News Update
July 3, 2013
Association Offices Closed July 4
On behalf of every employee of the Angus Journal and the American Angus Association, we wish everyone a happy Independence Day. Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday, July 5.
Next Generation Agricultural Conference Scheduled for July 18
Capital Farm Credit and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will be hosting a conference July 18 in Abilene designed to help the next generation of agricultural producers enter into the business or help current farmers and ranchers expand their operations.
The 2013 Next Generation Agricultural Conference will be hosted at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene. It is designed to provide production and financial management tools to farmers and ranchers, according to organizers.
“The main topics that will be covered include farm financial management, agricultural economic forecasts, general agriculture, and farm planning and budgeting,” said Jason Cleere, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in College Station. “Keeping up with the latest operational strategies, available credit- and risk-management practices are the keys to the most successful large and small operations. These conferences will assist with providing information that can be incorporated into their operations, making them more profitable.”
Cleere said the conference will feature presentations on analyzing the performance of an operation, potential to expand an operation, purchasing or leasing equipment, operation diversity and where the agricultural economy in the southern region is heading.
“The program will also discuss developing a marketing plan for the farm and ranch, protecting your operation from volatile commodity markets and weather, new tax and estate laws, as well as programs on rebuilding the cow herd,” he explained.
For more information about the conference, please visit the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
How-to Rainwater Harvesting System Program to be Hosted Aug. 17
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Travis County Master Gardeners association will present a program on how to build a rainwater-harvesting system from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 17.
The program will be hosted in Suite A of the West Rural Community Center, 8656-A State Highway 71 West in Austin.
“People have been collecting rainwater for thousands of years,” said Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture, Travis County. “Some advantages of rainwater collection are that the water is free and can be substituted for or supplement groundwater. It is also superior for landscape use and reduces runoff.”
Richards said attendees can expect to learn what they need to know to install their own basic home rainwater-harvesting system or determine whether to hire a professional.
“A comprehensive rainwater harvesting discussion will be led by Ed Parken, Travis County master gardener and rainwater harvesting specialist, and Dick Peterson, who served the city of Austin for 14 years as coordinator of xeriscape and rainwater programs,” she said.
“More recently, Dick worked for Austin Energy Green Building, specializing in water conservation, and, now retired, he consults on rainwater projects, landscaping, new green construction and green remodeling.”
Richards said rainwater harvesting components from catchment surfaces to storage tanks and pumps will be addressed at the program.
“You can also find out what you need to produce potable water from rainwater capture, and a hands-on session offers attendees the opportunity to learn how to work with PVC,” she added.
Program cost is $20 until Aug. 11 and $25 from Aug. 12 through 17.
Summer Grazing Management Can Help Increase Productivity in Cool Season Pastures
Despite the summer sun, excessive heat and fewer rains typically associated with Ohio summers, producers can take steps to increase summertime productivity in pastures composed of grasses that typically grow best in cooler conditions, said a forage expert from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
To lessen the summer slump in cool-season grass pastures, producers can follow the 4 Rs for summer grazing, said Rory Lewandowski, agriculture and natural resources educator for the college’s outreach arm, Ohio State University Extension.
“Producers need to be looking and planning ahead,” Lewandowski said. “Even though we’ve gotten a lot of rain in recent days, we will get to the point where dry, warmer temperatures take over and rainfall slows.
“Either a dryer or warmer weather pattern can cause grass to grow slower, so we need to start managing for that slower grass growth now.”
“Whereas last year we were talking to grazers on how to protect their pastures during drought, this year with the more rainfall and cooler temperatures that we’ve experienced thus far, producers can continue to manage to promote productivity and get good animal performance,” Lewandowski said. “The main emphasis here, as we get into summer, is that these cool-season grasses require a higher level of management if you want to keep your pastures productive throughout the growing season.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Barbecue Camp Draws Sellout Group of Followers
They came from all walks of life: school teachers, information technology specialists, engineers and pitmasters. They all convened at Texas A&M University in College Station recently to learn how to cook better barbecue at the Barbecue Summer Camp.
There was no textbook, but lots of visual demonstrations and, of course, heavy tasting.
The camp is a partnership between Foodways Texas and the meat science section in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University. More than 60 participants spent two and a half days learning the finer points of barbecue.
“I teach barbecue, but I’m also a student of barbecue,” said Jeff Savell, instructor and E.M. “Manny” Rosenthal chair at Texas A&M and Texas A&M AgriLife Research meat scientist. “I’m always trying to learn something new.”
Berry Madden of Pits and Spits in Houston told attendees, “There’s no real secret to what you are doing. A hot, humid day is easy to regulate a pit and temperature. The meat comes out so much better.”
Participants learned everything there was to ever know about barbecue — from rubs to cutting up sides of beef — it was all about the meat and how to cook it to perfection.
Davey Griffin, professor and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist in College Station, discussed food safety practices. He said ice chests, cutting boards and kitchen towels need to be clean to prevent contamination. Above all, clean hands are important.
“Our hands carry bacteria all of the time,” he said. “A lot of times I see people put gloves on and they think they are invincible. You can still cross-contaminate.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
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