News Update
November 11, 2014
Miss American Angus
Crowned in Kansas City
Best recognized in her red jacket and sparkling tiara, Miss American Angus is a true spokeswoman for Angus cattle and the American Angus Association. Each year, five outstanding young ladies compete for the prestigious title and the opportunity to serve a year-long term as a breed ambassador.
Madison Butler, Vincennes, Ind., was crowned as the 2015 Miss American Angus during the Association’s Awards Recognition Breakfast held Nov. 7 as part of the first-ever Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show in Kansas City.
Butler is a freshman at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kan., where she is studying food science. She is the daughter of Rob and Casey Butler.
“Being Miss American Angus is something that has always been a huge goal of mine while growing up in this industry, because she really is an ambassador and a role model for our breed,” Butler says. “Not only for the younger girls in our association, but really everyone. She’s someone they can look to, and she’s knowledgeable about our industry.”
Motivated by the opportunity to connect with consumers and share her knowledge of food science, Butler says it is important to share agriculture’s message with the general public. She’s been an active member of the National Junior Angus Association and the Indiana Junior Angus Association, serving as junior chair of the 2014 National Junior Angus Show in Indianapolis, Ind.
Hosted by the American Angus Auxiliary, the Miss American Angus program provides one Angus junior the opportunity to serve the breed and assist with shows, educational events and field days to educate others about the beef industry and benefits of Angus genetics.
“Miss American Angus is a huge asset to the American Angus Auxiliary, because she is another extension of us as an ambassador for the breed,” says Lynne Hinrichsen, Auxiliary president. “She represents the American Angus Association, as well as the entire membership and the breed. Her job is to promote Angus cattle and the beef industry through education for children, adults and all beef consumers.”
The five young women vying for the crown were selected through the Auxiliary scholarship contest, and completed a written test, delivered a prepared speech, completed an interview and answered impromptu questions from a panel of judges.
Competing with Butler this year were Michaela Clowser, Milford, Neb.; Katie Friederichs, Walcott, Iowa; Catie Hope, Berryville, Va.; and Destiny McCauley, Bowling Green, Fla.
For more information, please view the full release here.
AGree Issues Consensus Report, Launches Initiatives
A highly diverse and remarkably broad group of farmers, ranchers, agri-businesses, environmentalists, nutritionists and other experts announced Nov. 10 a landmark set of consensus recommendations and targeted initiatives on critical issues facing food and agriculture. The recommendations call for far-reaching changes to federal policy and private-sector action and have significant implications for food production, processing and consumption.
AGree is calling for a major shift in how conservation of working landscapes is undertaken and funded toward watershed-scale partnership approaches; a commitment to making food security an enduring goal of U.S. foreign assistance through permanent law; and significant intensification of efforts to integrate public- and private-sector programs and policies focused on improving community health through food and nutrition.
“AGree’s consensus recommendations will serve as roadmaps for action,” said Deborah Atwood, AGree’s executive director. “For three years, AGree has focused on achieving consensus. With wide-ranging and often divergent points of view around the table, it has been a long, at times difficult, but very fruitful journey. AGree will now focus on implementation and advocacy.”
Going forward, AGree will be structured as an initiative-focused and partner-driven effort. Each initiative will work on a key dimension of the food and agriculture system and tackle specific areas of concern. These areas may include both policy change and private-sector action, and will require diverse partnerships.
The AGree initiatives launched Nov. 10 are Working Landscapes: Achieving productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes; Food & Nutrition: Cultivating healthy communities; and, International Development: Promoting development through food and agriculture. Immigration Reform: Achieving a stable, legal workforce was launched earlier this year.
To inform its work, AGree convened more than a thousand leaders in food, agriculture and related sectors and published a considerable body of research and white papers to advance understanding on critical issues.
“Through substantial engagement and dialogue across a wide variety of interests, AGree has achieved consensus. We offer a compelling vision for the future of food and agriculture in the U.S. and around the world, as well as a range of strategies and recommendations to achieve it,” said Dan Glickman, AGree co-chair and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
For more information, please view the full release here.
U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance Names 2015 Executive Committee
Nov. 10 the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), an organization dedicated to leading the national consumer dialogue about how America’s food is grown and raised, announced its new 2015 executive committee members. Nancy Kavazanjian, former director of the United Soybean Board, was named as board chairperson. During her tenure Kavazanjian will work closely with the CEO of USFRA and members of the board in providing thought leadership and serve as a national consumer spokesperson on behalf of farmers and ranchers across the nation.
“I am truly honored to have been selected to play such an important role in the consumer dialogue about how our food is produced and reaches our tables,” said Kavazanjian. “As a farmer, I am passionate about sustainably growing safe and nutritious food for America and have seen firsthand the need for an organization like USFRA to help set the record straight for consumers about how our food is actually produced. I look forward to serving as USFRA’s board chairperson.”
Other 2015 Executive Committee members include:
- Vice Chair — Brad Greenway, National Pork Board
- Secretary — Mike Geske, National Corn Growers Association
- Treasurer — Dawn Caldwell, Federation of State Beef Councils
- At-Large — Lisa Lunz, Nebraska Soybean Board
- At-Large — Todd Frazier, DuPont Pioneer
Outgoing Board Chairperson Bob Stallman and president of American Farm Bureau Federation has served in the role since the organization’s inception in 2010.
“I am pleased to pass the gavel to Nancy,” said Stallman. “I have enjoyed serving in this role and watching the growing positive impact USFRA has had with consumers. I am proud of the work our organization has been able to accomplish thus far and am confident under Nancy’s leadership that USFRA will continue to play an ever-increasing role in enhancing consumers’ confidence in agriculture.”
Cornhusker Economics Outlook Meeting in Gering Nov. 24
The 10th annual Cornhusker Economics Outlook meeting series comes to Gering, Neb., Nov. 24, one of five locations across the state and will focus on ag outlook and management decisions for farmers and ranchers.
The Gering meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. until noon Nov. 24 at the Gering Civic Center. To register, contact Deidra McCarthy at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 308-632-1260.
The annual meeting series is offered by UNL Extension and the Department of Agricultural Economics and is available free to participants with the support of Great Western Bank along with several local sponsors.
The outlook meetings are scheduled for a concise, fast-paced discussion of crop, livestock, policy and financial outlook.
Kate Brooks, Extension livestock economist at UNL will provide outlook and analysis for beef and other livestock producers. Brooks’ expertise is in market analysis and production economics. She recently led a study of livestock industry trends in Nebraska and opportunities for growth. She will discuss the excitement and uncertainty in the livestock market, as well as supply and demand issues affecting beef and pork producers’ production and marketing decisions.
Cory Walters, Extension crop economist at UNL, will provide outlook and analysis for corn, soybean and wheat producers. Walters’ expertise is in crop marketing and risk management, with substantial research on crop marketing and crop-insurance strategies and decisions. Walters will discuss the current price environment, crop insurance, and supply and demand factors influencing next year’s prices.
Brad Lubben, Extension policy specialist at UNL, will provide perspectives on how to navigate choices in the new Farm Bill. Lubben will discuss whether to sign up for ARC or PLC and whether this is the only policy issue worth worrying about. Lubben will discuss other farm program decisions and ag policy issues impacting producers in the year ahead.
Tina Barrett, director of Nebraska Farm Business Inc. and agricultural economics instructor, will discuss the financial situation facing Nebraska farmers and ranchers. Specifically, Barrett will discuss managing cost of production through a time of “minimizing losses” rather than “maximizing profits” for crop farmers and lessons to be learned from extreme profitability for livestock producers.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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