News Update
October 2, 2014
Building an Angus Legacy!
Phase II Begins Oct. 1
The new entryway at the American Angus Association headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo., represents the breed’s rich history and the families and individuals who have dedicated their lives to caring for Angus cattle. Behind every granite planter and paver, there’s a story.
The Angus Foundation thanks those who contributed to the Building an Angus Legacy! project during its initial phase, and now, their Angus heritage is permanently etched in stone at the Association. The remaining ground and wall pavers are now available for purchase and will be granted on a first-come first-served basis. Reserve your personalized granite paver by ordering online at www.angusfoundation.org.
“We have opened up Phase II to provide everyone ample opportunity to become a part of the newly renovated walkway,” says Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president. “The new walkway is beautiful, unique, and now, an important part of Angus history.”
A limited number of pavers are available for purchase, so Angus breeders are encouraged to act now. Each paver will be engraved on site with names, farm/ranch names, dates, in-memory, etc.; text that fits within the line and character limits for each granite paver. No brands or logos are allowed. Pavers can be purchased either online or by credit card or check when received at the office and paid in full with receipt of payment.
A ribbon cutting will take place at 1 p.m. on Nov. 3 in celebration of the Building an Angus Legacy! project before tours of the American Angus Association begin, prior to the 2014 Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show.
A donation to the Angus Foundation’s brick-naming drive is an unrestricted tax-deductible gift to support the many youth, education and research projects the Angus Foundation funds. The Angus Foundation reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of all brick engraving orders.
For more information or to order by telephone, please contact the Angus Foundation at 816-383-5100.
Register Today for the Kansas Angus Field Day — Oct. 11
Eby Ranch in Emporia, Kan., will host the Kansas Angus Field Day Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Preregistration by Oct. 8 is requested and there is no charge for attending the field day. The field day will be located at 1668 235 Rd.; just six miles north of Emporia on Burlingame Rd.
10 a.m. Registration. Coffee and doughnuts sponsored by Select Sires.
11 a.m. Welcome to the Kansas Angus Field Day and Eby Ranch.
- Comments from Gordon Stucky, American Angus Association president.
- Comments from Bryce Schumann, American Angus Association CEO.
11:30 a.m. What’s Up at CAB? — Gary Fike, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB).
12 p.m. Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand sponsored lunch.
1-3 p.m. Featured presentations
- Jeff Mafi, regional manager for Kansas and Oklahoma, American Angus Association.
- Our Commercial Partners: Benefits of Using Registered-Angus Bulls — Ginette Kurtz, director Commercial Programs/Angus Source®, American Angus Association.
- Angus Genetic Evaluation Programs: Present and Future — Dan Moser, president Angus Genetics Inc., American Angus Association.
Preregister for Kansas Angus Field Day here.
Ag Attorney Sheds Light on Manure Handling,
Application Regulations
Although the Lake Erie algae problems that contaminated Toledo’s water supply in early August have subsided, the crisis raised questions about animal manure application on farmland in Ohio and how it may have contributed to the problem.
In response, Ohio State University (OSU) Extension’s agricultural and resource law field specialist has written a summary of Ohio laws relating to livestock and manure handling. OSU Extension’s September 2014 Ag Law Bulletin “Animal Manure Regulation in Ohio” is online at go.osu.edu/manureregpdf.
“I hope the bulletin will help people understand the existing regulatory scheme regarding manure production, handling and use in Ohio,” said Peggy Hall, who is also an assistant professor for OSU Extension.
The bulletin covers state and federal regulations, including:
- The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Livestock Environmental Permitting Program, which covers manure management plans from the state’s large confined livestock operations, including land application methods. If a farmer uses manure from such a facility, the facility must provide the farmer with ODA’s manure application requirements and a current manure nutrient test, as well as follow other procedures.
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which cover confined animal feeding operations that discharge pollutants to surface waters. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) administers this process. The U.S. EPA has delegated administration of this permit process to the Ohio EPA.
- Certified Livestock Manager Certification, which covers education requirements for Ohio’s largest confined livestock operations, as well as manure brokers or applicators who handle more than 4,500 dry tons or 25 million liquid gallons of manure per year.
- The Ohio Agricultural Pollution Abatement Program, which applies to agricultural operations using animal manure, which are not subject to the above programs. The program provides technical expertise and assistance to ensure that nutrient management plans and mechanisms are in place on Ohio’s smaller livestock operations.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Nation’s Ag Co-ops Set Record for Annual Sales and Income
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Sept. 30 that the nation’s farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives set a new sales record in 2013, with total business volume of more than $246 billion. That surpasses the previous record set in 2012 by $8 billion, a 4% gain. U.S. co-ops also enjoyed robust job growth over the previous year.
This third consecutive year of record sales by ag cooperatives reflects increased sales in the overall farm economy in 2013. U.S. crop production and livestock sales both increased 6% in 2013, while production input (farm supply) sales increased 2%.
“These sales and net income records for ag cooperatives, combined with strong gains in employees for 2013, underscore the strength and productivity of the nation’s farmer- and rancher-owned cooperatives. These co-ops play a vital and growing role in the nation’s economy,” Vilsack said.
Vilsack made the announcement to mark the start of National Cooperative Month in October. He also signed a Cooperative Month proclamation that salutes the nation’s entire cooperative business sector, which includes about 30,000 co-ops. In addition to agriculture, the nation’s co-ops play a major role in electricity and telecommunications services, credit and financial services, housing and in many other sectors of the economy.
Ag co-ops also enjoyed record net income (before taxes) of $6.2 billion, besting the previous high of $6.1 billion, set in 2012. Co-op income is either reinvested in the co-op for needed improvements or returned to the member-owners. It then circulates in local communities.
The number of full-time employees working for ag co-ops climbed by almost 7,000 in 2013, to 136,000, up 5% from 2012. Counting seasonal employees, ag co-ops employ 191,000 people.
In addition to marketing and processing their members’ crops and livestock, co-ops are also major players in the farm-supply market. Co-op sales of petroleum, feed, seed and crop protectants were all up in 2013. Fertilizer sales declined, the only major farm supply to see sales drop in 2013.
With grain and oilseed prices generally lower in 2014, it appears unlikely that co-ops will set a fourth consecutive sales record when the results are tallied next year. However, livestock, poultry and dairy producers and their co-ops will benefit from lower feed costs, which should offset at least some of the decline in revenue from grain and oilseed sales.
While 33 ag cooperatives recorded more than $1 billion in sales in 2013, 33% (726 co-ops) had less than $5 million in sales.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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