News Update
May 11, 2015
Invest in Genetics for Herd Expansion
As the beef cattle industry enters the expansion phase, it’s promising to note the interest shown in quality Angus genetics. The 2015 spring Angus sales season has been among the best-ever recorded in the registered breed’s history. Sale reports show that cattlemen are motivated to purchase quality genetics to improve their herd for the long-term.
Brett Spader, of AngusAuctions.com, discusses why producers are investing in solid, quality genetics.
“This spring was a remarkable time in the cattle business and a remarkable time for Angus breeders all across the United States. …We all know we’re on the verge of heifer retention, but it’s never been more important to invest as much as you can in the genetics that’s going to drive your commercial operation forward,” Spader says.
Spader states when producers are considering keeping daughters from a bull, they are looking at an investment spanning 20 years.
Watch Spader’s full interview on this week’s The Angus Report. Also visit www.AngusAuctions.com to view the latest online sale listings and www.angus.org for an extensive listing of sale reports.
NCBA, TSCRA Urge Secretaries to Reject Dietary Guidelines
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) submitted comments May 8 to the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture on the flawed advice in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s report. The report serves as a set of recommendations to the Secretaries of HHS and USDA as they finalize the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Numerous scientific organizations and individual scientists, including several former Advisory Committee members have also raised similar concerns in their public comments.
“The Advisory Committee ignored the overwhelming body of scientific evidence that shows lean red meat plays an important role in a healthy dietary pattern and ultimately made an unsubstantiated decision to remove lean meats from a healthy dietary pattern for Americans,” said Philip Ellis, NCBA president. “To date, there are nearly 20 randomized controlled trials including the BOLD study showing healthful dietary patterns with 4-5.5 ounces of lean red meat daily supports good health. The Advisory Committee ignored this evidence and instead relied heavily on weaker forms of science, such as observational evidence.”
“The DGAC’s report recommending Americans consume less beef is appalling and severely misguided,” said TSCRA President Pete Bonds.
“The federal government’s record of attacking our industry and spreading false information about beef seems to be a trend from Washington bureaucrats who are pushing their anti-meat agenda. This report, which suggests that plant-based products are more sustainable than animal-based food sources, is the most recent example of this.”
Read TSCRA’s comments regarding the 2015 dietary guidelines online, and you can also access the TSCRA’s full news release and NCBA’s full news release.
Checkoff Calling for Nominations for BQA Awards
Award applications for the 10th annual checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Award now are being accepted.
The 2016 National BQA Awards recognize five winners in the areas of beef, dairy, marketing and education:
- The BQA Cow Calf, BQA Feedyard and BQA Dairy awards recognize producers who best demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their respective operations.
- The BQA Educator Award is open to individuals or companies that provide high-quality and innovative training to individuals who care for and handle cattle throughout the industry chain.
- The BQA Marketer Award is open to livestock markets, cattle buyers and supply-chain programs that promote BQA to their customers and offer them opportunities to get certified.
BQA award winners will be selected by a committee of representatives from universities, state beef councils and affiliated groups. Nominations can be submitted by any organization, group or individual on behalf of a U.S. beef producer, marketer or educator. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, though the nominees are expected to be involved in the preparation of the application.
Applications are due via the online submission form by June 20.
It’s About Putting a Face to Agriculture
“It’s about having a dialogue, not just telling a story,” said Cameron Bruett, chief sustainability officer and head of corporate affairs for JBS USA Inc. at the 2015 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. “We have this huge modern disconnect with agriculture; most of the consumers’ interaction with agriculture is the grocery store.”
A disconnect with consumers was a common talking point for all of the first-day Summit speakers, noting that the agriculture industry has a great story to tell, but there is a lack of engagement with the audience that couldn’t survive without the farmers and producers. When there is no dialogue and engagement, consumers’ perceptions about our food supply will hinder the move toward a more sustainable and efficient future for everyone.
Another overarching topic was defining what sustainability actually means. “Sustainability means something different for whoever is talking about it,” Bruett said.
“Simply defined, sustainability is responsibly meeting the needs of the present while improving the ability of future generations to responsibly meet their own needs,” Bruett said.
For more information, please view the full release online.
Sustainable Agriculture Seminar set for May 14 at NMSU
Programs and activities related to sustainable agriculture research and education will be the topic during a seminar from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, May 14, in Room 297 at Gerald Thomas Hall on the New Mexico State University (NMSU) campus.
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is a national organization started in 1988, funded by the USDA. SARE provides grants and education programs to advance agricultural innovation, promote profitability, stewardship of the land, air and water, and improve quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities. New Mexico falls under the Western SARE region.
WSARE is dedicated to supporting innovative research and education in the western U.S. and the Pacific Islands on agriculture practices and systems that are profitable, ecologically sound and good for communities and families.
Teryl Roper (new regional coordinator for WSARE), and Jim Freeburn (head of WSARE’s Professional Development Program), will be visiting New Mexico from Tuesday, May 12, to Thursday, May 14. The WSARE leaders will be visiting Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces.
Also, a call for 2016 proposals for four Western SARE grant programs has been released. Descriptions of each program and links to the full call can be found online.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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