxes, along with our estimated taxes, I feel like an emaciated Holstein who just got her crankcase squeezed until she was bone dry.

My wife does all the heavy lifting on our taxes, spending two months getting everything ready for the accountant. I tell my wife that I’d be glad to help but she says people with high blood pressure should NEVER do their own taxes. She’s afraid I’d have another stroke or become ‘intaxicated’ if I even got near a 1099. Plus, my wife knows I’d make all kinds of mistakes because I’d try to write off last year’s taxes as a bad investment or claim two dependents... the feds and the state.

I feel I’ve already contributed enough just so the politicians can live in the lifestyle to which they’ve become accustomed, but my work is still not done because Tax Freedom Day, the day of the year when the average taxpayer has theoretically earned enough income to pay for local, state and federal taxes, is estimated to be June 12th this year. Let that sink in. If you still don’t get my point consider that the average worker pays more in income tax than food, shelter and clothing costs combined!

My wife and I sat down and made a list of all the taxes Americans are forced to pay and they include: federal income tax, state income tax, capital gains tax, gift taxes, payroll taxes, value added taxes, sin taxes on cigarettes and booze, sales tax, bond issues, gas tax, estate tax, and on and on. (I’m sure you probably can think of a lot more taxes to add to our list).

Rubbing it in, right about the time we have to pay our state and federal taxes and estimates we get hit with the worst tax of all - property tax.

Paying it is like having to buy something we already own.

The bureaucrats in Sacramento say I shouldn’t object because my state taxes go towards paying for things we

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Page 2

Livestock Market Digest

BEEF ON DAIRY

continued from page 1

a Smart Car under them.

Luckily cattlemen and packers saw the foolishness of their ways and became more consumer oriented. They changed from wanting lean meat to meat that tasted good. All of a sudden, the demand was for choice and prime cattle and premiums were now being paid for such cattle.

This was the death knell for the SunLand/Ralph’s program.

Bred To Feed Then a few years ago I wrote a story about Wulf Cattle, a Limousin breeding and feeding outfit headquartered in Minnesota. This was another very savvy outfit. They saw those nine million dairy cows and realized they produced four million dairy calves a year which are not needed for dairy replacements.

Typically, these calves were now heavily discounted. But what if these 4 million head could be turned from Holsteins into Limousin/ Holstein beef machines, producing more tonnage and helping to preserve beef’s market share? That was the idea behind Wulf’s Breeding to Feeding program.

The Wulf family had been in the cattle business for over 60 years when I wrote that story and has been breeding purebred Limousins since the 1970’s.

They’ve bought back those Limousin/dairy calves for over 30 years to feed.

Mike Hall, a good friend of mine, fellow judging team member and a retired professor went to work for Wulf in retirement to sell their Breeding to Feeding concept to commercial cattlemen and feeders. In that story a few years ago Hall said, “Wulf Cattle were first cattle feeders before seedstock producers.

The late Leonard Wulf chose Limousin over other continental breeds in the early 70’s because they crossed so well with their commercial cattle that were superior in the feedlot and on the rail. They have expanded their

feeding operations from Minnesota to two additional feedyards in Nebraska. They have a onetime feeding capacity of over 50,000 between these feeding locations. Wulf also has cattle on feed in custom feedlots in Texas. Most of their cattle on feed are ‘program cattle’ that are either Natural, NHTC and/ or GAP certified.”

Hall said, “The Wulf operation was built on muscle and the feed efficiency that Limousin brings to a terminal cross. They see dairy cows as an underutilized resource and felt that Limousin would be the ideal beef breed to cross with dairy breeds to produce more of the kind of beef the American consumer demands.

“The idea behind the Breeding to Feeding program is dairymen would use sexed semen on their very best cows to produce their dairy replacements and use beef semen on all lower merit females. Because today’s dairy industry is numbers driven it is possible for a dairyman to rank each of his cows using any one of a number of computer programs. The dairyman would then determine how many replacements he’d need in any given year and breed only that number with sexed semen from the best dairy bulls available.

The rest of his cows would be bred to either Wulf Limousin or Lim-Flex® (Limousin x Angus) bulls to increase profits with steers that fit the beef industry’s specs. They recommend using Limousin on Jerseys and LimFlex® on Holsteins.

Fast forward to today and Grimmius is using the same idea with a twist. They buy the very best bulls in the country from Angus breeders that excel in carcass traits and then sell semen from those bulls to dairymen whose cattle they buy to feed.

A Second Source Rabobank’s senior beef an-

alyst, Lance Zimmerman, told Ron Hay on Oklahoma Farm Report that beef producers should welcome such beef-ondairy programs because they fill a space that would otherwise be filled by imports. Said Zimmerman, “High consumer demand offsets the ability to find more supply whether through increased feeder cattle and calf imports from Mexico and Canada, increased carcass weights, or just finding ample placements in the feedyards throughout the year.”

Zimmerman continued, “When we saw the January 1 Cattle Inventory Report, the feeder cattle and calf supply outside of feedyards was down more than seven percent year over year. Despite the U.S. beef cattle inventory hitting a 64-year low, strong consumer demand has propelled beef prices to record highs throughout 2024 and into 2025. We’re sitting here today coming out of 2024 with higher per-capita beef consumption than we had in 2022, and we thought that was the cycle high. And yet, we are pushing record-high beef prices—demand is exceptionally good.”

“With beef prices remaining strong,” said Zimmerman, “dairy producers have fine-tuned their reproductive programs to capitalize on these market conditions. Many are utilizing sexed dairy semen on their highest-performing cows to ensure a steady supply of replacement heifers while breeding the rest of the herd with beef semen. This approach results in crossbred calves better suited for beef production, offering improved feed efficiency, enhanced carcass characteristics, and greater market appeal compared to straight dairy steers.”

“Even as more dairy producers adopt beef-on-dairy breeding strategies, overall calf numbers have remained stable. We had a very prolific cow herd last year,” Zimmerman noted, “and I think part of that is due to the beef-on-dairy mix. We’re keeping these cattle viable longer and

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May 15, 2025 managing them more intentionally with better health, genetics, and overall care throughout the system.”

“Another factor influencing cattle supply is the ongoing decline in veal production. We’ve seen a long-term trend of fewer calves going into veal production, and that’s expedited in recent years. This shift means that more dairy progeny calves are staying in the fed cattle supply, further reinforcing the beef-ondairy movement.”

