News Update

July 23, 2014

Register Now for the 40th Annual Montana Angus Tour

Registration is now open for the 2014 Montana Angus Tour, which is scheduled for Sept. 23-25. This year’s tour will feature Eastern Montana Angus breeders and will be based out of Sidney, Mont. Registration is $100 per person before Sept. 1, and there is also a golf scramble for those interested.

The tour is titled the “Black Gold Angus Tour” because it will showcase some of the nation’s top genetics being raised in the heart of the Bakken oil boom. It will be a great opportunity to see lots of Angus cattle, meet many Angus breeders from around the country, and have a good time.

— Adapted from a release by the Montana Angus Association.

USDA Reminds Farmers of 2014 Farm Bill
Conservation Compliance Changes

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reminded producers July 22 that changes mandated through the 2014 Farm Bill require them to have on file a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026). The Farm Bill relinked highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation compliance with eligibility for premium support paid under the federal crop-insurance program.

“It’s important that farmers and ranchers taking the right steps to conserve valuable farm and natural resources have completed AD-1026 forms on file at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office,” said Vilsack. “This will ensure they remain eligible for crop-insurance support.”

For farmers to be eligible for premium support on their federal crop insurance, a completed and signed AD-1026 form must be on file with the FSA. Since many FSA and Natural Resource Conservation (NRCS) programs have this requirement, most producers should already have an AD-1026 on file. If producers have not filed, they must do so by June 1, 2015.

When a farmer completes the AD-1026, FSA and NRCS staff will outline any additional actions that may be required for compliance with the provisions. The Risk Management Agency, through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), manages the federal crop-insurance program that provides the modern farm safety net for American farmers and ranchers.

Since enactment of the 1985 Farm Bill, eligibility for most commodity, disaster and conservation programs has been linked to compliance with the highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation provisions. The 2014 Farm Bill continues the requirement that producers adhere to conservation compliance guidelines to be eligible for most programs administered by FSA and NRCS. This includes the new price and revenue protection programs, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Livestock Disaster Assistance programs and Marketing Assistance Loans implemented by FSA.

It also includes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and other conservation programs.

For more information, please view the full release here.

— Adapted from a release by the USDA Office of Communications.

Local Ranching Event Scheduled August 7 in Hamilton

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) will host a ranch gathering Thursday, Aug. 7, at the Circle T Arena in Hamilton, Texas. Registration will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by a complimentary beef dinner.

The event is free and open to the public.

TSCRA Special Ranger Marvin Wills will give a law enforcement update and offer advice on how ranchers can better secure their livestock and equipment.

Please RSVP to 1-800-242-7820, ext. 192, or rsvp@tscra.org.

To get to the Circle T Arena from the intersection of Hwy. 281 and Hwy. 36 in Hamilton, head north on Hwy. 36 for 4.4 miles and the arena will be on the left.

Novartis Animal Health, Capital Farm Credit, Lone Star Ag Credit and Mix 30 by Agridyne sponsor the gathering. Anyone who joins TSCRA at the gathering will receive a free metal gate sign courtesy of Bayer Animal Health and New Holland Agriculture.

All members of the press are invited to attend.

For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.

— Adapted from a release by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course to Outline Strategies, Management for Producers

Record cattle prices are creating opportunities for producers to increase revenue and several of these strategies will be discussed at the 60th Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course scheduled Aug. 4-6 on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station.

“No doubt, these are good times when it comes to calf prices, and what we want to teach cattle producers is the value of good production management practices,” said Jason Cleere, conference coordinator and AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist, College Station.

“By adding more pounds to your calf, this leads to more total dollars for the ranch. I think everyone wants to add more profit to their operations, and our goal at the short course is to provide information that participants can take home and generate another dollar or save one.”

During the general session Aug. 4, Sara Place, assistant professor at Oklahoma State University, will discuss sustainability in the beef industry and its implications to future beef production.

Also speaking during the general session will be R.C. Slocum, former Texas A&M head football coach and central Texas rancher. Slocum will discuss winning and losing in the cattle business, giving first-hand perspectives on the challenges of ranching in today’s economic climate.

Brian Bledsoe, meteorologist with Southern Livestock Standard, will provide a long-term weather outlook. Gary Smith, visiting professor in the Texas A&M department of animal science, College Station, will provide an overview of how the cattle business has changed in the past 25 years, while Bill Mies, visiting professor in the Texas A&M department of animal science, will discuss future opportunities for beef producers through 2025.

The cattleman’s college portion of the short course provides participants with an opportunity to choose workshops based on their level of production experience and the needs of their ranch, Cleere said. Topics include introductory cattle production, retiring to the ranch, forage management practices, nutrition and reproduction, recordkeeping, genetics, purebred cattle, and landowner issues.

Registration is $180 per person and includes educational materials, a copy of the 600-page Beef Cattle Short Course proceedings, trade show admittance, admission to the prime rib dinner, lunches, breakfasts and daily refreshments.

Registration information and a schedule can be found on the short course website at http://beefcattleshortcourse.com. Producers can also register by contacting Cleere’s office at 979-845-6931.

For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.

— Adapted from a release by Blair Fannin, Texas A&M AgriLife Communications.

Will Mayfield and Matt Caldwell Join Southeast Select Sires Inc. as Beef Specialists

Southeast Select Sires Inc. has added Will Mayfield and Matt Caldwell to their beef specialist team. Mayfield will be responsible for producer education and providing the tools needed to sales team members to grow business in the Southeast. Caldwell will be responsible for beef marketing and genetic improvement in the states of Kansas and Arkansas.

Mayfield, who currently serves as the beef coordinator for Southeast Select Sires, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee where he received a bachelor’s degree in animal science and earned a master’s degree in bovine reproductive physiology. After graduate school, Mayfield worked for two years for the American Angus Association in the northeastern territory that ranged from Virginia to Maine. In that role, he worked with producers to improve their herds through consultations and the use of genomic tools, as well as phenotypic and genetic selection.

Caldwell is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he received a bachelor’s degree in animal science. He then worked as a field representative for the Kansas Stockman magazine and has spent the last 16 years as a regional manager for the American Angus Association. Working with cattlemen in Kansas and Oklahoma, Caldwell has extensive experience in marketing and genetics. He resides in rural Linn County, Kan., with his wife, Marcie, and their three children.

“Will Mayfield and Matt Caldwell both bring an extensive skill set and experience with many aspects of the beef value chain to Select Sires,” says Aaron Arnett, vice president of beef genetics for Select Sires Inc. “They both come from successful cow-calf backgrounds and their previous industry experience has prepared them in customer service, problem solving, genetic selection and reproductive management. We are very pleased to have both Will and Matt joining the Select Sires family.”

Based in Plain City, Ohio, Select Sires Inc., is North America’s largest artificial insemination (AI) organization and is composed of nine farmer-owned and -controlled cooperatives. As the industry leader, it provides highly-fertile semen, as well as excellence in service and programs to achieve its basic objective of supplying dairy and beef producers with North America’s best genetics at a reasonable price.

— Adapted from a release by Select Sires Inc.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, intern, Angus Journal.