“The Corporate Transparency Act requires millions of family farmers and ranchers to file complex paperwork and disclose beneficial ownership information with the federal government under penalty of severe fines and jailtime,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus. “FinCEN should do the right thing and provide a realistic delay to the Corporate Transparency Act until Congress has an opportunity to provide a permanent fix that protects family farmers and ranchers.”

On Monday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a nationwide preliminary injunction on the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act, holding that the government is likely to prevail in a constitutional challenge. This decision places many small businesses in jeopardy that have not yet filed Beneficial Ownership Information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

In light of the Fifth Circuit’s decision, FinCEN announced it will delay enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act until January 13, 2025—just three weeks from now. This delay does not allow enough time for millions of small businesses to comply with the law, and it is deeply concerning that FinCEN will proceed with enforcing this law when it has failed to give adequate notice and instructions to law abiding family business owners.

NCBA will continue fighting for a permanent solution that protects cattle farmers and ranchers from this overreaching mandate. In the meantime, cattle producers are advised to consult their attorney and/or tax professional regarding this new development.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy.  As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef.  Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org.

–National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

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Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 75.8 million hogs and pigs, 69.8 million were market hogs, while 6.00 million were kept for breeding.
• Between September and November 2024, 35.2 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, up 2% from the same time period one year earlier.
• From September through November 2024, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 11.92 pigs per litter.
• U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.93 million sows farrow between December 2024 and February 2025, and 2.95 million sows farrow between March 2025 and May 2025.
• Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 24.6 million head. Minnesota had the second largest inventory at 9.50 million head. North Carolina was third with 8.20 million head.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed 6,046 operators across the nation during the first half of December. The data collected were received online through NASS’s Respondent Portal, by mail, telephone and through face-to-face interviews.

The Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report and all other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

–USDA NASS

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I hope all of you will be able to look back on the year’s greatness. Put your pencil to paper as you consider all you learned from 2024; some very important lessons were sprinkled in there.

To give time for reflection and enjoyment this holiday season, we will not be sending out our daily emails the week between Christmas and New Year’s. The Morning Ag Clips’ daily email will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

There will still be news articles published on our site, so make sure to stay up-to-date by going to morningagclips.com. Every day there will be something new, and there will be an editor watching for breaking ag news every day. But like you, we all need a break, and the only way to get it is to be extremely intentional about it, so we are!

Here’s to you, your family, and a prosperous and healthy New Year! We will see you in 2025!

With love,
Kate

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ISU extension beef specialist Denise Schwab said these BQA dates and locations are scheduled in various areas of the state and are for both initial certification and recertification. At the end of the meeting, all participants will become BQA certified.

BQA is required for everyone who sells cattle to Tyson Foods, Cargill, and Iowa Premium, as well as several other beef processors and some sale barns. Certification must be renewed every three years to maintain that sales eligibility.

“Please check for preregistration information for the site you want to attend,” Schwab said. “Some sessions include a meal and having those numbers is important for planning. Also, the Jan. 20 program at Van Horne includes a BQAT session following the regular BQA portion.”

• Jan. 15. 4 p.m. Warren Cultural Center – Auditorium, 154 Public Square, Greenfield. Please RSVP to 641-743-8412. Held in conjunction with Three-State Beef Conference.
• Jan. 20. 1 to 3 p.m. Cerro Gordo County Extension & Outreach, 601 S Illinois Ave, Mason City. Contact Sarah DeBour at 641-423-0844 or sdebour@iastate.edu.
• Jan. 20. 6 p.m. Thanks to the Benton County Cattlemen for helping sponsor a BQA and BQAT training at the Van Horne Community Center in Van Horne. A meal will be served at 6 p.m., with the training to start about 6:30 p.m. BQAT will follow the BQA certification. To register call Benton County Extension at 319-472-4739 or email Patti at upmeyer@iastate.edu.
• Jan. 23. 5 to 8 p.m. Grundy Center Community Center, 705 F Avenue, Grundy Center. Contact Brandy Bingman at 319-824-6979 or bbingman@iastate.edu.
• Jan. 24. BQA training will be offered following the Driftless Region Beef Conference starting at 1 p.m. at the Grand River Convention Center in Dubuque. No preregistration is required for this training.
• Jan. 27. 6 to 8 p.m. Lakin Center, 61321 315th Street, Malvern. Please RSVP to Mills County Extension at 712-624-8616.