“The strength of demand has been incredible—beef demand is at 30-year highs,” Zimmerman said. He points out that, “Despite rising prices, beef remains relatively affordable compared to historical income ratios. In 2014-15, the average consumer had to work 14 and a half minutes to afford a pound of beef. In 2024, they only have to work 13 minutes.”

“With consumer demand for beef remaining strong, the beef-on-dairy sector has become a crucial asset to the beef industry. It has also helped dairy farmers diversify by adding a second source of income during a time when milk price margins continue to remain tight.”

According to Taylor Leach writing in Dairy Herd Management, “Beef-on-dairy is the solution to the shrinking U.S. cattle herd. With native cattle numbers still under pressure, beefon-dairy crossbreds are providing the industry with a critical supply of cattle. The U.S. beef cattle herd is the smallest it has been in 64 years, and there’s little indication that rebuilding will happen anytime soon. Persistent drought and strong cattle prices have discouraged beef producers from retaining heifers, further tightening supply.

As a result, the beef industry has increasingly turned to dairy farmers to produce beef-ondairy crossbreds to help meet growing demand.”

American Raised According to CoBank, “The dairy cow is the most studied domestic animal on the planet and the power of that rich data collection is driving genetic change. That may sound like a bold statement, but progress is being driven by the over 100 million dairy cattle records in the database maintained by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. The only other warm-blooded species with larger genetic datasets than dairy cows are humans and lab mice. However, those two species do not have the comprehensive phenotypic dataset that exists in the dairy cattle sector. That dataset drives accuracy for genomic predictions. The data from Holsteins are important to the overall dairy industry because it has the largest dairy cattle population base in the U.S. Last year, 83 percent of dairy bull semen sold in the U.S. came from Holsteins. The Jersey breed represents the next largest group of dairy cows. When combined with Holsteins, the two breeds and crosses among them comprise over 95 percent of the U.S. dairy cow population.”

“The use of gender-sorted semen to create heifer calves from the top half of the herd amplified genetic gains,” according to CoBank. “By 2024, 61 percent of all dairy semen sold in the U.S. was gender-sorted semen.

This trend gave rise to the beef semen on dairy cow trend or what some farmers would say,

‘sexed semen on the best and beef semen on the rest.’”

Crossbred beef-on-dairy animals have improved straight Holsteins so much they now offer a high-quality product and with a withering supply of American-raised beef cattle, utilizing the beef-on-dairy animals has meant we needed to import fewer cattle from the far corners of the world.

In general, cattle feeders report 86 to 92 percent of beef-on-dairy cattle are grading either prime or choice and it’s quite common to get 20-30 percent prime! Such cattle are not the best to run in a stocker program but when they hit the feedlot they are not afraid to eat, if anything that’s a problem.

They like to eat too much and get too big for packers to hang them. They convert at about 6.5 pounds of feed per pound of gain and because they’ve been weaned from their mother since day one there are fewer health problems, other than liver abscesses that come from being on a high concentrate diet their entire life.

Feeding Into The Pipeline During the 2024 MILK Business Conference, Dale Woerner of Texas Tech University highlighted the impact beef-ondairy has had on the industry.

“Beef-on-dairy crossbreds have added enough value to the beef supply chain that we should never change what we’re doing. We should continue creating these crossbred cattle for the future. I don’t think we’ll ever return to the low value of purebred Holstein steers from the past.”

“Feedlots need these animals – they’re a top commodity,” says Woerner. “Over the years, many feedlots have gained experience in feeding beef-on-dairy cattle, optimizing their efficiency and performance. From a feedlot perspective, these cattle are in higher demand than ever before.”

Woerner says that these beef-on-dairy cattle have one big advantage over straight beef animals: TRACEBILITY. “Even when native cattle numbers rebound, the traceability system in place with beef-ondairy crossbreds will continue to offer a level of accountability that sets these animals apart in the marketplace. I wouldn’t be surprised if feedlots and packers start offering a premium for that kind of information.”

Even when we start rebuilding our beef herd (assuming that we do) Woerner says, “The beef industry will continue to rely on these crossbred animals to meet demand and keep the pipeline full.”

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Advertise to Cattleman in the Livestock Market Digest Riding Herd “The greatest homa ge we can pay to truth is to use it.”

– JAMES RUSSEL

L LOWELL

January 15, 2016

by LEE PITTS

• www.aaalivestoc

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Volume 58 • No.

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he soundtrack of my life has been the chant of an auctioneer.

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May 15, 2025

Livestock Market Digest

LIVE ANIMAL IMPORTS igation standards remain sufficient. It is important to note the northward spread of NWS is possible through natural wildlife movements, including wildlife that transit the border region without impediment.

USDA is taking all possible actions to monitor for, and limit, the northward movement of NWS, including the utilization of the USDA Tick Riders to monitor livestock and wildlife along the southern border region, between the ports of entry, for the presence of NWS. The U.S. previously and successfully led the eradication of NWS in the U.S. and Mexico, however this cost billions of dollars and took decades. Unfortunately, these recent detections in Mexico show that this dangerous pest is back and remains a serious threat to the health of our animals, our food supply, and the security of our country.

BACKGROUND

■■ The first case of NWS in Mexico was reported to the U.S. in November 2024. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare

continued from page 1

cases, people.

■■

In November 2024, after a positive detection of NWS in southern Mexico, USDA shut down the border for live animal trade.

■■ In February 2025, USDA

resumed imports after APHIS and Mexico agreed to and implemented a comprehensive pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol to ensure safe movement and steps to mitigate the threat of NWS.

■■

Over the last two years, screwworm has spread north throughout Panama and into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and now Mexico.

■■ APHIS is releasing ster-

ile flies through aerial and ground release at strategic locations, focusing on Southern Mexico and other areas throughout Central America. A complete list of regions APHIS recognizes as affected by NWS as well as more detailed information on trade restrictions can be found on the USDA APHIS Animal Health Status of Regions website.

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A TAXING TIME

Page 3

continued from page 1

use constantly like road repair, fire suppression and schools.

But we don’t have kids and our roads have potholes that make the Grand Canyon look like a dimple. And if losing their homes wasn’t bad enough, the burned-out residents of Los Angeles learned after the fact that the salary of the fired LA fire chief was $439,772 per year counting overtime and benefits and the DEI officer in charge of the LA Fire Department Equity Bureau made more than that! (What the heck is an EQUITY BUREAU?) If that doesn’t give you a pain in the wallet how do you feel about paying for...

■■ The fifty-nine-million-dollars the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) handed over to house illegal immigrants in luxury New York City hotels.

