Retail beef, chicken, pork prices still climbing

DENVER (AP) -- The money you're saving on gasoline may go toward buying steaks, ribs and chicken for the barbecue. Meat prices are expected to rise faster than overall food costs in 2012. Prices rose in the spring and may increase an additional 1 percent to 3 percent this summer. Grill ma ...

Co-op aims to develop natural meat brand

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Ranchers and farmers in northwestern Washington state are taking the next step toward developing a new brand of naturally raised meat called North Cascade Meats. The North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative will meet at 7 p.m. June 7 at St. Luke's Educational Center, 3333 ...

Texas farmers use business wile to weather drought

ELKHART, Texas (AP) -- Linda Galayda hauled water and flagged down truck drivers to ask about their hay. She sold calves and young cows and made her son leave their East Texas family ranch for a job in San Antonio. About 200 miles southeast of her, Bob and Darlene Stryk heeded lessons fro ...

Lambs need to shed a bit of weight, expert says

HALSEY, Ore. -- If lambs were not so heavy, the market might improve, a sheep specialist says. Jim Thompson's concern is with the number of heavy lambs in U.S. marketing channels. "Hopefully we can get them moved out," the Oregon State University professor told members of the Linn-Benton Livesto ...

Feeder cattle supply sinking fast

Feeder cattle are becoming harder to come by and analysts are projecting that situation to become even more tenuous. USDA's May 18 cattle on feed report shows a 15 percent drop in cattle placed into feedlots in April compared with both a year earlier and March. "We have the lowest cattle supply ...

Film examines impact of wolves

Ranchers are hailing an independent film that documents the impact wolves are having on their industry and game herds, while a prominent wolf advocate said it's an unfair effort to demonize the wolf. "Crying Wolf: Exposing the Wolf Reintroduction to Yellowstone National Park," was created by inde ...

Wolves likely caused fatal calf injuries

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Federal and Washington state wildlife managers say wolves likely caused fatal injuries to a Methow Valley calf and the landowner would qualify for compensation. State Fish and Wildlife regional director Steve Pozzanghera said Wednesday it's not possible to say for ...