News Update
November 12, 2015
National Angus Convention
and Trade Show Coverage
The 2015 National Angus Convention and Trade Show wrapped up last week after bringing together about 2,000 people for the premier industry event from Nov. 2-5. Attendees were able to participate in an Angus tour, educational sessions, entertainment, Certified Angus Beef® (CAB) brand meals and an expansive trade show.
Members of the American Angus Association were also able to elect leadership and conduct the business of the Business Breed. Complete coverage of the event including news from the annual meeting is available through the Newsroom at www.angusconvention.com, and you can tune into our special The Angus Report episode next week for all the highlights.
Watch this week’s full The Angus Report online for more information.
FDA Requests Comments on Use
of the Term ‘Natural’ on Food Labeling
Because of the changing landscape of food ingredients and production, and in direct response to consumers who have requested that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explore the use of the term “natural,” the agency is asking the public to provide information and comments on the use of this term in the labeling of human food products.
The FDA is taking this action in part because it received three Citizen Petitions asking that the agency define the term “natural” for use in food labeling and one Citizen Petition asking that the agency prohibit the term “natural” on food labels. We also note that some Federal courts, as a result of litigation between private parties, have requested administrative determinations from the FDA regarding whether food products containing ingredients produced using genetic engineering or foods containing high-fructose corn syrup may be labeled as “natural.”
Although the FDA has not engaged in rulemaking to establish a formal definition for the term “natural,” there is a longstanding policy concerning the use of “natural” in human food labeling. The FDA has considered the term “natural” to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in that food.
For more information, please view the full news release online.
USDA Expands Investment in Water Conservation
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Nov. 9 the USDA will invest $8 million in the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI) in fiscal year 2016 to help farmers and ranchers conserve billions of gallons of water annually while strengthening agricultural operations. The eight-state Ogallala Aquifer has suffered in recent years from increased periods of drought and declining water resources.
“USDA’s Ogallala Aquifer Initiative helps landowners build resilience in their farms and ranches and better manage water use in this thirsty region,” said Vilsack. “Since 2011, USDA has invested $74 million in helping more than 1,600 agricultural producers conserve water on 341,000 acres through this initiative.”
The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States and includes nearly all of Nebraska and large sections of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. It is the primary water source for the High Plains region. Covering nearly 174,000 square miles, it supports the production of nearly one-fifth of the wheat, corn, cotton and cattle produced in the United States and supplies 30% of all water used for irrigation in the United States.
For more information, please view the full USDA release online.
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance®
Elects 2016 Board Leadership
The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA®), the organization dedicated to leading national consumer dialogue on how America’s food is grown and raised, announced Nov. 11 the results of its annual board of directors election and the addition of three new affiliates. The announcement was made following USFRA’s annual meeting.
The newly elected board leadership includes the re-election of Nancy Kavazanjian as chairwoman. Kavazanjian, a soybean farmer from Wisconsin representing the United Soybean Board, will be supported by a group of officers who include:
- Brad Greenway, vice-chair — a South-Dakota-based pork farmer who also raises corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa, representing the National Pork Board;
- Lisa Lunz, secretary — a soybean farmer representing the Nebraska Soybean Association;
- Dawn Caldwell, treasurer — a Nebraska cow-calf operator representing the Federation of State Beef Councils; and
- Mike Geske, director-at-large — a corn and soybean producer who will represent the Missouri Corn Growers Association.
The remaining director-at-large seat on the board leadership group will be appointed by USFRA’s officers in the coming weeks.
For more information, please view the full USFRA release online.
‘Ranching 4 Tomorrow’ set for Dec. 1
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host “Ranching 4 Tomorrow” Dec. 1 during the annual Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show at the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S. Buchanan St. in Amarillo.
The program will begin with registration at 1 p.m. and conclude by 5 p.m. The cost is $10. Payment will be accepted at the door, but an RSVP to 806-373-0713 is requested by Nov. 23.
The program will offer an in-depth look at the advantages of proper management of range and income, said Austin Voyles, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Potter County.
“We want to educate our producers on how to ensure a sustainable operation for the future, whether that is through managing operational expenses or managing the land that we depend on,” Voyles said.
Leading the discussions will be AgriLife Extension experts Ted McCollum, beef cattle specialist, Amarillo; Morgan Russell, range specialist, San Angelo; and Tim Steffens, range specialist, Canyon.
Topics to be addressed include intelligent money management, ensuring future stability, prescribed burn techniques and more.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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