News Update
December 19, 2013
Applications Now Being Accepted for 2014 NFU Beginning Farmers Institute
National Farmers Union (NFU) is now accepting applications for its 2014 Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) program. The annual program, now accepting its fourth class of students, is open to individuals who are new to farming, are in the process of transferring an operation from a relative or non-relative to themselves, or are contemplating a career in farming or ranching.
“The Beginning Farmers Institute underscores NFU’s commitment to growing a new generation of family agriculture,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “One unique feature of the Institute is that participants direct the agenda, allowing them to gain information on topics that will be most relevant to their particular operations. The small size and diversity of the group also ensures valuable interaction and learning opportunities among the participants.”
The BFI program helps students gain insight and practical skills needed by beginning farmers and ranchers, including business plan writing, financial planning, and researching available programs to help starting up and sustaining a successful operation.
Applicants accepted into the 2014 program will attend three separate education sessions. One will be in Washington, D.C., one in Minneapolis, Minn., and a final session culminating at NFU’s annual convention in March 2015 in Wichita, Kan. Program topics at the education sessions will include business planning, USDA programs, tax and recordkeeping, estate transfer and marketing.
The Beginning Farmers Institute is supported by the FUI Foundation, Farm Credit, CHS Foundation and the NFU Foundation.
Interested applicants can download the 2014 application on the NFU website, as well as visit NFU’s education Facebook page for updates and further information on NFU’s youth and young adult education programs. Applications must be postmarked on or before Feb. 20, 2014.
Statement from Under Secretary for Farm
and Foreign Agricultural Services of the USDA
The USDA and the Brazil Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food made a joint statement Dec. 18:
The United States and Brazil are two of the world’s largest agricultural producers and exporters. Over the last 20 years, the USDA and Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA) have collaborated on many agriculture issues and currently have some 100 agricultural cooperative activities. As global leaders in the use of innovative agricultural production technologies, both countries share a keen interest in exploring further agricultural cooperation.
Both Brazil and the United States maintain a strong commitment to science-based rulemaking. USDA and MAPA recently agreed to a path forward to amend rules that currently limit bilateral beef trade. Bilateral trade of all beef and beef products could occur once each exporting country meets the importing country’s equivalence and technical requirements for animal health and food safety.
Extreme Winter Weather May Mean Extra Feed for Livestock
Colder, icy, harsh winter weather means producers need to be aware of increased livestock energy requirements to ensure their animals are able to withstand the extreme outdoor conditions, according to a forage expert from the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Even though the temperatures are forecast to rise slightly over the next few days, the rain that is predicted still means that producers need to be vigilant to ensure livestock are prepared for the weather, said Rory Lewandowski, agriculture and natural resources educator for the college’s outreach arm, OSU Extension.
Cold temperatures, cold rains and muddy conditions can significantly increase the energy required by livestock metabolism to provide enough heat for the animal to maintain its body temperature, he said.
“All of these winter weather conditions can negatively impact livestock performance and increase the energy requirement of the animal,” Lewandowski said. “With the colder than average temperatures the region has experienced in December, it’s time for producers to start thinking about their livestock and their body condition.”
Ohio’s weather rarely reaches the kinds of extreme temperatures or conditions where producers have to provide indoor shelter or supplement heat for livestock, Lewandowski said, but producers still need to evaluate their animals’ body conditions and whether the herd can go through adverse weather, he said.
“Livestock generally are given a body condition score on a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is an emaciated animal with skin and bones and 9 [is] rated as obese,” Lewandowski said. “We typically want to see cattle in a 5 to 6 body condition score going into winter.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
Cow-Calf Webinar Provides 2014 Outlook
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from cattle producers and beef-industry leaders to the first Trends+ Cow-Calf Webinar in September, CattleFax analysts will be hosting its next webinar at 5:30 p.m. MT, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014.
Cattle producers have limited time and opportunity to analyze all of the fundamental data and trends that shape the cattle, beef and grain markets. Modeled after the popular CattleFax monthly cow-calf producer newsletter Trends, the upcoming webinar will provide producers and industry leaders with an outlook on the 2014 markets.
The CattleFax team will share its analysis and perspective on how these factors will influence cattle producers in the upcoming year:
- U.S. livestock and feedstuff production scenarios and expectations;
- Profit opportunities and risk management strategies; and
- Forecasts for the 2014 prices in the calf, feeder-cattle, fed-cattle and beef markets.
Attendees will gain a better understanding of developing macroeconomic issues that will change the way the cattle and beef companies operate — including beef cow herd expansion, cheaper feedstuffs, energy market price changes, and feedyard and packing segment overcapacity.
The Trends+ webinar is designed to inform cattle producers about current market realities and provide producers with the information to assist in making intelligent marketing decisions. To participate in the seminar and access program details, producers and industry leaders simply need to register online at www.cattlefax.com/meetings.aspx.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Farm and Ranch Estate Planning Workshops
Set for January in High Plains
Seven Farm and Ranch Estate Planning Workshops are scheduled during January 21-23 in the Panhandle featuring Wayne Hayenga, professor emeritus and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist from College Station.
These seminars will provide participants with information on tax and estate-planning matters to assist in making difficult decisions, said DeDe Jones, AgriLife Extension risk management specialist in Amarillo.
Hayenga is an agricultural economist and attorney who works with farmers, ranchers and family-owned firms in financial, business and estate tax planning, Jones said. He will give a thorough analysis of relevant income and estate tax rules as they affect families and agricultural businesses.
“These seminars are helpful to married couples in that they discuss estate administration and tax reporting requirements for the surviving spouse,” Jones said. “They are also useful for potential executors and trustees and helpful to all who want to make their estate settlements less burdensome to their loved ones.”
No preregistration is required.
For more information, contact Jones at 806-677-5667 or 806-681-5145, or by email at DLJones@ag.tamu.edu.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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