News Update
March 16, 2015
Premiums for Angus Cattle
Top news this week from The Angus Report includes a look at a recent study that measures premiums for Angus cattle, vaccination programs to raise healthy calves this spring, feeding corn byproducts, herd expansion indicators and much more.
Watch this week’s episode online or tune to RFD-TV at 5 p.m. CDT Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. CDT Saturday or 7:30 a.m. CDT each Monday morning.
State Angus associations, publications, breeders and others looking for website content are also encouraged to post segments of the free program on their websites. Videos will be updated regularly at www.angus.org and through the Association’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Mark Your Calendar, 2015 National Angus Convention
It’s an event you will want to attend.
The American Angus Association invites you to mark your calendar Nov. 3-5 for the 2015 Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show at the Overland Park Convention Center in Overland Park, Kan. If you are interested in improving the quality of your cow herd, there’s no better opportunity to connect with fellow breeders, attend educational seminars, be inspired by keynote speakers and plan for the future of the beef cattle business.
Now in its second year, the event will feature expanded workshops that cover a variety of topics, including genomics, recordkeeping, herd management and performance tools. Industry-leading speakers, American Angus Association staff and other experts will be among the presenters. Participants will learn practical applications to take home to the farm or ranch.
Also, a three-day trade show featuring allied industry partners will offer cattlemen a chance to browse through the latest in products and services available to the beef industry and to visit with Angus breeders from throughout the country.
Convention highlights include:
- A preconvention Kansas regional cattle tour to be hosted by the Kansas Angus Association Monday, Nov. 2
- A full day of genomics discussion Tuesday, Nov. 3, during the International Angus Genomics Symposium, sponsored by GeneSeek, which will bring together leading experts in the field of DNA technology
- Angus University, sponsored by Merck Animal Health, featuring a daylong seminar with keynote speakers and break-out sessions exploring quality cattle and quality beef Wednesday, Nov. 4.
- The Angus Media Trade Show, which kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 3, with more than 100 exhibitors ranging from animal health providers to equipment dealers, and Angus breeders to nutrition companies
- Plenty of social events, including nationally known entertainment the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 4
Visit the Association’s newsroom to read the full release.
FDA and EPA Sign a Data Sharing Memorandum of Understanding
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to share data on pesticides and toxic substances. This will allow the agencies to share information that will better inform their assessments of risks to the public and the environment.
The FDA and EPA have complementary roles in their regulatory authority for some substances incorporated into food (including animal food and feed), animal drugs, and cosmetics. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting the public health by ensuring, among other things, the safety of food (including animal food and feed), animal drugs, and cosmetics by enforcing the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and several related public health laws. EPA is responsible for managing the pesticides and toxic substances programs under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the FD&C Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act.
The MOU establishes a process of disclosure and sharing of their respective databases that will facilitate the decisions of each agency related to food safety, veterinary medicine and cosmetics. This data sharing will provide the most up-to-date information and assist in coordinating reviews between agencies. Sometimes a given substance may be regulated by both agencies. For example, a manufacturer of an antimicrobial food wash is required to demonstrate to the FDA that its use is safe and does not adulterate food. The manufacturer may also be required to demonstrate to EPA that use of the same substance (labeled as a pesticide) will not hurt the environment.
U.S. Cattlemen’s Association Comments on Beef Checkoff MOU
The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) announced an official decision to not sign the Checkoff MOU as presented to industry leaders through the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group (BCEWG). A two-day meeting concluded in Denver on March 13. The BCEWG sought each member’s signature to the MOU and after careful deliberation, USCA has abstained from signing.
USCA, along with the National Farmers Union (NFU), originally proposed the concept to enhance the Beef Checkoff to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and his staff in 2011. Since that time, the BCEWG was formed with the goal of reaching consensus to propose and implement meaningful and needed enhancements to the program.
USCA past President Jon Wooster commented on the working group, “The BCEWG utilized a series of mediator-driven sessions in order to attempt to find parameters by which all members of the BCEWG could come to consensus. USCA was hopeful throughout this process that the discussions could evolve into meaningful enhancements to modernize the program and make it more efficient. Our goal was to try and initiate needed structural changes that would give producers confidence Checkoff dollars were utilized efficiently and appropriately and would warrant support for an increase in the assessment.
“Unfortunately, the group could never reach consensus concerning discussions focused on structural changes except for changing the date organizations had to be formed to be an eligible contractor from 1986 to being an established beef industry organization for at least three years.
“The MOU proposed several changes including a refundable increase in the assessment of $1. There is also a proposed change to the nominating process for candidates to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee. While this is an integral component of securing needed Checkoff reform, the proposed change in the MOU addressing this issue would actually serve to intensify the current conflict of interest as national organizations contracting for Checkoff dollars would be allowed a seat on the nominating committee.”
The makeup of the BCEWG has changed since its inception and it seems its main goal is now to increase the assessment with no consideration to structural changes such as:
For more information, please view the full release here.
2015 Aggie Processed Meat Technology School Set April 22-24 in College Station
The 2015 Aggie Processed Meat Technology School will be hosted April 22-24 at Texas A&M University in College Station.
Dan Hale, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist, said based on input from past participants, the school has been expanded by one additional day.
“Anyone who wants to learn the basic science and art of making processed meat products should attend,” Hale said.
That includes people directly involved in processed meat production, “as well as others in your company, such as quality control, business management, public relations and sales and marketing personnel, who need a thorough overview of how processed meat products are made and the how’s and why’s of the process.”
Hale said the school website features a tentative schedule, and more general and registration information at http://aggiemeatschool.blogspot.com/.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
— Adapted from a release by AgriLife Today.
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