News Update
September 20, 2011
Range Beef Cow Symposium Schedule Posted
The 2011 Range Beef Cow Symposium will be Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the Mitchell Event Center, Mitchell, Neb. The event center is located at the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds. The schedule and registration information for the biennial symposium are available at www.rangebeefcow.com.
The September Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA eMails Tomorrow
Angus Productions Inc. will email the September Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA tomorrow to those who have signed up to receive it. Subscription to the monthly electronic supplement to the Angus Beef Bulletin is free, but you must sign up by providing your email address. Sign up at www.angusbeefbulletin.com or email your request to be signed up to bulletinextra@angusbeefbulletin.com. Like the printed publication it supplements, the EXTRA is targeted toward commercial cattlemen using registered Angus genetics.
Forage Systems Research Center Field Day at
University of Missouri
This summer’s drought and heat put pressure on many Missouri livestock producers. They can learn new strategies to alleviate forage shortages and hear many other strategies to improve their operations, from forage strategies to wildlife habitat and timber management, at the Forage Systems Research Center’s (FSRC’s) annual field day, Sept. 29.
Located near Linneus, Mo., the FSRC is one of 20 around the state at which the University of Missouri (MU) College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources conducts impactful research benefiting Missouri farmers.
The Field Day features two wagon tours and a walking tour. Each tour lasts about 30 minutes and will be available from 9 a.m. to noon. After learning how to improve forage quality, profitability and strategies to control resistant weeds, attendees can enjoy a free lunch.
The heat and drought during the summer have caused significant forage shortfalls around the state. Robert Kallenbach, MU professor of plant sciences and forage specialist, will present his research on summer annual forages to alleviate those shortages.
Craig Roberts, MU plant sciences professor, will address a common dilemma for producers: What will the toxin levels be if I make hay or silage from tall fescue? Roberts will explain strategies to reduce toxin levels and explain the factors that affect toxicity.
Winter-feeding strategies, new technology to measure pasture production, how to background weaned calves on pasture and improving wildlife habitat and timber management also will be discussed. With all the dry weather throughout Missouri this year, David Davis, superintendent at the Center, expects lots of questions about summer forage options and endophyte toxin levels in fescue. The ongoing research at the Center and expert presentations will keep producers at the forefront of the latest developments in forage systems management.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact David Davis at DavisDK@missouri.edu or 660-985-5121, or go to http://aes.missouri.edu/fsrc/.
PepsiCo to Partner with China’s Ministry of Agriculture to Promote Sustainable Farming
PepsiCo Inc. announced Monday, Sept. 19, that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China to promote sustainable agriculture projects and accelerate the development of the Chinese countryside.
As part of the joint initiative, PepsiCo and the Ministry of Agriculture will build and operate demonstration farms that leverage the most advanced irrigation, fertilization and crop management techniques. They also will collaborate to promote best practices across China’s farming system to improve yields, increase income levels and raise living standards for farmers throughout the country.
The partnership continues PepsiCo’s focus on investing in sustainable agriculture development projects in China and it demonstrates the company’s continued support for China’s 12th Five-Year Plan.
PepsiCo is one of the largest agricultural enterprises in the world, growing and using more than four million tons of potatoes for its Frito-Lay snacks, 600,000 tons of oats for its Quaker food products, and three million tons of oranges and other fruits and vegetables for its Tropicana and other juice brands every year.
Tim Minges, chairman of PepsiCo’s greater China region, said, “PepsiCo takes great pride in creating tailored approaches to business investment that achieve both commercial and social objectives. Our success in promoting sustainable agriculture programs in China and around the world is a great example of our ability to drive PepsiCo’s performance while also improving the communities in which we do business. Our experience and expertise in modern farming enables PepsiCo to get more ‘crop per drop’ and we are excited to work with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture to introduce many of these best practices to benefit China’s local farmers and the environment.”
Wang Ying, director-general of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture, at the signing ceremony said: “The 12th Five-Year Plan adopted last year set out clear objectives for the development of sustainable agriculture in the new era, especially the need for speeding up agricultural modernization. By partnering with PepsiCo, we will be able to enlist advanced foreign technologies for the building of modern farms and promote best practices across the country. This is a substantive step in our efforts to carry out the policies and guidelines introduced in the Five-Year Plan.”
In May 2010, PepsiCo announced that it is investing $2.5 billion in its China business over the next few years, on top of $1 billion investment announced in 2008. The investments are broad-based and include plans for expanded agricultural development.
