Rural micro loans; checking on the cattle feeding sector
Washington Ag Today November 11, 2011 Tri-County Economic Development Non Profit Corporation in eastern Washington has been selected by the USDA to receive a 400-thousand dollar loan and a 100-thousand dollar grant to capitalize a rural micro loan revolving fund. The fund would be used to make loans to rural micro-enterprises in Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Adams, Asotin, Garfield, Grant and Lincoln counties. Funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement. Feed prices are high. Replacement cattle prices are high. So how is the cattle feeding sector doing in Washington? Ed Field Executive Director of the Washington Cattle Feeders Association answers that question. Field: “All of our inputs are high and the replacement cattle are high, but fortunately because of worldwide demand the fed cattle price is holding up so the feeders are being able to stay in business and being able to do their job.” And Field says association member feedlots are actually pretty full of cattle. Some feed sources Washington has may help account for that. Field: “Potato by-products and our other vegetable by-products it makes us competitive so it is attractive to feed cattle here.” On the issues front Field says some progress has apparently been made with the EPA backing off on new dust regulation. He says the industry is also awaiting the outcome of a stock water case before the State Supreme Court. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
