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SUN ON THEIR BACKS and green beneath their feet, these East Texas cattle near Huntsville are one up on their West Texas brethren. Still, producers in that area say the moisture is short, and they worry that this year is starting out like last year, which began abnormally dry and ended with floods. West Texas had the same thing, just without the floods.

Fat, Feeder Lamb Prices Up And Down
Fat and feeder lamb prices were a couple of dollars higher on Midwest markets, but some Texas markets found prices a little lower. It was more a leveling out than a true trend.

Much Stouter Plains Cattle Trade Develops At Midweek
Plains fed cattle trade kicked off at midweek again this session, uncharacteristically early by recent standards. It was also uncharacteristically higher — as much as $2.

PLAINS FEEDLOT SALES

RANGE SALES

Editorial
Select Beef Is A Big Seller, But For Whom And At What Cost?
The big push several years ago to change the nomenclature of some beef grades to help move the product seems to have worked, but has it been a help?

Global Market Offers Good And Bad News For
There are three ways to lose money — slow horses, fast women and raising beef cattle, according to H. Christian Oberst, past president of the International Meat Secretariat.

Beef Industry Working Harder To Get Nutrition Message Out
It's no secret that the beef industry for many years has gotten a bad rap about nutrition — and for all the wrong reasons, experts say.

Lawmakers Criticize Clinton's USDA For Ag Budget Reductions
GOP lawmakers lashed out at the Clinton administration for failing to come up with a way to pay for a proposed crop insurance overhaul, but vowed to move forward anyway to help struggling farmers.

Radicals Challenge New Mexico State Grazing Lease
Three environmental activist groups have filed a lawsuit in state district court challenging the grazing lease system for millions of acres of state trust lands in New Mexico.

Charge Of Chicken Monopoly Cautionary Tale For Cowmen
Saying Eastern Panhandle poultry farmers are trapped by a monopoly, state Attorney General Darrell McGraw last week sued a Virginia chicken processor, claiming it engages in unfair and deceptive business practices.

New Futures Contract Available To Manage Stocker Cattle Risk
A new risk management tool for the stocker cattle segment of the beef industry has recently become available.

Implications Of Park Closure Issue Echo Across Entire
On March 10, the U.S. Court of Appeals hears oral arguments in a case with far-reaching consequences. That morning the court will be asked whether federal lands may be set aside for worship by Native Americans and, in the process, closed to all other Americans. When the Court issues its decision, it is highly likely that whatever its ruling, the issue will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Researcher Sees Some Slowing In Decline For Beef Demand
For the first time in 20 years, the downward shift in demand for beef is showing signs of slowing.

Montana Group Agrees With LMA Checkoff Position — To A Point
DearSirs, We are writing to thank you for your leadership and applaud your courage in initiating the Beef Checkoff referendum petition. We realize that, as consignment businesses, your stand may have put you in a difficult position with some of your customers.

Risk To "Endangered" Species Finally Spurs Fire Ant Fears
It all depends on whose ox is being gored, apparently. A decade or more after the federal government refused to allow farmers and ranchers to use widely available pesticides to protect their crops and livestock from fire ants, bureaucrats are bemoaning the risk the vicious pests may pose to so-called "endangered" species.

TAHC Concerned About "Mexican" Cattle Originating Elsewhere
Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission say they're worried a growing number of foreign cattle, disguised as Mexican cattle, may be passing across the border and bringing possible health risks to Texas herds.

South Dakota Lawmakers Leading In Efforts To Restrain Packers
South Dakota's state legislature has taken the lead among several states seeking to curb packers' power.

Prosecutors Seeking Stiff Penalty For ADM Vice Honcho
Federal prosecutors say former Archer Daniels Midland Co. vice president Michael Andreas remains unrepentant despite his conviction on price-fixing charges and should get the maximum sentence.

Government Mistakes Spread Wheat Disease
Wheat growers in Arizona have been trying to cope with a federal quarantine of their crop for three years, and the government just made their hardship worse.

S. Dakota Governor Donates To R-CALF
South Dakota Gov. Bill Janklow announced Friday that he will give $75,000 to a legal effort that is seeking to end alleged unfair trade in cattle.

Prince Chuck Causes Beef-Eating Outrage
A little perspective, please! The President of the United States is accused of rape and the U.S. press yawns; Britain's figurehead prince is charged with eating beef and the press on that side of the pond goes ballistic.

Bill Would Increase CRP Acres, Cut Time
Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts plans to propose adding nearly 10 million acres to the Conservation Reserve Program and wants to allow the idling of fragile farmland for five years rather than the current decade.

Wyoming Gov. Declines To Sign Meat Label Law
A bill requiring meat retailers and wholesalers to provide labels indicating foreign country of origin has become law with less than full support by Gov. Jim Geringer.

