Bleacher Talk at the Steer Show

I spent the weekend meeting with friends and industry folks at the AGR/Block&Bridle Steer Show in Brookings, S.D. at the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Campus. With over 120 entries from six different states, it was exciting to see the outstanding quality lineup of cattle presented at the show. Throughout the weekend, I asked several cattlemen how things were going in their operations, and I gained some great insights from the producers that are weathering the challenging times of the present.

In between the judge's commentary and reasons, I had several conversations worth noting. Many were concerned about the Obama administration picks. Others had attended several Angus bull sales to see several "no-sales" due to concerns of Curly Calf Syndrome. In addition, there was a lot of talk about JBS terminating their acquisition of National Beef. Bleacher-talk then switched to the two-cent Choice/Select spread and how consumers are demanding a leaner, healthier product. We also talked about Quizno's new animal welfare policies in buying cage-free products. Country of Origin Labeling was rehashed, and predications for animal identification were made. Of course, the chatter moved to the weather, calving season worries and who had the best steer at the cattle show.

As we kick off another week today, I want to know what the coffee talk was about in your neck of the woods this weekend. What topics are your friends and neighbors most concerned about? How are bull sales going in your area? How is calving season going? What's on your mind these days? The floor is yours...