News Update

September 25, 2015

Range Beef Cow Symposium
Heads to Colorado

The Colorado State University (CSU) Department of Animal Sciences is proud to host the 24th Range Beef Cow Symposium Nov. 17-19 at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. Registration is available online at http://bit.ly/1MJ4WE1.

The biennial symposium, sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service and Animal Science Departments of CSU, South Dakota State University, the University of Nebraska and the University of Wyoming, offers an exclusive program of practical production management information specific to the region’s cattle producers.

This year’s program will highlight a variety of industry speakers delivering valuable, cutting-edge information on beef cattle management strategies ranging from consumer preferences to grazing schemes. Additionally, sessions will incorporate speakers and events geared toward young and up-and-coming producers, including a Young Producers’ Professional Networking Social and a producer panel focusing on how to enter the cattle business as a first-generation cattle producer.

For more information, please view the full news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Jason Ahola, Colorado State University.

College Aggies Online Scholarship Competition

On Monday, Sept. 28, the Animal Agriculture Alliance will launch its annual College Aggies Online (CAO) Scholarship Program. CAO is designed to help college students with an interest in agriculture become confident, positive and proactive communicators. The Alliance is excited to welcome a team of industry experts to advise and mentor students throughout the eight-week program.

“This year’s College Aggies Online participants are really in for a rewarding experience,” said Alliance President and CEO Kay Johnson Smith. “We are looking forward to helping connect future leaders in agriculture to our expert panel, which consists of experienced and renowned individuals in diverse fields, including online engagement, consumer communications, public policy and digital media.”

This fall’s competition will include new, creative assignments, increased participant interaction with industry experts, and a more comprehensive internship and career database. Individuals and collegiate agriculture clubs can compete in challenges ranging from writing blogs and engaging with stakeholders using social media, to volunteering at food banks and hosting events on their college campuses.

The final points from the weekly challenges will be tallied in November 2015 and the club with the most points will receive a $5,000 scholarship.

For more information, please view the full news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

Kubota Breaks Ground on New Utility Vehicle Plant

Kubota Manufacturing of America (KMA) Corp. announced the groundbreaking of its 502,000 square-foot manufacturing facility at Gateway Industrial Centre, in Gainesville-Hall County. With a goal to begin mass production in spring of 2017, the new plant will be positioned on 180 acres of land, three miles from KMA’s existing facilities. The plant will manufacture Kubota’s RTV series utility vehicles, with the capacity to produce 50,000 units annually.

KMA estimates that this expansion will allow the company to increase production capacity by 60% over the next five years. The existing KMA facility, which has been in operation since 1988 and employs approximately 1,300 people, will also undergo enhancements to increase its production capacity to support Kubota’s growing turf business.

As the company continues on a high-growth trajectory, Kubota maintains its commitment to support its expanded product offerings, with operational excellence as a priority.

For more information, please view the full Kubota release online.

— Adapted from a release by Kubota Tractor Corporation.

New Ag Market Paradigms Demand Adaptations

Concurrent track sessions at the 10th annual Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, Minn., will address critical challenges and viable solutions that pertain to feeding a growing population where demand for animal protein is soaring, utilization of oilseeds and grains is morphing, and the inadequacies in global transportation infrastructure persists.

Several key industry experts will present during the three tracks — Animal Protein, Oilseed & Grains Utilization, and Global Trade Logistics — on day two of the three-day conference.

Central to addressing overarching supply chain and logistics issues, along with timely sector outlooks, the following questions will be answered at the Oilseed & Grain Trade Summit: What are the top seven consumer food trends affecting the oilseed and grains sectors today? Who are the winners and losers over the next 12 months in the beef, pork and poultry sectors?

For more information, please view the full release online.

— Adapted from a release by HighQuest Group.

Food Integrity Summit to Unveil Transparency Best Practices

Consumers expect transparency from today’s food system, and new research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) details what they want to know, from whom they want to hear it and how they expect to access information. Research results and new transparency best practices for the food system will be presented at the 2015 CFI Food Integrity Summit: A Clear View of Food Transparency, Nov. 17-18 in New Orleans.

The Summit will bring together leaders in the food industry, government, academia and non-governmental organizations for an honest evaluation of consumer trust in the food system. Research by CFI shows that transparency is key to building trust.

As part of the research, a quiz posted on the CFI Facebook page invites consumers to discover their “food personality” by answering questions about their favorite weekend restaurant or typical lunch.

Results are being collected through Oct. 1. The comments will be combined with quantitative data from CFI’s annual consumer research to develop transparency best practices for the food system.

For more information, view the full news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Jana McGuire, The Center for Food Integrity.

— Compiled by Paige Nelson, field editor, Angus Journal.