Industry News
Sept. 4, 2008

Register now for National Conference & Tour

If you’ve missed the Sept. 1 early registration deadline for the 2008 National Angus Conference & Tour (NAC&T), set for Oct. 7-9 in Oklahoma City, you can still register until Sept. 15 or walk in at the rate of $125 per person.

“An Angus Gathering” will be hosted by the Oklahoma Angus Association and includes a daylong conference and two days of tours. Purina Mills LLC and Alpharma Animal Health are the major partners for the three-day event.

For more information about the tour stops or speakers, visit www.nationalangusconference.com or refer to the insert that was in the July Angus Journal.

Wes Tiemann Assumes Regional Manager Role for American Angus Association

Missouri native Wes Tiemann has been named regional manager in the states of Iowa and Missouri for the American Angus Association. He will assume the responsibilities in mid-September.

As regional manager, Tiemann will work closely with Angus producers in the two-state area, providing them a link to the Association. He will represent the Association and its entities at various Angus and beef industry events. In addition, he will work closely with Angus Productions Inc. (API), providing marketing and sales support to the membership. Tiemann will also work with commercial producers who use Angus genetics. He fills the position that was vacated by Don Laughlin, who moved to the Association headquarters as the member services director.

“Wes’ knowledge of the beef industry and his background in agriculture makes him an excellent fit to serve the members and affiliates of the American Angus Association,” says Bryce Schumann, chief executive officer (CEO). “His focus on and belief in our business will benefit our members and our breed now and in the future.”

Tiemann most recently worked as a field representative covering the Southern Plains states for the American Simmental Association. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science and industry from Kansas State University (K-State) and was a member of the 2006 K-State livestock judging team. He also attended Fort Scott Community College, where he participated in livestock judging.

“I look forward to working in a territory so rich in Angus genetics and history with so much to offer the beef industry,” said Tiemann, who was raised on a diversified livestock operation in central Missouri. In his spare time, he enjoys horses, spending time outdoors and discussing genetics.

Tiemann will be one of 13 regional managers who represent the Association across the United States, providing services to members and those commercial producers who use Angus genetics. For more information about Angus programs, go to www.angus.org.

— release provided by American Angus Association

135 Years of Angus Heritage Celebrated at Kansas Angus Field Day

The Kansas Angus Association will host its 2008 field day Sept. 27 in Victoria, in conjunction with a day of celebration of the heritage of Angus cattle and the 125th Anniversary of the American Angus Association. A daylong program is planned, and will include a historical perspective, featured speakers and a Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) lunch. Area Angus breeders will also display cattle around the Grant Cemetery monument, which is located at 1st Street & Angus Drive.

The field day begins at 10 a.m., with cattle viewing. A formal program, along with the unveiling of the monument renovations, will follow lunch. The American Angus Association has been working closely to revitalize the monument that honors Grant and those first Angus bulls during this year — the 125th anniversary of the Association.

“In order to look to the future, we must study and celebrate the past,” says Jim Shirley, vice president of industry relations, who spearheaded the project to restore the monument and the cemetery where Grant is buried. “It is important to commemorate the beginning of our breed and to keep future generations of beef producers informed on how Angus in the U.S. got its humble start.”

Historical tours are tentatively planned. The field day will conclude in late afternoon, allowing historians to visit more of the German settlement or attend Saturday evening mass at Saint Fidelis Church, also known as the “Cathedral of the Plains,” and one of the eight wonders of Kansas.

There is no registration fee to attend the tour, but preregistrations are appreciated to accurately plan for the meal. To preregister or for more information, contact Anne Lampe, Kansas Angus Association secretary, at 620-872-3915 or e-mail her at kansasangus@wbsnet.org.

— release provided by Kansas Angus Association

Tehama County Cattle Producer Donates to Cutting-edge Livestock Research

Byrd Cattle Co., Red Bluff, Calif., donated half of the proceeds from the sale of one of their Angus bulls to support the fundraising goal of $50,000 set by the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) Livestock Memorial Research Fund (LMRF) for a foothill abortion vaccine. In addition to the donation by the Byrd family at their sale Sept. 5, beef producers throughout the state are helping the CCA meet its fundraising commitment with the ultimate goal of putting an end to the widespread foothill abortion problem that costs California producers more than $6 million each year.

— adapted from a release provided by the California Cattlemen’s Association

NCBA’s Statement on Industry-wide Affidavit for COOL

“The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is pleased to join an industry-wide coalition in announcing the development of a standardized affidavit to declare country of origin for livestock throughout the marketing chain. The affidavit is available online (http://www.beefusa.org/uDocs/countryoforiginaffidavit453.pdf),” says Andy Groseta, rancher from Cottonwood, Ariz., and president of the NCBA.

“Tomorrow, NCBA and other representatives from throughout the livestock and meat industries will meet with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Bruce Knight to present this affidavit.

“Our goal was to create a simple, efficient, and effective means of declaring livestock origin from conception to consumer, and we believe this affidavit does exactly that. Producers can fill in information specific to their cattle and assert the origin of any animal being sold. Livestock marketers further along the ownership chain can use individual affidavits to create a single, combined affidavit for a group of animals.

“Representatives from every point in the supply chain unanimously agreed to use this standardized affidavit, which will greatly ease the burden that mandatory COOL (country-of-origin labeling) places on producers.

“NCBA has focused on implementing COOL in a manner that provides maximum benefit and minimal disruption to our ranchers. We believe this affidavit will be a significant help in that effort.

“Additionally, NCBA is working with our industry partners on the issue of so-called ‘gap cattle,’ which are animals traded in the period between July 15, 2008, (the date that declared all livestock present in the U.S. as being of U.S. origin) and the September 30, 2008, implementation deadline. We are well aware that owners of these animals would be very hard pressed to recreate the paper trail documenting origin. The industry consensus is that current owners should be considered to have firsthand knowledge of those cattle. Therefore, these animals should be allowed to move through the marketing chain using the standard affidavit.

“NCBA will continue to work on behalf of our cattlemen to put in place an effective and accurate labeling system. Additionally, we will be leading the effort to educate producers on how to comply with the new rule.

“For more information about the industry consensus, please read our stakeholder letter (http://www.beefusa.org/uDocs/countryoforiginaffidavitcoverletter.pdf).”

— release provided by NCBA

 — compiled by Tosha Powell, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.