News Update
February 12, 2013
NCBA Members Elect Officers,
Approve New Policies to Conclude Convention
The 2013 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)Trade Show wrapped up Sat., Feb. 9, 2013, with the NCBA board of directors and membership meetings. Scott George, a dairy and beef producer from Cody, Wyo., was officially elected to succeed J.D. Alexander as NCBA president during the association’s board of directors meeting.
The new NCBA President-elect is Bob McCan, of Victoria, Texas. Don Pemberton, Hopkinsville, Ky., is NCBA’s new vice president. Richard Gebhart, of northeastern Oklahoma, was elected chairman of the NCBA Federation Division, and Cevin Jones of Idaho is the Federation Division’s vice chair. The new NCBA Policy Division chairman is Philip Ellis of Chugwater, Wyo., and Craig Uden of Elwood, Neb., is the new policy vice chairman.
“It is a great honor to be elected to lead NCBA for the next year. The opportunities for U.S. cattlemen and women are boundless,” said George. “NCBA represents such diversity in the cattle industry. It takes all of us working toward the goal of being successful and providing consumers with the world’s safest, highest-quality supply of beef.”
Nearly 6,500 cattlemen and women attended the industry’s convention. Attendees had mostly sunny weather with temperatures in the 70s in the Sunshine State. This year’s convention participants heard from industry leaders, gathered insight on industry trends, met with their fellow cattlemen and women, and enjoyed Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Fest, a night full of lively pirates, sounds from the Caribbean Chillers and plenty of local cuisine. The convention closed with the Cattlemen’s Beach Bash featuring the Beach Boys and the Bellamy Brothers.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Bull Selection Clinics Can Help Producers Make Decisions
Understanding and using some simple tools can help cattle producers make the right selection for new herd bulls during upcoming bull sales. Denise Schwab, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach beef specialist, said that’s why bull selection clinics are scheduled prior to three bull sales hosted by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) later this spring. There’s no cost to attend and no preregistration necessary at any of the locations. “Sorting through performance measures and expected progeny differences doesn’t have to be a chore or a mystery,” Schwab said. “ISU Iowa Beef Center staff members have scheduled the two-hour clinics so attendees can go to the bull sale immediately following the session and use the information from the clinic.”
Clinic dates, times and locations:
- Monday, March 18, 4:30 p.m., Bloomfield Auction Market, Bloomfield
- Friday, March 22, 4:30 p.m., Dunlap Livestock Auction, Dunlap
- Friday, May 3, 4 p.m., Tama Livestock Auction, Tama (open heifers that have been evaluated also will be in this sale)
Schwab said Iowa Beef Center staff will break down the process of bull selection into simple steps and assist those attending with interpreting the EPD numbers in the sale book.
“We can help you evaluate your cow herd and determine the economically relevant traits that you want to emphasize,” she said. “With that information, you can use the index EPDs and visually appraise the bulls to identify some options that will help you get the most benefit from your cow herd.” For more information on the bull clinics, contact your extension beef specialist.
The sales will feature spring and fall bulls that have been through ICA’s Bull Evaluation Program, according to ICA seedstock manager Kellie Carolan. She said bulls that go through this 112-day test are evaluated for growth, carcass traits, yearling weight, disposition and scrotal circumference, and are some of the breed’s best pedigrees for calving ease, performance and carcass merit. To learn more about ICA’s Bull and Heifer Program, including a listing of bulls that will be offered at each of the 2013 sales, click here. This page also has a link to the 2013 reports and sale books by location.
Stanley Stout Center Dedication Planned March 1
at K-State’s 100th Annual Cattlemen’s Day
If anyone knew about the marketing of livestock, it was Stanley Stout. The famed auctioneer, who passed away in 2006, will be honored March 1 when Kansas State University (K-State) dedicates the new Stanley Stout Center in Manhattan as part of its 100th Cattlemen’s Day celebration.
