News Update
August 19, 2011
Vilsack Reassures Farmers and Ranchers in States Affected by Extreme Weather
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today pledged his commitment to the nation’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would continue to work to deliver assistance to those affected by recent extreme weather, including floods, drought, fires and tornadoes. Vilsack said that USDA would work to offer flexibility to producers and encouraged producers to contact their local county or state USDA Service Center or Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for assistance. Vilsack also announced additional flexibility in the Conservation Reserve Program that will assist producers struggling from drought in a number of states.
“America’s farmers and rural communities are vitally important to our nation’s economy and our values, and my heart goes out to all who are facing hardships because of severe weather and natural disasters,” said Vilsack. “At USDA, we are working tirelessly to get assistance to folks who need it and are searching for flexibility in our programs to help farmers and ranchers in these difficult times. We will continue to listen to producers’ concerns and, whenever possible, offer assistance to help put people on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.”
Vilsack has issued disaster designations for 547 counties in 30 states. So far, producers have received $693 million in indemnity payments to help recover from disasters, including more than $520 million to those affected by drought and $88 million to those affected by flooding. Additional assistance for livestock producers affected by the drought comes from the Livestock Forage Program which has already provided $114 million nationwide and more than $50 million in Texas, $24 million in Oklahoma, and $11 million in New Mexico. This timely assistance helps ranchers purchase feed for their livestock when they need it most.
USDA has also offered more than $30 million in emergency loans to help about 280 producers recover from production and physical losses due to disaster. To provide producers additional flexibility, USDA has contacted all current loan-holders in disaster affected counties and offered them the opportunity for a ‘disaster set-aside’ — permission to put off their next annual payment to the final year of their loan. So far, 230 producers are taking advantage of this option.
USDA is also working to rebuild local economies by making housing and business assistance programs available to help finance repair and replacement of homes and businesses in rural communities. To help feed families in need during the recovery efforts, USDA is also providing nearly $149 million in Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to more than 1.1 million individuals in 466,080 households in 11 states.
USDA has also made available about $27 million in financial and technical assistance to help 25 states restore damaged and flooded land by assisting with debris removal and other repairs. To ensure assistance quickly got to those in need, USDA provided funds immediately to states to enable the states to respond quickly to any urgent needs.
USDA reminds producers affected by extreme weather that resources are available to cover losses, including losses to livestock, crops, orchard trees, and private forests. Types of USDA assistance to farmers and ranchers may include the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), federal crop insurance, and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
USDA continues working with state and local officials, as well as our federal partners, to make sure people have the necessary resources to recover from these challenges.
To find the USDA Service Center nearest you, please visit http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=us&agency=fsa.
To learn more about USDA’s disaster assistance, please visit www.usda.gov/disaster.
Big Country Beef Conference set for Aug. 25 in Abilene
The Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s Big Country Beef Conference is set for 8 a.m. Aug. 25 at the Taylor County Expo Center grounds in Abilene. The biennial conference starts with registration at 8 a.m. in the display building next to the AgriLife Extension offices.
“This year’s event will cover everything from the current status of the beef industry and 2012 Farm Bill to maintaining herd performance with limited forage resources,” said Robert Pritz, AgriLife Extension agent in Taylor County.
Pritz said the conference, which typically draws speakers and participants from across Texas, is the largest and most comprehensive educational beef program in the Abilene area.
The conference’s four sessions will include:
Session 1:
- Beef Industry Outlook, Larry Pratt, Texas Farm Bureau state director and Texas Beef Council director;
- 2012 Farm Bill outlook, Joe Outlaw, AgriLife Extension economist and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center; and
- Current Cattle Market Trends, David Anderson, AgriLife Extension economist.
Session 2:
- Oil and Gas Leasing and Emerging Water Issues, Judon Fambrough, attorney with the Texas Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University specializing in oil and gas, wind power, hunting leases and landowner liability;
- Long- and Short-Term Weather Forecast, Steve Lyons, National Weather Service meteorologist in charge at San Angelo.
Session 3:
- Herd Health Management, Travis Arledge, veterinarian, Pioneer Vet Clinic, Winters; and
- Maintaining Herd Performance on Limited Forage, Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist at Amarillo.
Session 4:
- Brush Control Options, Charles Hart, AgriLife Extension range specialist at Stephenville; and
- Pasture Management and Planning for Recovery, a distance education address by Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension state forage specialist at College Station.
Individual preregistration is $10 by Aug. 19 and $20 thereafter. The fee includes the entire program and noon meal.
To preregister and for more information, call the AgriLife Extension office in Taylor County at 325-672-6048.
Turning Beef Into Plastics
University of Alberta professor David Bressler has filed a patent on a new thermal process that can turn beef byproducts into plastics. His work represents the future of ingenious recycling. By finding a way to convert these animal byproducts into plastics for industrial use, Bressler and his team hope to divert tons of protein waste from landfills across North America, shift to using renewable resources instead of petrochemicals to make plastics, and boost flagging profit levels in the cattle industry.
Using the throwaway parts of beef carcasses that were sidelined from the value-added production process after bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) devastated the industry in 2003, Bressler, an associate professor in the U of A’s Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, has collaborated with industry, government and other researchers to forge cattle proteins into heavy-duty plastics that could soon be used in everything from car parts to CD cases.
The University of Alberta is the only post-secondary facility to be approved by the Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to conduct research involving turning high-risk proteins into safe, sustainable materials.
Bressler would be happy to give interviews. He can be reached at 780-492-4986 or via e-mail at david.bressler@ualberta.ca.
Ancient Water Systems Archaeologist to be Featured Speaker at OWRRI Water Research Symposium
Daniel Warner, an author and archaeologist who specializes in ancient water systems in the Middle East, will be the featured speaker Oct. 19 at the Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute (OWRRI) Water Research Symposium in Norman.
“Dr. Warner continues our tradition of featured luncheon speakers who present on their archaeological findings regarding ancient water systems,” said Mike Langston, OWRRI assistant director. “It’s always particularly enjoyable because the topic underscores how the world has always had water concerns. There is a lot we can learn today about the methods used in ancient times to find water in extreme arid conditions.”
Warner is an associate professor of Old Testament and archaeology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
“Ancient peoples in the Middle East were experts at finding water in some of the most unexpected places,” Langston said. “We expect a very interesting presentation, with a great many visually stunning and intriguing photographs of Middle East dig sites.”
The OWRRI Water Research Symposium will take place Oct. 18-19 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, located at 2501 Conference Dr. off 24th Street, east of Interstate 35 in Norman.
Beginning in September, participants can register to attend through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s website at www.owrb.gov.
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