News Update
April 14, 2015
Angus Juniors ‘Raise the Bar’ at University of Illinois
Angus juniors have the opportunity to travel the country with the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) and learn from knowledgeable experts in the beef cattle business. Most recently, NJAA members met March 19-22 at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., to participate in a Raising the Bar conference.
“The University of Illinois was an excellent meeting place for Angus juniors and provided them the opportunity to learn more about higher education, careers in agriculture and meet new friends from throughout the country,” says Jaclyn Upperman, American Angus Association director of events and education.
The conference hosted 32 Angus junior leaders from 12 state junior Angus associations. Participants toured the University of Illinois, heard from industry experts, took part in leadership-training workshops and spent an evening bowling. The group also made stops at these three Angus operations: Prairie View Farms, Dameron Angus and Top Line Farm.
While on the University of Illinois campus, juniors were able to hear from a variety of professionals, including Jason Emmert, assistant dean of academic programs, who discussed the variety of livestock careers available in the state of Illinois. Participants also heard from keynote speaker Lisa Burgoon, who gave tips for “Turning Your Leadership in NJAA into Career Skills You Can Use.”
Jennifer Shike, director of communications and marketing for the university, spoke on “Projecting Yourself in Person and Online,” and a panel of undergraduates joined in a discussion on what it’s like to be a college student. Juniors were also given the opportunity to tour the university’s meats lab with Katelyn Jones-Hamlow and the beef farm with Dan Shike.
A complete list of the Raising the Bar participants at the University of Illinois is included in the full news release.
NJAA Members, Apply for Outstanding Leadership Award
Leadership can be reflected in many ways. The NJAA seeks to provide opportunities to develop and practice these critical life skills both in and outside the showring. To recognize junior members who exemplify what it means to be a true leader, the NJAA presents the Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award each year at the National Angus Convention.
The prestigious award is based on leadership roles within the Angus business and other activities and ways the nominee has committed to helping others develop those skills, as well. The Outstanding Leadership Award recipient will receive an award, presented by the NJAA, and a scholarship for $2,500.
Applications for the 2015 Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award are available online and must be completed by May 1.
Only current NJAA members who are at least 17 years old as of Jan. 1 will be considered for the award, and a selection committee formed by the NJAA Advisory Board determines winners. Applications consist of a résumé, two letters of recommendation and a written report of leadership examples.
For more information on the award and how to apply, visit www.njas.info.
Snowpack Melts Early Across the West
West-wide snowpack is melting earlier than usual, according to data from the fourth 2015 forecast by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
“Almost all of the West Coast continues to have record low snowpack,” NRCS Hydrologist David Garen said. “March was warm and dry in most of the West; as a result, snow is melting earlier than usual.”
Historically, April 1 is the peak snowpack. This year, the peak came earlier. There was little snow accumulation in March, and much of the existing snow has already melted.
“The only holdouts are higher elevations in the Rockies,” said Garen. “Look at the map and you’ll see that almost everywhere else is red.” Red indicates less than half of the normal snowpack remains.
A consequence of the early snowmelt is that Western states will have reduced streamflow later this spring and summer.
In Western states where snowmelt accounts for the majority of seasonal water supply, information about snowpack serves as an indicator of future water availability. Streamflow in the West consists largely of accumulated mountain snow that melts and flows into streams as temperatures warm in spring and summer. National Water and Climate Center scientists analyze the snowpack, precipitation, air temperature and other measurements taken from remote sites to develop the water supply forecasts.
Since 1939, USDA has conducted snow surveys and issued regular water supply forecasts. Other resources on drought include the U.S. Drought Monitor. For information on USDA’s drought efforts, visit USDA Disaster and Drought Information. And to learn more about how NRCS is helping private landowners deal with drought, visit the NRCS’ drought resources.
For more information, please view the full release.
Multi-County Beef Cattle Symposium Planned in LaCoste
A multi-county beef cattle symposium will be April 22 at Ahr Farms, 5547 Macdona Lacoste Road, LaCoste, Texas, according to Roy Flora, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent in Bexar County, who is a co-sponsor with agents in Medina and Uvalde counties.
The event will begin with registration at 2:30 p.m. and conclude at 7:30 p.m.
“With the spring season being at hand, this is one of the busiest times for cow-calf producers and for hay production,” Flora said. “The Multi-County Beef Symposium will address some of the items on our ‘to-do’ list for beef producers and hopefully assist in maximizing time management of tasks to get the most return on investments and labor.”
“Pasture Management: Stocking Rates and Range Health” will open the sessions at 3 p.m. in a presentation by Robert ‘Bob’ Lyons, AgriLife Extension range specialist at Uvalde.
At 4 p.m., Dean Williams with Douglass King Seeds will talk about spring pasture seeding. Forage management and taking a soil sample will be the topics for Flora at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m.
Attendees should RSVP by calling Angel Torres at the AgriLife Extension Bexar County office at 210-467-6575. The $15 registration fee includes dinner and is payable at the door.
Three continuing education units in the general category will be offered.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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