■■ A congressional inquiry found the Air Force was spending $1,300 for every reheatable coffee cup aboard one of its aircraft. And a two-year audit by the Defense Department Inspector General last year found that Boeing overcharged the Air Force by $149,072 or 8,000 percent over the previous price for soap dispensers.

■■ During the height of the war in Afghanistan, USAID

spent millions of dollars to persuade Afghan farmers to grow fruits and other vegetables instead of opium. The results - opium poppy cultivation across the country doubled as the farmers used the new canals, financed by us, to grow more poppies.

■■ Over a span of four years, USAID gave Morocco $27

million in funding to train Moroccans how to create and design pottery. (Morocco has for thousands of years created pottery, dating back to 6,000 B.C.)

■■ And one of my favorite DOGE findings - $1.6 million

of your dollars, thank you very much, was given to the University of Florida to study the “social and institutional detriments of vulnerability and resilience to climate hazards in African Sahel.”

I fear I may have caused you some distress or given you a headache. In that case take two ‘Senditall’ tablets, which also describes the new short form for filing your taxes next year.

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2025 DEBRUYCKER CHAROLAIS BULL SALE RESULTS

Citizens Can Stop the CO2 Pipeline Steamroller

BY TOM DEWEESE / AMERICAN POLICY CENTER

T

he fight to stop the carbon capture pipeline across five Midwest states is yielding some positive results. But the forces behind it haven’t given up. Now, three more states are targeted.

This tyranny over farmers can be stopped — but only if citizens’ freedom-fighting determination and dedication stand strong.

The carbon capture pipeline is one of the worst environmental scams ever. In all my years of fighting the lies and insane policies of the radical Left, this is without doubt their DUMBEST plan – but it’s also one of the MOST DANGEROUS that we have ever faced – especially for farmers.

Thousands and thousands of acres of privately-owned, food-producing Midwest Corn Belt farmland are being targeted for a 1300-mile-long carbon capture pipeline. The targeted states are South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Nebraska.

The scam is to capture CO2 carbon dioxide and TRANSPORT IT UNDERGROUND! The CO2 is to be buried in underground tanks – to stop global warming! The worst part of this idiotic scam is that it ignores biological science. CO2 is NOT a pollutant. It is natural food for trees and plants. None can live without CO2.

Here’s a scientific fact that the radical Greens are ignoring; For life to exist on earth, we need an average of 1,600 parts per million of CO2 in our atmosphere. However, right now, according to a chart provided by the U.S. Navy, we have only 400 parts per million. That means we are facing CO2 starvation!

And yet, these so-called environmental “experts “are working to bury what we have in the ground – all to save the

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Livestock Market Digest

C02

continued from page 3

environment! This project is just as stupid and dangerous as Bill Gates’ plan to put up a sky level shield to block out the sun. And he proposed that with a straight face!

Just as I’ve been warning for over thirty-five years, all of this is part of the plot called for in Agenda 21, Agenda 2030, the Green New Deal and the Great Reset. In their words, “A blueprint for the reorganization of human society.” It has nothing to do with protecting the environment. It’s the scare tactic to get you to surrender your liberty to their global control.

Now, America’s farmers are on the front lines of the ground war to enforce that reorganization. Control the food – control our entire society. They are facing powerful forces — from rich corporations set on grabbing federal tax money to build the pipeline — to non-elected appointed government boards that are providing the power of eminent domain to enable those corporations to take any farmland they desire — to ignorant or corrupt elected representatives who refuse to stand up and protect their landowners.

I’ve run up against them all!

It all started a couple of years ago when I was sponsored by the John Birch Society to travel to Iowa to address the carbon capture pipeline issue. I learned that the two main corporations pushing to build the pipeline were Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures.

They sent out letters to farmlands in the proposed path of the pipeline, saying “Our goal is to reach voluntary agreements with all landowners along the Project route…” The goal was to get all landowners to sign an easement to “voluntarily” give up their land in the path of the project.

That path of the pipeline is not along the edges of the property where it wouldn’t interfere with the farmer’s use to grow crops. No, the pipeline will meander across the farm wherever the corporations want it – sometimes even as close as 60 feet from the house. And it’s not just a ditch for the pipes. It also includes buffer zones that could be twenty feet wide or more.

The farmer loses control of that entire area.

But it gets worse. The

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Summit letter went on to explain that, if the farmer refused to voluntarily cooperate- “… if we are unable to do so (voluntarily) we may need to request the right of eminent domain (condemnation) from the (non-elected) appointed Iowa Utilities Board.” In other words, the corporation would use eminent domain to just take the land. Can you imagine how the farmers felt? Who stood with them to protect their land and their livelihood?

Then I was given a copy of a letter written by some Iowa county supervisors. It said the supervisors didn’t support the pipeline, but

“There’s Not Much We Can Do. It Looks Like It’s Just Going To Happen.”

That’s when I barnstormed the state and as I spoke to local audiences, I challenged all the county supervisors. “How dare you,” I said. “Who do you represent?” “Who will stand for these citizens? You swore an oath to represent THEM.” Further, I charged that the Iowa Utilities Board was not elected by anyone. And it was not the boss of these elected officials. I challenged them – “YOU COWARDS! When are you going to stand up and serve the people who elected you?”

I was surprised to learn that my speech was recorded by a local activist. He used the recording to make 300 DVDs and passed them out across the state, including to many county supervisors. And then he rented a movie theater and showed my recorded speech to a larger public audience.

The result was that several county supervisors did act.

A few counties began to pass property rights protection legislation for the citizens in their individual areas. The legislation

May 15, 2025 helped to serve as a roadblock to the pipeline, even as other counties took no action. That was a great start in the effort to stand up to the corporations.

Then the battle shifted to South Dakota where many farmers were publicly opposing the pipeline. Again, as in Iowa, I travelled across the state, speaking to local activists, providing ideas on how to stand up and fight to protect their property and farmers. In fact, I have been given credit by some of the local activists for inspiring positive action in their fight.

The fight in South Dakota became vicious as the corporations took action to silence opposition. One farmer, Jared Bossly, was very open in his opposition to the pipeline. He had signs posted on his property specifically notifying the pipeline corporations to not come on his property without his permission.

Summit Carbon Solutions decided to make an example of him to show other farmers what would happen if they openly opposed the pipeline. One day, without warning, as Bossly was out working in his fields, Summit arrived at his house. They began to walk around his property and even entered his barn where he had his farm office.

His wife, scared by these strangers on their land, called Jared, who was working out in the field. In a quick six second phone conversation with her, he said “we will need to get the sheriff involved.”

