News Update
Nov. 11, 2009

Cassady Takes Reins as Executive Director of Beef Improvement Federation

Joe Cassady of Raleigh, N.C., took the reins as executive director of the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) during the organization’s midyear board meeting in Saint Joseph, Mo., Nov. 9.

An associate professor in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at North Carolina State University (NCSU), Cassady has research interests in quantitative and molecular genetic applications to improve food animal production, including feed efficiency in beef cattle.

In his role as BIF executive director, Cassady will coordinate the activities of the board and ensure that its directives are properly executed. He will be responsible for documenting the activities and finances of the federation and fostering its long-term vision by keeping abreast of the industry, monitoring new technologies and assisting the board in incorporating those technologies into its overall mission.

“The beef cattle industry will continue to face many challenges, such as more restrictive environmental regulations, increased public interest regarding animal well-being and increasing input costs,” Cassady says. “BIF’s roll is to provide guidance and education with specific regard to genetic improvement of beef cattle. BIF must assist seedstock associations and producers in their efforts to meet the challenge of increased input costs by improving response to selection for economically important traits.”

Selected for the position this summer, Cassady has been working in tandem with his predecessor, Twig Marston, during a transition period. Marston, who is northeast research and Extension district director for the University of Nebraska, had stated his desire to resign as BIF executive director in spring 2009, after six years of volunteer service.

“BIF’s mission has always been to provide a set of standards for the performance aspects of beef cattle production,” says Susan Willmon, director of breed improvement for the American Gelbvieh Association. “Twig’s insight into the industry from an Extension perspective, as well as his contacts within the industry, have kept the BIF board of directors focused on that mission.”

Marston’s greatest asset in the position was his ability to guide without micromanaging, Willmon says, noting the position’s challenge of working with a different group every year to plan BIF’s annual meeting and research symposium. “The ongoing success of these meetings in part goes to Twig and his former assistant Lois Schreiner,” she notes.

“Key to this position, a person needs to be able to manage competing egos and political cross-currents with quiet efficiency, respect and seemingly no independent agenda,” says BIF President Brian McCulloh of Viroqua, Wis. “We think Twig has demonstrated that ability and that Joe will be able to.”

Both men, he adds, see the big picture of the beef industry and have a passion for the seedstock industry.

“We live in a scientific age of accelerated technology development,” McCulloh says. “Somebody needs to help those in the production sector understand the new technologies so that we apply them appropriately. BIF is supposed to be that independent infrastructure that standardizes the development of genetic predictions and then helps producers apply those appropriately.”

“I am thankful for this opportunity to serve the beef cattle industry,” Cassady says, “and I look forward to working with the BIF board of directors in their efforts to improve the efficiency of beef production.”

BIF currently represents 57 member organizations, including state beef cattle improvement associations, breed associations, bull studs and sustaining members.

For more information about BIF, visit http://www.beefimprovement.org/or contact Joe Cassady, Executive Director, Department of Animal Science, NCSU, Box 7621, Raleigh, NC 27695-7621, joe_cassady@ncsu.edu; 919-513-0262 (phone), 919-515-6884 (fax).

The 2010 BIF Annual Meeting and Research Symposium will be in Columbia, Mo., June 28-July 1.

Farmers Set Agenda at Missouri Livestock Symposium, Dec. 4-5

The annual Missouri Livestock Symposium, Dec. 4-5 at Kirksville Middle School, will demonstrate ways area farmers are working together to make learning easy.

The secret is to offer a variety of topics and select the best speakers in each field, said Gary Mathes, farmer from Greentop, Mo., and head of the working committee.

This year some 24 speakers will appear in eight simultaneous sections running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be inspirational speakers and entertainers before and after the classes.

“We thought we’d be lucky to keep this going three or four years,” said Bruce Lane, University of Missouri (MU) Extension regional livestock specialist, Kirksville. “It keeps getting bigger after 10 years.”

Any of the 23 committee members can nominate a speaker they think will do a good job.

