News Update
December 28, 2012
Last Chance to Participate in ‘The $75,000 Card Challenge’
Through Dec. 31, 2012, Angus supporters can turn everyday purchases into an investment in their future. In “The $75,000 Card Challenge,” for every new and activated American Angus Association Platinum Visa booked, Intrust Bank will make a $100 donation to the Angus Foundation to help support Angus education, youth and research programs. Most people use a credit card anyway, and by simply opening a new card account and activating that card by making $100 in purchases within 30 days, Angus producers and other Angus enthusiasts are making an easy contribution to support the future of the breed.
If 300 more cards are activated through the end of this year, making a total of 500 new activated accounts, Intrust Bank will add a $25,000 donation. This makes the program worth $75,000 for the Angus Foundation. Go to www.angusfoundation.org and click on “Angus Credit Card Application” to learn more.
NFU, Coalition: Proposed Beef Merger Harmful
National Farmers Union (NFU) and more than 40 farming, rural and agricultural organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) last week asking for an expanded investigation into a proposal made by food processing company JBS USA to acquire two U.S.-based beef packing plants owned by Canadian-based XL Four Star Beef.
“We firmly believe that this proposed merger would reduce competition and seriously harm both cattle producers and consumers,” the letter states. “We therefore request that no early termination of the antitrust evaluation regarding the acquisition of the two U.S.-based beef packing plants be granted and that the Justice Department make a second request for information to extend the investigation.”
In 2008, the DOJ initiated antitrust enforcement action that prevented JBS USA from acquiring National Beef Packing Co., the fourth largest beef packer in the U.S.
“The Justice Department must not retreat from the historically significant effort it started in 2008 to curb the pervasive erosion of competition in both the U.S. cattle market and the consumers’ beef market,” the letter notes.
In its letter, the group urges the DOJ to initiate an extension of the merger waiting period to provide additional time for review of the merger, as well as requesting further information including cattle procurement practices, competition levels and the history of JBS’s previous acquisitions of closed packing plants.
Click here to view the letter.
K-State to Host 4-State Beef Conference
Jan. 29 in Wamego and Seneca
K-State Research and Extension will host the 4-State Beef Conference at two Kansas locations on Tuesday, Jan. 29. The conference, set for 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., will be in Wamego at the Wamego Senior Center, 502 Ash St., and in Seneca at the Community Building, 1500 Community Drive.
The conference is designed to give those with an interest in beef cattle in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri a regular update on cow-calf and stocker topics. Sessions will also be in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. An evening meal is included in the cost of the $20 registration. Three topics to be covered at each location are the same, although some speakers will be different. They include:
- Genetic Improvement of Beef Cattle Feed Efficiency — Bob Weaber, K-State cow-calf extension specialist (Wamego) and a representative of the U.S. Consortium for the Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle (Seneca).
- Engaging Consumers in a Beef Conversation — Daren Williams, executive director of communications, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (both locations).
- Beef Industry Update and Outlook — Todd Kalous, market analyst, CattleFax (both locations).
- Saving that Precious Hay – Amy Bandel, veterinarian, Mill Creek Veterinary Services (Wamego) and Jody Holthaus, Meadowlark District livestock and natural resources extension agent (Seneca).
Attendees are asked to preregister by Friday, Jan. 25, to ensure an adequate number of meals and copies of conference proceedings. For more information or to register for the Wamego site, contact Karaline Mayer at 785-765-3821 or kamayer@ksu.edu or Austin Sexten at 785-457-3319 or ajsexten@ksu.edu. For more information or to register for the Seneca site, contact Jody Holthaus at 785-364-4125 or jholthau@ksu.edu.
More information about the 4-State Beef Conference is available at Upcoming Beef Events. Additional information, including details regarding conference sites in other states, is available at 4-State Beef Conference. The conference is coordinated by specialists at four land-grant universities: Kansas State University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska and Iowa State University.
OSU Extension to Offer Beef Feedlot School
in January, February
Farmers and producers interested in learning more about beef feedlot nutrition and maximizing profits can participate in a discussion of the issues by experts from Ohio State University (OSU) Extension during a Beef Feedlot School Jan. 30, 2013, and Feb. 13, 20 and 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Crawford County Fairgrounds youth building, 610 Whetstone St. in Bucyrus. The school will focus on beef feedlot nutrition, maximizing profits by increasing feed efficiency and using byproducts to reduce feed costs, said Jason Hartschuh, OSU Extension coordinator in agriculture and natural resources, and organizer of the event.
“With the rising costs of inputs and grain prices being at record levels, it will be important for feedlot producers to reduce expenses to increase profits to be competitive in the year to come,” he said.
The beef feedlot school will feature a presentation by Francis Fluharty, a professor of ruminant nutrition at Ohio State. Fluharty specializes in feedlot nutrition and animal growth.
Registration is $40 by Jan. 23 or $50 after that date. Participants can register online at http://www.crawford.osu.edu or by contacting the Crawford County OSU Extension office at 419-562-8731.
“The registration fee includes access to all four classes,” Hartschuh said. “To get the most of the school, producers need to come to all four nights to get information that builds each night.”
The sessions will also be recorded and broadcast live at Extension offices statewide. Producers who want to attend the school but aren’t able to travel to Bucyrus can contact their local extension office to participate in the office’s web broadcast.
For more information and the full release, click here.
2013 South Texas Beef Cattle Short Course
in San Antonio to begin Jan. 10
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Bexar Beef Cattle Committee will co-present the 2013 South Texas Beef Cattle Short Course over three evenings in Room 109 of Perdenales Hall, Palo Alto Community College, 1400 West Villaret St., San Antonio.
The short course, sponsored by Capital Farm Credit, will be presented Jan. 10, 17 and 24, with registration at 6 p.m. and programs beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. each evening.
The cost for each session is $10 and attendees must RSVP by the established deadline for each individual session. RSVP to Angel Torres at the AgriLife Extension office for Bexar County, 210-467-6575.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Livestock Handling Expert Temple Grandin
is Heuermann Lecturer Jan. 15
Temple Grandin, a world leader in understanding livestock behavior and designing livestock handling facilities, is the Heuermann Lecturer at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the Hardin Hall auditorium on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s East Campus, 33rd and Holdrege.
Her topic is “Improving Animal Welfare and Communication with the Public.” A short reception follows the lecture.
Grandin said it is the ability to think in pictures that helps her help animals and their handlers using low-stress, behavior-based livestock handling techniques and facilities she has developed. An animal sciences professor at Colorado State University, Grandin has had a major impact on the meat and livestock industries worldwide through design of animal handling facilities, industry consulting, research, media exposure for the livestock industry concerning animal care, and various means of outreach.
Heuermann Lectures in the Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) focus on providing and sustaining enough food, natural resources and renewable energy for the world's people, and on securing the sustainability of rural communities where the vital work of producing food and renewable energy occurs. They're made possible by a gift from B. Keith and Norma Heuermann of Phillips, long-time university supporters with a strong commitment to Nebraska's production agriculture, natural resources, rural areas and people.
Heuermann Lectures stream live at heuermannlectures.unl.edu, and are archived at the site shortly after the lecture. They are broadcast on NET2 World at a date following the lecture.
For more information, click here.
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