Jared did not talk directly to the surveyors. But those surveyors reported that he had threatened their lives. HE DID NO SUCH THING. But a judge put a restraining order on him, as if he was a danger to these corporate trespassers.

Then, less than two weeks later, Summit sent another team to his property, complete with armed guards and huge equipment designed to drill 90-foot-

deep holes into his soil. They drove this monster equipment over his soybean and corn crops destroying them. But, by order of the judge, Jared was not allowed to confront or interact with them – on his own property.

It is obvious that Summit’s purpose in this intimidation tactic was to scare other farmers from opposing the pipeline on their own land, and to silence their opposition. That tactic backfired! Instead of silencing them, farmers rose up like never before in opposition. Within days, the farmers held a rally at the South Dakota State Capitol, demanding that the governor and state legislature take action to protect their property rights.

The battle has taken a positive turn. Suddenly, Navigator cancelled its plans to build its pipeline. In addition, recently, South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signed a bill banning the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines.

Of course, that is a huge victory and should end the threat.

But the real problem is Summit Carbon Solutions. It’s planning legal action to stop the ban. Also, Summit is looking for a possible new route around South Dakota to continue the pipeline into North Dakota. Most recently, a new carbon capture pipeline project has been announced to cover Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. For those states, the battle begins anew.

The Carbon Capture Pipeline is a scam that has nothing to do with protecting the environment. It is simply a weapon to take valuable farmland as evil forces work to impose their global agenda on us. The key weapon for stopping the threat is to fight for protection of property rights. Local elected officials must make the determination – who do they represent? – private corporations and non-elected Boards, or the people who elected them?

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resident Donald Trump left the future in doubt for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — a trade deal that he signed in 2020 — after a meeting Tuesday with the newly elected Canadian premier.

At the White House with Prime Minister Mark Carney, a journalist asked Trump about the agreement, which allows a review by the three member countries by July 2026. Trump said the deal, which his first administration negotiated, “is still very effective, but … people haven’t followed it.”

He called USMCA a “transitional step” past the previous

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North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “We’re going to be starting to possibly renegotiate that if it’s even necessary,” he said. “I don’t know that it’s necessary anymore, but it served a very good purpose … as we got rid of NAFTA.” In early March, Trump applied 25 percent tariffs on large swaths of Canadian and Mexican imports despite USMCA, citing illegal immigration and drug trafficking emergencies under a national security law.

Last year, the two neighbors combined bought more than $2.2 billion of U.S. beef, $3.4 billion of pork and $2 billion of poultry.

Trump later called USMCA “a good deal for everybody.”

Carney firmly interjected: “It is a basis for a broader negoti-

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ation. Some things about it are gonna have to change, and part of the way that you’ve conducted these tariffs has taken advantage of existing aspects of USMCA.” In a solo press conference Carney said he had “wide-ranging and very constructive discussions” with Trump and other top U.S. officials. “This is the point at which a serious discussion begins,” he said.

Carney said they would meet again in June when Canada hosts the Group of Seven Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. Asked if Trump could negotiate in good faith after violating USMCA, Carney said: “We’ll make that determination over the course of the negotiations.”

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May 15, 2025

Secretary Rollins Announces Expedited Disaster Aid

F

arming is a noble and patriotic line of work.

America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers are the backbone of our country. It is the goal of the Trump Administration to ensure all of America’s farms are economically viable and thriving, including smaller, independently owned businesses.

After studying the needs and current state of the farm economy, Secretary Rollins will launch a plan to ensure smaller-scale family-owned farming operations are economically viable and those who want to start and keep their own farms for generations to come are able to. The states are key stakeholders in supporting American agriculture and the group discussed ways USDA will work together with states and federal and private sector partners to put farmers first.

This plan builds on the many ways USDA is putting farmers first and reprioritizing customer service. USDA’s Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) was the quickest, most effective rollout of emergency payments in the history of the program. To date, 487,177 farmers across 49 states have received over $7.3 billion in payments.

To ensure total transparency, USDA updates the portal fsa.usda.gov/resources/pro-

Livestock Market Digest grams/20232024-supplementaldisaster-assistance every Monday so the American people can track payment totals. President Trump and Secretary Rollins understand how important customer service is to the American people. That is why, in direct contrast to the Biden Administration, USDA stood up the ECAP program in 3 months as opposed to an average of 13 months, and in one case 19 months, it took to release ad hoc assistance programs under Secretary Vilsack. These unnecessary delays cause real harm on the farm.

Following several natural disasters that deeply impacted farms and ranches across the country, Secretary Rollins announced plans to expedite $21 billion in disaster assistance.

Farmers receiving livestock relief for drought and wildfire can expect to receive payments as soon as the end of this month.

While USDA aims to move all payments out expeditiously and to cut timelines where possible, it is important to note that some elements of the Congressionally appropriated assistance are more specific and labor intensive and were also not statutorily required, therefore will take a bit more time.

A landing page to track the status of USDA’s disaster rollout, which will be updated regularly, has launched today.

Supplemental Disaster Relief Program – Previously Indemnified Loss June 30 – Release to Federal Register for Publication July 3 – Final rule on public display July 7 – SDRP sign up begins Emergency Livestock Relief Program – Flooding includes Commodity Loss Assistance Program, Milk Loss Program – Combined Final Rule August 13 – Sent to Federal Register for Publication August 15 – Final Rule on public display August 18 – ELRP flooding, Commodity Loss Assistance and Milk Loss – sign up begins Supplemental Disaster Relief Program – Uncovered Loss September 10 – Sent to Federal Register for Publication September 12 – Final Rule on public display September 15 – SDRP sign up targeted.

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Emergency Livestock Relief Program – Drought/Wildfire May 23 – Release to Federal Register for publication May 28 – Final rule on public display

FROM THE BACK SIDE

T

May 30 – County offices sign and certify payments

Disaster Assistance Program Timeline

The View hat has got to be on everyone’s mind these days just from listening to the rhetoric from wherever you get your news.

It’s actually a very simple question to answer because tariffs give you power to determine your destiny. In other words, should you get up in the morning, go to work, and lose money or make money? The best thing about tariffs is that they can be adjusted to suit your needs.

Let’s talk about the US Constitution for a minute. I think that most clear-thinking people would agree that the 16th Amendment is truly the worst amendment, and it had nothing to do with the principles the founding fathers fought so hard and sacrificed so much for. In case you are fuzzy with the US Constitution the 16th Amendment was ratified on February 3rd, 1913. It granted the Congress the authority to impose and collect taxes on income.

