News Update
November 22, 2013
Angus Elects New Board
Members and Officers
The American Angus Association announced new members and officers for its Board of Directors during the 130th Annual Meeting of Delegates in Louisville, Ky. Those serving the Association for three-year terms are: Thomas Burke, Smithville, Mo.; John Elbert Harrell, Opelika, Ala.; Leo McDonnell, Billings, Mont.; John Pfeiffer, Mulhall, Okla.; and Kevin Yon, Ridge Spring, S.C. Harrell, McDonnell, Pfeiffer and Yon are serving their second term on the board.
Gordon Stucky, Kingman, Kan., was elected as the new Association president and Board of Directors chairman. He succeeds Phil Trowbridge, Ghent, N.Y. Cathy Watkins, Middletown, Ind., was chosen by delegates to serve as Association vice president and Board of Directors vice chairman. Jim Sitz, Dillon, Mont., will serve as the 2013-2014 treasurer.
A total of 311 elected delegates from 42 states and Canada represented Association members during the Annual Meeting of Delegates, held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center (KFEC) in conjunction with the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) Super-Point Roll of Victory (ROV) Angus Show.
For more information on the inductees, please view the full release here.
Red Meat Production Down From Last Year
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.51 billion pounds (lb.) in October, down 2% from the 4.58 billion lb. produced in October 2012.
Beef production, at 2.32 billion lb., was 1% below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.90 million head, down 2% from October 2012. The average live weight was up 9 lb. from the previous year, at 1,327 lb.
Veal production totaled 10.0 million lb., 4% below October a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 69,500 head, down 5% from October 2012.
The average live weight was up 3 lb. from last year, at 245 lb.
Pork production totaled 2.17 billion lb., down 2% from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.42 million head, down 4% from October 2012. The average live weight was up 4 lb. from the previous year, at 278 lb.
Lamb and mutton production, at 13.1 million lb., was down 8% from October 2012. Sheep slaughter totaled 208,100 head, slightly above last year. The average live weight was 126 lb., down 11 lb. from October a year ago.
January to October 2013 commercial red-meat production was 40 billion lb., down 1% from 2012. Accumulated beef productio was down slightly from last year, veal was down 6%, pork was down 1% from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down slightly. October 2012 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays. October 2013 contained 23 weekdays (including one holiday) and four Saturdays.
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Announces Members
for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Committee
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden announced Oct. 21 the appointment of 20 members to serve on the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers during a trip to the University of Delaware. The committee will provide guidance to the secretary on expanding opportunities that will help beginning farmers and ranchers succeed in agriculture.
“The next generation of America’s farmers and ranchers are more diverse than ever before, have new market opportunities and continue to bring innovative ideas to the agriculture industry,” Harden said. “The secretary and I look forward to working closely with this advisory committee to continue supporting the promise of agriculture’s future. At the same time, we need passage of a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill to invest in support and assistance for new farmers in the years to come.”
The committee will provide public and industry perspectives on USDA strategies, policies, and programs to broadly capture the many issues relevant to beginning farmers and ranchers including but not limited to opportunities in local food systems, generational transfers, training and credit. The committee’s upcoming meeting will be announced in the Federal Register prior to the meeting and will include the meeting date, details and topics for discussion.
For more information, please view the full release here.
NFU Leads Launch of 2014 International Year
of Family Farming Campaign
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson and members of the U.S. national committee to promote the United Nations’ (UN) International Year of Family Farming hosted a teleconference this morning to kick off events.
“NFU is pleased to lead the U.S. efforts as a part of the global initiative that the UN is commencing today,” said Johnson. “In the United States and around the world, people are further and further removed from family farming and where their food, fuel and fiber are produced. This initiative is critical to the future of our industry.”
The UN has declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming and many countries have formed national committees to carry out activities in cooperation. The U.S. executive committee is composed of 25×’25, the Alliance to End Hunger, American Farmland Trust, the Consumer Federation of America, the National Cooperative Business Association and National Farmers Union.
“The executive committee has adopted policy on family farming and we look forward to having other organizations across all sectors and interests join the committee to support family farming,” said Johnson. “We are excited about activities that will be planned in the coming months and the impact we can have on policy and awareness for the future of family farming in our country and around the world.”
More information about the committee can be found at www.YearofFamilyFarming.com.
Powerful Lineup of Seminars Slated
for 2013 Nebraska Power Farming Show
The power of knowledge and innovation will be cranked to full capacity at the 2013 Nebraska Power Farming Show. There are 14 free seminars scheduled to take place over the three days of the show, with experts slated to cover a range of topics that farmers should know about heading into 2014.
“The seminars help educate growers about industry and market trends, emerging opportunities and technologies, as well as challenges farmers face in transitioning their operation from one generation to the next,” said Tom Junge, show co-director. “Those who attend will receive powerful insights from some of the top minds in agriculture, so we encourage all show-goers to take advantage of these educational opportunities.”
It all starts Tuesday, Dec. 10, with seminars such as “Saving the Family Farm,” “Defying Market Uncertainty” and “Are Conditions Favorable for Continued Drought Recovery Across the Corn Belt?”
The seminars continue on Wednesday with “Successful & Effective Transitions: What it Takes,” “Selecting the Right Tree for Your Farmstead” and a seminar from University of Nebraska Extension on the Farm Bill and Farm Programs for 2014.
Several of the presenters will repeat their seminars on Thursday, allowing attendees to catch some of the seminars they may have missed the first two days. This includes a seminar by University of Nebraska Extension on the Nebraska Tractor Testing Lab and Engine Emissions Update.
The Nebraska Power Farming Show, the second largest indoor farm show in the North America, runs from Dec. 10-12 , at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln. For more details and a complete list of the high-powered seminars and panel discussions scheduled to take place at the 2013 Nebraska Power Farming Show, please visit www.nebraskapowershow.com.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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