What do meth and cattle have to do with one another? More than you might think.
Ranchers across the country have reported a rise in some old-fashioned cattle rustling. The trend is believed to be driven by ranch hands who are stealing cattle and selling the animals in order to support their drug habit, primarily methamphetamines. Calves are a particularly popular target since they are smaller and easier for thieves to sell because the animals are unlikely to have tags or brands.
Police in states like Oklahoma and Texas believe the crime spree is being fueled by the spread of drugs into rural areas. And one head of cattle can buy a lot of drugs. One head of cattle can bring up to $3,000. Further, lenient regulatory systems at cattle markets allow thieves to sell stolen cattle without being noticed.
If they are noticed, however, there is a heavy price to pay. The theft of a single head of cattle in Oklahoma and Texas can bring up to 10 years in prison. This may soon change, however, as lawmakers in states such as Iowa, are pushing for harsher penalties and fines for livestock theft.
In most cases, only a few animals are taken at a time, and these animals are loaded into a truck in the dark of night. But there are exceptions. One Texas farm recently saw 1,100 head of cattle stolen in a single incident.
But ranchers, as you might expect, are fighting back. The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) now has what they call “cowboy cops” to track and identify cattle thieves. Their findings show that these cattle rustlers care little about the price of beef and more about the cost of alcohol and drugs. And many rustlers are teenagers.
While officials are encouraging ranchers to brand their cattle, many ranchers do not want to do so. That’s because it is difficult to brand large animals and costly to register them. Ear tags are another alternative but are easily removed.
In 2014, the TSCRA reported that in the State of Texas almost 6,000 cattle – valued at $6 million – were stolen. Unlike most stolen merchandise which fetches less than its true value, stolen cattle usually fetch full market value. And with beef prices at an all-time high, that’s a lot of drug money.
The Challenge of Marketing to Farmers
Farmer and Rancher MarketingMarketing to farmers is no easy task. More than most, the agriculture industry is subject to rapid change from year to year. Market conditions and other variables in the industry can also shift drastically from season to season, forcing a complete overhaul of your B2B strategy at a moment’s notice. While agricultural marketing can be […]
Increasing Cost of Cash Rent Puts Producers in a Tough Spot
UncategorizedThe increasing cost of cash rent is leading many farmers to ask themselves if it is time to give up the lease on their farmland. Of course, the answer to this question has almost everything to do with the financial health of the operation.
In her article, Cash Rent Increases: When is the Right Time to Give Up a Lease?, the executive director of Nebraska Farm Business Inc., Tina Barrett, stresses that reducing cash rent is not a one-sided story.
Landowners have seen their own rapidly increasing costs. The average personal property and real estate taxes paid per acre has also been increasing. In the same 10-year period, this cost has also increased from $29.22 to $55.71.
But no matter how many sides to the story, the reality is that cash rents have doubled in the last 10 years. In Nebraska, that number has risen from $127.71 to $258.11. With cash rent now accounting for more than 30 percent of the total cost of irrigated corn, producers have no choice but to consider how to reduce this expense.
While no one wants to lose money at the end of each year, giving up land is something most producers want to avoid at all costs. This is especially true since while giving up land may reduce expenses, it also means there is less opportunity to make money. Giving up land has other implications, as well.
The likelihood of ever having the opportunity to farm that ground again once you give it up is slim. It is also tough to find additional ground to farm when the markets turn around.
Some operators have more time than others to make these types of tough decisions. Highly-leveraged operations with significant amounts of high-rent land require quicker action than those with low debt and few acres. And operators who have been around longer and have more net worth built up have more wiggle room than farmers just starting out. In the end, each situation is unique and as difficult as it may be, tough decisions need to be made.
Soil Conservation: What Does it Really Mean for Farmers?
UncategorizedYour Business is Online. Now What?
UncategorizedIf you own a business that markets to farmers or ranchers, getting that business up and running online can seem like a Herculean task. When it finally goes live, it may be tempting to sit back and bask in your accomplishment but that is the last thing you should do.
While it’s true that more than 90 percent of farmers and ranchers will go online to look for products and services, just because you are online doesn’t mean they will be able to find you. In fact, not actively promoting your brand online is the same as not being online at all.
According to The First 5 Things to Do After Getting Your Business Online, an article by the small business editor at Small Business Trends, there are some critical steps you need to take to keep your business moving forward after it goes online.
Don’t get discouraged if you can’t accomplish every item on this list immediately or perfectly. The important thing is that you have a plan and continue to work toward your online goals.