How did America survive for 137 years prior to the 16th amendment? Tariffs and excise taxes. After Congress passed the 16th amendment who was the American President who signed it into law?

That would be Woodrow Wilson the 28th US President or what I would call the anti-American President with that act.

Consider this, after the income tax became law and Congress had a new source of revenue,

May 29 – Payment processing on Thursday night

To Tariff or Not To Tariff?

(The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association or this publication.)

they were no longer overly concerned with tariffs.

Now consider that tariffs were collected from foreign countries and income tax was collected from American citizens. Congress has been very content to collect money from its fellow citizens for so long that we now have astronomical trade deficits with foreign countries.

The foreign countries used to foot the entire bill before the income tax. This practice is disgusting, and we ought to throw every damn member of Congress out on the street and reelect new ones.

Remember that the founding fathers fought a revolution over this very thing. There should have been another revolution in 1913 and every year the income tax exists. President Trump shows his brilliance in negotiating these tariffs. It will only make America prosper in the long run.

While we are at it, my sources tell me that for 2024 we had a 45-billion-dollar trade deficit on cattle with Canada for 2024.

Why? To me this is just plain stupid. There is no point in losing money to Canada that we do not need to. I don’t know about you, but I must look at my bottom line each year when it comes to running my ranch.

President Trump is right when he says that we would be

better off annexing Canada as the 51st state. Our bottom line would be much healthier. This is a great argument for increasing tariffs.

Let’s not forget that tariffs will help manufacturing, not just agriculture. Just in, former US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen just said, “that revitalizing Americas manufacturing base is a pipe dream.”

Less than an hour after Yellen made that statement NVIDIA the American multinational corporation and technology company announced that they had a new 500-billion-dollar investment plan for building America’s first supercomputer.

Many car companies are bringing back their manufacturing back to Detroit. John Deere has also stated that they are not moving any additional manufacturing to Mexico where they have had a presence since 1952. Stellantis which owns Chrysler, Dodge, and Ram has stifled their plants in Canada and Mexico.

American farmers are about to get protected from China.

There are already many great things happening regarding tariffs. I do not have enough room in this article for a list that long.

This has been an adjustment that America has needed for many years. This is the time for it!

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Page 5

Mexico Poised to Become Top Destination for US Agricultural Exports Surging imports of US grains, meat and dairy position Mexico to surpass Canada as leading ag export market in 2025 SOURCE: GLOBE NEWSWIRE

U

.S. food and agricultural exports to Mexico have surged 65 percent over the past four years, making it the fastest growing export market for a host of American agricultural commodities and products. Mexico’s growth as a destination for U.S. exports has been spurred by the country’s booming post COVID-19 economy and a rapidly growing manufacturing sector.

The economic upswing has allowed Mexican consumers to expand their traditional diet, and U.S. food and agricultural producers are helping meet the country’s growing demand for meat, poultry, dairy, processed foods and feed grains. In 2024, U.S. food and ag exports to Mexico climbed to $31.4 billion, slightly below Canada, the top market at $32.4 billion.

According to a new research brief from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, Mexico will likely surpass Canada to claim the top spot for the first time in 2025 despite some emerging headwinds.

“The rise of Mexico as a customer has been a huge success story for U.S. agriculture,” said Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “But a few risk factors are developing that could slow the pace of additional growth. Mexico’s economy has been slowing, and the unusually strong peso over the last couple of years has weakened by about 15 percent since early 2024. Mexican consumers’ purchasing power will be more challenged in 2025.”

Since 2020, Mexico’s share of all U.S. agricultural exports rose from 11.2 percent to 16.4 per-

cent. On a volume basis, corn, pork, dairy products, soybeans and poultry products make up the top five U.S. commodities purchased by Mexico, according to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service data.

At $13.9 billion, grain, feed, oilseeds and related products comprise the largest category of U.S. ag exports to Mexico.

Strong recent growth is largely attributable to rising feed demand for the country’s expanding animal protein industry and severe drought, which is limiting domestic crop yields and grazing conditions. Given the ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Mexico will almost certainly overtake China as the largest export market for U.S. grain, feed and oilseeds in 2025.

U.S. dairy exports to Mexico continue to follow a pattern of rapid growth. Total U.S. dairy export value to Mexico has risen by 76 percent since 2020, driven mostly by Mexico’s steadily increasing appetite for cheese.

Mexico is the largest export destination for U.S. dairy products and almost twice the size of the second largest, China. And while Mexico’s domestic meat and poultry production continues to climb, consumption is expanding so quickly that imports from the U.S. are increasing as well.

Mexico is also a sizeable importer of a wide array of U.S. packaged food and related processed agricultural products.

Consumer-packaged goods, bakery and confectionery items represent most of those products. Other categories include fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, sweeteners and tree nuts.

Over the past decade, cross border trade of food and agricultural products between the U.S. and Mexico has doubled to reach $80 billion. While free trade agreements have fallen out of favor in recent years, Fox said it’s hard to see the interconnectedness in food systems between U.S. and Mexico as anything but a “win-win” for both countries. “Consumers on both sides of the border benefit from a wider array of food choices at lower prices than they would otherwise.”

Read the research brief, Mexico Poised to Claim Top Export Spot for U.S. Ag Products.

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Page 6

Livestock Market Digest

Famed Scholar, Advocate to be a Featured Speaker at AVMA Convention 2025

T

he American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has awarded Temple Grandin, PhD, professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University and a pioneering animal welfare advocate in the livestock industry, with the 2025 AVMA Humane Award.

The AVMA Humane Award is given to a non-veterinarian to recognize achievement in advancing the welfare of animals through leadership, public service, education, research, product development or advocacy.

It is one of three Animal Welfare and Human-Animal Bond Excellence Awards presented annually by the AVMA and supported by Merck Animal Health.

“I’m deeply honored to receive the AVMA Humane Award,” said Dr. Grandin. “My goal has always been to improve the lives of animals through practical, science-based methods that reduce stress and promote humane treatment. It’s been a privilege to work alongside veterinarians, educators and industry leaders to bring about lasting changes that benefit animals and the people who care for them.”

Dr. Grandin has spent more than 35 years transforming how animals raised for food are handled in the United States and around the world. Her groundbreaking designs for humane livestock handling systems are used in facilities across the

Temple Grandin, PhD

globe, and her center track restrainer system is now the industry standard in large beef plants across North America.

Her work has directly improved the welfare of millions of animals, reducing fear and stress in critical situations.

