More than 5,100 ranchers, feeders and others with a stake in the beef business are in San Antonio this week for the Cattle Industry Convention. Many of those in attendance were on hand for a panel discussion about the future of the industry. Each sector of the beef supply chain was represented, from seedstock supplier to supermarket retailer.
A common theme among the six panelists was the need to work together to deliver consistent products that enhance beef demand. Molly McAdams, with Texas-based H-E-B supermarkets, said internally competitive behavior is destructive.
“Our common enemy should be declining demand,” said McAdams.
Virginia Hereford breeder Paul Bennett said the seedstock segment must see itself as part of the team effort to deliver high quality beef. He said decisions must be data-driven, not tradition bound.
“My father once said tradition is production agriculture’s greatest handicap,” said Bennett, whose family owns Knoll Crest Farms.
Nebraska rancher Homer Buell echoed the need to base decisions on good information. Although he admitted ranches are not easy to manage, Buell said it is critical for cow-calf producers to track key figures including how much it costs to produce a pound of weaned calf or a ton of hay. He believes combining the availability of good economic information with continuing education will help ranchers make sound decisions. more>
Source : Kansas Livestock Association