News Update
June 6, 2012
Beef Research Nets Top Award in UW College of Agriculture Research Magazine
Research to determine if Wyoming cattle producers could change weaning dates and feed less corn yet maintain carcass quality was voted the top story in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources research magazine Reflections at the University of Wyoming.
Scientists in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and Department of Animal Science report their results in the 2012 edition, available this summer.
Research in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and Department of Animal Science identifying appetite-regulating hormones in breast milk and thus the effect of breast-feeding on obesity prevention received the second-place award.
For more information and the full release, visit www.wyomingextension.org/news/.
Will a $40,000 Premium Subsidy Limit Affect "Family Farmers"?
Recently proposed in the Senate is a $40,000 subsidy limit on crop insurance contracts. The justification for these limits is often that "big" farmers do not "need" help. Often, these limits never achieve the reduction in cost that is often forecasted, because farmers create new entities, change leases, and find other ways to avoid the limits.
Once limits are in place, they are never increased to reflect increased production costs and farm size requirements to meet economies of scale for an efficient agricultural industry. So, farmers today that are under the limit will likely grow into operations that are over the limit, if for no other reason than inflation.
It may be good politics to apply payment limits so that only "small" farms are covered. If that is the objective, then Congress should first consider "large" farmers receiving "free" coverage that can exceed a million dollars, but only farmers with multi-million dollar contracts will be affected by a $40,000 subsidy limit. Many specialty-crop farmers have more than a million dollars in CAT coverage and contribute nothing toward their premium that is paid by USDA with a 100% premium subsidy. However, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) data suggests a $40,000 limit will likely have little impact on these "large" farming operations that are insured with "free" CAT.
For more information and the full release, click here.
National FFA Organization's Washington Leadership Conference Inspires Students to Lead, Give Back
Last summer, Sierra Coulthard, a Wisconsin high school student realized just how real and rampant poverty is in the world today.
"My eyes were opened to so many troubles in the world," she said. "I saw how real the needs of people are and I wanted to do something to help."
Coulthard returned home and immediately connected with Nashville-based Soles4Souls, which since 2005 has secured more than 17 million new and gently used shoes for people throughout the world. The charity shipped her a large supply of new shoe boxes that she placed throughout her home town of Neillsville to encourage donations. Nearly 1,000 pairs of shoes were donated to the "Sierra's Shoes" drive.
And last month, she was able to travel to Haiti and pass them out to deserving children who needed them.
Coulthard's vision for the drive was developed at the National FFA Organization's annual Washington Leadership Conference, which focuses on leadership development, personal growth and community service. More than 2,200 students — up to 340 a week — from throughout the U.S. who are FFA members will attend one of the conference's seven week-long sessions in June and July.
"Students come to the Washington Leadership Conference wanting to make a difference. They leave knowing they can — and will," said Dwight Armstrong, CEO of the National FFA Organization. "I believe students are generally aware of global problems like hunger and poverty but many are sheltered and disconnected from what's happening in the world. During their time in Washington, FFA members experience real-world problems and take critical steps toward personal growth and developing leadership skills they'll need to make a difference in people's lives, starting in their own communities."
For more information about the WLC Progam and the full release, click here.
Executives Added to Meat Industry Hall of Fame
The Meat Industry Hall of Fame board of trustees announced new members who will be honored in October at the fourth annual event created by Hall of Fame President and Founder Chuck Jolley.
This year's inductees were chosen from a list of more than 60 nominees in voting last month by the trustees and living members of the Hall of Fame. The new members are:
Bill Fielding, executive positions with Cargill Inc.; ConAgra Fresh Meat; Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC and Meyer Natural Foods|
Ellard Pfaelzer, Sr., Pfaelzer Bros. and Ellard "Butch" Pfaelzer, Jr., The Bruss Co.
Fred Usinger, president, Usinger's Famous Sausage
Dave Theno, senior vice president, Jack in the Box and CEO, Gray Dog Partners Inc.
Dave Wood, CEO, Harris Ranch
Jim Hodges, executive vice president, American Meat Institute; president, American Meat Institute Foundation
Mohammad Koohmaraie, CEO, meat division, IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group
Steve Krut, CEO (retired), American Association of Meat Processors
Alfred "Al" Kober, retail director, Certified Angus Beef LLC, meat director, Clemens Supermarkets
Bobby Hatoff, chairman, Allen Brothers
Herb Lotman, founder, Keystone Foods
Marvin Walter, Carriage House Meat & Provision Co.; Ames Processed Foods Company Inc.; Webster City Custom Meats Inc. and W & G Marketing Company Inc.
The induction ceremony will take place Oct. 27 at the J.W. Marriott Hill Country near San Antonio, Texas. The dinner and presentation ceremony will be held in conjunction with the North American Meat Association (NAMA) Outlook Conference.
Survey Says: Proteins Important in Balanced Diet But Too Expensive
A quarter of Americans believe that proteins are too expensive to consume as much as they would like, according to the 2012 Food & Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety, Nutrition & Health, commissioned by the International Food Information Council Foundation. The seventh annual national quantitative study was conducted online in early April, with the data weighted to reflect the demographics of the American population.
Although respondents cited the price of proteins in their decision-making, 80% said that they believe proteins are part of a balanced diet. More consumers (47%) try to eat protein during an evening meal than during other meals; however, 52% said they simply try to get enough protein over the course of a day rather than focus on specific meals.
On food safety, nearly six out of 10 Americans agree that the chances they will be stricken with a foodborne illness from something they eat are extremely low. Still, concerns about bacteria (51%), "chemicals" in food (51%), imported food (49%), pesticides (47%), animal antibiotics (30%) and undeclared allergens (25%) do have an impact on what foods or brands of food Americans purchase.
Finally, although half of consumers report that they look at the ingredients list and nutritional information on food labels, more than half — 54% — reported that they would rather just enjoy their food than worry too much about what's in it.
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