News Update
November 8, 2011
NCBA Partners with Roper and Stetson
to Offer Member Benefits
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is excited to offer its members an outstanding new opportunity through an exclusive partnership with Roper and Stetson. Under the partnership, new and existing NCBA members will receive significant discounts on Roper and Stetson apparel and footwear.
Anyone who joins NCBA will receive a 50% off coupon for Roper and Stetson apparel and current members will receive quarterly 25% off coupons through the National Cattlemen publication. Additionally, participants who pay a full registration at the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show will receive a Roper and Stetson coupon to use at the trade show. NCBA Vice President of Membership and Association Marketing Marvin Kokes said the partnership showcases the organization’s outstanding reputation and commitment to its membership.
“Our most important partner in the development of our association is our members,” Kokes said. “The partnership with Roper and Stetson allows our members to benefit from their commitment to our association and entices new members to get involved with NCBA.”
Kokes said NCBA has a history of working with some of the country’s most respected companies to offer exclusive opportunities to its members. These companies believe in NCBA’s mission and cattlemen as a marketing opportunity. In order to become an NCBA member and take advantage of the Roper and Stetson partnership or see other great membership benefits offered by NCBA, visit www.beefusa.org or contact the membership department at membership@beef.org.
Ranching 101 Seminar Scheduled for Nov. 15 in Fort Worth
The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) will host a Ranching 101 seminar, Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. at TSCRA headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.
This seminar is part of a series that is free to all participants and is scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month, excluding December. Attorney Chad Lee, with the Law Offices of Chad Lee, will discuss laws, leasing and liability. Each seminar is designed to give participants practical, sound guidance on the tools and equipment needed to start ranching.
While the seminar is designed for people starting off in the ranching business or looking to improve their existing operation, anyone interested in the cattle business is invited to attend. A series schedule is listed below.
- Tuesday, Nov. 15: Laws, Leasing and Liability — Lease structure, example leases and rates, tips for absentee landowners, hiring employees and liability concerns for paid and unpaid workers
- Tuesday, Jan. 17: Animal Health and Disease Management — Common diseases and treatment, choosing a veterinarian, creating a herd health plan, necessary vaccinations and antibiotic use concerns about residues
All seminars will take place at TSCRA Headquarters, 1301 W. Seventh Street in Fort Worth from 1-5 p.m.
A complete agenda can be found at http://www.tscra.org/education/ranching101.
Space in each session is limited. Participants should RSVP to Stacy Fox at sfox@tscra.org or by calling 1-800-242-7820.
TSCRA’s Ranching 101 seminars are sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health.
Trimmed Down GIPSA Rule Delivered to OMB
USDA has submitted a significantly scaled-back version of the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. According to information released late last week, the final rule contains four out of five provisions required by the 2008 Farm Bill.
A USDA memo indicates provisions have been eliminated from the rule that would have banned packer-to-packer sales, restricted multiple packer buyer affiliations and required records to justify prices paid. USDA indicates other provisions from the proposed rule remain under consideration.
The 2008 Farm Bill requires USDA to define “undue preference” and “unfair practices.” These definitions, along with language related to competitive injury, remain a concern for the beef industry. Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) and NCBA will remain engaged on the issue to ensure beef producer interests are represented.
The final rule submitted to OMB addresses poultry industry issues such as the delivery of birds, additional capital investment criteria, breach of contract and arbitration. It also requires submission of sample swine and poultry contracts.
For more information visit www.kla.org.
Animal Care and Handling Seminar Scheduled for Nov. 22
Feedlot owners, dairy producers and their employees are invited to an Animal Care and Handling Seminar for beef and dairy on Nov. 22 at Tri-State Livestock Auction in Sioux Center, Iowa. Featured presenter is Sandhills Cattle Consultants Inc. president Kip Lukasiewicz, who will discuss and demonstrate low-stress cattle handling techniques. Lukasiewicz also is an assistant to nationally recognized cattle handling expert Tom Noffsinger. Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach beef program specialist Beth Doran said the seminar will provide a unique opportunity for producers to learn about a timely topic and be able to put the information to use in their operations.
“The issue of animal welfare is at our back door. Some states, such as Nebraska, will have animal welfare proposals on the November election ballot,” Doran said. “Producers need to be pro-active toward animal welfare for a number of reasons and this seminar will help provide needed information.”
During the seminars, Lukasiewicz will demonstrate and explain how to settle a set of calves and calmly move them.
“Animal handling affects not only profitability, but also employee morale and safety,” Lukasiewicz said. “How you interact with the animal and the amount of stress in the animal can affect the end product for the consumer.”
ISU Extension beef veterinarian Grant Dewell will share with attendees the impact of stress upon animal health.
“Animals that are stressed do not eat or drink as much,” he said. “This can affect their overall health and reduce their immune response.”
Doug Bear, director of industry relations for the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC), will round out the speaker slate with a discussion of good management practices related to beef and dairy quality assurance.
“The consumer expects meat and milk that is safe, wholesome and high quality,” he said.
Two sessions, morning and afternoon, are scheduled. Topics will be identical, but the afternoon seminar will be offered in Spanish for Hispanic employees and operators. Participants attending either session will be Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified. The morning session runs from 9 a.m. through lunch at 12:30 p.m. and the afternoon session begins with lunch at 12:30 and concludes at 5 p.m.
Registration for either of the Animal Handling and Care sessions is $10 per person to cover refreshments and noon lunch. This low fee is made possible through grants from the Iowa Beef Center (IBC) at ISU, IBIC and local sponsorship.
The seminar brochure with agenda, speaker and registration information is available on the IBC website.
For more information on the Animal Handling and Care Seminars, contact Doran by phone at 712-737-4230 or by email at doranb@iastate.edu. Registrations are due Nov. 16 to the O’Brien County Extension Office, 340 2nd St. SE, P.O. Box 99, Primghar, Iowa 51245.
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