News Update
September 23, 2015
NJAA Announces New Age Rule
Eight-year-old members of the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) will soon be eligible to show at Angus-sponsored competitions across the country. The new age rule, approved by the American Angus Association Board of Directors and the National Junior Angus Board (NJAB), takes effect Jan. 1, 2016.
The NJAA sponsored more than 50 junior shows during the past year, involving nearly 5,000 Angus youth. According to the new rule, an exhibitor’s birthdate must fall between Jan. 1, 1995, and Dec. 31, 2007, to compete and be either a junior, regular or life member of the American Angus Association.
Major NJAA-sponsored competitions include the Mid-Atlantic Junior Angus Classic, Western Regional Junior Angus Show, Eastern Regional Junior Angus Show, Atlantic Nationals, Northwest Preview, the All-American Angus Breeders’ Futurity and the National Junior Angus Show.
For more information, please view the full Angus news release.
Sage Grouse Stays off Endangered Species List
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has announced the greater sage grouse is not warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act, a victory for western rangelands and livestock producers.
Unfortunately, in conjunction with this decision, the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service announced that their restrictive land use plans will be implemented. The Public Lands Council (PLC) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) have adamantly opposed these restrictive plans, which impede on conservation efforts and range management practices already in place.
“The Administration came to the logical decision not to list the sage grouse, but went ahead and forced through their land use plans, which are just as concerning as a listing,” said Brenda Richards, PLC president. “Instead of recognizing the stewardship that land users have voluntarily put in place, they are pushing forward their agenda which ignores multiple use on our lands.”
For more information, please view the full NCBA news release.
Senate Reauthorizes Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting
The NCBA appreciates the efforts of the Senate in reauthorizing Mandatory Livestock Price Reporting through 2020. NCBA President Philip Ellis, a Wyoming cattle producer, said this information provides producers greater transparency in market conditions.
“Transparency is essential to the functioning of our livestock markets and our ability as producers to make decisions critical to our profitability,” said Ellis. “We appreciate the Senate’s reauthorization of this provision before it expired at the end of the month. Unfortunately, due to the actions of Senator Stabenow, not only does this legislation lack the status of an essential service, the bill differs substantially from the House version; subjecting producers to further delay and uncertainty.”
Mandatory Price Reporting requires meat packers to report to USDA the prices they pay for cattle, hogs and sheep purchased from farmers and ranchers for slaughter, as well as the prices they receive for the sale of wholesale beef, pork and lamb. Mandatory Price Reporting also requires USDA to issue daily, weekly and monthly livestock and meat market reports.
For more information, please view the full NCBA news release.
360° Look at Local Foods
As farmers, retailers, hospitals and schools strive to meet the demand for local foods, a new AGree report examines the growth in local food systems, the hurdles to further expansion and presents six recommendations that would support their development.
The report, Local Food: Revitalizing Community-based Food Systems, presents the consensus views of diverse stakeholders, dispels common myths about the local food movement and provides a bird’s eye view of projects underway across the nation to aid local sourcing.
Dan Glickman, AGree co-chair and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, said, “Many people think only of small farms selling produce at farmers’ markets when they hear the term local food. In reality, less than one-third of farms selling local foods are growing fruits, vegetables or nuts, and most suppliers are midsized and large farms. This report provides new perspective by taking a 360° look at the growth, challenges and opportunities associated with local food systems.”
For more information, please view the full news release online.
Innovation Starts Here
The ranching industry has a group of innovators who are making headlines. This group of people are out in front making changes in their day-to-day operations, introducing new ranching methods and procedures and creating new ways to do business.
One such example is Blooming Grove, Texas, ranchers Gary and Sue Price. These stewardship-award-winning ranchers are making history for the way they are guiding ranch management into the future. They raise highly sought after beef, and their lush pastures are postcard worthy, but they have still another focus at the center of their operation: “It all boils down to water,” Gary says.
The Prices have enrolled portions of their land into conservation programs offered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Sand County Foundation’s “Water as a Crop” program, Tarrant Regional Water District’s conservation incentive program, as well as a stewardship program through Miller Coors.
The Prices are just one of several agriculture industry innovators that will be featured at the upcoming 6th National Conference on Grazing Lands Dec. 13-16 at the Hyatt Regency DFW near Grapevine, Texas. Hosted by the National Grazing Lands Coalition, the conference brings together people who are passionate about innovation and the exchange of ideas, as well as information on grazing land environmental and economic practices and issues.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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