Since the downturn in our economy, just about every economist with access to a computer has provided thought provoking information. Some encourage us to save. Others encourage us to spend. Others encourage us to look for opportunities while some say examine your management structure. No doubt, our industry depends heavily on the ongoing information stream from our economists. However, it seems that most frequently we are encouraged to remember our industry is one dependent upon timing.
Calving season is about timing. Breeding season is about timing. From calf to carcass—how, when and where we market our product is about timing. Timing regarding the release of news and information affects our markets. Change in our industry seems to come when it’s time…or better yet, when the timing is right.
For several years now, there’s been on and off discussions about a central facility that could capitalize on all the beef industry resources available in the Northeast Kansas-Northwest Missouri area. The proximity of major breed associations, land-grant universities, professional and intellectual resources are arguably as great here as they are anywhere else in the U.S. Yet, until now, the reality of such a facility had not materialized even though such a facility would directly benefit the entire beef industry and make lots of economic sense.
Just last week an announcement that the National Center for Beef Excellence had been awarded a $200,000 grant may well have given much needed traction to a remarkable concept. The grant, awarded through the Missouri Value-Added Grant Program, will fund a feasibility study and the development of a comprehensive business plan.
The recent press release announcing the grant states, “The cornerstone for the Center is the Beef Genetics Center, which will revolutionize the speed and depth of progress that can be achieved in genetic research for the betterment of beef products and beef cattle production. …the Center will provide beef seedstock breeders and their commercial customers with single-breed genetic evaluation (EPDs). Timing is critical, as major universities currently providing genetic evaluation services are realigning their priorities away from direct industry service and toward more new genomic research.
…Future initiatives for the Center include development of a much needed coordinated multi-breed genetic evaluation, and development of a genetic material repository and data-warehouse. This will allow the integration of a multi-breed genetic evaluation system that utilizes genomic data, coupled with a DNA sample repository, to provide a synergistic environment for industry service, research, discovery and added value to compliment EPDs and add value for beef producers and beef consumers for years to come.” The greatest advancements in our industry are made when the private sector becomes actively involved in a nonpartisan way to develop new systems using advancing technology for the betterment of the entire beef industry. Sounds easy, right? It obviously isn’t. Almost since the first sire evaluations were calculated, breed by breed, a quarter century ago, commercial cow-calf producers that embraced the technology began a rallying cry for across-breed EPDs. During this same period more sophisticated cross-breeding systems were implemented and commercial cow-calf producers embraced expected progeny differences as the first quantitative measure for genetic improvement.
So now the proverbial ball is in our court. The land-grant universities responsible for calculating genetic evaluations for the past twenty-five years have served notice and the clock is ticking. We have months rather than years to develop a system to finally meet a need requested by the commercial producer for a long time. We have a plan to develop a state-of-the-art facility, the Center for Beef Excellence. The timing could not have been more perfect to receive funding to conduct the feasibility study. We think it’s simply been a matter of time.
Source: J. Neil Orth, Executive Vice President, American-International Charolais Association