News Update
Jan. 19, 2011

AgriLabs Announces 2011 NCBA Scholarship Program

For the fourth consecutive year, AgriLabs will award three $500 student scholarships under the auspices of participating state cattle association affiliates. The selection of participating organizations will be made during the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) Convention in Denver, Colo., scheduled for Feb. 2 through Feb. 4, 2011.

On each of the three days the convention’s trade show is open, one attendee will be selected to choose the affiliate organization that will receive a $500 scholarship grant. In turn, that organization — which must be a state affiliate of either NCBA or the American National Cattle Women (ANCW or the ANCW Foundation) — will award the $500 educational scholarship to a student of its choosing during 2011.

Convention participants can register to win and select their participating organization by registering at the AgriLabs booth (#4057).

“Educating the youth of today who will be the leaders of our industry tomorrow is an important responsibility,” says Charlie Higdon, business unit manager, AgriLabs. “Partnering with the NCBA and ANCW allows us to convert producer participation at the AgriLabs booth into scholarships totaling $1,500.”

Iowa Cattle Producers Encouraged to Cooperate on USDA January Cattle Report

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) is encouraging the state’s cattle producers to respond to survey requests in January and February 2011 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). NASS field offices will be surveying a sample of producers to determine Iowa beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf production, and the number of cattle on feed in all feedlots.

“Your participation helps ensure the results are as accurate as possible,” said ICA CEO Duane Gangwish. “Even if you don’t use the NASS reports directly, rest assured that they are being used on your behalf by the Iowa Cattleman’s Association. We work on many issues, programs, policies and promotional activities that often rely on the information provided by NASS.”

NASS representatives will be contacting selected producers through mid-January to collect the information needed for the January Cattle Report. Greg Thessen, director of the Iowa Field Office for NASS, said, “The information we provide is only as good as the source it comes from. That’s why we’re counting on the most reliable, frontline source of information for our surveys — the producers themselves.”

All reports are available on the NASS website at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Iowa Field Office at 1-800-772-0825.

— Release by ICA.

Public Comment Period Open for Three Veterinary Medicine Initiatives

Veterinarians and the general public are invited to offer their input on three important initiatives that will help shape veterinary medicine and veterinary education.

Comments are being sought on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Model Veterinary Practice Act, the AVMA 2012-2014 strategic plan goals and also on the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium (NAVMEC) veterinary medical education report.

The Model Veterinary Practice Act is used by states and licensing boards to help shape the rules that govern veterinary medicine. Last revised in 2003, the model practice act is currently under review by an AVMA task force that will consider the comments submitted and make recommendations for revisions to the AVMA Executive Board. The current act is available for public review at www.avma.org/issues/policy/mvpa.asp. The AVMA asks that all comments be specific and include suggested language for the task force to consider. Public comments will be accepted from AVMA members starting Jan. 7, while the comment period for the general public began Jan. 15. The comment period will close on Feb. 14, 2011.

The AVMA Task Force on Strategic Planning is developing a strategic plan to guide the association for the next two to four years. It includes six draft strategic goals based on input from AVMA leadership and members. The AVMA is seeking input from its members at www.avma.org/about_avma/governance/strategicplanning/default.asp. The comment period ends Feb. 14, 2011. All input will be considered, and a draft strategic plan will be presented to the AVMA Executive Board at its meeting in June 2011.

The draft NAVMEC report on veterinary education is already being used to shape programs at veterinary schools across the country. The NAVMEC Report, as well as the NAVMEC Report Feedback Form, can be accessed at www.navmec.org. The current consultative period is open to input from the general public until Feb. 28, 2011. The revised report is expected to be approved by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges in March 2011.

For more information, please visit www.avma.org.

— Release by AVMA.

‘Newbie’ Ag Computer Spreadsheet Training Set for Jan. 26 in Lubbock

Are you a farmer who knows nothing about computers or spreadsheets but wish you did?

If so, consider taking advantage of a free Texas AgriLife Extension Service training from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock. The center is located north of the Lubbock airport a half-mile east of Interstate 27 on Farm Road 1294.

Jackie Smith, AgriLife Extension economist at Lubbock, said the training is meant for those new to computers who think they might be interested in learning to use agricultural computer spreadsheets. Excel will be the spreadsheet program used.

“The program is twofold,” Smith said. “Initially, we’ll cover the basics producers need to know to build simple decision-making spreadsheets or help them find those that already exist on the Internet. Our main goal is to have participants comfortable with spreadsheets to the point that they will take what they learn home and start using them.”

Smith said the second objective is to introduce participants to a spreadsheet developed by AgriLife Extension that estimates costs and breakeven prices for any crops producers might wish to grow.

He added that the Jan. 26 workshop will prepare those who wish to learn more for more in-depth training at the center on Feb. 15 and March 15.

Sandwiches and soft drinks will be provided at the workshop.

For more information contact Smith at 806-746-6101, j-smith34@tamu.edu.

— Release by Texas AgriLife Extension.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.,
publisher of the Angus Journal and the Angus Beef Bulletin