Iowa’s BQA certification program utilizes industry partnerships to extend its reach across Iowa and is funded with beef checkoff dollars. The BQA program has helped inform industry representatives and beef producers about the latest management practices such as proper injection site techniques, recordkeeping practices, and new industry on-farm BQA Assessments; and helped consumers become more aware of the extra efforts taken by Iowa producers to deliver safe, wholesome beef.

For more information on BQA or any of these sessions, contact Schwab by email or call 319-721-9624.

The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.

–Denise Schwab, ISU Extension

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“We anticipate attendees will really enjoy the hands-on session led by clinical assistant professor Dr. Caitlin Wiley from the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine,” Schwab said. “This session focuses on troubleshooting dystocia issues utilizing a life-size cow model.”

Thanks to the cooperation and sponsorship of the Edgewood Vet clinic and the Keystone Vet Clinic, Dr. Sami Kemp and Dr. Abbey Smith will be discussing newborn calf care and management. Dr. Grant Dewell, ISU extension beef veterinarian, will discuss colostrum management in beef herds and Dr. Randie Culbertson, ISU Extension cow-calf specialist, will discuss decision making based on calving records and data. Schwab will present on gestational nutrition.

Because the sessions are designed for individual hands-on learning, attendance is limited to 50 participants per clinic location and preregistration is required. Thanks to program sponsors, the cost is $25 per person, which includes a meal.

Those who want to attend should register at least two days in advance of their desired location date by contacting the respective county extension office.

Jan. 13. Arlington Event Center, 853 Main St, Arlington; 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., contact Fayette County Extension at 563-425-3331 or email Deb at dkahler@iastate.edu.

Jan. 13. St. Mary’s Parrish Center, 2200 2nd Ave, Vinton; 4:30 – 9:30 p.m., contact Benton County Extension at 319-472-4739 or email Patti at upmeyer@iastate.edu.

For more information or questions contact Denise Schwab, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist, 319-721-9624, dschwab@iastate.edu.

The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.

–Denise Schwab, ISU Extension

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Thursday will start out with keynote speakers Dr. Derrell Peel from Oklahoma State University and Dr. Troy Rowan from University of Tennessee. Also speaking Thursday will be Dr. Marta Kohmann from the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Marta Kohmann will speak on “Managing Pastures for Long-Term Production”. Grazing management is no easy task. Several decisions are needed to ensure productive pastures that keep up with animal requirements long term. Dr. Kohmann will go over main principles of sustainable pasture management. Some of the most recent grazing studies that are underway will be shared as well.

Rounding out Thursday evening after dinner will be the popular “Bull Pen” discussion featuring a panel of locker plant managers from the Driftless Area sharing their insights and answering questions about marketing beef locally.

Friday morning will start out with a breakfast session on “Challenges and Joys of Family Farm Transitions” where Bruce and Peyton River of Maquoketa, IA will share their experiences on these challenges.

Following the breakfast session, breakout sessions will be offered on a variety of topics. One track will focus on the cow herd while the other focuses more on feedlot aspects.

The feedlot focused sessions this year will be led by Joseph Lensing from Iowa State University, Erika Woolfolk from Iowa State University, Denise Schwab from Iowa State University, and Josh McCann from University of Illinois.

Joseph Lensing will talk about “Risk Management in a High-Priced Market” focusing on analyzing the risk protection and strategies to protect the value of feeder and fed cattle in the current market.

Erika Woolfolk will talk about “Effects of Market Timing and Performance Technologies on Marketing Decisions for High Quality Midwest Cattle”. This talk will share results of a study conducted at Iowa State University to evaluate the tradeoff related to days on feed and market timing contingent on feeds costs, grid premiums, and discounts for high quality cattle sold on a carcass or grid market basis.