This year the sections include Beef, Sheep, Stock Dogs, Meat Goats, Forages, Around the Home and Farm, and Renewable Resources. Speakers and panels change every hour.

Topics range from “Top Profit Tips” by Colorado rancher Lee Leachman to “Control of Nuisance Wildlife” by Bob Pierce, MU Extension wildlife specialist.

Returning will be Temple Grandin, who writes books and appears on national TV discussing animal behavior. She teaches producers to see their working chutes and corrals as livestock does.

Herd health gets attention in several sections from visiting large-animal veterinarians from Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.

Those attending can stay with one section or mix and match to meet their own interests, Lane said. “It’s a very flexible program and people like that.”

The program was designed for farmers in the grass-covered hills of northern Missouri and southern Iowa. However, last year the symposium attracted attendeees from 78 of Missouri’s 114 counties, plus 17 states. In all, 2,125 people registered at the door.

The farmer committee insists on keeping things simple, Lane said. There is no advance registration and no fees. Even the meals are free, paid for by meeting sponsors.

Exhibits fill the school gym and hallways. Large stock equipment is shown in the parking lot. “More exhibitors want to come, but we’re out of space,” Lane said.

On Friday night, Dec. 4, Mike Adams, who hosts the daily radio show “Agri-Talk,” will be the keynote speaker. He will be preceded by welcomes from local legislators, leaders of the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

The symposium committee will give awards to top stock producers, educators and classic-tractor owners.

After the full day of meetings on Saturday there will be a concert by Steve Holy, who has topped the country music charts with the singles “Brand New Girlfriend” and “Good Morning Beautiful.”

There will be a $20 charge for the concert, Lane said. Seating is limited to 450, the capacity of the auditorium. For tickets, call the center in Adair County at 660-665-9866 and ask for Vanessa. Lane can be reached at the same number for additional information.

For a complete program, see www.missourilivestock.com.

— Release by MU Extension.

Find Information on Upcoming Industry Meetings in API’s Virtual Library

To access a host of industry meetings and links to news releases relative to their programs, visit the API Virtual Library at www.api-virtuallibrary.com. Under the “Meeting Sites” pull-down menu, select Other Industry Meetings > Calendar of Upcoming Events. Or, go directly to www.api-virtuallibrary.com/meetings_other_calendar.html.

If you have state or regional meeting you would like added to the calendar, contact Shauna Hermel, editor, Angus Productions Inc.

Final SPCC Rule Released

Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released final revisions to the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule. A preliminary review by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) indicates the final rule appears to be similar to a rule promulgated by the Bush Administration in December 2008 but held back for consideration by the Obama Administration. An exception that affects cattle producers: EPA removed a provision that excluded farms from loading/unloading rack requirements.

An owner/operator of a farm is potentially subject to SPCC requirements if the farm:

• Has above ground oil storage capacity greater than 1,320 U.S. gallons (gal.)
  
• Has buried oil storage capacity of 42,000 gal. 
  
• Stores, transfers, uses, or consumes oil or oil products; and
  
• Could reasonably be expected to discharge oil to U.S. navigable waters or shorelines.

The rule requires farms, except in certain circumstances, to have a Facility Response Plan certified by a professional engineer that details equipment, workforce, procedures and training to prevent, control and provide adequate counter measures in the event of an oil discharge.

Any facility that has aggregate above ground storage capacity of 10,000 gal. or less can self-certify its SPCC plan under certain circumstances.

Farms with higher than 10,000 gal. aggregate capacity must prepare a PE-certified plan.

The rule will become effective Jan. 14, 2010, and all farms must be in compliance with the new rule by Nov. 10, 2010. Farms in operation before Aug. 16, 2002, are required to maintain their plans in the interim until revisions under the new amendments are made by the compliance deadline.

Follow this link to the rule itself: www.epa.gov/emergencies/docs/oil/spcc/spccrule_signed.pdf. The NCBA will soon complete its analysis and outline of the final rule, and will send it to members in a subsequent affiliate update.

If you have any questions about the rule, please call Tamara Thies at 202-347-0228 anytime.

— Information provided by NCBA.

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