Fat, Feeder Lamb Prices Up And Down
Feeder lamb price trends were uneven this week, San Angelo firm to $2 higher, Fredericksburg $5-10 lower and Midwest markets steady to $5 higher. Slaughter lambs were equally mixed with San Angelo firm to $1 higher, Goldthwaite $3-5 higher, Fredericksburg $4-5 lower except lightweights $4-5 higher, and Midwest markets were steady to $2 lower.

Plains Feedlots Gain $1-1.50 In Fairly Active Early Trade
Plains feedlots racked up another strong performance this week, selling mostly on Tuesday and adding $1-1.50 to last week’s aggressive showing.

Some Texas Slaughter Goats Prices Stronger This Week
Slaughter goats at most Texas markets were $3-7 higher this week except San Angelo, which was on the weak side.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Private Enterprise Becoming Involved In Water Marketing
Water marketing seems to be all the craze these days, and a new privately funded company believes it has the plan in place to make it work.

New Mexico’s Armendaris Ranch Private For Three Centuries
It was standing room only as New Mexico ranchers crowded into an old schoolhouse here to learn about quail.

Analyst Cautiously Optimistic About Longterm Cattle Prices
Dr. Mike Sands, vice president of Sparks Commodities, says he's concerned about cattle prices in the near term, but overall, prices should favor cattlemen.

Water Authority In Panhandle Seeks Additional Water Rights
The price of water just went up. 
The Canadian River Municipal Water Authority is now pumping the maximum allowable from their Texas Panhandle well field, and they want more.

Company Threatens Farmers Who Resell Seed From Crops
A Colorado developer of a popular wheat seed variety says the company is prepared to take Oklahoma farmers to court for reselling its seeds.

Canada Wheat Trading Dispute Nears Final Stage At Commerce
The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to issue final rulings this week in North Dakota wheat farmers' trade complaint against Canada, setting the stage for the case's resolution.

Agricultural Land Values Still Increasing, Government Reports
Farm real estate values, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $1270 per acre as of January 1, up $60 or five percent from the previous year, says USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Federals’ Study Says Americans Eating Healthier, But Too Much
While most Americans know the importance of eating well, it appears they have been unable to manage prosperity when it comes to nutrition.

Appeals Court Nixes Corporate Farming Ban In South Dakota
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a lower court's ruling that South Dakota's Amendment E is unconstitutional because it interferes with interstate commerce.

BLM Director Voices Support For Traditional Uses Of Land
Contrary to her critics' claims, the head of the Bureau of Land Management insists she enjoys the solitude of federally protected wilderness just as much as the next person.

NM Game Dept. Under Richardson Takes Anti-Ranching Positions
The New Mexico state Game Commission will work with Gov. Bill Richardson's administration to change state law to prohibit ranchers from immediately killing elk damaging their property.

Federals Clarify Who Speaks For Washington On Wolf Issue
In response to a request from Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, the federal government has named two people to act as liaisons on wolf management issues.

Smaller But Still Record Corn Forecast Prompts Futures Rally
Futures price bids for corn rallied after USDA's August 12 supply/demand report forecast a potential record corn crop of 10.064 billion bushels.

Poor Countries Bid To Retain Tariffs, Force Others To Cut
Poor countries hit back at the world's leading economies last week, claiming that helping poorer nations must be the major aim of a global treaty on agricultural trade.

Trade Adjustment Plan Introduced By USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun accepting petitions from U.S. agricultural producers for the agency’s new Trade Adjustment Assistance program.

U.S.-Canada Cattle Numbers Decline 1%
All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined on July 1 were down one percent from a year ago at 119.6 million head. All cows and heifers that have calved were down slightly at 48.7 million head.

Anti-Grazing Groups Turn Toward Buyouts
Environmental activists are turning to the free market in their quest to end grazing in the West.

Cooper Seeking Eighth Gold Buckle In PRCA Team Roping
Between 1985 and 1994, Clay O'Brien Cooper of Glen Rose, Texas, won a PRCA-record seven world team roping titles with partner Jake Barnes of Cave Creek, Ariz.