Denise Schwab will talk about the “BeefXDairy Lifetime Performance Project” which was an Iowa State University project that looked at the impacts of early life nutrition on lifetime growth, health, and performance on beef dairy cross calves. The final results of the study will be shared as well as implications for managing beef dairy cross calves for performance, health, and carcass merit.

Josh McCann will talk about “Causes and Costs of Erratic Intake in the Feedyard”. Consistent dry matter intake is the hallmark of good management. McCann will discuss why it is important to consider the causes and costs of erratic feed intake.

Finally, to wrap up the conference, everyone will come together again and hear Derrell Peel talk on “Cattle Market Outlook: 2025 and Beyond” which encompasses the current cattle market situation and factors affecting producer profitability.

About Extension: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions and adapt to changes and opportunities.

–Nikki Keltner, Illinois Extension

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I expect the January Cattle Inventory report to show some additional liquidation has occurred leading to a smaller calf crop in 2025. It seems most likely that the summer of 2026 is the soonest substantial national heifer retention may begin. While there is recently elevated uncertainty around international trade that should not be overlooked, most anticipate domestic beef availability to decline perhaps by 2-3% per year (per person) in 2025 and 2026.

Given this setting and the opportunity for some extended armchair-pondering around the holidays, some context on economic concepts and an important historical reminder is prudent. Economists analyzing the beef industry use the term “demand” to refer to the willingness and ability to buy beef at a specific price. A change in beef demand is not triggered by changes in beef prices but rather by consumer income or wealth adjustments, changes in prices of other goods, or perceptions of beef quality evolving. To this later point, the clear improvement in overall beef quality (simple example is Prime or Upper Choice percentage versus past decades) has been core to beef demand growth (see K-State demand indices here: https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/meat-demand/monthly-domestic-meat-demand-indices-usdabls-data/monthly-domestic-0 ).

As we turn to 2025 it is important to pause and connect the dots around things such as current feedlot supplies, future breeding herd size and corresponding beef availability, and what one may expect at the retail and food service level. Yes, lower beef supplies are expected and with that, most anticipate higher end-user beef prices. In fact, the industry should be hoping for that! Research with Melissa McKendree, Ted Schroeder, and Nathan Hendricks (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1093/ajae/aaz034 ) shows that feeder cattle sellers stand to gain the most when beef demand grows, and lose the most when demand falters.

If alternatively, lower beef availability is observed in conjunction with flat or lower beef prices, then beef demand clearly declined. In that unfortunate situation, economic viability for most in the industry also declines. While some younger market participants may dismiss this scenario, recall the 1980s & 90s was a period largely characterized by a shrinking herd, weakening beef demand, and overall decline in industry vitality. Indeed, lower beef volumes alone do not guarantee higher beef nor cattle prices. This experience is worth periodic reflection as the industry has made massive improvements that should not be overlooked or taken for granted. To the extent that beef prices increase reflecting stable or growing beef demand that indeed is a market outcome that should not only “be allowed” but encouraged. While the term “demand destruction” is likely to appear more in coming months, industry stakeholders are encouraged to take pause and in fact hope that higher prices develop reflecting stable or growing beef demand.

Finally, and most importantly I wish all readers a Merry Christmas, the ability to see the true reason for the season, and a joyous New Year.

— Glynn T. Tonsor, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

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Currently Williams is the educational design and development manager for Iowa 4-H Youth Development. Formerly, she was the executive director for ISU Extension and Outreach Clay County, where she managed the operating budget and ensured legal compliance, policy adherence and effective program delivery. She supervised office staff and volunteers, coordinated educational events and facilitated partnerships that increased the program’s reach and impact.

“Bonnie joins us with over 15 years of experience in leadership, educational program management and community engagement. I am confident she will contribute to the region’s impact as their new regional director,” said Andrea Welchans, assistant vice president for extension and outreach. “We congratulate her and welcome her to her new position with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.”