“Dr. Grandin’s unique understanding of animal behavior and welfare has had an unparalleled impact on the livestock industry, the veterinary profession and the public’s understanding of animal agriculture,” said Dr. Sandra Faeh, president of the AVMA. “She is perhaps the most recognizable public figure in the world when it comes to the welfare of food animals, and for good reason. Her ground-

breaking work has improved the lives of millions of animals and set a standard for what humane care in animal agriculture can and should look like. It is an honor to recognize her with the AVMA Humane Award.”

Diagnosed with autism at an early age, Dr. Grandin did not begin speaking until she was 3 years old. But thanks to early intervention and strong support from her family, she learned to navigate a world that often struggled to understand her. A deep affinity for animals and a unique way of thinking in pictures gave her a special insight into how animals perceive their environments, which would become the foundation of her groundbreaking lifelong work in animal welfare.

Dr. Grandin would go on to earn her PhD in animal science from the University of Illinois and become a leading voice in the push for more humane treatment of livestock. In the 1990s, Dr. Grandin developed one of the first objective scoring systems to assess animal handling and stunning practices in slaughter plants. Adopted by the USDA and major food companies, her comprehensive auditing protocols revolution-

May 15, 2025 ized animal welfare oversight and helped drive sweeping industry-wide changes. In 1999, McDonald’s Corporation, for example, brought her in to train their food safety auditors on handling procedures, and adopted her criteria to evaluate suppliers and require compliance with humane handling practices, which led to improvements in livestock facilities across the country.

Dr. Grandin has authored hundreds of scientific publications and more than a dozen books, including several bestsellers. Her most recent book, Visual Thinking, explores the unique ways in which differently wired minds—like her own as a person with autism—contribute to science and society. She teaches and mentors students at Colorado State University and is a regular presenter at U.S. and international conferences on animal welfare, agriculture and autism awareness.

Dr. Grandin has served as a member of several AVMA advisory panels, including the Panel on Euthanasia, Panel on Humane Slaughter and Panel on Depopulation. Her work on these entities has helped shape AVMA guidance that continues to encourage humane practices across the veterinary and food animal industries.

A recipient of numerous national and international honors, Dr. Grandin was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2018 and the American Acad-

emy of Arts and Sciences in 2017. In 2010, the same year she was portrayed by Claire Danes in the Emmy Award– winning HBO biopic Temple Grandin, Dr. Grandin was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.” She is the recipient of the Meritorious Achievement Award from the World Organization for Animal Health, the Double Helix Medal by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory for raising awareness and funds for biomedical research, and the 2024 Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Grandin was named one of USA Today’s 2025 Women of the Year and was elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2017.

In 2023, Dr. Grandin was awarded an honorary veterinary degree from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Grandin will receive the award and be a featured speaker at AVMA Convention 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., July 18-22. Those interested in attending can visit https://www.avma.org/events/ avma-convention to learn more.

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American Gelbvieh Association Welcomes Grace Schlueter as 2025 Summer Intern

T

he American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is excited to welcome Grace Schlueter as the 2025 summer intern. Schlueter, a sophomore majoring in Animal Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, brings a wealth of experience and enthu-

siasm for the cattle industry to her role.

Schlueter grew up on a registered Gelbvieh and Balancer® cow-calf operation near Scribner, Nebraska.

Her lifelong involvement in agriculture includes participation in 4-H and FFA programs, where she enjoyed livestock judging and showing. She is also a current member of the UNL Block and Bridle Club and Meats Judging team.

“I’ve always been passionate about agriculture and genetics,” she said. “This internship is an incredible opportunity to gain a holistic view of the beef industry by working with a breed association.”

One of Schlueter’s key responsibilities this summer will be assisting with the American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) Junior Nationals event, which brings together youth from across the country for competitions, networking, and leadership development.

“I’m most excited about helping organize Junior Nationals,” she said. “It’s such a busy time, but I love the energy and seeing everything come together.”

AGA is committed to the success of the cattle industry which means supporting and fostering opportunities for the future of the industry: the next generation of producers and colleagues.

As a former ag teacher,

Grace Schlueter, AGA Summer Intern

Harold Bertz, AGA executive director, shares that creating opportunities for interns and witnessing their professional growth is rewarding for the AGA team and its members.

“Internships provide invaluable hands-on experiences, helping our young leaders explore their passions, build skills, and discover pathways to longterm involvement in an industry that is vital to agriculture and food production,” he says.

“These are the future leaders of our industry and helping them discover all that the industry has to offer is an important role we can all take part in.” During her internship, Schlueter will gain exposure to various aspects of the AGA’s operations, including youth outreach, genetic programs, and registration services.

“This internship will help me figure out what I want to do with my future while allowing me to give back to an industry I love,” Schlueter adds. Schlueter will officially begin her internship on May 27, 2025.

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May 15, 2025

Livestock Market Digest

Page 7

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RANCH & FARM REAL ESTATE We need listings on all types of ag properties large or small!

■ NE NEW MEXICO – 1,120 ac. +/- on pvmt. & on county roads, irrigated by ¼ mile pivot sprinklers, wells & underground pipe. One ¼ section in grass.

■ QUAY COUNTY ALFALFA AND LIVESTOCK – 255.474 ± acres a few miles southeast of Tucumcari, NM in Quay County. A total of 112.3 ± acres irrigated, 107 ± acres of native grassland, and 40 ± acres of dry farmland is combined with a 20’ x 80’ shop with concrete flooring and electricity.

■ TELL TX HALF SECTION – 320 ± acres just a few miles south of Tell, TX on the northern end of Cottle County. With the majority of the ranch being native pasture, it lends itself to grazing opportunities, hunting or recreational use. Along with perimeter and interior fencing, a 60 ± acre portion of the property is tilled ground.

■ UNION CO., NM – divided into three tracts for rotational grazing of 1,822 ac. +/- enrolled in the new Grasslands Conservation Reserve Program & 120 ac. +/- of the property in the standard CRP program. GCRP can be grazed year-round each year. Excellent fencing, one mile of hwy. frontage together with all-weather roads on the remainder, equipped with almost new set of steel working pens with scale, a second set of almost new working pens, watered by subs on electricity with pipelines furnishing water for drinkers in each pasture.

Gramma & buffalo grasses. Broker owned.

■ UNION CO., NM – Just out of Clayton, a large feedyard w/four circles irrigated by ¼ mile sprinklers, five irr. wells, one domestic well for office & feedyard & just across the hwy. an 800 ac. grass lease.

■ MULESHOE HOME AND FARM – Irrigated farm of 160 ± acres with a 2017 built home in Bailey County 4.5 miles west of Muleshoe on FM 1760.