PepsiCo is one of the largest agriculture-related enterprises in China, having invested more than RMB 200 million (equivalent to more than USD 31 million) in local agricultural development. These investments, supported by PepsiCo’s proven expertise in crop plantation and irrigation, have benefited more than 10,000 rural Chinese households and created a win-win solution for local farmers and the company.
PepsiCo is also investing in rural communities in China. For example, the PepsiCo Foundation announced a $5 million grant in June to support the All-China Women’s Federation in its efforts to provide access to clean water in rural areas of China, benefiting 500,000 people by 2015. The company’s 10-year cooperation with Water Cellars for Mothers has brought clean drinking water access to more than 50,000 people in water-stressed regions across China.
A detailed overview of PepsiCo’s investments in sustainable business practices throughout China is available at http://pepsico.com/Download/
GCR_Sustainability_Report_EN_Final.pdf.
PepsiCo investments in China’s ag sector are part of a global strategy to make the company a leader in sustainable agricultural around the world.
As a result of the company’s commitment to economic, environmental and social performance, PepsiCo has been named as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) for the last five consecutive years, and in 2011 was recognized as the leader among food and beverage companies.
Farmers Feed U.S. Coming to Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware
A coalition of agricultural commodity groups and farmers from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware are partnering to launch Mid-Atlantic Farmers Feed US (www.FarmersFeedUS.org) in January 2012. “The Mid-Atlantic Farmers Feed US program is a tremendous opportunity to introduce the region’s consumers to the hard-working men and women who raise healthy, nutritious and affordable food,” said Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for Food Integrity. “We need to show that even though our systems have changed and our use of technology has increased, the farmer’s commitment to do what’s right has never been stronger.”
Open to residents of those three states and Washington, D.C., the program will offer consumers the chance to win one of four “Free Groceries for a Year” sweepstakes prizes, while introducing them to 10 of the region’s farmers. Commodities represented by those featured farmers include soybeans, dairy, beef cattle, hogs, mushrooms, roasters, layers, vegetables, watermelons and corn.
“Farmers Feed US” is based on consumer research conducted by the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) that proves that “shared values” are three to five times more important than demonstrating competence in building consumer trust. The program uses a variety of strategies to engage consumers with those who produce food, including featuring the region’s farmers in online video farm tours, earned and social media and television advertisements. Through this engagement, farmers will build public trust by demonstrating they share the same values as consumers.
Since July 2009, Farmers Feed US has been connecting farmers and consumers in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota and Illinois. During that time, those programs have accounted for more than 1.25 million consumer sweepstakes registrations, with each one introducing consumers to farmers from their state.
Additionally, the program has built a consumer “opt-in” list of more than 80,000 consumers in participating states, who have requested ongoing communication on farming and food, as well as social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter with more than 18,000 likers and followers.
*Based on Food Marketing Institute figures, a $5,000 value.
Senate Moves One Step Closer to Finalizing Trade Agreements
Yesterday evening, Sept. 19, 2011, the U.S. Senate voted 84 to 8 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed with the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) legislation. According to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Manager of Legislative Affairs Kent Bacus, the Senate took the first step necessary toward passing pending Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
“This procedural vote was a critical step toward ending the multiyear delay on passing pending trade pacts that would stimulate the economy and create jobs,” said Bacus. “This legislation is one of the many requirements President Obama has demanded before he will send the agreements to Congress.”
Bacus said the Senate is likely to consider many amendments to the GSP legislation. Bacus expects the legislation to eventually pass and then go before the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. He said the president likely will delay sending the trade agreements to Congress until the House passes the GSP bill. As far as predicting a timeline for the FTAs, Bacus said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) “holds the cards.”
“Sen. Reid holds the cards regarding how much time will be spent on the GSP bill. He has the ability to tie this up as long as he wants but there’s also a chance we could see the bill move quickly. Much of that will hinge on how many amendments he allows,” said Bacus. “There is enormous pressure on Sen. Reid to keep this under control.”
Bacus said time is of the essence. The Senate still has to approve the continuing resolution before it expires on Sept. 30, in order to avoid a government shutdown. If the Senate doesn’t finish work on GSP this week, the likely timeline to consider the FTAs gets pushed to October when the Senate returns from recess. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak is scheduled to visit the White House Oct. 13 for an official state visit, which Bacus said would be the ideal time to finalize the trade agreements.
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