News Update
February 15, 2012
Roy A. Wallace Memorial Scholarship Applications Due March 13
The Roy A. Wallace Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Memorial Fund was established to honor the life and career of Roy Wallace. Wallace, who worked for Select Sires for 40 years, served as vice president of beef programs and devoted his life to the improvement of beef cattle. He became involved with BIF in its infancy and was the only person to attend each of the first 40 BIF conventions. He loved what BIF stood for — bringing together purebred and commercial cattle breeders, academia and breed associations, all committed to improving beef cattle.
Wallace was honored with both the BIF Pioneer Award and BIF Continuing Service Award, and he co-authored the BIF 25-year history, Ideas into Action. This scholarship was established to encourage young men and women interested in beef improvement to pursue those interests as he did, with dedication and passion.
Proceeds from the Roy A. Wallace BIF Memorial Fund will be used to award scholarships to graduate and undergraduate students currently enrolled as full-time students in pursuit of a degree related to the beef industry. Criteria for selection will include demonstrated commitment and service to the industry. Preference will be given to students who have demonstrated a passion for the areas of beef breeding, genetics and reproduction. Additional considerations will include academic performance, personal character and service to the beef cattle industry.
Two $1,250 scholarships will be offered. One will be awarded to a student currently enrolled as an undergraduate, and one will be awarded to a student currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program. Click here to download the application form, or download it from the BIF home page, www.beefimprovement.org.
The awards will be presented at the 2012 BIF Research Symposium and Annual Meeting, which will be April 18-21 in Houston, Texas. For more information about the symposium, including the schedule, hotel and registration information, visit www.bifconference.com.
Beef Leaders Institute Deadline March 1
American Angus Association members interested in becoming more effective leaders in the agriculture industry are encouraged to apply for the fifth annual Beef Leaders Institute (BLI). Hosted June 17-20, 2012, the program brings Angus producers together in Saint Joseph, Mo., for a series of informative sessions.
"BLI is an excellent opportunity to develop leaders and advocates for the beef industry, while exposing young producers to all segments of the business, including the Association," says Shelia Stannard, director of activities and events. "It is also a chance to network with fellow breeders from across the country."
Funded through the Angus Foundation, BLI is designed for Association members 25-45 years old to provide insight into the beef industry, while enhancing their knowledge of the Association and strengthening leadership skills.
Cory Poser, a 2011 participant from Denton, Mont., said the experience he gained by attending BLI will allow his family to continue their farming tradition.
"BLI was a great way for me to expand my knowledge of the beef industry and help the farm and my family advance our operation into the future," Poser said.
During the three-day event, BLI participants are able to tour a beef harvesting and packing facility, retailer, fabricator, feedlots and other industry segments, including the Association. The Association provides transportation, lodging, meals and materials during BLI. Attendees will be responsible for round-trip transportation between their home and either Kansas City or Saint Joseph, Mo.
To apply, click here or contact the American Angus Association at 816-383-5100. Information can also be found on www.angus.org.
Applications for the 2012 program are due March 1.
Future of Midwest Cattle-Feeding Seminar Scheduled
Feeder cattle producers are encouraged to optimize their opportunities and attend workshops focused on the future of Midwest cattle feeding. The meeting will be March 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, Ill.
Speakers from the University of Illinois (U of I), Iowa State University, the University of Nebraska, the Illinois Beef Association (IBA), Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), and Monsanto will highlight new cattle-feeding strategies, feedstuff choices and availability, and corn stover use and preparation as a feed. Travis Meteer, U of I Extension beef specialist, said these seminars will provide information to help producers develop strategies for a profitable operation in the future.
There is no registration fee, but preregistration is encouraged.
The seminar is sponsored by ADM, Monsanto, IBA and U of I Extension.
Dallas County Pasture Management Program Set March 30
What do weeds, grasshoppers, armyworms and feral hogs have in common?
The answer is that all are pests that disrupt pasture production. And the control of all will be covered at the upcoming Dallas County Pasture Management program March 30, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., according to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts conducting the program.
The program will offer five continuing education units to holders of Texas Department of Agriculture private applicators licenses, three in the general category, one in integrated pest management, and one in laws and regulations, said Vanessa Corriher, AgriLife Extension forage specialist and one of the program speakers.
Held at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 10056 Marsh Lane, Suite B-101, Dallas, advance registration by March 28 is $50, or $60 at the door on the day of the event. To register in advance, go to https://agrilifevents.tamu.edu< and enter the keyword "pasture." Registration will include a catered lunch.
Program topics and presenters will include "Effective Weed Control with Weed Identification, Proper Timing and Herbicide Selection," by Corriher; "Save Money by Understanding Active Ingredients, Residual Control and Herbicide Cost," by Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef specialist; "Grasshopper and Armyworm Control in Pastures and Hay Meadows," by Corriher; "Practical Suggestions to Get the Most Out of Your Spraying Equipment," by Banta; and "Feral Hog Control in Texas — What's Legal and What's Not," by Billy Higginbotham, AgriLife Extension wildlife and fisheries specialist.
AgriLife Extension is an educational outreach agency of the Texas A&M University System.
For more information, contact Michelle Sensing at 903-834-6191 oramsensing@ag.tamu.edu.
Beef's Carbon Footprint Gets Trimmed in Video, Webinar
A common misperception among many consumers is that modern beef production is bad for the environment. The American Meat Institute (AMI), in conjunction with the American Meat Science Association (AMSA), launched a new video yesterday that aims to set the record straight about myths associated with the environmental impact of large, modern cattle operations. The video is the fifth installment of seven new myth-crushing videos.
The video, featuring Judith Capper, associate professor, department of animal sciences, Washington State University, clears the common misperception that larger, modern cattle operations have a greater negative environmental impact than small, local operations.
"That's a common consumer misperception," Capper says. "The first thing we have to understand is that generally the bigger the operation, the more modern it is, the more accepting of technology, the lower the land use, the water use and the carbon footprint."
Capper says that advances in productivity during the past 30-50 years have "actually cut the carbon footprint per pound of beef by 16% since 1977."
Capper also busts the myth that grass-fed beef is better for the environment. "On average, a grain-fed system is going to be significantly more environmentally friendly than a grass-fed system," she says. The main reason is that grass-fed animals are harvested at a lighter weight, but they take longer to get to that weight. "They take an average of 606 days to get from birth to harvest, versus about 420 or so in the corn-fed system," Capper says. "That means more total animal days (for grass-fed), and that's more feed, more land, more water, and more energy — and so, therefore, greater carbon footprint overall for the grass-fed."
Capper and Frank Mitloehner, associate professor of animal science and air quality specialist at the University of California–Davis, will be the featured speakers on a webinar titled, "Beef Sustainability," airing on Drovers/CattleNetwork March 14, at 10 a.m. Central Time.
Registration for the seminar is free, and will be open later this week.
Capper's video is available at http://www.meatmythcrushers.com/.
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