Williams received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake.

ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the federal Cooperative Extension Service — a network of more than 100 land-grant institutions, including Iowa State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture serving communities and counties across the United States. Every county in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level.

For more information, wisit the ISU Extension and Outreach website.

–ISU Extension

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The decision was met with praise from Iowa Corn Growers Association farmer members along with our fellow state and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) corn farmers who had called on the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to file the dispute.

“Iowa’s farmers rely heavily on trade and corn exports to Mexico,” said Stu Swanson, Iowa Corn Growers Association President and farmer from Galt “That’s why we joined other state and NCGA grower leaders in pushing USTR to challenge this ban. Mexico is a key market for corn in all forms and it has been an important push to remove barriers to allow trade.”

Since the enactment of USMCA, the formation of dispute panels has been uncommon and must meet a high threshold of requirements. Now that a decision has been made, corn farmer leaders will work with USTR and the incoming administration to ensure the ruling is enforced.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) is a 7,000-member strong grassroots-driven organization, headquartered in Johnston, Iowa, serving members across the state, and lobbying on agricultural issues on behalf of its farmer members to create opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. For more information, visit iowacorn.org.

–Shannon Textor, Iowa Corn Growers Association

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“The Organic Grower Summit provides a platform for collaboration and learning, uniting stakeholders who are shaping the future of organic farming,” said Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress national events director. “This year’s enthusiastic participation underscores the growing interest in sustainable and innovative farming practices.”

The event featured a packed schedule of keynote addresses, educational seminars and live ag-tech demonstrations, all receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. With 86% of seminar participants awarding the program five out of five stars, the educational sessions covered critical topics like soil health, ag technology and market resiliency.

A major focus of OGS was the increasing importance of regenerative farming practices. Seminar sessions such as “Regenerating Soil Health with Organic Practices” and “Organic, Regenerative, or Both: What Does the Market Want?” attracted packed rooms and sparked valuable discussions among growers and retailers. Esteemed speakers, including Eric Brennan of the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Jennifer Lester Moffitt, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, emphasized the role of innovation in building a resilient food system.

The summit also celebrated outstanding achievements in organic farming with the prestigious Grower of the Year Award. This year’s honoree, Dick Peixoto of Lakeside Organic Gardens, was selected for his pioneering contributions to the organic farming industry.

On the bustling trade show floor, leading brands and emerging startups showcased innovative solutions to advance sustainability and efficiency in organic agriculture. The expo provided opportunities to explore new products, network with peers and gain insights to enhance growers’ operations.

“It’s inspiring to see the organic community come together to share knowledge and celebrate progress,” said Jungmann. “We’re grateful to our sponsors, partners and exhibitors who made this event a success, and we’re already looking forward to an even bigger event in 2025.”

The 2025 Organic Grower Summit is scheduled to return to Monterey, California, from Dec. 3-4, 2025. For more details and updates, visit www.OrganicGrowerSummit.com.

About Organic Grower Summit
The Organic Grower Summit is a premier event that serves as a hub for organic producers and suppliers to come together and explore the latest trends, techniques and innovations in organic farming, now produced by Farm Progress. Connect with and learn more about Organic Grower Summit online at www.organicgrowersummit.com and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Thank you to the 2024 Organic Grower Summit sponsors and partners including Western Growers (presenting sponsor), Fendt (Grower of the Year sponsor) Western Farm Press, Strauss (Ag Tech Opening Reception sponsor), and Organic Grower.

About Farm Progress
As part of Informa Markets, Farm Progress is the largest, most diversified agriculture information business in North America. Through a robust network of live events, digital products, data, marketing services, broadcasting and local and national publications, Farm Progress enables the nation’s most economically significant farmers, growers and ranchers to connect and do business. It serves 80% of the 2 million farms and ranches in the U.S., and an estimated 85% of the nation’s annual agricultural gross domestic product. Visit our website at www.FarmProgress.com.

— Organic Grower Summit

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