Eastern Iowa Farmer Fall 2021

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Where’s the Beef? Post-Covid challenges face industry BY carter mommsen eastern iowa farmer is it so expensive?” This is a common “Why phrase in the year 2021. Many products cost more as the result of the recent pandemic, which has impacted millions of people across America. Beef is one item that experienced a price surge due to the lack of available laborers, which were cut short because of widespread illness and increased restrictions. Unfortunately, many people have placed the blame of the increased costs on farmers. The general public sees the expensive price tag on products, such as beef, in the grocery store and immediately assumes farmers are the only ones profiting from the soaring prices. That is simply not the complete story. Beef processing plants, also referred to as packers, predominantly control the sale price of live cattle and determine the profit margins the farmer will earn from each live animal sold. There are currently four main U.S. packers, which process most of the beef produced in our country. The lack of competition has resulted in what some refer to as a quasi-monopoly in the beef industry. It is something that has caught the attention of the federal government, which is currently investigating the matter on behalf of producers. Another factor in increased beef prices may also be a widespread lack of drivers in the transportation industry, coupled with the influx of online shopping over the past year. One way to combat the issue seems to be bypassing the packer and increasing competition within the marketplace by supporting construction of locally owned packing plants and locally sourced beef. Creating additional sale outlets for beef Eastern Iowa Farmer photo / Contributed Carter Mommsen shows his Angus heifer in the ring. Mommsen believes that locally sourced beef and packing plants can help create a more fair cattle market. gives consumers more retailers to choose from and increases competition. This also gives producers added outlets to sell their products to, and may begin to make the cattle market fair again. For example, in Camanche, Iowa, a town right outside of Clinton, a cattle producer located in Eastern Iowa is putting up their own beef processing plant. They will begin processing approximately 50 head of cattle per day. Other local producers are selling their animals directly to the public, cutting out the middle-man, and increasing their profit margins while delivering a reasonably priced product to those within their own community. We, farmers and ranchers, can and should take actions like this to ensure the future of the cattle industry stays profitable and small producers remain viable. As I have said before, producers need to tell their side of the story by using common social media such as Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. You can help promote the good work that all people involved in the agriculture industry accomplish daily. It is as easy as sharing a photo of you doing chores, tending the crops, or anything agriculture-related. This small contribution could impact hundreds, even thousands of not only Americans but people across the globe. By presenting the positive side of agriculture, we educate people who do not have the privilege to experience living on a farm, and then they may pass this positive information along helping to eliminate false opinions. — Carter Mommsen, a freshman at Northeast High School, is a member of the CAC Media Group A 108 Eastern Iowa Farmer | Fall 2021 eifarmer.com EasternIowaFarmer_Fall2021.indd 108 9/15/21 10:26 am
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The Eastern Iowa Fall 2021 Farmer
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D TODD HUSMANN Channel Seedsman Cen
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s... ter! › CommerCial Warehousin
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The Gift of Grain Supporting Future
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Editorial Index 12 30 40 85 Living
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75 Years AND STILL GOING STRONG! Pi
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Living at the county fair For a wee
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living at the fair Logan Gruhn enjo
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Every farm has a story, EasternIowa
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living at the fair Here for your wa
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Amy Schroeder Service Associate Meg
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creative learning Creative learning
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creative learning Stevens emphasize
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creative learning me to have a foun
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Work for YOU! QUALITY SOLUTIONS. LO
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Matt Tracy, Allysen Bonifas, Craig
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We take a hands-on approach when it
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logging exports wife had their firs
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logging exports agents or customer
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At Rockdale Locker, we saw producer
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(Left) Daran Becker watches for bid
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a big year and a natural disaster,
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count on us for All your DrAin tile
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a big year beans around $8 per bush
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a big year Moving forward by ‘thi
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a big year The derecho downed grain
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a big year g ive ts Eastern Iowa Fa
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the edge of the bin. “That storm
Page 57 and 58: a big year and Shelly Ahrendsen had
Page 59 and 60: Kara Durward Stephen Clements Evan
Page 61 and 62: a big year The Supply Chain Shuffle
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Page 67 and 68: a big year rt Tightness in the supp
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Page 71 and 72: now serving eastern iowa farmers at
Page 73 and 74: a big year enough rain. Our factory
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Page 77 and 78: a big year Eastern Iowa Farmer phot
Page 79 and 80: Apple Pie Bars IngredIents: Crust:
Page 81 and 82: Your Partners in Financial Success!
Page 83 and 84: Franzen FaMily TraCTorS anD ParTS S
Page 85 and 86: growing local Eastern Iowa Farmer p
Page 87 and 88: growing local financial experts to
Page 89 and 90: growing local Eastern Iowa Farmer p
Page 91 and 92: It started with one truck... That w
Page 93 and 94: YOUR FAVORITE MASSEY FERGUSON AND F
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Page 97 and 98: Earning your cape through mentorshi
Page 99 and 100: Farrell’s, Inc. Pictured: JR Farr
Page 101 and 102: Eastern Iowa Farmer photo / Brooke
Page 103 and 104: From Garden to Table Gardens can gr
Page 105 and 106: From Garden to Table Garden Fresh R
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Page 115 and 116: Dear diary make the most of the unf
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Page 119 and 120: Tax changes they must report the am
Page 121 and 122: PROUD. PASSIONATE. PROTECTED. At Fa
Page 123 and 124: Ag Bytes Holdgrafer takes reins as
Page 125 and 126: Ag Bytes tions were the William N.
Page 127 and 128: 1. Aaron Ambrosy and Addison Ambros
Page 129 and 130: 2 3 6 5 7 8 12 7. Kyler Kilburg goe
Page 131 and 132: setting records! We’ve handled a
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Eastern Iowa Farmer Fall 2021

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