Coronavirus in rural America (Part XXII): cattle

Two excellent stories about cattle ranching and cattle sales caught my attention in the past few days. The first is by Madelyn Beck with Boise Public Radio, reported on March 30 but picked up by  Marketplace just yesterday.  The headline is "From Livestock Auctions To Packing Plants, COVID-19 Has A Big Impact On Beef." 

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, livestock auctions like his are staying open to help maintain the food supply chain. They’re considered essential like hospitals and groceries stories and gas stations.

That doesn’t mean these auctions will keep operating like normal. In rural communities they’re often social gathering places, but now many have limits. Sellers are asked to just drop off cows and leave. 

Beck quotes Jake Billington of the Twin Falls, Idaho Livestock Auction regarding spectators:   

We have limited it down to just serious buyers only. You know, one person per family.

Then, from Chelsea Good, vice president of government and industry affairs for the Livestock Marketing Association, the trade group encouraging these precautions while "also working to keep the beef moving."

We’ve worked with both our federal officials, but then also our states and local communities to help get them that critical food supply designation and allow them to continue operating in this important time.

Good also noted that "[t]hese auctions are vital to rural communities nationwide."  Further, "while some ranchers might be able to market cows online ... it’s important to have multiple bidders in the room. That’s what drives prices up so ranchers can make a profit.

Good concluded: 

Candidly, that’s what livestock auctions are all about. We’ve got an auctioneer, we’ve got a competition and bidding, we’re working for that producer.

And "producer," of course, means farmer or rancher.  This story is perhaps particularly interesting for me because my father, who spent most of his working life as a truck driver, hauled cattle for a time. That means I spent some time around sale barns in my childhood. 

The second is today's story by Bob Moffitt for Capital Public Radio here in Sacramento, "Spring Cattle Work Brings COVID-19 Guidelines For Ranch Hands From UC Cooperative Extension."  The story begins by observing that it's a busy time of year for cattle ranchers.  Moffitt includes quotes from a UC Cooperative Extension Agent and from some ranchers in the Sierra Nevada.  They offer strategies for getting the work done without undue risks that the ranch hands will infect one another.  Estimated losses so far from the coronavirus pandemic for cattle ranchers:  $13.6 billion. 

Meanwhile, more bad news out of the meatpacking industry here (South Dakota) and here (Colorado).