Feeder Yearling Prices Find New Highs, Calf Trends Mixed
Yearling feeder cattle sold fully $2-3 higher across the country last week with several major auction and direct markets quoting prices as much as $6 higher, especially for steers. Calf prices were mixed, the southeastern calf markets ranging from $3 lower to $3 higher.

Fed Cattle Higher Last Week In Spite Of Lower Boxed Beef
Slaughter steers and heifers moving direct across the country last week were mostly $2 higher in early trading.

Angelo Lambs, Feeder Cattle Trade Higher
Feeder lambs sold firm to $2 higher this week, slaughter lambs firm to $1 higher, slaughter ewes $2-5 lower, slaughter kids weak, nannies weak to $5 lower. Receipts totaled 9326 head, around 20 percent feeder lambs, 15 percent slaughter ewes, five percent slaughter lambs and 60 percent goats.

Coleman Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady to firm, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1074 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Lower
Domestic wool trading was slow to very slow last week, demand light to moderate. Supplies remain light and in strong hands.

Brownwood Yearlings Higher, Calves Steady
Yearling feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 higher, the greatest advance on heifers, calves steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs $50 higher. Receipts totaled 805 head.

Most Llano Cattle Prices Termed Higher
Feeder steers sold steady to $4 higher, heifers $2-4 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady to $2 higher. Receipts totaled 507 head.

Meat In Freezers 10% Below Year Ago
Red meat supplies in freezers July 31 totaled 774.47 million pounds, down three percent from June and 10 percent below July 2002.

Abilene Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls steady to firm, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1271 head.

Lampasas Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-1.50 lower. Receipts totaled 941 head.

Fredericksburg Feeder Lambs Off, Fats Mixed
Feeder lambs sold $5-10 lower, slaughter lambs $4-5 higher except lightweights $4-5 lower, slaughter goats $5-7 higher, stock goats steady. Receipts totaled 3172 head.

Hamilton Kids, Lambs Higher, Cattle Steady
Lambs sold $2-4 higher on Monday, ewes steady, kids $3-5 higher and nannies steady. Receipts totaled 1902 head. All cattle classes were steady Tuesday on receipts of 650 head.

Billings Feeder Lambs Sell Lower
Feeder lambs sold $3-4 lower Monday, slaughter ewes $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 3579 head.

Colorado City Feeder Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 689 head.

Cuero Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 higher, slaughter cows $1 higher bulls $2 higher. Receipts totaled 2087 head.

Decatur Yearlings Up, Calves Steady
Yearling feeder steers and heifers sold $3.50 higher, calves steady, slaughter cows and bulls steady, stock cows and pairs strong. Receipts totaled 1322 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers sold $2-6 higher in Kansas direct trade last week, heifers firm to $2 higher. The weather was hot and dry. Sales were confirmed on 15,766 head.

Mason, San Saba Better Stock Calves Higher
Most stock calves and feeder yearlings sold steady to strong last week in Mason and San Saba, choice calves $2-3 higher, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 higher. Receipts totaled 2050 head at the two sales.

U.S. Meat Production 3.1% Below A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 913.6 million pounds, 1.5 percent less than a week earlier and 3.1 percent less than a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was down .3 percent at 29.72 billion pounds.

Most Junction Sheep, Goats Trade Steady
All classes of sheep and goats sold steady on receipts of 5143 head.

Boxed Beef Values Decline Slightly
The national comprehensive boxed beef cutout report on all fed steers and heifers sold last week declined 78 cents to $133.63.

Goldthwaite Sheep, Goat Prices Higher
Slaughter lambs sold $5-7 higher, slaughter goats $3-5 higher, stock goats $5-10 higher. Receipts totaled 1716 head.

July Meat Production Sets Record High Rate
July commercial red meat production for the United States set a monthly record high at 4.05 billion pounds, one percent more than a year ago. Both months contained 23 weekdays and four Saturdays.

Letter To The Editor

Coming Up...
August 26-29 — Superior Livestock Auction’s Labor Day 2003 Sale, Fort Worth, Texas. August 30 — Sevco Farm & ranch Center Huge Liquidation Auction, Highway 281 North, Hamilton, Texas. August 30 — South Texas Cattle Marketing’s Fall Replacement Female Sale, Nixon Livestock Auction, Nixon, Texas.