News Update

News Update
June 12, 2008

Tornado Hits Kansas State University

A tornado between two and four blocks wide touched down near the Manhattan Regional airport late Wednesday night and bounced across Manhattan, the Kansas State University (K-State) campus, and then went back up into the clouds near campus. It inflicted tens of millions of dollars of damage — at least $20 million on the campus alone, authorities say.

Officials say there are no reported deaths but are continuing search-and-rescue efforts.

On the K-State campus, Weber Hall, the animal science and industries building, was believed to be the hardest hit, with heating and cooling units from the roof crashing through into the building. K-State President Jon Wefald described it as a disaster.

– Adapted from The Manhattan Mercury

Tee Up for 8th Annual Golf Tournament

The eighth annual Angus Foundation Golf Tournament will be Tuesday, July 15, at The Legacy Golf Club in Norwalk, Iowa, in conjunction with the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS). This event provides an opportunity for Angus enthusiasts of all ages to join together in a day of fun and recreation while raising money to support the Angus Foundation’s education, youth and research programs.

Player entry fees will again be $100 for adults and $75 for junior Angus members. Player registrations must be received by June 30. A player late fee of $10 will be applied to players registering after June 30.

Funds raised through team entry fees and event sponsorships support the Foundation’s education, youth and research efforts. For more information about signing up a team, contact the Angus Foundation at 816-383-5100.

Corn Futures Climb on Midwest Storms

Livestock producers face escalating volatility in grain prices as concerns grow that this year’s corn crop might fall short of demand. After weekend storms swamped much of the Midwest, corn futures continued to advance into uncharted territory. In addition to weather concerns, the market also reacted to a new world agricultural supply and demand report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that reduced projected U.S. corn supplies for the 2008-2009 marketing year by 340 million bushels (bu.). The report adjusts beginning corn stocks up somewhat, based on a reduction of 2007-2008 exports, and projects lower feed usage for the new crop. Nevertheless, the market responded with December corn futures closing above $7 per bu. Tuesday.

– Release provided by Drovers magazine

Members Modify Policies on NAIS, Animal Identification

The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) members who voted in this spring’s mail-in ballot approved several significant modifications to the organization’s policies on animal identification (ID) and the USDA National Animal Identification System (NAIS). These modifications are listed below and were approved by 96% to 98% of the voters.

Animal ID Resolution No. 1: WHEREAS, USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service) intends to use existing federal disease control programs, breed association registries and interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (health certificates) to implement NAIS, as outlined in a draft titled “A Business Plan to Advance Animal Disease Traceability” and dated Dec. 12, 2007, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that R-CALF USA opposes implementation of NAIS through coercive or exclusionary tactics.

Animal ID Resolution No. 2: Be it resolved, R-CALF USA opposes any form of a NAIS including any that infringe upon the sovereignty of the states, tribes or individuals, or that would cause the loss of inherent freedoms (life, liberty, right to privacy, property and the pursuit of happiness).

Animal ID Resolution No. 3: Be it resolved, R-CALF USA will work for the passage of legislation that would prevent any department of the U.S. government from making NAIS premises registration a prerequisite for participation in state or federal programs.

Animal ID Resolution No. 4: BE IT RESOLVED R-CALF USA recommends that USDA-APHIS continue the funding of ear tags and systems pre-dating NAIS for federal disease control programs for livestock as an animal health trace back identification program, in conjunction with state brand laws. All data would continue to be held by the states and APHIS, as it is currently. R-CALF USA opposes the harmonization of these existing systems with, or the use of, these existing systems to implement or promote NAIS.

Animal ID Resolution No. 5: WHEREAS, existing systems for identification of livestock, including brands, are effective for disease control; WHEREAS, changes to optimize existing systems can be accomplished by state authorities without implementation of the NAIS; WHEREAS, the implementation of the NAIS — whether by federal or state governments — raises concerns about the impact on private property, privacy and the ability to conduct business; THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that R-CALF USA opposes any government action that funds or mandates premises registration and individual or industry participation in the NAIS.

Note: All of the new 2008 policies are now posted on the front page of www.r-calfusa.com. Policies established in past years are included as well.

– Release provided by R-CALF USA

World Livestock Auctioneer Championship To Take Place June 28

The 45th annual World Livestock Auctioneer Championship will take place June 28 at the Sioux Falls Regional Livestock (SFRL) market. The entire contest, which starts about 8 a.m. (CDT), will be broadcast live at www.lmaauctions.com, the Livestock Marketing Associations’s (LMA’s) online, real-time auction service. Currently, about 50 LMA members use the service to regularly broadcast their sales, selling an estimated 3.2 million head annually.

Viewers who log in June 28 will see the 33 semi-finalists work an actual cattle sale, with buyers on the seats. Judges, who are market owners or professional livestock dealers, score each contestant on vocal clarity and quality, bid-catching ability and the ability to keep the sale moving.

The top 10 scorers then return for a final round of selling cattle, where the same judging criteria are used. The three titlists — world, reserve and runner-up champion — are named that evening at an awards banquet.

As LMA announced earlier, RFD-TV will broadcast a one-hour special on the contest, premiering July 28, at 8 p.m. (EDT). The first 24-hour TV network for rural America, RFD-TV is on cable systems in all 50 states. On the Dish Network, it’s channel 231, and on DirecTV, it’s channel 379.

The special will be a comprehensive look at the championship, with a montage of the semi-finalists in action, then a closer look at the 10 finalists. Interviews with contestants, past champions, market owners and many others will be included.

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.