GYPSY WAGON FROM OUR PUBLISHER
I f we were a daily newspaper, we wouldn’t be able to re- port all the news of the day these days. As a bi-monthly issue, by the time you get this June/July magazine, the issues will be different or solved or even more critical. It is truly a revolving world, if you will pardon a pun. The New World screwworm (NWS) fly is truly a serious concern and a moving target as you will read about in Larry Stalcup’s Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Convention article. He ended up rewriting his piece as the U.S.-Mexico border closed yet again to livestock imports after his first draft. One thing that makes this different is that the concern covers all warm-blooded animals with an open wound, including humans. Results of the larvae burrowing into the flesh can cause serious or fatal damage. As the threat moves northward across Mex- ico, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is strongly pushing for construction of a sterile NWS production facility in the United States. Releasing sterile NWS helped eradicate the insects in the 1960s. Much more to come on this issue. Also top of the list is the effects of tariffs, positive or neg- ative, on the industry. The announcement of agreements with the United Kingdom was lauded as the first of many. The question for beef producers will not be the numbers involved as much as the trade barriers that have been used in Europe forever. The first comment from most travelers to Europe is the beef on the menu overseas; it’s a totally different eating experience. There is nothing like a grain- fed steak from the United States to showcase the differ- ence. Let’s hope we get to send lots of that beef over there. As usual, the national press does a half-way job about reporting on issues. The difference in export vs. imports with Australia is a good example. If we did not get lean beef from Australia, we would have half the amount of hamburger to sell because we do not produce enough here to mix with our ground product, and the Australians do not need our grain-fed beef. They produce their own very good product. Definitely a plus in the news is renewed legislation at- tempts addressing the death tax issue. As we all know, es- tate taxes can be a death warrant for family businesses, and NCBA and other agriculture organizations have sought its demise for years. Maybe, this time it will be passed. Ours should be allowed to be a generational business. That’s who we are.
As an issue of CALF News goes through production, it often takes on its own personality. The feature writers tell me what topics they think are important. The columnists report what is top of mind, and our advertisers plan on you stopping for a moment to consider their products. Each issue for me is a new baby, some I like better than others, and the nice part for me is that it is not like mopping a floor or getting the feed trucks serviced. It gets finished and we all start work on the next issue. This issue is a perfect example of the diversity in our industry. When it came together, we didn’t even know what the overarching topic would be. Along with coverage of industry meetings, the opening of a Nebraska packing plant, and an Aussie’s view of our industry, Jim Whitt takes us through the history of tariffs, Chris McClure boils down AI, and James Coope and Kristen Mackey make beef a family affair. We also continue to report on the advance- ments we saw from companies at CattleCon. The cattle complex is an exciting and vibrant industry, and we are extremely proud to be a part of it. Enjoy your summer. Betty Jo Gigot
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CALF News
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June | July 2025
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