News Update
October 29, 2014
Spend a Day in Kansas City
Cattle producers and others interested in the future of quality beef will gather in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 4-6 for the first-ever Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show, hosted by the American Angus Association.
The event takes place at the KCI Expo Center near the airport, and features industry thought leaders in extensive educational sessions, an expansive trade show with more than 100 exhibiting companies, as well as top notch entertainment — including country western star John Michael Montgomery, who plays on Wednesday night.
“Anyone with an interest in the cattle business or involved in agriculture would be a great fit to attend the Angus Means Business National Convention and Trade Show,” says Becky Weishaar, Angus Productions Inc. Creative Media director and lead contact for the event. “We’ll have world-class speakers like Richard Picciotto and Lowell Catlett, and then we’ll have two days of workshops, including the Angus University — a full-day event on Wednesday, and Tuesday’s Angus Means Business workshops that will really drill into the cattle business.”
For those within driving distance, the Association encourages coming in for the day to check out the trade show, enjoy educational seminars and evening entertainment. One-day only registration is $25 or $50 for the entire Nov. 4-6 event. Association members can attend the organization’s business meetings free of charge.
“We are really excited that this is an expanded format of the Annual Meeting, which everyone has grown to love over the years, with more people, more education and a trade show,” Weishaar says. “So if you’re looking for answers about questions you have with animal health or handling facilities, livestock identification — anything that you might need in the cattle business, they’ll be in the trade show.”
To learn more about the first-ever Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show or to get registered, visit www.angusconvention.com.
NCBA and PLC Tell EPA: Don't Drown Land Owners
in Regulatory Flood
On Oct. 28 the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) filed comments calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) proposed “waters of the United States” rule. The proposed rule vastly expands the agencies’ jurisdiction and attempts to regulate all land uses.
“The agencies’ proposal jeopardizes private property rights and violates Supreme Court precedent by subjecting nearly all waters to regulation,” said NCBA Environmental Counsel Ashley McDonald. “Through the use of broad and ambiguous language, the proposal is a limitless expansion of authority that cannot be supported by the Clean Water Act or the U.S. Constitution.”
In the eight months the proposal has been public, cattlemen and women have voiced their concerns only to have them deemed “ludicrous” by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. NCBA and PLC state the agencies must start over with a transparent and inclusive process with more stakeholder involvement.
Dustin Van Liew, PLC executive director, added that while there is a need for clarification, this attempt by the EPA and the Corps will only add layers of bureaucracy and subjectivity to the Clean Water Act, further muddling the landscape.
“The proposed rule places no limit on the federal government’s authority over water, violating the Clean Water Act as articulated by the Supreme Court, and will eviscerate over a century of settled water law in much of the country,” said Van Liew. “Contrary to the agencies’ claims, the exclusions and exemptions in the proposal are unclear and provide the livestock industry no certainty.”
McDonald added, “Through this process, cattlemen and women have learned one thing; the only thing that is completely unregulated is the arrogance of the EPA.”
The EPA and Corps are required by law to consider public comment; therefore, it is imperative livestock producers voice their opposition to this land grab either online or by sending the original and three copies of your comments to: Water Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0880.
Noxious-weed Trust Fund Grant Applications due December 1
The Montana Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for grant funding from the Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF). Grant applications are due by Dec. 1, 2014.
The Trust Fund, established in 1985 by the Montana Legislature, can provide grant awards up to $75,000 for eligible noxious-weed research projects, state and community education or development projects, and local cooperative landowner cost share grants. More than $1 million from the NWTF program will be available for the development and implementation of noxious-weed management programs. “The department and organizations such as county and tribal weed districts, extension offices, and conservation districts are available to assist with the completion of a grant application. We are here to help,” explained Program Manager Dave Burch.
With 98% of Montana’s total land area either rangeland, pastures, cropland, forests or wildlands, noxious weeds can have a devastating impact on the state’s ecosystems and economy. Past studies estimate that just the proliferation of leafy spurge and spotted knapweed cost the Upper Great Plains, including Montana, grazing lands and wildlands $129.5 million annually.
“While awareness, management, and control measures have become much more sophisticated, the spread of new and existing noxious weeds are still negatively impacting the economy and the ecological vitality of Montana’s vast land area. We all have a stake in managing and preventing noxious weeds,” said Burch.
Grant applications are submitted electronically through the WebGrants system at https://fundingmt.org.
NWTF grants should complement and enhance the Montana Weed Management Plan. Additional information and instructions for submitting an application can be found on the Noxious Weed program’s website.The Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council will host final grant hearings beginning March 2, 2015, in Helena, to make recommendations to the department’s director for final approval.
The Montana Department of Agriculture’s mission is to protect producers and consumers and to enhance and develop agriculture and allied industries. For more information on the Montana Department of Agriculture, visit www.agr.mt.gov.
Rock River Laboratory Hosts Nutrition Workshops in Ohio
Rock River Laboratory Inc. will be hosting two nutrition workshops for dairy and beef nutritionists, consultants, and feedlot and herd nutrition managers Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Shisler Conference Center located in the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, Ohio.
Featuring industry expert presentations, the workshops center on recent beef and dairy nutrition developments, research and considerations. The morning session, focusing on the dairy industry, will begin at 10 a.m. The afternoon session, focusing on the beef industry, will kick off at 1 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided.
“We want to provide nutrition managers the latest information they need to make the best decisions for the success of the cattle they work with, and these workshops were created to help us achieve that goal,” explains Zac Meyer, Rock River Laboratory operations manager. “Now that Rock River Laboratory has a presence in Ohio, we have a better opportunity to help educate and support those Ohio and adjoining-state beef and dairy producers and equip them with the resources they need.”
Presenting experts at the workshops include Bill Weiss, professor and extension specialist of dairy cattle nutrition in the Department of Animal Sciences at the Ohio State University (OSU); John Goeser, animal nutrition, research and innovation director for Rock River Laboratory; Francis Fluharty, research professor and coordinator for the Ohio Beef Industry Center and unit supervisor of beef and sheep at OSU; and Jeff McCutcheon, associate professor and extension educator, agriculture and natural resources for Morrow County, Ohio, OSU Extension. A detailed agenda for the event, with presentation topics, can be found at: http://bit.ly/OHNutWrkshps.
“The program we’ve put together provides a platform that opens doors for those in the dairy and beef industry,” says Justin O’Flaherty, Rock River Laboratory-Ohio lab manager and nutrition analytic consultant. “We’re excited to be in a position at the forefront of the industry, bringing industry insights, future projections and new technologies to those who can put this information into action.”
Ohio Nutrition Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to gather four ARPAS credits. Nutritionists, consultants and cattlemen looking to attend the workshops should RSVP by sending an email to devin_sawyer@rockriverlab.com with the number of attendees. Questions about the event can be directed to buffy_uglow@rockriverlab.com or the Rock River Laboratory office at 920-261-0446.
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