About the Initiative

 Our Partners

 Current Marketing Information

 Beef Cattle Time

 Breeding and Genetics

 Production

 Forages and Nutrition

 Marketing
   including Tennessee Beef Evaluation

 News & Events

 Links

 Contact Us

 Home

News

• Beef Stocker USA 2008 Survey of the Animal Identification Industry
  
  • The U.S. cattle industry's most comprehensive compilation of the who, what and wherefore of radio-frequency identification (RFID) for cattle. Learn more
  
  
• University of Tennessee Extension Launches Drought Information Web Site
  • In 2007, Tennessee farmers and landowners have faced a significant and extended period of drought. While a few storms and showers have provided limited moisture in some areas, the majority of the state is extremely dry. Crops and pastures are very stressed, and the entire state has been declared eligible for federal disaster assistance. The University of Tennessee Extension has launched a new Web site where you can find information about the effects of the drought on plants and animals, and offer strategies for coping with these impacts. Learn more
    
    
• What Do Temperment and Health Have To Do With Feedlot Performance and Carcass Characteristics?
  • This will be the primary subject of five beef cattle meetings across the state June 11 through 14. Darrell Busby, Area Extension Livestock Specialist, will be presenting results of a study of over 13,000 cattle from 12 states fed out in 8 feedlots with the Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity (TCSCF) in Southwest Iowa. Learn more
    
    
• USDA Is Proposing Grass (Forage) Fed Marketing Claim Standard
  • THE U. S. Department of Agriculture is seeking comments on a proposed minimum standard for grass (forage) fed marketing claims. The standard, when adopted, will become the U. S. Standard for Grass (forage) fed claims. Learn more
    • USDA Proposed Rule
      
      
• Tennessee Beef Herd Expanding Faster Than The U.S. Herd
  • The Tennessee inventory of cattle and calves grew to 2,240,000 head, a 3 percent increase, while the nation’s cattle herd only had a 1.7 percent increase. Tennessee’s herd ranks 14th in the nation. Learn more
    
    
• 2007 Release Dates for Selected Livestock and Crop Reports
  • Learn when selected livestock and crop reports will be released in 2007. Such reports as cattle on feed, crop production, and much more. Learn more

• The Japanese Market for U.S. Beef
  • While the Japanese market is important in the longer run, beef producers will hardly notice the impact when it is reopened because it will take a long time, if ever, for exports to return to former levels. Learn more
  • Article by A. Lee Meyer, Extension Professor, Keiko Tanaka, Rural Sociologist, and Kenny Burdine, Extension Associate - University of Kentucky.
    
    
• TDA Offers Master Beef Producer Scholarships
  • NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- State Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens today announced that the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is offering scholarships for Tennessee beef producers for half the cost of participating in the University of Tennessee Extension's Master Beef Producer Program. Learn more
  
  
• TDA Awarded $130K to Launch Animal Identification in Tennessee
  • NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- State Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens today announced the Tennessee Department of Agriculture will soon begin livestock premise identification with the help of a $130,000 USDA grant. Learn more
    
    
• USDA Launches Web Site Focusing On The National Animal Identification System
  
  • WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2005-The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced the launch of a new Web site to inform stakeholders about the national animal identification system (NAIS). The Web site, available at http://www.usda.gov/nais, is designed to be a one-stop resource to facts about NAIS.
    
    
• Livestock Marketing Information Center's U.S. Cattle Identification Systems Fact Sheets Available on Web
  • U.S. CATTLE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS: Risk Management and Market Opportunities is a planned collection of fact sheets, developed by authors with national expertise in the subject area. Materials were developed during the summer of 2004 and published in October. Learn more
    
    
• USDA Releases Rule To Establish Minimal-Risk Regions For Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  • WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2004 --The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that after conducting an extensive risk review it is establishing conditions under which it will allow imports of live cattle under 30 months of age and certain other commodities from regions with effective bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prevention and detection measures. Learn more.
    
    
• For information from the USDA on BSE and the current surveillance plan.
  • USDA
  • USDA APHIS BSE Testing
  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
  • Food Safety and Inspection Service
  
  
• Learn more about the National Animal Identification System (NAIS)
  • USDA NAIS website
  • Questions and Answers: National Animal Identification System
  • Animal Identification: What Does It Mean To The Cattle Industry?
    • Presentation by Emmit L. Rawls and Tammy L. McKinley
    
    
• Buy/Sell Margins Calculator Software Updated
  • The Buy/Sell Margins Calculator has been updated to include prices through 2003 for Tennessee and Georgia feeder cattle and Southern Plains finished cattle as well as prices for Tennessee 700-800 lbs. heifers. The Buy/Sell Margins Calculator is a computer software program designed to help producers evaluate the decision to buy and/or sell cattle in a backgrounding or finishing operation. Learn more about the Buy/Sell Margins Calculator and download your free copy here.