The home has 3 br, 2 ba and an office. Other improvements on the property include a 4,032 sq.ft. pole barn with attached shed housing horse pens and cattle working pens. A 5 tower Zimmatic center pivot irrigates approximately 70 acres with three irrigation wells equipped with submersible pumps producing a total of approximately 150 GPM. ■ PRICE REDUCED! CHOICE 320 ac.+/-, irrigated farm, w/pivot sprinklers, irrigation wells & an older home which would be liveable or could be moved. Located on pvmt. in prime farming area of Castro Co., TX. ■ PRICE REDUCED! DALLAM CO, TX – 1,216.63 ac. +/- of CRP/ ranchland w/irrigation, re-development potential, wells & pipelines already in place.

■ COCHRAN CO., TX. – 160 ac. +/- native grass, existing oil production.

The tract is located roughly 21 miles north of Plains, Texas and 32 miles southwest of Whiteface, Texas. Mule deer in the area. Good small hunting, grazing ranch.

■ CASTRO CO., TX – 3 farms with good water, owner will sell and cash lease back: 1,319 ac. +/-, 2 half mile pivots; 1,715 ac. +/-, drip irrigated; 1,440 ac. +/-, drip irrigated.

■ ANGUS, NM – 250 +/- acres with over a 1/2 mile of NM 48 frontage.

Elevations from 6,800 to 7,200 feet. Two springs along a creek. Ideal for future development or build your own getaway home.

■ CLAYTON, NM. – 44 acres located approx.. 2 miles south of Clayton, NM on Hwy 87 on the East side of the highway. This property has about ½ mile of highway frontage and would be great for residential housing, commercial development or addtl. RV development (adjoins the 16.75 ac. RV park).

■ CLAYTON, NM – 9 ac. +/- located on pvmt. behind a large convenience store on which has been partially begun infrastructure for an RV park. This property will also lend itself well as a large development such as new or existing businesses expanding their company.

■ DALLAM CO., TX – 480 acres in native grass in northeastern Dallam County. Possible wind potential.

■ PALO DURO CREEK TREASURE – 941 acres +/- in Randall Co. NW of Canyon, Tx. STUNNING VIEWS OVER LOOKING PALO DURO CREEK. Turn key cow/calf operation w development potential. Property includes: 3/3/3 ranch style home, 4 wells, large shop plus shed, enclosed livestock working facility w/hydraulic chute, livestock pens & shed, miles of 5 & 6 barbed wire fence & over 7000’ of pipe fence. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Canyon School District.

O’NEILL LAND, llc P.O. Box 145, Cimarron, NM 87714 • 575/376-2341 • Fax: 575/376-2347 land@swranches.com • www.swranches.com

MAXWELL PLACE, 39.65 +/- deed-

ed acres, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom 2 story home. Property is off pavement with big views of the mountain range, mature cottonwood trees, 1 apricot tree, irrigation rights, domestic water meter, older well, barns, useable outbuildings, including root cellar compliment this property. 461 Elm Tree Rd. Maxwell NM 87728 $499,00

UTE PARK DREAM, 3 bedroom 2 bathroom 2,321 sq ft home built 2009 with amazing back covered porch and attached garage. 29665 HWY 64 Ute Park, NM 87729 $599,000 $549,000 MIAMI 80+/- ACRES, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with water shares, roping arena, steel barn with shop.

Other historic barns, Pipe corrals.

Far enough off road to be private.

Includes 80 shares of irrigation 2350 SHW 21, Miami NM 87729. $569,999

MIAMI DREAM, 14.70 +/- deeded acres. Approx 1,583 sq ft 2 bedroom 1 bath home. Real country living with barn wood siding, porches, recent remodel for remote workspace. Irrigation and horse facilities, 57 Wampler St., Miami, NM

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$370,000 $335,000

BAR LAZY 7 RANCH, Colfax County, Moreno Valley 594.38 +/deeded acres, accessed off blacktop between Eagle Nest and Angel Fire.

Historic headquarters. Currently used as summer grazing, pond and trees accessed off county road on rear of property as well. Presented “ASIS” New Survey, $3,800,000 $3,629,000

SPRINGER VIEW, 29.70 +/- deeded acres. Large house being remodeled, shop, trees, old irrigation pond.

All back off highway with great southern aspect. 311 Hwy 56, Colfax County. $209,000 $205,000

CONTRACT PENDING

Page 8

Livestock Market Digest

Ranchers Plead For Help to Fight a Devastating Pest on Its Way Back to Texas

BY MICHAEL MARKS / AGRICULTURE & ANIMALS, TEXAS STANDARD ORIGINAL

A

griculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, a Texan, spoke to reporters in front of the White House in early May about a dangerous pest on its way back to the United States.

“The New World Screwworm, the NWS for short, is a scourge that is making its way from Latin America up through Mexico,” Rollins said. “And if it hits America, it is going to be absolutely devastating to our cattle industry at the top of the list, frankly to a lot of our industries.”

The New World Screwworm – actually a fly – was a huge problem for U.S. livestock and wildlife until it was eradicated in the 1960s, and pushed south all the way to Colombia. Recently however, the screwworm’s steadily made its way north, back toward the United States.

The U.S. needed Mexico’s help to control the screwworm, and it wasn’t getting it.

For years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has strategically dropped sterilized screwworms from airplanes to prevent their spread. Rollins said that authorities in Mexico held this up with bureaucratic delays and taxes on equipment.

“The sterile flies on the planes that we’re trying to land, that is what will push that New World Screwworm back into the south of Mexico and into southern Latin America,” Rollins

said. “We were having all sorts of trouble landing those planes.

They wouldn’t let us land them.”

So Rollins wrote a letter to Julio Berdegué Sacristán, Mexico’s agriculture and rural development secretary, saying that if these delays continued, the U.S. would stop accepting imports of Mexican cattle.

The impasse between the two countries broke shortly afterward. But a bigger problem remains: pushing screwworms back south again before they reach the United States.

Controlling the screwworms Generations of American ranchers fought screwworms.

“In the past when we did have screwworms, and we’re going back to the 1960s, ’70s, I remember reading about cases in the Dakotas,” said Max Scott, a professor of entomology at North Carolina State University.

Their screw-shaped larvae burrow into the sensitive spots of mammals, causing disease, infection and death.

“This is a critter that we don’t want back in the U.S.,” said David Anderson, a livestock professor and extension economist with Texas A&M University. “If you have livestock, you’re going to be out there all the time checking your animals for any wound. … I think would be a pretty devastating thing if we were to get it back.”

