News Update
Dec. 27, 2010

In Short …

The Courier Mail recently reported that Coles, a supermarket giant in Australia, will — as of Jan. 1 — begin banning beef given growth promotants prior to harvest. To read the article, follow this link: http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/hormone-additives-banned-from-beef/story-fn6ck51p-1225976221667.

• Bozeman, Mont., will host the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) convention June 1-4, 2011. A tentative schedule of events is available at https://toto.msu.montana.edu/cs/bif.

• Registration is open for the “Rocky Mountain Round-up,” the 2011 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Denver, Colo., Feb. 2-5, 2011. Registration and housing are available at http://www.beefusa.org/convregistration.aspx. The complete schedule and registration brochure are available at http://www.beefusa.org.

Prescribed Burning Workshop Jan. 13 in Corsicana, Texas

An introductory prescribed burning workshop sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service is scheduled Jan. 13 in Corsicana.

The application of prescribed fire can mitigate wildfire danger and provide a benefit to natural resources, said Derek Scasta, AgriLife Extension agent for Navarro County.

“Many of the plant and animal species associated with rangeland prairie ecosystems (little bluestem and bobwhite quail) are adapted to fire,” Scasta said. “These types of prairie ecosystems are considered to be fire dependent, and prescribed fire may be an important component of habitat restoration and ranch management.”

The program will begin at the Navarro County Exposition Center, 4021 West Hwy. 22 in Corsicana, and then move to the field for demonstrations. The program will bring together prescribed burning experts from AgriLife Extension, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Forest Service, U.S. Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service.

The program will begin at 8 a.m. with topics related to fire effects, fire behavior, policy and liability, planning a burn and conducting the burn. After lunch, the group will go to the field and discuss safety equipment and evaluate fuel and fire weather conditions.

If conditions are appropriate and fit the prescription for a safe and effective burn, a demonstration burn will be conducted. The cost of the program is $10 and includes lunch and a resource manual.

The program has been approved for three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units and Certified Professional in Range Management units are pending.

Landowners, fire responders and elected officials are invited to attend. Call 903-654- 3075 with questions or to RSVP by Jan. 10.

— Release by Blair Fannin, AgNews Newsteam, Texas AgriLife Extension and AgriLife Research.

Applications now accepted for Beef Leaders Institute

The fourth annual Beef Leaders Institute (BLI) is scheduled for June 20-23. Applications are now being accepted. BLI is designed for American Angus Association members, 25-45 years old, as a resource to provide insight to all segments of the beef industry. Attendees will be stronger, more effective leaders for the Angus breed and beef industry now and in the future.

The Association and the Angus Foundation will provide transportation, lodging, meals and materials during the BLI. Attendees will be responsible for round-trip transportation between their home and the beginning and ending points.

The BLI is limited to 20 attendees each year. Applications are available online or by contacting the Activities Department. March 1 is the application deadline. Call 816-383-5100 for more information.

— Announcement by American Angus Association.

— Compiled by Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, Angus Productions Inc.