News Update
August 18, 2014
Dan Moser to Lead Angus Genetics Inc.
The American Angus Association, the industry’s leader in cattle evaluation services, welcomes Dan Moser as its new president of Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) and Association director of performance programs.
A unanimous selection of the AGI board of directors, Moser brings more than 15 years experience in genetic research and education to the Association’s 25,000-plus members and their commercial partners.
“We are excited for Dr. Moser to join our team of talented professionals and for what he represents to the future of genetic evaluation for the Angus breed,” says Kevin Yon, chairman of AGI and Angus breeder from Ridge Spring, S.C. “Dan not only is one of the industry’s most respected geneticists, but also possesses a common touch, a rare ability to communicate complex concepts into actionable and beneficial information for producers. Along with our talented team of scientists and customer service providers, we are looking forward to him taking our genetic evaluation programs and services into the future.”
Moser has 15 years of experience in genetic research and teaching in animal breeding and genetics. He served as the faculty coordinator for the Kansas State University (K-State) Purebred Beef Unit for the past six years and as the breed association liaison for the NCBA Carcass Merit Project, working directly with 13 breed organizations, including the American Angus Association. He has also served as a director of the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium and the Ultrasound Guidelines Council and as an advisory board member for the $5 million USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) feed-efficiency grant led by the University of Missouri. Moser has been a frequent speaker at industry events and has made presentations at 11 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) annual meetings.
“Angus has a long and storied tradition for its commitment to providing the industry with innovative genetic-evaluation programs,” Moser says. “I am proud to be joining that tradition and look forward to working with Association members and the industry to develop new and innovative technologies and services for Angus breeders.”
As AGI president and Association director of performance programs, Moser will oversee the organization’s genetic research and development efforts, as well as further the advancement of genomic-enhanced selection tools and the weekly National Cattle Evaluation.
A native of Effingham, Kan., Moser received his bachelor’s of animal sciences and industry from K-State in 1991, then earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in beef cattle genetics from the University of Georgia. Moser will begin his new role on Sept. 1.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Michigan Senate Passes Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act
Aug. 13 the Michigan Senate passed the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, a citizen initiative brought to the legislature by the signatures of almost 300,000 registered Michigan voters led by the Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management, a coalition of conservation, hunting, fishing and trapping organizations.
“This is a significant step that recognizes the efforts of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of thousands of Michigan voters to ensure that sound science is the deciding factor in fish and wildlife conservation decisions,” said Matt Evans, legislative affairs manager for Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “Today, the Senate listened to the will of almost 300,000 of their constituents who exercised their constitutional right to propose legislation to their democratically-elected representatives.”
On July 24, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers certified over 297,000 signatures of registered Michigan voters to place the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act before the legislature. The act would share the authority for naming game species between the legislature and the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), which is required to use sound science in its game decisions. The act also grants the NRC the authority to issue fisheries order, under the same sound science mandate; protects those fisheries with a $1 million rapid response fund for aquatic invasive species; and preserves free hunting and fishing licenses for active military members.
The act also defeats two referendums sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which is seeking to prevent a regulated hunting season on wolves in certain areas of the Upper Peninsula with high rates of livestock and pet depredation. In the past few weeks, five dogs have been killed by wolves in the Upper Peninsula. The HSUS, which recently had its charity rating stripped by Charity Navigator, is also sponsoring anti-hunting initiatives in Maine and at the federal level.
The Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act now heads to the Michigan House of Representatives, which passed a similar measure last summer on a bipartisan basis.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Pike Trail Cattle Co. to Host KLA/K-State Ranch Field Day
Pike Trail Cattle Co. will open its gates Aug. 20 for the final Kansas Livestock Association (KLA)/ Kansas State University (K-State) Ranch Management Field Day of 2014. The cattle operation is located near Delphos, Kan., in northwestern Ottawa County.
Dana and Marcia Hauck founded Pike Trail Cattle Co. and built a stocker cattle starting and backgrounding yard. Taner and Leanne Litton recently acquired the facility and operate it as a custom growing and heifer development business. This transition was part of a succession plan to transfer the Haucks’ cattle operation to a new generation of farmers and ranchers. The two couples will visit about their goals, strategies and experiences with the succession process during a panel discussion.
Gregg Hadley, with K-State Research and Extension, also will be on the program to provide tips for developing a farm and ranch succession plan. Hadley is a farm-management specialist who has devoted his career to addressing farm and ranch management and succession issues. He will discuss why a succession plan is important and provide the basic components of such a plan.
Another educational session will focus on how cover crops can benefit livestock producers. Star Seed Area Sales Representative Dale Strickler has firsthand experience with utilizing cover crops for grazing, including the time of year when cool-season and native grass pastures are often dormant and/or unavailable. He will provide information about a variety of unconventional annual crops that provide opportunities for area cattle producers.
The Delphos field day will begin with registration at 4 p.m. and conclude with a free beef dinner at 6:30 p.m. All livestock producers and others involved in the business are invited to attend. Reservations are not required.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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