The Beef Alliance working with the USDA and Cattle Fax has come up with a proposed cattle set aside program. The plan would fund placing feedlot cattle on a maintenance diet for 75 days. Nebraska Cattlemen Association President Ken Herz says there’s possible value to that plan in providing short term relief for cattle that are backing up due to packing plant shutdowns and lesser chain speed.
He says while the set aside proposal doesn’t totally pay for the economic loss being faced by cattle producers, it at least provides some help.
Herz says the backup of unprocessed cattle is getting larger every day which compounds the problem for the industry.
The proposed payment rate for cattle in their set aside program would be fixed at $2.90 per head per day. It’s intended to offset additional feed and operating costs brought on by holding cattle back from slaughter for 75 days.
The Beef Alliance has commercial cattle feeder members in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Texas and the Pacific Northwest.
