Welcome to the Friday edition of the HOT BARN REPORT
Heard ONLY on American radio stations across the nation and online at hotbarnreport.com!
Karina Jones, Field Director for R-Calf USA joins us each Friday from her ranch in the heart of Nebraska covering what’s new and important to the family farm and ranch.
Ranchers, start your engines!!! I mean, we say that prayer under our breath every morning as fire up the diesel engines that will feed our cattle in these bitter cold temps, but who would have dreamed that you and I would someday be paying to sponsor a NASCAR race?!?!
I should clarify, you and I are not going to the NASCAR race, to represent our own industry. No, no, no there will be guys in with shiny leather shoes to speak on our behalf and besides, we have ice to chop and cows to feed. Nor can we really follow the money trail that led from our pockets to NASCAR’s executive bank accounts other than the dollars seemed to have flowed through NCBA’s bank account. But whether the money was from the CBB side of the Checkoff or the Federation of Qualified State Beef Council Checkoff money is still a little fuzzy to me, but let’s be real, most things regarding how our Beef Checkoff money is squandered is fuzzy to all of us. And folks, that is by design.
Now I will be pacing the floor, waiting for that $11 a head ROI that a Checkoff funded study promises me that I am making. I mean, surely, sponsoring a NASCAR race is thee golden ticket to putting money back in my pocket. As, I wait by the mailbox I study actual data, like since the Beef Checkoff has been made mandatory in 1985 per capita consumption of beef in the US has fallen 20 pounds per person while consumption of chicken has skyrocket and chicken doesn’t even have a checkoff.
How about the fact that in 1985 there were 110 million cows in the US and today we are at the 4th lowest level in history at 93 million head and shrinking. Maybe that is because in 1985, the American cattle producer was receiving around 57% of the consumer dollar and today that has fallen to 37%. Oh well, the Beef Checkoff was never about making you and I profitable.
So, Americans are eating less beef. Cattle producers are going broke and we are losing our industry It is really hard for me to find the silver lining in our beef promotion and marketing tool, AKA, The Beef Checkoff.
The hands that hold the power and our money are quite comfortable with the status quo. So if you have a golf tournament, a rodeo, a NASCAR race or heck even your high school prom that needs sponsored, reach out to the Beef Checkoff. There may be an opportunity to get some funds paid in by ranchers like my neighbors and I to sponsor your next event. The Beef Checkoff really should adopt the old George Strait song, “Just Give it Away” as their motto.
No sale today at Crawford Livestock. But tune in on Monday as head honcho, Monte James will be back in the air chair covering all the sales and consignments at the hottest barns in the nation! Presho Livestock, Platte Livestock, Lemmon Livestock, Stockman’s Livestock, Crawford Livestock, Bassett Livestock, Creighton Livestock, Mobridge Livestock, and North Platte Stockyards.
The HOTTEST sale barns in America
See more at HOT BARN REPORT
As always buy ’em up online at CattleUSA.com
Creighton Livestock Market
Lemmon Livestock, INC.
Presho Livestock Auction
Mobridge Livestock
Platte Livestock Market
Stockmen’s Livestock
Crawford Livestock Market
North Platte Stockyards
Bassett Livestock Auction
