News Update
August 10, 2009

Wisconsin Angus Association Auctions Angus Art to Support State’s Junior Members

The Wisconsin Angus Association will auction a handcrafted stained glass piece featuring an Angus cow-calf pair in a pastoral scene. The distinctive piece of Angus art will be designed and donated by Wisconsin Angus breeder Dustin Henningfeld. The piece will be auctioned prior to the World Beef Expo Angus Female Sale, Madison, Wis., Saturday Sept. 26.

Henningfeld has designed and crafted a total of 15 similar pieces, including those that were sold in support of Wisconsin juniors when they hosted the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS), and one that was auctioned at Certified Angus Beef LLC’s annual conference in 2008.

Funds raised from selling the Angus-themed artwork will benefit members of the Wisconsin Junior Angus Association. “The Wisconsin Angus Association takes great pride in our ability to support our Junior Association. We have had many charitable donations that have been auctioned off in the past; this is just another unique item that we are able to offer to help us in our support of the juniors,” Henningfeld says.

For information about the piece and fundraising efforts, you may contact the artist at 262-745-3050. You may also contact Wisconsin Angus Secretary Adel Quam at 608-592-3649.

— Release provided by the American Angus Ass’n.

K-State Plans Sept. 5 Celebration For New KABSU Building

Born 60 years ago from an idea by a former Kansas State University (K-State) administrator, the Kansas Artificial Breeding Service Unit (KABSU) will celebrate with an open house Sept. 5.

The event, scheduled from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. will showcase a new KABSU facility located at 3171 Tuttle Creek Boulevard in Manhattan. A complimentary lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. with a short program starting at 1:15 p.m.

KABSU, which is based at K-State, provides bovine reproductive technologies, continuing education and research-based information to facilitate genetic improvement of cattle through artificial insemination (AI). The unit collects, extends, processes, freezes and sells bull semen. Other services provided include sales of AI supplies, breeding soundness exams for bulls to be sold and consultation services.

KABSU was the brainchild of F.W. Atkeson, a professor and head of the K-State Dairy Department from 1935-1958. In 1949, the Kansas legislature appropriated $35,000, and another $10,000 was added by the University’s College of Agriculture, to establish KABSU.

For years, the unit was located on a highly visible site at the corner of College and Claflin Avenues in Manhattan. When that property was sold in 2001, the unit was moved to its present location.

“With our new building, we are ready to expand KABSU’s role to better serve the cattle industry in Kansas,” said Ken Odde, head of K-State’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.

Future plans for KABSU call for students in K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine to participate in rotations for training in semen collection, blood testing for venereal diseases, maintaining bull health and how to conduct breeding soundness exams.

Short courses and internships for undergraduate students in animal science are planned.

In addition, K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry are working toward establishing a faculty member position at KABSU with research expertise in applied male reproductive physiology.

More information about the Sept. 5 KABSU Open House is available by calling Jeff Stevenson, Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, at 785-532-1243, or on the web site at www.asi.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=59&tabid=347&ItemID=140&mid=1180&category=Facilities-140.

—Release provided by K-State Department of Animal Science and Industry.

USDA Launches Retooled Loan Assistance

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is undertaking an unprecedented effort to use the department’s administrative flexibility to provide relief to individuals and businesses in struggling agriculture industries. Vilsack has ordered USDA Rural Development and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to use all available means to help producers, processors and other small businesses who have been hit by worsening economic conditions.

“The Obama Administration is committed to doing everything it can to help families and businesses in agriculture to get through these tough economic times,” Vilsack said. “Not only is this effort critical to restoring economic prosperity in America’s rural communities, it is essential to ensure that Americans continue to have access to a safe, secure and healthy food supply.”

The assistance includes FSA’s increased effort to provide loan assistance to livestock producers and the Rural Development Business and Industry Loan program, which has been structured to provide relief to processors and other small businesses in Agriculture industries.

The USDA release announcing the effort spelled out a number of actions FSA is carrying out to ease stress being experienced by America’s livestock producers, including means of increasing awareness and educating producers and lenders about opportunities, and increasing the loan guarantee to up to 90%. A more complete list of the agency’s efforts is available online.

For more information Recovery Act efforts, visit www.usda.gov/recovery and www.recovery.gov. Information about USDA Rural Development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov, and information about FSA is available at www.fsa.usda.gov.

— Release provided by USDA.

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