The center will be home to the university’s annual Legacy Sale, which also occurs March 1 this year in conjunction with Cattlemen’s Day. In addition to being home base for the sale, the center provides an all-weather location for hands-on courses involving animal evaluation, handling and management, said Ken Odde, head of K-State’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. Video capabilities will allow off-site speakers to address an on-site audience or broadcast an event from campus to audiences around the world.
“The Stanley Stout Center will allow students to showcase the results of their talents and efforts in a state-of-the-art facility,” Odde said.
The ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony is planned for 3 p.m., just ahead of this year’s Legacy Sale, which begins at 4 p.m.
Cattlemen’s Day starts at 8 a.m. in K-State’s Weber Hall with a commercial trade show and educational exhibits. The program begins at 10 a.m. in Weber 123.
For more information and the full release, click here.
AgriLife Extension Helping Spread Word
on New USDA Micro-loan Program
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Travis County and the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) are working together to inform Central Texas urban farmers about the new USDA micro-loan program.
A joint workshop will be presented from 10 a.m.-noon March 5 at Travis County’s East Service Center, located at 6011 Blue Bluff Road in Austin. Coordinators said the new USDA micro-loan program was designed with small-scale producers in mind and may be an excellent fit for urban farmers needing capital to launch or expand their operations.
The program, known as the Operating Loan Program, is administered through FSA and provides various credit options and solutions for small agricultural producers, according to USDA officials. It also provides a simplified loan application process for beginning farmers and ranchers, and may provide financing for farmers wanting to grow “niche crops” to sell to ethnic markets or farmers markets.
“Last fall, beginning urban farmers came from 11 Central Texas counties to AgriLife Extension’s three-week Strong Starts: Urban Farming 101 series,” said Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture in Travis County. “Agency specialists traveled from across the state to teach everything from farm business planning and budgeting to crop selection and cultivation strategies.”
Richards said the series included presentations from county and state officials involved in food system policy development and representatives of the USDA.
“At that program, USDA Farm Service Agency loan manager Terri Trevino was among the presenters. She informed beginning urban farmers about USDA’s financing options and began initial development of funder/farmer relationships.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Conference to Help Small Farm Owners
Live their ‘Small Farm Dream’
Small farm owners who want to learn more about how to make their farms work better for them or expand their operations, or those new to agriculture who are looking for ways to utilize acreage, can attend workshops and presentations on these and more issues during a small farm conference March 23 in Zanesville, Ohio.
The “Living Your Small Farm Dream” conference and trade show is designed to help participants learn more tips, techniques and methods for diversifying their opportunities into successful new enterprises and new markets as a way to improve economic growth and development on their farms, said Mark Mechling, an Ohio State University (OSU) Extension educator in agriculture and natural resources.
“It may be a person who is new to agriculture, or someone that may have acreage that they aren’t using to the fullest, or even someone who has newly acquired land and may not know what to do with it,” he said. “What we try to do with this conference is to give participants a smorgasbord of ideas that may interest them by offering a wide variety of sessions in which they can learn more in-depth about an issue, gain resources and learn how to finance a new venture.”
The conference, which will be hosted at the Muskingum County Convention and Welcome Center, 205 N. Fifth St. in Zanesville, kicks off with a keynote address on “Planning and Goal Setting,” presented by Mike Hogan, an OSU Extension educator.
OSU Extension is the outreach arm of Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Following Hogan’s address, participants can choose from more than 20 sessions from Ohio State and industry experts on issues related to small farms and a trade show for small farmers that will offer information that can benefit a variety of growers, Mechling said.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Be ‘Ag Proud’ and Prepare to Celebrate National Ag Day
National Ag Week, March 17-23, and National Ag Day, Tuesday, March 19, may be right around the corner, but there is still time to plan a commemorative activity in your community. Organized by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) 40 years ago, the goals of the national program include helping every American:
- Understand how food, fiber and renewable resource products are produced;
- Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy;
- Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products; and
- Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and renewable resource industry.
For more information and the full release, click here.
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