v   Taking a closer look at gains beef cutout have made recently, we find that ribs and tenderloins - high quality, seasonal items - are contributing the most to the gain instead of day to day items like end cuts. 

v   VeraSun Energy Corp. and US BioEnergy Corp. will merge to form one large ethanol company.  The merger currently involves nine refineries with 870-million-gallons-a-year production.  In the next few months the two plan bringing at least eight more plants online, boosting production to 1.6 billion gallons a year. 

v   A byproduct of fermentation, grape-seed extract, could be used as a meat preservative rather than the synthetic products which are currently used to preserve pre-cooked, frozen, refrigerated and read-to-eat meals.  The study which was conducted at the University of Illinois also found promise in using grape-seed extract as an antioxidant.

v   October’s combined pork and beef production was 10% larger than a year ago and one of the largest this decade.

v   China holds promise for future increases for beef exports.  According to U.S. Meat Export Federation chairman Dan Halstrom, beef consumption is increasing at a higher rate than other proteins.  The somewhat more affluent urban population is largely responsible for this increase.

v   Fed cattle prices have declined since April, but not as much as wholesale beef prices have; wholesale beef prices have declined twice as much.  However, if you look back over the last 10 years, beef prices are up nearly 55% compared to poultry (broiler and turkey meat) which is up 24% and pork, whose price has increased just under 16%.

NOTICE:  

Nexus Marketing (www.nexusag.org) is sending you this e-newsletter to keep you better informed.

Subscribe additional email addresses to receive the Nexus eNote by sending an email to subscribe@nexusag.org with the word “subscribe” in the subject line and the email addresses you wish to add in the body along with their name.

Unsubscribe from the Nexus eNote by sending an email to unsubscribe@nexusag.org from your email account with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line and your name in the body.

©2007 Nexus Marketing