Dairy and beef farmers in the drought-stricken parts need hay badly.

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The road rises, dips, twists, and turns along the eastern shore as it passes the occasional house, amid small herds of dairy and beef cattle behind barbed wire fences.

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Outside Belfast and Londonderry, Ulster is predominantly rural and has a strong agricultural economy with dairy products and beef both important.

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The USDA said it remains confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products.

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Franz Fischler, the farm commissioner, recently gave warning that without further price cuts the beef and dairy mountains would soon return.

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Increasing feed costs, in combination with withering grasslands in the Great Plains and Corn Belt regions, are prompting ranchers to downsize beef and dairy herds.

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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Monday that he remains confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products.

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Beef and dairy fats are mostly saturated fats.

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These items, like beef, pork and dairy, have come at a higher cost this year.

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But since corn is used to feed livestock, any increase in its price will also cause the price of beef, pork, poultry and dairy products to rise.

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More particularly, in 2013 beef is set to rise 4% to 5%, dairy 3.5% to 4.5%, and bakery products and cereals 3% to 4%.

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