News Update
Nov. 23, 2009

Angus Web Site Features Q&A with Newly Elected President Bill Davis

Bill Davis, the newly elected president of the American Angus Association, has been in the Angus business ever since he can remember. His parents, Dale and Betty, first introduced registered Angus cattle to the family’s Rollin’ Rock Angus ranch in southwest Montana in 1956.

Bill spent his youth helping build fence and put up hay on the ranch his father named for the bears that emerged from hibernation and rolled large rocks at the foot of the mountains, scavenging for springtime insects. Read more.

12 Universities Send Teams to Judge Animal Welfare at MSU Nov. 21-22

Determining what constitutes “good,” “satisfactory,” “excellent” or “poor” animal welfare is not as straightforward as one might assume. Each species of animal has different biological needs, and being able to fairly and holistically assess a situation requires a comprehensive knowledge of animal physiology and behavior as well as well-developed critical thinking skills.

Twelve teams representing universities from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom will compete in the ninth annual Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Contest on the Michigan State University (MSU) campus Nov. 21-22.

Ag Secretary Urges Farmers to Apply for Value-Added Producer Grants

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack today urged farmers and business owners to apply for grants to add value to the commodities they produce. The deadline to apply is Nov. 30.

“The approximately $18 million in value-added grants announced by USDA this past year are strengthening rural economies and creating jobs,” Vilsack said. “I encourage farmers and businesses to take advantage of this opportunity to add value to their agricultural products by funding planning activities such as feasibility studies, marketing and business plans, or for working capital.”

For example, in 2004, USDA awarded the Michigan Turkey Producers Cooperative in Wyoming, Mich., a Value-Added planning grant totaling $55,000 to prepare a feasibility study and business plan for marketing turkey products to health-conscious customers. In 2005, a second $150,000 grant was awarded to provide marketing capital in order to increase brand awareness and promote the benefits of the company’s farm-to-table practices. As a result of USDA’s assistance, the cooperative was able to hire 66 new employees and open a new processing plant for new product lines.

USDA will award planning grants of up to $100,000 and working capital grants of up to $300,000 to successful applicants. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that use existing agricultural products in nontraditional ways or merge agricultural products with technology in creative ways. Businesses of all sizes may apply, but priority will be given to operators of small and medium-sized family farms — those with average annual gross sales of less than $700,000.

Applicants must provide matching funds equal to the amount of the grant requested. Ten percent of the funding being made available is reserved for beginning farmers or ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. An additional 10% is reserved for projects involving local and regional supply networks that link independent producers with businesses and cooperatives that market value-added products.

Paper applications must be submitted to the Rural Development state office in the state where the project will be located. A list of state offices is available at www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html. Electronic applications must be submitted through www.Grants.gov. For more information on how to apply, please see page 45165 of the September 1, 2009, Federal Register or visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm.

The Economics of Structural Change and Competition in the Food System

The latest academic research on the economics of structural change and competition in U.S. agriculture and food markets will be the focus of a one-day conference on Monday, Dec. 7.

In recent years rapid changes in technology and economic conditions have driven structural changes in every part of the food system.

“These changes have raised questions about how food and agricultural markets are performing,” says Farm Foundation, NFP President Neil Conklin. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have announced their intent to hold a series of hearings on these issues beginning in March 2010.

“To enhance the quality of those discussions, it is important that the most current, objective information and independent research on the economics of structural changes and competition in the food system are in the hands of stakeholders, policy makers and regulators before those hearings begin,” Conklin says.

The Dec. 7 conference has been organized as an opportunity to learn more about current academic research on the economics of structural changes in agriculture and food markets. The event is a collaboration of Farm Foundation, NFP; the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Foundation; the Food and Agricultural Marketing Policy Section of AAEA; and the USDA Economists Group.

Though the discussions may touch on some of the issues addressed in the USDA/DOJ hearings, the Dec. 7 conference is an independent event. “The intent of the conference is to put objective information into the hands of industry leaders, policy makers and regulators as they examine the economics of structural change and competition,” Conklin added.

The conference will be at the ERS Conference Center, 1800 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. For more information, contact Conklin via e-mail or phone, 202-230-8205. 

There is a $40 registration fee for the conference. Registration, which is due by close of business Thursday, Dec. 3, is available online, or go to the Farm Foundation web site, print out the registration form and return it with payment to: Farm Foundation, NFP; 1301 W. 22nd Street, Suite 615; Oak Brook, IL 60523.