Top Antitrust Cop Plans Midwest Trip
The Justice Department's chief enforcer of antitrust laws has agreed to go to the upper Midwest to hear concerns about consolidation in agribusiness.

Theriot Moves Into All-Around Second Slot In Two-State Sweep
Versatility is the key to success for timed-event cowboy Herbert Theriot. Theriot, the 1994 world champion calf roper, pocketed a whopping $17,324 — the largest check won by any professional rodeo cowboy last week — for placing in the calf roping, steer wrestling and team roping events at three rodeos over the weekend.

Nation’s Feeder Steer, Heifer Trade Mostly Lower Last Week
Feeder cattle and calf prices were mixed but mostly lower last week. Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $1 lower, instances $2 off; exceptions included the Mountain states and the Northwest, which moved cattle steady to $2 higher.

Texas Fed Cattle Steady Last Week, Most Trading Wednesday
Slaughter steers and heifers closed last week mostly steady in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading. Trade was slow early, turning moderate to active late, the bulk of the cattle trading in a fairly short period of time at mid-day Wednesday.

Angelo Lambs Steady, Feeder Cattle Also
Feeder and slaughter lambs sold steady this week, slaughter ewes firm to $2 higher. Receipts totaled 13,633 head including around 40 percent slaughter ewes and 35 percent goats.

San Saba Female Sale Offers 4100 Cattle
Demand was good at the special replacement female cattle sale with broad interest shown on choice and fancy young cows with calves, long bred cows and heifers. Other classes sold well. Receipts totaled 4105 head.

Graham Feeder Steers In Mixed Price Trend
Feeder steers under 500 pounds sold $1-2 lower, heavier weights steady to $1 higher, heifers steady to $2 lower, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady, pairs and bred cows steady. Receipts totaled 2059 head.

Most Colorado City Cattle Prices Higher
Feeder steers and heifers sold firm to $1 higher, slaughter cows steady to $1 higher, bulls $1 higher, bred stock cows $50 higher, pairs $100 higher. Receipt totaled 1434 head.

Most Abilene Cattle Prices Trend Lower
Feeder steers sold $2-3 lower, heifers steady to $1 lower, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady to $2 higher, stock cows and pairs steady. Receipts totaled 1553 head.

Fredericksburg Steer, Heifer Prices Steady
Feeder steers and heifers sold about steady, slaughter cows and bulls $1 higher. Receipts totaled 1353 head.

Most Lampasas Cattle Prices Termed Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 lower, slaughter cows and bulls $1-2 lower. Receipts totaled 1440 head.

Cuero Feeder Cattle Prices Termed Steady
Nearly all weights and classes of feeder steers and heifers sold about steady, slaughter cows a little higher. Receipts totaled 2278 head.

Domestic Wool Slow, Aussie Wools Higher
Domestic wool trading continued slow last week, nearly at a standstill in many areas. Demand was narrow as most mills and processors continue to report light demand and lack of business for processed top or finished goods.

Goldthwaite Fat, Feeder Lambs Off
Feeder lambs sold $4-5 lower, slaughter lambs $3-4 lower, slaughter ewes and bucks steady; slaughter Spanish goats mostly steady. Receipts totaled 6000 head.

San Saba, Brownwood, Mason Steady To Off
Feeder steers and heifer weighing under 650 pounds sold mostly steady last week in Mason, Brownwood and San Saba, heavier weights steady to $1.50 lower, slaughter cows and bulls steady to strong, stock cows and pairs steady, choice replacement heifers $1-3 higher. Receipts at the three sales totaled 2577 head.

Milano Feeder Steer, Heifer Prices Lower
Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-2 lower, slaughter cows steady to $1 lower, bulls steady. Receipts totaled 1197 head.

Junction Lambs Hold, Stock Angoras Higher
Feeder lambs sold steady, slaughter ewes and bucks fully steady; stock Angora goats $2-4 higher, slaughter Angoras steady; stock Spanish nannies $2 higher, slaughter kids $4-5 higher, other slaughter goats $5-8 higher. Receipts totaled 6700 head.

Kansas Direct Feeder Cattle On Weak Side
Feeder steers sold weak last week in Kansas direct trade, heifers weak to $1 lower. Weather was mild with highs in the low 80s and lows in the 30s. Sales were confirmed on 7358 head.

U.S. Meat Production .1% Below A Year Ago
Total red meat production under federal inspection last week was estimated at 863 million pounds, .3 percent less than a week ago and .1 percent below a year ago. Cumulative meat production for the year to date was up .6 percent at 7.24 billion pounds.

Loose Ends

Letters To The Editor

Coming Up...
March 4 — Special Stocker and Feeder Sale, Jordan Cattle Auction, San Saba, Texas. March 5 — Special Cow Sale, Roswell Livestock Auction, Roswell, New Mexico. March 6 — Country Classic II Beefmaster Bull and Replacement Female Sale, Beeville Livestock Auction, Beeville, Texas.