Small Grains Field Day
May 24, Dumas, Texas

Producers will have a chance to see how varieties of wheat, canola and triticale performed under this year’s wet spring conditions at the Small Grains Field Day. The field day is scheduled for May 24 at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station’s North Plains Research Field north of Dumas. Field tours are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon and will be followed by a lunch.

In addition to looking at variety trials for silage and grain production, participants will hear an update on the water-metering rules of the North Plains Water District and the latest information from the Texas High Plains/Texas Water Development Board studies.

Guest speaker Tim Snyder, with Agri-Energy Solutions, will talk on “Ethanol Future in the Panhandle.” Two general continuing education credits will be offered. For more information, contact Jackie Rudd or Brent Bean at 806-677-5600.

Beef Workshop
May 24, Callahan, Fla.

The University of Florida Extension workshop will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Nassau County Extension office in Callahan. It will cover basic cow-calf management techniques as well as information on animal identification (ID) and herd health issues. A meal will be served at 5:30. The cost is $5. The program is sponsored by the Northeast Florida Beef and Forage Group. Please RSVP by calling 904-879-1019 by May 21.

NDSA Spring Roundups
June 4-9, North Dakota

The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association (NDSA) meetings will focus on alternative feedstuffs. Meetings are planned in Fairfield, Sheyenne, Lisbon, Bismarck, Almont and Douglas.

Topics will include how to access ethanol co-products and properly use them in backgrounding, finishing and cow diets; recommendations of the industry wide Beef Checkoff Task Force; and a recap of the recently completed North Dakota legislative session.

The Spring Roundups also include free informational programs, brand inspectors meetings, socials, suppers and opportunities to recommend director candidates to the NDSA Nominating Committees. At each meeting, a local brand inspectors meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. (local time), with a social following at 5 p.m., supper at 6 p.m. and a program and an NDSA Nominating Committee meeting immediately after.

The Spring Roundups are free and open to both NDSA members and non-members alike. For further details about individual Spring Roundups, call 701-223-2522.

Biotechnology Conference
June 14, Dallas, Texas

The seventh annual Biotechnology Educators Conference will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 14 at the Texas A&M University System Research and Extension Center in Dallas.

The day-long conference focusing on “Genetic Solutions for Today’s World” will feature seminars on biofuels, cloned livestock and other current topics in biotechnology. The seminars target science teachers, Extension agents and corporate and governmental professionals who work in the field.

Topics will include biotechnology in today’s chemistry, gene therapy and transgenic crops, according to the conference itinerary.

Registration is $10 and includes a barbecue lunch. For more information visit http://www.region10.org/science/ or call Alana Williams at 972-952-9258.

North Dakota Junior Beef Expo
June 23-24, Williston

The 2007 North Dakota Junior Beef Expo will include an Ag Olympics to teach beef nutrition principles in a fun, hands-on competition at the multi-breed junior beef field day. The field day is set for June 23-24 at the Upper Missouri Valley Fairgrounds in Williston, N.D.

The Dectomax® Carcass Merit Contest will also be back at the Junior Beef Expo. It will include an ultrasound evaluation of all steers entered in the show and a two-grid analysis of carcass traits. Following the ultrasound scan, each steer will be ranked based on profitability measures on a high-quality grid and a high-cutability grid.

Both events were added at the direction of the NDSA Seedstock Council, the lead organization of the junior show, to bridge the activities of the event with everyday livestock production and marketing practices. The 2007 Junior Beef Expo will also include a pizza party, photography contest, showmanship contest, junior show and social activities.

The Junior Beef Expo is open to all youth through age 21. Entry forms, rules and applications for the $200 Junior Beef Expo Scholarship are available from the NDSA, Extension offices and ag education teachers. Forms can also be downloaded from www.ndstockmen.org under the “Association Programs” link. The entry deadline is June 1.

NIAA ID.INFO EXPO 2007
Aug. 28-30, Kansas City, Mo.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s (NIAA’s) annual ID.INFO EXPO 2007 will be in Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 28-30 at the Westin Crown Center.

This year’s conference is themed “ID.INFO EXPO 2007 — Where Traceability Needs Intersect: Animal Health, Country of Origin Labeling, Food Safety and Consumer Demand.”

Topics will include progress on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Animal Identification System (NAIS), as well as industry-driven programs such as source verification, quality assurance and branding of products. Conference coordinators also expect renewed dialogue on implementation of country-of-origin labeling (sometimes referred to as COL or COOL) and recent public concerns regarding pet food and similarly contaminated poultry and swine feed.

Basic information on individual registration, trade show participation, sponsorship opportunities and hotel registration will be available at the NIAA web site, www.animalagriculture.org.

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