News Update
Dec. 2, 2008

4-State Beef Conference Scheduled Jan. 14-15 in Four Locations

Kansas State University (K-State) will team with Iowa State University (ISU), the University of Nebraska (NU) and the University of Missouri (MU) to present the 25th Annual 4-State Beef Conference Jan. 14-15. 

The conference, which is designed to give beef cattle producers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska an annual update on current cow-calf and stocker topics, will take place in four different locations so cattle producers can attend the location most convenient for them. The program will be the same at each location.

Speakers and their topics for the 2009 conference are Rick Rasby, NU, “Update on Storing Coproducts;” Darrel Mark, NU, “Economics of Storing Coproducts;” Vern Anderson, North Dakota State University, “Drylotting Beef Cows;” Barry Dunn, executive director of the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Texas A&M, Kingsville, “Whole Herd Management Strategies for Tough Times.” 

The conference is scheduled for Wed., Jan. 14 and Thurs., Jan. 15, 2009. The Wednesday morning session will begin at 10 a.m. in Washington, Kan., at the First National Bank, and the afternoon session will begin at 4 p.m. in Tecumseh, Neb., at the Community Building. The Thursday morning session will also begin at 10 a.m. in Lewis, Iowa, at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm, and the afternoon session will start at 4 p.m. in King City, Mo., at the Eiberger Building. The conferences provide a forum of Extension specialists from four of the leading beef cattle land-grant universities in the United States.

The registration fee is $25 per person, and reservations are requested by Jan. 9, 2009.  The fee includes a meal and a copy of the conference proceedings. Reservations for the Kansas location can be made by calling the Washington County, Kan., Extension office at 785-325-2121. Reservation can also be made by contacting any local county Extension office, or online at www.extension.iastate.edu/feci/4StBeef/. 

Missouri Livestock Symposium Features Trade Show, John Anderson and 35 Nationally Acclaimed Speakers

“The 2008 Missouri Livestock Symposium will offer livestock producers the opportunity to hear from some of the most sought-after speakers in the industry,” said Garry Mathes, planning committee chair for the Missouri Livestock Symposium, scheduled for Dec. 5 and 6 in Kirksville, Mo.

The Missouri Livestock Symposium will feature an agriculture trade show, entertainment by country music star John Anderson and speakers covering the latest information on horses, beef cattle, sheep, meat goats, forages, stock dogs, wine and grape production and renewable resources.

Here is a partial list of this year’s featured speakers:

• Equine – Rick Lamb, host of “The Horse Show,” Phoenix, Ariz.; Marci Jennings, University of Missouri Extension; and T.A. Yazwinski, University of Arkansas.
• Beef cattle – Lee Leachman, Leachman Cattle of Colorado; Jim Gibb, beef seedstock sales director for Igenity; Calvin Gunter, Pfizer Animal Genetics; Bob Weaber, MU Extension; John Hay, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and T.A. Yazwinski, University of Arkansas.
• Forages – Dave Davis, MU; Gary Lacefield, University of Kentucky; David Bransby, Auburn University; Rob Kallenbach, MU Extension; and Mark Kennedy, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
• Stock dogs – Laura Stimatze, Stimatze Working Cow Dogs, Macksville, Kan.
• Renewable resources – David Bransby, Auburn University; Harry Kemker, Kemker and Associates, Largo, Fla.; and Bob Pierce, MU Extension.
• Around the Home – Jennifer Schutter, MU Extension; Sheila Pruett, grape grower, Kirksville, Mo.; Rebecca Ford, MU Extension; Jack Juvik, University of Illinois; and Terry Clothier Thompson, Lawrence, Kan.

Talks at the Missouri Livestock Symposium will focus on practical information and application, Mathes said. Speaker bios and talk titles are on the Missouri Livestock Symposium web site at http://missourilivestock.com.

Except for John Anderson concert tickets, the entire program, including trade show, seminars and meals, is free. Discounted lodging rates are available for attendees at sponsoring motels.

The Missouri Livestock Symposium will be conducted at Kirksville Middle School, 1515 S. Cottage Grove, Kirksville, Mo. The symposium begins Friday, Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. and runs 8 a.m.-5 p.m. the following day.

Information is also available by phone at 660-665-9866 or 660-341-6625, or by e-mailing Bruce Lane at lanen@missouri.edu (put “MLS” in the subject line).

NCGA Chairman Files Objection with Bankruptcy Court on VeraSun’s Proposed Handling of Corn Contracts

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Chairman Ron Litterer and others have filed a formal objection with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware regarding the proposed disposition of corn contracts by VeraSun Energy Corporation.

Litterer, a corn grower from Greene, Iowa, has an outstanding contract to deliver corn to VeraSun. He filed the objection with and on behalf of corn growers in at least seven other states that have similar situations and are concerned with VeraSun’s proposed procedures to reject outstanding contracts.

“It is doubtful that we can influence the courts to require VeraSun to pay the contracted price for our corn. However, we do hope to influence other issues of concern to growers,” Litterer said.

The objection filed indicates specific concerns with VeraSun’s proposed procedures under bankruptcy, which may allow VeraSun to wait until 10 days before contracted delivery date to notify growers of their rejection of the contract. This would essentially leave corn suppliers in a state of limbo while VeraSun is free to determine the market price for corn before deciding whether to accept deliveries under a contract or summarily reject the contract. Litterer believes this would be fundamentally unfair to corn growers and other corn suppliers.

Litterer notes that by filing this objection, he and a committee of producers from other states hope to serve as a voice for corn growers in the case and advocate for corn suppliers’ interests with the Court. Further, they hope to help keep members of NCGA and state affiliates informed regarding the process and activities of VeraSun.

According to information available to NCGA, potentially thousands of corn growers from Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and other states have contracts with VeraSun.

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