News Update

News Update
March 10, 2006

Johanns, Nakagawa Meet in London

Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns released a statement today regarding an earlier meeting in London with Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shoichi Nakagawa.

“Minister Nakagawa and I met for about one hour and had a good, candid discussion about our investigation into the ineligible shipment of U.S. beef to Japan, USDA’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s) commitment to answer the questions being asked by the Japanese government and the mood within both of our countries regarding trade,” Johanns said.

“I indicated to Minister Nakagawa that we received their questions and we are in the process of completing the responses,” he continued.

Johanns told Nakagawa the USDA will likely submit responses to Japan next week. He also offered to send a USDA technical team to Japan to help aid in reopening the border.

For more information visit www.usda.gov.

Interior Secretary Set to Resign, Sources Say

Interior Secretary Gale Norton will resign from President Bush’s Cabinet, The Associated Press has reported. According to AP sources, Secretary Norton planned to announce her decision today.

Perrier to Represent Association on YCC Trip

Matt Perrier, Eureka, Kan., will represent the American Angus Association^SM on the 2006 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) later this spring.

Perrier returned to his family’s Angus operation, Dalebanks Angus Ranch, after working in the beef industry for several years. A graduate of Kansas State University, Perrier worked for the Pennsylvania Beef Council. He then worked for the American Angus Association for seven years, first as a regional manager in Texas and New Mexico, and later serving as director of commercial programs.

Leadership positions within the Angus industry are a way of life to Perrier. He served two years on the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) Board of Directors, and was the chairman of the NJAA Board 10 years ago.

“While it is often difficult for those of us involved in production agriculture to get away from daily chores and responsibilities, it is no less important for us to be active in leadership roles,” Perrier says. “Not only is it our duty to give back to our industry organizations, we might even discover better ways of operating our business and producing food in the most profitable manner.”

The Angus Foundation financially sponsors one YCC participant annually. This is the fourth year that the organization has provided funds for an Association member to attend YCC.

The conference is set for June 1-8 and begins in Denver, Colo., at NCBA headquarters. Participants will travel across the country to witness firsthand the multitude of industry segments, ranging from feeding to packing to legislative policy making and trading. The tour concludes in Washington, D.C.

— Release provided by the American Angus Association.

ESAP Nominations Due March 16

NCBA is still accepting applications for the 16th annual Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). Any group or organization is eligible to nominate one individual/business who raises or feeds cattle. The deadline for nominations is March 16.

ESAP annually recognizes seven regional winners who exhibit outstanding commitment to protecting the environment and improving fish and wildlife habitats, while operating profitable cattle operations. The program is sponsored by NCBA, Dow AgroSciences and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Nominations are accepted for seven regional awards. Award winners then compete for the national ESAP award, with the winner announced at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show.

ESAP nomination applications are available online at http://hill.beef.org/esap, or by requesting a copy of the application from Stacey Katseanes at (202) 347-0228.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.