Montana beef to China

Fred Wacker, owner/operator of the Cross Four Ranch at Miles City, MT is one of the cattle producers involved in the agreement to ship Montana-sourced beef to China. Fred Wacker, owner/operator of the Cross Four Ranch at Miles City, MT is one of the cattle producers involved in the agreement to ship Montana-sourced beef to China.

China’s largest online retailer to buy Montana beef

China's largest online retailer has agreed to buy $200 million worth of Montana beef over the next three years - representing as many as 90,000 head of cattle - and potentially invest $100 million more in a new slaughterhouse in the state under the terms of a trade deal disclosed Wednesday. The scope of the agreement is relatively small compared to Montana's overall cattle market, equaling less than four percent of the state's cattle sales on an annualized basis.

‘Smothered’ and ‘shoved aside’ in rural America

"Come on! Come on! Go girls!" Annette Sweeney was on horseback, hollering at her chocolate-colored cows on a perfect Iowa morning, happy that her life is better since Donald Trump became president. Sweeney, 60, raises Angus cows and corn on the flat, green farmland of central Iowa.

As prairies turn to ash, cowboys mull help

Travis Brown, 33, of Sand Springs Mont., stands next to a fence at a cattle corral while waiting for local cowboys to divert some of his cattle into a trailer.Tim Craig/The Washington Post Travis Brown, 33, of Sand Springs Mont., stands next to a fence at a cattle corral while waiting for local cowboys to divert some of his cattle into a trailer.Tim Craig/The Washington Post SAND SPRINGS, Mont. - In this part of Montana's rugged eastern prairie, Erwin Weder and the other ranchers and cowboys are not used to feeling kicked around.

Farm income could be lowest in 12 years, falls by more than half

Farm income this year could be the lowest since 2006, a reflection of low commodity prices, exporting issues and in some places, lousy weather. Nationwide, net farm income has fallen by more than half since 2013, and it's expected to drop another 6.7% this year - to the lowest level since 2006, according to the Department of Agriculture.

RPT-U.S., China accelerate beef talks; deal possible by early June

CHICAGO, May 19 Talks on restarting U.S. beef exports to China are moving fast and final details should be in place by early June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday, allowing American farmers to vie for business that has been lost by rival Brazil. As part of a trade deal, U.S. ranchers are set to face tests over the use of growth-promoting drugs to raise cattle destined for export to China and to log the animals' movements, according to the USDA.

Nearly 2 million pounds of chicken products recalled

A total of 1,993,528 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products are being recalled by National Steak and Poultry as an expansion of an earlier recall. The Owasso, OK, establishment is recalling the products because of "possible undercooking, resulting in the potential survival of bacterial pathogens in the products," according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service in a Sunday news release .

On Food: Damon talks turkey

If you're intimidated by the idea of cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving, whether because you're new to the job or because you never do it more than once a year and don't really remember the process, here's the secret: it really isn't hard. If you roast chickens, you already know what to do, because it's exactly the same for the big bird as it is for the smaller one.

Meat production helps offset wild pig problem

Sure, feral hogs cause their share of trouble, but if you like bacon and pork chops, Texas' pig problem has a swine solution In this photo taken Oct. 20, 2016, feral hogs are enclosed at Jason Bond's ranch near Snyder, Texas. Feral hogs cause their share of trouble but if you like bacon and pork chops, Texas' pig problem has a swine solution.