News Update
May 7, 2014
Angus Seeks Applicants for the
Next Junior Breed Ambassador
The National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) is now accepting applications for the Angus Ambassador competition. An elite representative for the Angus breed, the ambassador serves a one-year term as spokesperson for the NJAA’s nearly 6,000 members. Applications must be postmarked by June 15.
“In the Angus business, we are fortunate to have an extremely dedicated and talented group of junior members,” says Jaclyn Upperman, American Angus Association’s director of events and education. “The selected ambassador is given a chance to interact with other Angus producers, seek out industry mentors and build upon their passion for raising cattle.”
The current Angus Ambassador, Maci Lienemann, says the experience is a solid reassurance of her future in the beef cattle industry. Lienemann is a sophomore studying animal science at the University of Nebraska and hopes to serve the industry through cattle breeding and genetics.
“Being in the ambassador position has been a tremendous opportunity to jump start my career in this industry,” Lienemann says. “Meeting producers, different people within the Association and countless other influential individuals and organizations will truly be vital someday, especially in genetics with the American Angus Association leading the way.”
Throughout her year as the Angus Ambassador, Lienemann has traveled to a number of industry events throughout the United States and Canada, giving her a complete look at the cattle business from both a domestic and international perspective.
“The Angus Ambassador position has been a great opportunity not only for me, but I think for the entire junior program,” Lienemann says. “When I attend Angus events, I have the privilege to represent the junior membership and show that we want to be involved and try to bridge the gap between the junior and adult associations. I think it will be a positive return in the end for both organizations.”
On July 24, the Association will select a new NJAA member to serve as the Angus Ambassador. While serving in the position, the Ambassador will travel to the Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show in Kansas City, Mo.; a Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) Building Blocks Seminar in Wooster, Ohio; the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas; the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Research Symposium and Convention; and the Guiding Outstanding Angus Leaders (GOAL) Conference in Canada.
Additional travel options vary on the selected ambassador’s location, schedule and availability.
Ambassador applicants must be Association members, ages 17-20 as of Jan. 1, of good standing and who own purebred cattle. To apply, send a cover letter, résumé and two essay responses. More information on the application process can be found here.
All applications must be postmarked by June 15 and sent to the Association’s Junior Activities Department, 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506.
Once the applications are reviewed, five finalists will be invited to the Association headquarters on July 24 to participate in the final round of competition, which includes an interview and formal presentation with a panel of judges. The new Angus Ambassador will be chosen at the conclusion of the day.
“I strongly encourage any junior who is passionate about the breed and the beef industry as a whole to apply,” Lienemann says. “Even being selected as a finalist is a beneficial experience, as you are able to tour the Association headquarters, meet with staff and present to a panel of influential industry leaders.”
2014 Beef Improvement Federation Meeting —
Registration Deadline
The deadline for registration for the 2014 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) meeting is May 30. The meeting will be hosted in Lincoln, Neb., June 18-21. For those that are American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) members, the 2014 BIF meeting will count toward 14 continuing education credits. Register here.
USDA Announces Effort to Cut Energy Costs
for Farmers, Ranchers, Rural Small Businesses
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced May 5 that the USDA is seeking applications from rural small businesses and agricultural producers for funding to make energy efficiency improvements or to install renewable energy systems.
“Developing renewable energy presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America,” Vilsack said. “This funding will help farmers, ranchers and rural small business owners incorporate renewable energy and energy efficiency technology into their operations, create jobs and help America become more energy independent. When small rural businesses and farmers cut their energy costs with cleaner and more efficient energy, we are both helping their bottom lines and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas pollution that affects our climate.”
The funding was announced May 5 and is being provided through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Investments from programs like REAP help support the true engine of America’s economic growth — a thriving middle class. REAP is one of many USDA programs and initiatives to support an expanded domestic energy economy. In addition to helping increase renewable energy production, USDA makes investments in the bioeconomy, provides support for the emerging biobased products industry, supports new technologies and supports energy efficiency improvements.
Created by the 2008 Farm Bill, REAP was reauthorized by the recently passed 2014 Farm Bill. For fiscal year (FY) 2014, USDA plans to award up to $12.3 million in grants and $57.8 million in loan guarantees. Additional REAP funds provided by the Farm Bill will be made available with a subsequent notice.
USDA is accepting applications for:
- • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement loan guarantee and grant combinations;
- • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement loan guarantees; and
- • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grants.
Requests for grants may not exceed 25% of a project’s cost — either for stand-alone grant requests or for grants combined with loan guarantees.
Information on how to apply for REAP funding and on the application deadlines (which vary by project type) is available on page 25,564 of the May 5, 2014 Federal Register.
For more information, please view the full release here.
NFU Statement on National Climate Assessment
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement on the Obama administration’s National Climate Assessment:
“The National Climate Assessment only confirms what family farmers and ranchers have been experiencing: global climate change is increasing the occurrence and severity of volatile weather events, which then directly impact agricultural risk, farmers’ bottom lines and the entire rural economy.
“The administration’s report is clear. Congress must take legislative action to mitigate climate change in order to protect farmers, ranchers, consumers and rural communities.
“I also encourage the administration to heed its own advice by rejecting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) misguided proposal to reduce the biofuel production targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The RFS is currently our country’s most important strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. The EPA’s proposal will not only adversely impact commodity prices and rural employment, but will also move our country further from achieving our climate-change mitigation goals.”
— Adapted from a release by National Farmers Union.
The Heart of Texas Cow-Calf Clinic set for May 13
The Heart of Texas Cow-Calf Clinic, a long-standing Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program geared specifically toward beef producers, is set for May 13 at the Brown County Fairgrounds in Brownwood, Texas.
The fairgrounds are located on U.S. Highway 377 just south of Brownwood toward Brady.
The clinic will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a catered beef meal sponsored by the Brown County Farm Bureau.
Individual registration is $10 due upon arrival and includes a meal, but an RSVP is requested by May 9 to ensure an accurate meal count. For more information and to RSVP call the AgriLife Extension office in Brown County at 325-646-0386.
“We are still in a drought, but even with stock tank water levels dropping, there are still some cattle here in Central Texas,” said Scott Anderson, AgriLife Extension agent in Brown County. “The comparatively few cattle we have left are worth a lot of money now. So as producers, we need to optimize their profit potential by paying attention to how we buy and later market our cattle and while they are in our care, how we handle them.
“We can’t do anything about the dry weather, but as ranchers, we need to stay progressive and up to date on the trends of our industry and that’s the goal of this year’s clinic.”
Topics and speakers will include: livestock feed program, Cody Norris, Brown County Farm Services Agency, director; low-stress cattle handling, Ronald Gill, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist, College Station; and what are cattle really worth?, Stan Bevers, AgriLife Extension economist, Vernon.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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