A Texas entomologist named Edward Knipling was one of the researchers who made a major

Value In Western Livestock Industry!

breakthrough in screwworm control, called the sterile insect technique.

Since female screwworms mate only once, Knipling realized he could collapse their population by releasing sterilized male screwworms. Labs in Kerrville and Mission sterilized billions of screwworms over the second half of the 20th century with nuclear radiation.

Over the decades, wave after wave of sterilized screwworms pushed the insects all the way to Panama’s border with Colombia. The barrier is maintained by a joint venture between Panama and the United States called COPEG, which conducts air-drops of sterile insects and on-the-ground inspections. It’s saved an untold number of animals’ lives, as well as billions of dollars.

“The screwworm sterile release program had been very effective for you know, 20 years – longer, maybe,” Scott said.

A renewed threat In 2022, however, the flies broke through COPEG’s barrier and started to spread north. No one knows exactly why this happened, but the illegal movement of people and cattle, as well as regulators being stretched thin by the pandemic, likely contributed.

“The fly started to spread northward through Panama, up into Costa Rica and Central America and then, the first detection November of 2024 in Mexico,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, who was in charge of the screwworm program at the time as USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. Moffitt was a Biden administration appointee and left the agency in January.

When USDA got word that

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screwworms had reached Mexico in November, they temporarily shut down cattle imports, like Rollins threatened to do last week. During that time, the agency installed inspection equipment in southern Mexico and started dropping sterile insects in the country. To keep them from reaching the U.S., Moffitt also realized that they would need more flies.

“Starting in November when we had the first detection in Mexico, realizing that we were going to need to have more flies to release, and we needed to really not just rely on the one production facility that we have in Panama,” she said.

The facility in Panama can produce 100 million sterile flies per week.

“The 100 million flies out of that Panamanian facility are not enough flies to push it back down to Colombia probably in my lifetime. It’s going to take an increased amount of flies,” said Wayne Cockrell, a rancher from College Station who chairs the cattle health committee for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

In early April, Cockrell went to Panama with a group of other Texans to see where the flies are made. He was impressed by its size, its staff, and its continuous operation.

“It was absolutely much larger than I anticipated,” Cockrell said. “They have their own water treatment facility, their own sewer treatment facility, backup power. They’re operating 24 hours a day – they can’t have a breakdown and say ‘Oh hey, they’ve ordered the part; it’s going to be here in a week.’”

Push for a US sterilized insect plant

rains froze in place.

Traffic lights went dark.

Elevators trapped their passengers. Refrigerators shut down. Flights were canceled.

Life ground to a halt.

A massive blackout shut down the Iberian Peninsula in late April shortly after Spain announced that it was running on 100 percent “renewable” energy for the first time ever.

Michael Shellenberger wrote, “It was one of the largest peacetime blackouts Europe has ever seen. And it was not random. It was not an unforeseeable event. It was the exact failure that many of us have been, repeatedly, warning lawmakers about for years — warnings that Europe’s political leaders systematically chose to ignore.”

Marc Morano posted this analysis to CFACT’s Climate Depot: “Before the outage hit, Spain was running its grid with very little of what’s called ‘dispatchable spinning generation,’ which means power plants, like gas or nuclear, that can quickly adjust their output to keep the grid stable... Traditional plants provide this with their spin-

down for any length of time, Texas ranchers’ best tool to fight screwworms goes away. That’s why Cockrell is one of many in the cattle business pushing to get a sterilized insect plant built on this side of the border, as soon as possible.

“We’re trying to put as much pressure as we can on USDA to give us a plan and give us some figures. And that’s not just cattle, that’s all across livestock. I mean this affects the grain farmer in Kansas or Nebraska just as much, because with a reduction in cattle numbers, that’s a reduction in demand for grain,” Cockrell said.

He and other members of the cattle raisers association met with Rollins in a private meeting at the Texas A&M Beef Center last week to discuss the issue.

Association President Carl Ray Polk Jr. stressed the need for a new screwworm plant.

“This is not going away.

You’re never going to eradicate New World Screwworm. You’re going to push it back. You’re going to put a Band-Aid on it,” Polk said. “But Texas, the United States of America, need a facility, and need a facility quick.

You’re talking about 24 to 36 months.”

Polk said that Rollins was receptive to the idea of a new sterile fly facility. He has identified sites in South Texas that might be suitable.

A sterile insect plant can’t just go anywhere. It uses nuclear radiation to sterilize screwworms, which would complicate any review process. It also needs lots of water, a few hundred staffers, and a wide berth from any neighbors who might be offended by its odor (which is “the smell of death,” according to Cockrell).

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If the plant in Panama shuts

turbines, but renewables Spain and ning don’t, making the grid more if you don’t have a way Portugal Go fragile to very rapidly load-balance in the case of an outage. This Dark likely contributed to the outSOURCE: CFACT

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May 15, 2025

age that hit Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, as the grid couldn’t handle sudden disruptions well.”

“A reliance on net zero energy left Spain and Portugal vulnerable to the mass blackouts engulfing the region, experts said last night.”

Spain’s Socialist government has been letting the Greens have their way. Radicals celebrated as Spain shut down its nuclear and hydrocarbon plants, just when neighbors have been delaying and even increasing nuclear generation.

Spain was forced to import massive amounts of electricity from nuclear-powered France and coal-and-oil-powered Morocco to get its grid back online.

Time and again Europe illustrates how not to manage our energy economy.

Fortunately, as President Trump takes stock of his first 100 days, shutting down the Left’s energy mistakes has been among his finest accomplishments.

Wind and solar are not up to the task of powering our future, but they do have their moments.

A silver lining of the power outage: Spanish cafes dishing out free ice cream...before it melted.

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Consumers Push Forward in Whole Foods Beef Case

BY CHRIS MOORE / MEATINGPLACE.COM

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ttorneys for a proposed consumer class urged a federal judge in early May to move ahead with class certification in a lawsuit accusing Whole Foods of deceptively marketing its beef as antibiotic-free. The plaintiffs argued that all purchasers were financially harmed by paying a premium for meat labeled “No antibiotics, ever,” which they said was not accurate.

The case references studies from Farm Forward and others showing antibiotic residues in beef sold under labels like “organic” or “Animal Welfare Certified.”

Plaintiffs said customers routinely pay up to 20 percent more for antibiotic-free beef.

The court’s decision on class certification could hinge on an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Lab Corp v. Davis regarding whether uninjured members can be included in certified classes.

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