News Update

News Update
Dec. 20, 2007

Bush Signs Renewable Fuels Bill

President Bush signed into law an energy bill that will call for at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel to be used nationwide by 2022, the White House announced Dec. 19.

The Energy Independence and Security Act 2007 will allow up to 15 billion gallons (gal.) of that fuel to come from corn. Ethanol from non-corn inputs will be expected to reach 3 billion gal. in 2016 and rise to 21 billion gal. by 2022.

The Senate passed the bill Dec. 13, dropping from the House version provisions the White House had threatened to veto, such as taxes on oil companies and a renewable electricity mandate.

Energy legislation passed in 2005 already requires 7.5 billion gal. of ethanol to be used by 2012, a target expected to be reached well before then.

The American Meat Institute (AMI) called the legislation counterproductive, predicting it would further drive up food prices as more corn is diverted from animal feed to fuel.

— From a Meatingplace.com report.

Alltech to Tour North America

Alltech will once again embark on its annual North American Lecture Tour (NALT) beginning Jan. 7, 2008. The theme for the tour is “The Feed Cost Puzzle: Performance or Profitability,” and will provide a forum to share and learn how the latest technologies and practices can sustain and elevate agricultural businesses.

The U.S. Congress, as part of a new energy bill, is proposing huge increases in the amount of ethanol to be used in the nation’s fuel supply. Traditionally made from corn, production of 7 billon gal. of ethanol per year has dramatically reshaped the American agricultural market and sent corn prices rising. Congress is calling to more than double current production to 15 billion gal. per year, a large jump when you consider that 20% of the nation’s corn crop is already devoted to ethanol.

Such high levels of ethanol production promise to drive corn prices even higher and make it more difficult for producers to feed their animals. Alltech’s NALT will address these issues by examining ways to maintain performance and profitability in the midst of increasing raw ingredient costs, as well as presenting a strategy to maintain and grow our business in the midst of the new energy crisis.

“I’m thrilled to be going back out on the road and taking Alltech’s message around North America,” said Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “There are a lot of issues coming to the forefront of American agriculture, and I’m looking forward to sharing our ideas with others in the industry.” Joining Lyons to speak as part of NALT will be:

Karl Dawson, director of worldwide research, Alltech
Kate Jacques, director of nutrition, Alltech
James Pierce, coordinator of monogastric research, Alltech
Steve Elliott, global director of Alltech’s Sel-Plex® product division
Juan Gomez, North American product champion for Alltech’s NuPro®
Paulo José Rigolin, global product champion for Alltech’s SSF®
Paul Groenewegen, global manager of Alltech’s NuPro
Kevin McBride, regional sales manager, Alltech Southeast

Dates and locations for the 2008 NALT are:

Jan. 7
East Syracuse, N.Y.; Burlington, Vt.; and Winnipeg, Man.

Jan. 8
Saint Hyacinthe, Que.; Guelph, Ont.; and Abbotsford, B.C.

Jan. 9
Wausau, Wis.; Pendleton, Ore.; and Loveland, Colo.

Jan. 10
Twin Falls, Idaho; Fresno, Calif.; and Knoxville, Tenn.

Jan. 11
Amarillo, Texas; Clovis, N.M.; and Springfield, Mo.

Jan. 14
Columbus, Ohio; and Lancaster, Pa.

Jan. 15
Gainesville, Fla.; and Thomasville, Ga.

Jan. 16
Auburn, Ala.; and Lincoln, Neb.

Jan. 17
Brookings, S.D.; and Owatonna, Minn.

Jan. 18
Cedar Falls, Iowa; and Lafayette, Ind.

Last year’s tour, which focused on the growing debate over ethanol between the food, feed and fuel industries, drew more than 2,000 people across the United States and Canada.

— From an Alltech release.

Trowbridge Angus Awarded Historic Herd Award

Trowbridge Angus, Ghent, N.Y., has received the Historic Herd Award from the American Angus Association. The herd was established by Paul Trowbridge Sr., in 1955 when he purchased registered Angus females from Wendland Farms, Alden, N.Y. In 1957, he joined the Association.

Over the next several years the family and cattle herd grew. Today, Philip Trowbridge, one of nine children and his family manage more than 100 cows. Cattle are marketed through an annual bull sale in May and a female sale in August. New in fall 2007, Trowbridge Angus offered additional premiums to their customers who sold cattle with AngusSource® tags.

Philip was elected to his second term on the American Angus Association Board of Directors in November 2007. He has served on the activities and events, industry relations, breed improvement, information and data management, and finance and planning committees of the Association. He has also contributed to the Angus Foundation Board of Directors and was appointed to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) international markets committee.

The American Angus Association presents the Historic Angus Herd Award to Angus herds that have been in the continuous production of registered Angus cattle by the same family for 50 years or more.

— Release courtesy of the American Angus Association.

— compiled by Linda Robbins, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.