News Update
July 10, 2009

Sinclair Cattle Co. to Donate 2010 Angus Foundation Heifer

The Angus Foundation announced today that Jeff Ward and Duncan Smith, owners of Sinclair Cattle Co., Warfordsburg, Pa., will donate the 2010 Angus Foundation Heifer, set to sell in January 2010 at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo.

Sinclair K Beauty 8R102 E118 is the heifer chosen to represent the Sinclair program. A January 2008 daughter of RR Rito 707, this female descends from the N Bar herd on her maternal side. Expected to calve in late February 2010, the heifer will be displayed at the World Angus Forum in Calgary, Alta., Canada, July 13-16.

“We are honored and humbled by the donation of Sinclair K Beauty from the Sinclair herd.  This is an opportunity for Angus breeders to add proven genetics to their herds, while simultaneously supporting the future of the Angus breed,” Angus Foundation President Milford Jenkins says. “We are extremely grateful to Sinclair Cattle Company for their generous donation and commend their dedication to supporting education, research and the next generation of Angus breeders through the Angus Foundation.”

The sale of the Angus Foundation Heifer Package, an annual fundraising tradition initiated in 1980, supports the Angus Foundation, the not-for-profit affiliate of the American Angus Association® that funds and supports programs involving education, youth and research in the Angus breed and agricultural industry.

“We are honored for the opportunity to offer this outstanding daughter of RR Rito 707 as the 2010 Angus Foundation Heifer Package,” Jeff Ward, Sinclair Cattle Co., says.

For more information on the Angus Foundation Heifer Package or to support the Angus Foundation, contact President Milford Jenkins at 816-383-5100, or visit www.angusfoundation.org.

— Adapted from a release provided by the Angus Foundation.

USDA Report Suggests Record Soybean Crop, No. 2 Corn Crop

U.S. farmers this fall will likely harvest their largest soybean crop and the second-largest corn crop ever, according to a Reuters article citing a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report released today.

Farmers face “sharply lower summer price prospects,” Reuters reports.

Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) corn futures were called to open down 2¢ to 3¢ per bushel (bu.) Friday, pressured by a bigger-than-expected estimate for old-crop ending stocks, according to Reuters. Traders said soybeans were called 5¢ to 10¢ lower and wheat 3¢ to 5¢ lower.

U.S. crop prices have soared to record levels since 2006 but will moderate in the 2009-2010 marketing year, USDA said.

Study: Vegetarians have Weaker Bones

A joint Australian-Vietnamese study published in the July 2 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed vegetarians’ bone density was 5% less than people who include meat in their diets. Vegans had 6% weaker bones. The researchers did not determine whether the lower bone density can be linked to an increased risk of fracture, Meatingplace.com reports.

Researchers reviewed the dietary and bone density status of more than 2,700 people.

Indiana Juniors Celebrate Golden Anniversary

The Indiana Junior Angus Association (IJAA) recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with an evening of reminiscing, photos, historical trivia, special presentations and good country barbecue. Officially founded Sept. 3, 1959, the IJAA hosted its anniversary celebration in conjunction with its annual preview show June 19. The evening included families of the founding members, as well as past, present and future members and advisors.

“It was an awesome event with many memories shared.  Many volunteers put long hours into making sure this milestone celebration will be remembered for years to come, and it was enjoyed by all in attendance, both young and old,” says Bryce Schumann, American Angus Association® CEO, who was among those who celebrated the 50th anniversary of the third-oldest state junior organization. “Indiana Angus breeders and youth had the desire and foresight to create a structured junior organization 20 years prior to the National Junior Angus Association, and for that they are congratulated.”It was the foresight of a committee comprised of three Indiana breeders who formed a Junior Activities Committee — C. M. Meade, Richard Kinsinger, and Charles Mauck, along with former American Angus Association activities director Dean Hurlbut — who organized the IJAA, and about 40 junior members joined that first year. 

For more information about the IJAA, visit www.indianaangus.com.

— Adapted from a release provided by the American Angus Association.

Pennsylvania Angus Association Plans Field Day for Angus Enthusiasts

The Pennsylvania Angus Association will host its annual field day Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1. The field day will take place at McKean Bros. and McCullough Angus, both of Mercer, Pa. A perfect blend of fellowship, education and industry updates is sure to make the weekend a summer highlight for Pennsylvania Angus breeders.

The event will kick off Friday at the Coolspring Corn Maze, Mercer, Pa., where Angus breeders can experience an evening of good food and family fun at the social, and even test their navigation skills and take a trip through the maze, which is themed “Pirate Cove.”

Saturday will be a fun-filled day at McKean Bros. with family barnyard Olympics and a judging contest. The Pennsylvania Junior Angus Association will also have cow-chip bingo, with all proceeds benefiting the 2011 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS).

Special guests, Bryce Schumann, American Angus Association CEO, and Mark McCully, Certified Angus Beef® supply development director, will highlight Saturday’s educational events as well as tours of McKean Bros. and McCullough Angus feedlots and cow herds.

Mention the Pennsylvania Angus Association to get group rates for the Pennsylvania Field Day at the Best Western, Grove City, or Comfort Inn, Mercer. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotels directly — Best Western 724-748-5836 or Comfort Inn 724-748-3030.  Registration will take place for the field day on the farm at 9 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 1.

There is no registration fee, and all are encouraged to attend.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Angus Field Day, visit www.paangus.org or call Greg McKean at 724-376-2595.

— Adapted from a release provided by the American Angus Association.

Rural Community Forum Planned for Michigan July 13

On Monday, July 13, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will hold a rural community forum in Charlotte, Mich., as part of the Obama Administration’s Rural Tour. At the forum, Vilsack will share information with local residents about the work USDA is doing to revitalize and rebuild rural America and ask local residents how USDA can be helpful in supporting and initiating other programs and projects to help the community participate fully and successfully in the new, 21st century economy. Vilsack will also highlight American Renewal and Reinvestment Act projects improving communities in Michigan and benefiting people throughout rural America.

Last week, President Obama announced that Secretary Vilsack will lead the Administration’s Rural Tour, during which Vilsack and other top officials will visit rural communities in states throughout the country. Vice President Joe Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack kicked off the Rural Tour last Wednesday in Wattsburg, Pa., at an event announcing Recovery Act funds to expand broadband service in rural America. This week the Rural Tour continued with a forum in Concord, N.H.

Rural Tour events are currently scheduled in Alaska, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. These upcoming events follow the rural listening sessions that Secretary Vilsack held earlier this year in Danville, Ind., Geneseo, Ill., Harrodsburg, Ky., Ludowici, Ga., Portageville, Mo., and Brush, Colo.

USDA is encouraging all Americans to follow the Rural Tour’s progress on a new web site, www.ruraltour.gov or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RuralTour.

The USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture and natural resources and touches the life of every American. Secretary Vilsack and the USDA are working to promote a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply, ensure that America leads the global fight against climate change, and revitalize rural communities by expanding economic opportunities.

Monday’s event will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. (doors open at noon) at Country Mill Farm in Charlotte.

Vilsack Names Administrator of the Risk Management Agency

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack yesterday named William Murphy as Administrator of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Murphy most recently served as RMA Acting Administrator during the transition to the Obama Administration. Before that, he served RMA as the Deputy Administrator for Insurance Services; Director of the Regional Office in Davis, Calif., overseeing crop insurance operations in California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii; and Director of the Western Region Compliance Office. He is a native of Pennsylvania and received a B.S. in Agronomy and Farm Management from Pennsylvania State University.

— Adapted from a release provided by USDA.

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