News Update
September 12, 2012
Reminder: Consign NWSS Angus Bulls Now and Save
The American Angus Association is accepting consignments for the 2013 National Western Angus Bull Sale held in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver, Colo. The sale is set for Wednesday, Jan. 16, and producers can save $50 by acting now.
Consignments received on or before Sept. 15 are $400 per head. From Sept. 16 through the Oct. 1 entry deadline, the fee is $450 per head. Consignments must have Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) performance information to be eligible.
"The NWSS Angus Bull Sale is an excellent venue for Angus breeders to showcase their programs," says David Gazda, sale manager and Association regional manager. "This sale annually attracts some of the region's top purebred and commercial producers who come to the stock show to select their next herd sire prospects."
All bulls born before Jan. 1, 2012, must have passed a complete breeding soundness examination (sometimes referred to as a BSE), including both physical and semen, within 30 days of the sale.
For the full release, click here.
Angus Talk Podcast Available on iTunes
Audiences have grown accustomed to information, literally, at their fingertips. One tap of a smartphone can instantly access stock reports, breaking news headlines and weather forecasts. And that's just the beginning.
To help cattlemen stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and information, the American Angus Association this week launched the Angus Talk podcast. The program is hosted by Doug Medlock, the voice of I Am Angus, and features timely discussion surrounding topics in the cattle business.
"Talk radio programs are still a valuable source of information for many in agriculture," says Eric Grant, Association director of communications and public relations. "Ten years ago it was on the radio in the tractor cab, now it's on a smartphone."
A new Angus Talk show is released twice a month and can be accessed through iTunes on a computer, smartphone or tablet. The premiere episode features Larry Corah, vice president of supply development with Certified Angus Beef LLC. Corah shared with Medlock the economic advantages of reliable, predictable Angus cattle, and what that means for the cattlemen moving forward in the next 5-10 years.
"Our goal with Angus Talk is to provide both informative and entertaining discussion as it relates to our industry," Grant says. "Programs that people can take with them wherever they are — in the pasture, in the truck, or at a computer."
To subscribe to the free podcast, search Angus Talk in the iTunes Store. Episodes are also available by clicking here.
'Farm Bill Now' Rally on Capitol Hill
Agricultural, conservation, hunger-relief, energy and other organizations joined together today, Sept., 12, 2012, to call on Congress to pass a new, five-year farm bill without further delay. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman and Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union, emceed the "Farm Bill Now" rally on Capitol Hill.
"We appreciate all of the work done to date by Congress and look forward to working with the House to get a farm bill passed and into conference as soon as possible," said Stallman. "In light of the drought, it is imperative for America's farmers that a farm bill is passed this year."
The "Farm Bill Now" coalition includes 80 groups representing a cross-section of the economy and public interests.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Ranch Management University to Address Forage,
Livestock Management
The fall session of Ranch Management University is rapidly approaching and limited seating is beginning to fill up, according to Larry Redmon, workshop coordinator and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service state forage specialist.
The five-day program targeting novice landowners is scheduled Oct. 29-Nov. 2 at the G. Rollie White Visitor's Center on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station.
"This unique workshop provides a foundation of knowledge for those who are new to owning land in Texas," Redmon said. "It is designed to help new landowners improve their understanding regarding management of the various resources they find on their ranch properties."
Registration is $500 and attendance is limited to the first 40 people who enroll. To register online and to obtain additional information, go to http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu and enter "ranch management" as the keyword.
The fall workshop topics include soils and soil fertility, forage species selection, hay production, weed and brush management, winter pasture establishment and utilization, beef cattle breed selection, nutrient requirements and feeding strategies for livestock, grazing management strategies, live-animal handling and demonstrations of vaccinating, dehorning and cattle castration.
For the full release, click here.
JBS USA Announces Leadership Succession Plan
JBS USA, a leading animal protein processor in the U.S. and Australia and a wholly owned subsidiary of Brazil-based JBS S.A., today, Sept. 12, announced that, as a part of a scheduled succession plan, Don Jackson will retire as CEO effective year end 2012. Andre Nogueira, former JBS USA CFO and current CEO of JBS Australia, will become CEO of JBS USA effective Jan. 1, 2013.
Jackson will gradually transition his roles and responsibilities to Nogueira through the end of this year. Jackson will remain with the company in an advisory capacity and retain his seat on the board of Pilgrim's Pride Corp.
Nogueira, in his new role as JBS USA CEO, will have responsibility for all U.S. and Australia operations and will report directly to Wesley Batista, president and CEO of JBS global operations. Under this new structure, Bill Rupp, in addition to his current role as president and COO of the JBS USA beef business, will assume leadership of the Australia business and report to Nogueira.
"In my new capacity as CEO, I am excited to continue to work with our team to position JBS USA as the most efficient, preferred supplier for our customers," stated Nogueira. "Global consumption of animal protein has experienced tremendous growth over the last decade and JBS USA is well-positioned to meet increasing protein demand through its strategic global production and sales platforms. I look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to provide the highest quality beef, pork, poultry and lamb products."
For the full release, click here.
Protecting Groundwater Benefits the Public and Environment
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) encourages the public to protect health and the environment by protecting groundwater on Protect Your Groundwater Day (Sept. 11) and every day.
"As drought continues to grip our nation, protecting groundwater through conservation is more important than ever," said AFBF President Bob Stallman. From the southwest to the southeast and the Great Plains to the Midwest, drought has put a strain on many household water wells — sometimes resulting in a reduction or loss of water flow as the water table drops.
Eighty-eight million Americans rely on groundwater supplied by community water systems, while another 42 million people depend on individual household water wells.
For household water well owners, how they manage their well systems and property can make a difference in water quality. People who do not use household wells also can make a difference in groundwater quality by properly managing how they store, use and dispose of hazardous household substances and how well they maintain their septic systems.
Protect Your Groundwater Day is an occasion for every citizen to ACT: Acknowledge the issue, Consider how it applies to you and then Take action.
Action steps suggested by the National Ground Water Association that everyone can take to protect groundwater, public health and the environment include modifying water use and conserving water and installing water-saving devices in the home. Well owners can help protect groundwater by moving possible contamination sources a safe distance from the wellhead; keeping up-to-date on septic system inspection and cleaning; having wells inspected annually; and hiring a professional to properly decommission abandoned wells.
For the full release, click here.
BSE Blood Test Now on the Horizon
A simple blood test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a step closer, following a breakthrough by medical researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
According to a Sept. 12 announcement, using newly available genetic sequencing, the researchers discovered cells infected with prions (the infectious agent responsible for these diseases) release particles that contain easily recognized "signature genes."
Associate professor Andrew Hill from the University of Melbourne's department of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Bio21 Institute said these particles travel in the blood stream, making a diagnostic blood test a possibility.
The research is published in this week's Oxford University Press Nucleic Acids Research journal.
Lead author Shayne Bellingham said the breakthrough might also help detect other human neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
"This is an exciting new field where we can test for conditions in the brain and throughout the body, without being invasive," he said.
The researchers' genetic testing focused on a form of cell discharge called exosomes.
If exosomes were infected with prions (the pathogen that causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and BSE), they were found to also carry a specific signature of small genes called microRNAs.
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