News Update
May 21, 2010

CAB President Named Outstanding Young Alumnus.

As the first brand of fresh beef and category leader today, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) must maintain a focus on excellence. John Stika, CAB president since 2006, has led a staff of 100 to realize the brand’s potential for consumers and cattlemen alike.

The Lincolnville, Kan., native and Kansas State University (K-State) meat science graduate (1993, MS 1998; PhD Kentucky 2003), was named 2010 Outstanding Young Alumnus at the K-State Agricultural Alumni Awards Banquet on Saturday, May 8, as part of the “Wild 4 Ag Weekend.”

Stika traveled from company headquarters in Wooster, Ohio, arriving a couple of days early to address the K-State animal science faculty, including several who once taught him. On “Building and Managing a Brand in the U.S. Beef Industry,” he noted that CAB owns nothing else, so its strategy is to add value to that brand, build equity in it and make it more relevant. Read more.

Approximately $12 Million to be Invested in California Water Quality

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Farm Bill conservation programs will invest approximately $11.8 million in 2010 for contracts with California dairy and other livestock farmers to implement conservation practices that will help them comply with regulations, manage and use the manure from their animals to fertilize their crops and improve water quality.

“Manure that is applied in proper concentration and at the proper time is taken up and used by crops,” said Ed Burton, state conservationist for NRCS California State Office. “Nitrogen and other nutrients can be put to work so they cannot wash or percolate into water and become pollutants.”

The $11.8 million is made available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) and the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI). EQIP contracts are made directly with agricultural producers while AWEP and CCPI rely on industry and conservation groups to play a coordinating role to accomplish water quality and other conservation goals.

NRCS has had a focused effort to work with dairy operators for the past five years as the industry focuses on improving nutrient efficiency and complying with increasingly strict regulations.

“The dairy industry has been very responsive in working with us to develop and implement plans that take advantage of natural fertilizer occurring in livestock manure and developing structures and management techniques to keep it away from water sources,” Burton added. During the past five years, NRCS has targeted roughly $47 million toward addressing the issue. Typically, producers put up half the cost of conservation projects, meaning the total NRCS-Industry investment approaches $100 million.

NRCS is working closely with Western United Dairymen and other industry and conservation groups, the UC Cooperative Extension Service and others to bring information, training and financial assistance to dairy operators.

The work with dairy operators is part of a much larger EQIP-AWEP-CCPI effort throughout California that is expected to provide over $70 million for conservation on farms, ranches and other private property in 2010.

— Release by USDA NRCS.

Cattle Raisers Team Up with DuPont Crop Protection to Host Free Sandbur Infestation Management Training in Henderson County

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) and DuPont Crop Protection team up to offer landowners a free training on sandbur management. The training will take place Tuesday, May 25, at the Miars Arabian Ranch in Murchison.

The training will feature guest speaker Vanessa Corriher, Texas A&M University (TAMU) forage specialist, who will discuss sandbur management programs. Participants will also tour plots infested with sandburs and broadleaf weeds, and discuss treatment of sandburs at the infested plots.

Sandburs are stickers that can impact the health and performance of cattle or horses, as well as reduce the quality of forage produced in pastures. If not controlled properly, sandburs can greatly decrease the value of hay or forage grown on private property.

Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. The program begins at 6 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee. All participants with pesticide applicator licenses will receive two Continuing Education Credits (CEUs).

Participants should RSVP by May 21 with Stacy Fox at 1-800-242-7820 or sfox@texascattleraisers.org or the Henderson County Extension Office at 903-675-6130.

Miars Arabian Ranch is located at 11370 County Road 3807 in Murchison.

For more information, including a map to the location, please visit www.texascattleraisers.org and click on Calendar of Events. The Murchison sandbur management training is listed under educational events.

— Release by TSCRA.

2010 Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course Aug. 2-4

The 56th annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course, sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, is scheduled for Aug. 2-4 at Texas A&M University in College Station.

A wet spring and a historic rebound in cattle prices have spurred optimism among ranchers across Texas. However, a fairly dry April has some beef producers concerned that they are heading into another drought, said Jason Cleere, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist and conference coordinator.

“The long-term cattle market outlook and preparing for the next drought are just two of the many topics that will be discussed in the 21 different cattleman’s college sessions at the short course,” Cleere said.

“Planning committee members from around the state have met with us and helped us put together another outstanding program. The short course has become one of the most comprehensive beef cattle educational programs in the U.S.”

The cattleman’s college portion of the three-day short course provides participants with an opportunity to choose workshops based on their level of production experience and the needs of their ranch, Cleere said.

“These concurrent workshops will feature information on ranch management, nutrition, reproduction, genetics, pastures, carcass evaluation, recordkeeping, brush busting, cattle handling, landowner issues and much more,” he said.

In addition to classroom instruction on Aug. 2-3, participants can attend one of the popular demonstrations on the morning of Aug. 4.

“There will be demonstrations on chuteside calf working, cattle behavior, penning, selection and brush busting,” Cleere said. “These provide an opportunity for ranchers to see beef cattle production practices put to use.

“The goal of the short course each year is to provide the most cutting-edge information that is needed by beef cattle producers, and this year is no exception,” he said.

Participants can receive a pesticide applicator’s license during the short course, and can earn numerous pesticide continuing education units if already licensed, Cleere added.

An industry trade show will take place during the event featuring more than 110 agricultural businesses and service exhibits.

Registration is $140 per person and includes educational materials, a copy of the 600-page Beef Cattle Short Course proceedings, trade show admittance, admission to the prime rib dinner, meals and daily refreshments.

Registration information and a tentative schedule will be mailed to previous participants in June but can also be found on the short course website at http://beef.tamu.edu.

Producers can register online at http://beef.tamu.edu or contact Cleere’s office at 979-845-6931.

— Release by Texas Agrilife Extension.

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