INDUSTRY NEWS

The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) introduces its Southern Balancer hybrid, a Gelbvieh heat-tolerant composite specifically targeted to Southern beef producers. Registration certificates and performance data will be offered this fall, AGA said.

A potentially fatal condition called “frothy bloat” is afflicting Kentucky cattle herds and prompting state officials to ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include the condition in a program allowing farmers to request reimbursement for losses.

Brazil-based JBS Swift, the world’s largest beef producer, announced plans in early July to acquire the McElhaney Cattle Co. feedyard of Welton, Arizona. McElhaney has a one-time capacity for 130,000 head of cattle, according to a company press release.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised its guidance document containing advisory levels for the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, also referred to as DON or vomitoxin – increasing the level destined for beef cattle and establishing for the first time a separate level for dairy cattle.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced July 1 that USDA has finalized tougher new standards for ground beef purchased by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for federal food and nutrition assistance programs, including the National School Lunch Program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s newly proposed rules for the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) sparked a flurry of debate from producers and trade associations as to how the government will justify new regulations in the name of promoting fair competition.