The other day I saw a meme on social media that said, they call it May because, it “may” rain, it “may” snow, the sun “may” shine, the wind “may” blow. Honestly, I felt that “may” have been the most accurate thing I have seen online in a week or two. I know I am ready to plant veggies and flowers, but May Nature sure isn’t ready for that, so instead, we’ll celebrate with my favorite protein.
May is Beef Month. That is definitely worth celebrating! Although many protein choices offer great flexibility and choices, beef is always a great choice. And the researchers associated with the Beef Checkoff are always one step ahead developing new recipes. Just last weekend, I was looking for some new ideas for the endless supply of ground beef we have and couldn’t believe all the options at https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/ recipes. Check it out for some new ideas, quick recipes and more. I know my family was excited to try something besides tacos or burgers!
Now is the Time to Enroll in CRP. USDA is accepting more than 2 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program general signup, the first of the program’s multiple signups occurring in 2022. Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux says about 90% of enrolled acres were accepted, and the agency hopes to encourage producers to consider additional enrollment options in the Grassland and Continuous signups, both of which are currently open.
“Our conservation programs are voluntary, and at the end of the day, producers are making market-based decisions as the program was designed to allow and encourages,” says Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a statement. USDA has been under pressure by some to allow for early release of contracted CRP acres to encourage additional production with potential Ukrainian shortfalls. An estimated 3.4 million acres of enrolled CRP acres expired this year.
Cattle on Feed. . .were up 2% from April 1, 2021, to the same time this year to 12.1 million head. This is the highest April 1 inventory since 1996. A lot of that supply was in Texas and the west and could be attributed to the prolonged drought.