Keep track of what you learn and don’t be afraid to make adjustments along the way. As your needs change, you may need a full-fledged ecommerce site or you may want to make your website mobile-friendly.
Of course, if you feel that you are in over your head when it comes to getting notice online, it might be time to enlist some help. At US Farm Data, we have helped people just like you create content, actively connect with new farming and ranching customers, and capture leads. And that is just the beginning.
Finally, remember that just because your agriculture business is online, it doesn’t mean you can only use online methods to get it noticed. A combination of online and offline marketing tactics is usually the best strategy for getting your business noticed.
Cattle Thieves Making a Comeback in the Beef Belt
Farmer LifeWhat do meth and cattle have to do with one another? More than you might think.
Ranchers across the country have reported a rise in some old-fashioned cattle rustling. The trend is believed to be driven by ranch hands who are stealing cattle and selling the animals in order to support their drug habit, primarily methamphetamines. Calves are a particularly popular target since they are smaller and easier for thieves to sell because the animals are unlikely to have tags or brands.
Police in states like Oklahoma and Texas believe the crime spree is being fueled by the spread of drugs into rural areas. And one head of cattle can buy a lot of drugs. One head of cattle can bring up to $3,000. Further, lenient regulatory systems at cattle markets allow thieves to sell stolen cattle without being noticed.
If they are noticed, however, there is a heavy price to pay. The theft of a single head of cattle in Oklahoma and Texas can bring up to 10 years in prison. This may soon change, however, as lawmakers in states such as Iowa, are pushing for harsher penalties and fines for livestock theft.
In most cases, only a few animals are taken at a time, and these animals are loaded into a truck in the dark of night. But there are exceptions. One Texas farm recently saw 1,100 head of cattle stolen in a single incident.
But ranchers, as you might expect, are fighting back. The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) now has what they call “cowboy cops” to track and identify cattle thieves. Their findings show that these cattle rustlers care little about the price of beef and more about the cost of alcohol and drugs. And many rustlers are teenagers.
While officials are encouraging ranchers to brand their cattle, many ranchers do not want to do so. That’s because it is difficult to brand large animals and costly to register them. Ear tags are another alternative but are easily removed.
In 2014, the TSCRA reported that in the State of Texas almost 6,000 cattle – valued at $6 million – were stolen. Unlike most stolen merchandise which fetches less than its true value, stolen cattle usually fetch full market value. And with beef prices at an all-time high, that’s a lot of drug money.
Are You Judging a Fruit (or a Veggie) by its Cover?
Farmer LifeWhen it comes to great tasting fruits and vegetables, you definitely cannot judge a book by its cover. But if some of the best tasting produce is less than perfect on the outside, why do consumers insist on buying only the most aesthetically pleasing?
This question is even more perplexing when you consider that more and more agricultural experts are telling us that the most beautiful fruits and vegetables aren’t always the healthiest or best tasting. In fact, in most cases, the only advantage of such produce is its ability to sell quickly.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, approximately six billion pounds – or 20 percent – of produce that is grown in the United States is thrown away each year because of its appearance.
So who is to blame for this search for the perfect fruit or vegetable? There’s plenty to go around. First, the USDA stipulates that commercially grown fruits and vegetables must be 90 percent blemish-free. Next, marketers are always on the lookout to photograph only the most aesthetically-pleasing fruits. These camera-ready specimens are hard for the average piece of produce to live up to and set an unrealistically high standard for fruits and vegetables. Finally, a large portion of the blame must be put on consumers.
When shopping for produce, most consumers select food based on how it looks rather than how it smells or how it will taste. This means that many fruits and vegetables are rejected solely on appearance rather than on taste, quality, or ripeness.
Thankfully, there is a new trend toward average-looking fruits and vegetables. Experts are pushing the message that perfect on the outside doesn’t necessary mean better tasting. In fact, pull an apple straight off a tree and it might not look perfect but it sure tastes that way!
There are several companies working to minimize waste by delivering less than perfect fruit directly to consumers. Farmers and consumers can both benefit from doing business this way. Farmers will be able to sell crops that would normally be bound for the landfill and consumers will be able to purchase produce for much less than they would pay in the grocery store – without sacrificing quality or taste. Across the country, farmers list these types of transactions as something they are very interested in pursuing.
Selling less than perfect-looking produce to restaurants is another untapped market. After all, diners don’t care how round a tomato is before it is baked into a lasagna. They only care how it tastes. And as anyone who is willing to take a bite out of an imperfect piece of produce will tell you, it doesn’t have to look perfect to taste that way.