News Update
July 10, 2013
NJAA Recognizes 2013
Advisors of the Year
Devoted, proactive and deserving are a few words Texas Junior Angus Association (TJAA) members used to describe their state advisors, Tom and Merridee Wells. For nearly a decade, the couple’s tireless efforts have not only helped the TJAA become fierce competitors on the national level, but they’ve also impacted the entire Angus breed with their diligent efforts.
To honor their never-quit attitude, the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) recognized the Wells as the Advisors of the Year at the 2013 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) in Kansas City, Mo.
Whether they are helping with the team sales competition or the All-American Certified Angus Beef® Cook-Off, the Wells family has dedicated their lives in the service of the TJAA. Their dedication has resulted in Texas being one of the largest groups of juniors in the United States, bettering the breed and its youth.
Visit www.angus.org to find contest results, awards, scholarships and show photos. Backdrop and candid photos are available for purchase online. Coverage is available on the NJAA and Angus Journal Facebook pages, as well.
A special NJAS episode of The Angus Report will air at 7:30 a.m. (central) Monday, July 22, on RFD-TV.
Follow Label-directed Withdrawal Times
When Selling Treated Cows
Beef producers should take note and follow recommended withdrawal times for animal-related medication before selling the treated cows.
“The need to treat infectious ailments such as eye infections or foot rot is not uncommon in the summertime, with treatments often involving the use of antibiotics,” said Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University (OSU) Cooperative Extension emeritus animal scientist. “On rare occasions, residues of pharmaceutical products have been found in carcass tissues of culled beef cows, and that is never good.”
Violations of drug-residue regulations can result in expensive fines or even jail time for the rancher, creating not only a hardship for the individual producer but a “black eye” for the entire beef industry.
To help prevent such occurrences, Selk contends it is vital for cow-calf producers to develop and maintain a close working relationship with a large-animal veterinarian in their area.
“If a cow has an infection or disease that must be treated, the animal’s owner should closely follow the veterinarian’s directions, as well as read and follow label directions for the product used,” he said. “Most of these medications will require a producer to keep the treated animal for the label-directed withdrawal time.”
All federally approved drugs will include the required withdrawal time for that drug on the product label or package insert. Withdrawal times can range from zero to as many as 60 days or more.
“It’s the producer’s responsibility to be aware of withdrawal times of any drugs used in their operation,” Selk said.
“Unacceptable levels of drug residues detected in edible tissues collected at harvest may result in traceback, quarantine and potential fines or jail time.”
Example producer-use records are available online through the Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance Manual website, located at http://oklahomabeefquality.com/oklahoma_bqa_manual.php, by clicking on the “Record Keeping Forms” menu item in the blue navigation bar.
For more information and to read the full release, click here.
Successful Farm Transition Requires
Getting the Paperwork Done
The process of transitioning a farm from one generation to the next often runs into problems when family members have not put their transition and estate matters into a written format. Getting the paperwork completed must happen prior to the death of any of the major players in the family business. Too often we procrastinate until we see that someone is slipping into poor health to get started on developing a plan and taking necessary actions. Not having a will can leave the entire family in turmoil if someone dies, divorces, becomes disabled or becomes disassociated with the family farm business.
Working with farm business management planners or qualified transition managers is often when the transition plan process begins. The details and process of a transition plan can be more complicated than one may think until you become engaged in the process. Getting the major players of the farm to the point that they realize that the entire farm family needs to get the paperwork done correctly is the most important first step. So what does getting the paperwork done correctly entail? This is not just one simple form but rather a combination of information and in most cases includes legal documents to provide the foundation for a smooth transition when a major event happens in the farm family.
A farm is not just a title to some real estate; rather, it is often treated as a part of a farm family’s tradition that is often handed down from one generation to the next. The farm may have strong ties even to those who are not currently living or working on the farm. We often have aunts, uncles and extended family members expressing the desire to see the family farm continue. Michigan State University (MSU) Extension suggests that every family farm situation has just a little different set of circumstances, so a “one-size-fits-all” checklist will not fit every situation or family. Taking a practical approach often starts with building a basic understanding of the process of transitioning a farm would be a good starting point.
A great place to start is to review Peace of Mind, which is a nice document published by the Michigan Legislature that outlines the first steps and even provides you with a simple will format to help you get started. For more information and resources you can visit the FIRM website page to review and download documents and resources related to farm transition.
For more information and to see the full article, click here.
Nominations Sought for Purdue Ag’s Top Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the top two annual awards of the Purdue University College of Agriculture and its Agricultural Alumni Association recognizing achievement and service to the agricultural profession.
The Distinguished Agriculture Alumni Award recognizes mid-career alumni of the College of Agriculture who have a record of outstanding accomplishments, have made significant contributions to their profession or society in general and exhibit high potential for professional growth.
The alumni association’s Certificate of Distinction recognizes those who have contributed to agriculture through professional accomplishments, activity in organizations, community service and other activities that make the nominees a credit to their profession.
Jay Akridge, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Purdue Agriculture, encouraged organizations in agriculture, food, life sciences and natural resources to submit nominations.
“Our partners and stakeholders play a critical role in identifying outstanding nominees from a broad range of backgrounds and disciplines,” he said. “We want to reach out as widely as possible to find people deserving of these recognitions through their service and accomplishments.”
Nomination deadlines are Aug. 30 for the Distinguished Agriculture Alumni and Oct. 1 for the Certificate of Distinction.
The Certificate of Distinction will be given Feb. 1, 2014, in Indianapolis, Ind., during the alumni association’s annual meeting, the Purdue Ag Alumni Fish Fry.
The Distinguished Agriculture Alumni Award will be presented at a convocation March 7, 2014, on the Purdue campus.
Further criteria for nominations and instructions on how to submit them are at www.ag.purdue.edu/agalumni/pages/awards.aspx. The site also lists previous winners.
Farm Liability Insurance: Do You Have Enough Coverage?
Farm owners should periodically review the coverage limits on their liability insurance, says a University of Missouri Extension agriculture business specialist.
“Over the past few years, market values for land and other farm assets have increased substantially, which has contributed to the growth of farm balance sheets,” says Whitney Wiegel. “While many farmers’ asset values have increased, fewer farmers have taken the time to review their liability coverage to ensure that they are adequately protected.”
Farm liability insurance protects farm owners from claims arising from unintentional injuries or damage to other people or property. An increase in total farm assets suggests a need for increased liability coverage to maintain consistent risk protection, Wiegel says.
“Many commercial farms have an umbrella insurance policy that provides liability coverage up to a certain threshold,” he says.
For example, a farmer who has $1 million in liability coverage is protected from liability claims of not more than $1 million for the number of occurrences and coverage period specified in the insurance policy.
“While a $500,000 or $1 million policy may have been adequate for many farms 10 years ago, changes in farm profitability and asset values have altered many farmers’ insurance needs,” Wiegel says.
To reduce exposure to loss, Wiegel advises farmers to regularly examine their balance sheets and coverage limits and ask themselves, “Is my liability coverage limit anywhere near the total value of my farm? If an accident were to occur, would my current insurance policy protect me from exorbitant losses?”
“If the answer to either of these questions is ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know,’ it is probably time to talk with your insurance agent,” he says.
In addition, supplemental coverage may be necessary if your farm business has evolved to include nontraditional activities such as agritourism or direct sales to consumers.
For more information, contact your local MU Extension center.
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