News Update
April 11, 2011

Alaska Congressman Refuses Award From HSUS

Alaskan Congressman Don Young refused an award from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the Humane Society Legislative Fund that would have honored his work for animals in 2010. While capitalizing on the good work of local humane societies that shelter, spay and neuter animals, the HSUS does not own, operate, or directly control a single animal shelter in our country, despite a budget of well over $100 million.

“HSUS are hypocrites, plain and simple, and I will not join them by accepting this award,” said Rep. Young. “Local animal shelters and humane societies do excellent work by caring for neglected and homeless animals, and through their spaying and neutering programs. This organization, however, has absolutely nothing to do with animal welfare.

“Instead they prey on the emotions of big-hearted Americans,” he continued. “They flash images of abused animals on our television screens to raise money that will eventually go to pay their salaries and pensions, not to helping better the lives of these animals. They run anti-hunting and anti-trapping campaigns and are of the same cloth as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and other extremist organizations. I can only guess that I was to receive this award due to my support of the Wildlife Without Borders program, which develops wildlife management and conservation efforts to maintain global species diversity. That program is true conservation; what this group wants is preservation. To accept this award would be supporting their manipulative ways and misguided agenda, and I want no part of that.”

— Release from Rep. Don Young.

Western Governors’ Water Policy Arm to Consider
Water Sharing Recommendations This Week in Santa Fe

The Western States Water Council, the water policy arm of the 18 Western Governors, this week will consider recommendations from diverse Western water leaders representing agricultural, environmental and urban interests.

The report, “Agricultural/Urban/Environmental Water Sharing: Innovative Strategies for the Colorado River Basin and the West,” is the result of convening representatives from The Nature Conservancy, Family Farm Alliance, Western Urban Water Coalition and two dozen others who set aside long-held positions and built new alliances for creative water sharing strategies for mutual benefit. The full report is available at www.cwi.colostate.edu/watersharing.

Colorado State University’s (CSU’s) Colorado Water Institute facilitated the meetings and produced the report as a response to a 2008 challenge by the Western governors: “States, working with interested stakeholders, should identify innovative ways to allow water transfers from agricultural to urban uses while avoiding or mitigating damages to agricultural economies and environmental values.” The project was funded by the Walton Family Foundation.

Some strategies detailed in the report include:

• Farmers and cities in Arizona trading use of surface water and groundwater to the advantage of both;
• Ranchers in Oregon paid by environmentalists to forego a third cutting of hay to leave water in the stream for late summer fish flows;
• A ditch company in New Mexico willing to sell shares of water to New Mexico Audubon for bird habitat on the same terms offered to a new farmer to grow cantaloupe;
• A California flood control and water supply project creatively managed to meet multiple goals of restoring groundwater, maintaining instream flows for wild salmon and steelhead, and providing water for cities and farms;
• Seven ditch companies cooperating in Colorado in a “Super Ditch” scheme to pool part of their water through rotational fallowing, for lease to cities, while maintaining agricultural ownership of the water rights.

In coming months, group members will meet with environmental, agricultural, and urban groups throughout the Colorado River Basin and the West to encourage further dialogue.

— Adapted from a release by CSU; for the full release click here.

Layoffs at Calgary Meat Plants

The Calgary Herald reported that XL Foods announced Friday, April 8, that operations at XL Beef and XL Meats in Calgary would cease beginning in May due to a decrease in the mature cattle supply and what company officials described as “challenging competitive conditions in the Canadian marketplace.” Approximately 500 employees will be out of work as XL has been a major player in the Canadian beef processing business.

— Adapted from a report by Deborah Tetley for The Calgary Herald.

View the Latest Edition of ‘The Angus Report’

The April 11 edition of The Angus Report, available at http://bit.ly/dPmNDq focuses on the strong bull sale season; concerns about the rise in stolen or missing cattle numbers; and a report on how the beef checkoff is growing beef demand with new cuts and preparation information for consumers.

The American Angus Association’s online news program offers cattlemen the opportunity to catch up on important industry issues while learning more about management tools and value-added marketing opportunities. The weekly web-based news program covers a variety of topics in a traditional television news format. Watch www.angus.org for reports posted each Friday.

— Release by the American Angus Association.

South Dakota Cattlewomen Seek College Scholarship Applicants

May 1 is the deadline for applying for a scholarship from the South Dakota CattleWomen, which is celebrating its 60th year of existence. Because the CattleWomen believe the livestock industry is of basic importance to the world existence, and because they have the hope and faith in the future of cattlemen and women, financial assistance is being offered to students that plan to attend college or technical school. Students interested in applying for the scholarship can contact Julie Holmquist at 605-473-5356. Applications are also available for download from http://www.sdcattlewomen.org.

— Release by South Dakota Cattlewomen.

— Compiled by Shauna Hermel, editor, and Linda Robbins, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.