News Update

April 13, 2016

U.S. Trade Representative Froman Keynotes Legislative Conference

As part of the the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA’s) annual Legislative Conference, Ambassador Michael Froman, U.S. Trade Representative, stressed the cost of inaction on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

“For the past seven years, the Obama Administration has worked together with NCBA to expand export markets for American beef and cattle,” said Froman. “In that time, United States beef exports have more than doubled, rising from $3.1 billion to $6.3 billion last year. However, we have more work to do together — most especially, guaranteeing that American ranchers and farmers across this country see the full economic gains the TPP will mean for them and their communities.

“For example, by 2030, two-thirds of the world’s middle class will call Asia home. However, exports of American beef to countries in the TPP are being hit with tariffs as high as 50%, and face all manner of non-tariff barriers. This high-standard agreement cuts over 18,000 foreign taxes on U.S. exports, opens markets for American ranchers and farmers in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, and advances regulations that are transparent and based on science.”

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

— Adapted from a release by the National Catlemen’s Beef Association.

Support for Global Food Security Act

House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) delivered remarks on the House floor April 12 in favor of H.R. 1567, the Global Food Security Act of 2016. A portion of his remarks are included below.

“With the world population rapidly increasing — particularly in some of the most impoverished and food insecure regions — it is of critical importance that the United States maintain its position as the world leader in the effort to alleviate global hunger and to enhance food security.

“…I have worked closely with the Foreign Affairs Committee to ensure that the bill before us today capitalizes on the wealth of knowledge and expertise within the U.S. Department of Agriculture and amongst agricultural businesses, commodity groups, agricultural producers, agricultural research institutions, land-grant colleges and universities, and the agricultural extension system.”

To read more, view the Agriculture Committee news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

Angus Regional Managers

The American Angus Association may be the nation’s largest beef breed organization, but it maintains one-on-one communications and marketing commitments to its members through a team of regional experts. Thirteen regional managers are committed to helping members of the American Angus Association in all aspects of beef cattle production — from using genomic-enhanced EPDs to selecting herd sires to matching operational goals with herd marketing.

Ryan Ruppert, the Association’s director of regional managers, explains: “They’re your local representative and they do a lot of different things. They help people with their sales, they help them with advertising, and from an educational standpoint, they’re a tremendous asset.”

Ruppert emphasizes that regional managers help Angus breeders of all types and sizes with the wide variety of tools they bring to the table.

Learn more about your regional manager can help improve your operation by tuning into this week’s The Angus Report. You can also watch the show at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday and 7:30 a.m. CST each Monday on RFD-TV.

— Adapted from The Angus Report.

Two Ag Journalists Selected for
Leadership Program in Germany

Two North America agricultural journalists were selected for the 2016 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award.

Sarah Hill, a freelance journalist from Brookings, S.D., and Julienne Isaacs, a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Man., were chosen for this year’s 11th annual award. The award supports the winners’ participation in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Congress and an intensive boot-camp-style workshop. This year’s boot camp will take place July 11-12, prior to the IFAJ Congress in Bonn, Germany.

“Year after year, we continue to see the best and brightest in agricultural journalism from around the globe receive this award,” said Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Congratulations to these two exceptional candidates from our North America region as they exemplify the skills and dedication needed to communicate and connect farm to fork.”

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

— Adapted from a release by Ann Hess, Alltech.

Grass-fed Beef Conference Scheduled May 26-27

With consumer interest heightening about where their food originates, grass-fed beef producers will have the opportunity to learn more about marketing opportunities and production trends during a May 26-27 conference in College Station, Texas.

The conference will cover a broad range of important topics pertaining to grass-fed beef production and is open to both beef producers and consumers.

Rick Machen, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service livestock specialist in Uvalde, said producers can learn about all aspects of grass-fed beef production techniques at the conference, which will be hosted at the Rosenthal Meat Science Building, 488 Olsen Blvd. on the Texas A&M University campus.

For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.

— Adapted from a release by Blair Fannin, Texas AgriLife Communications.

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