News Update

September 13, 2016

Record Corn and Soybean Yields

USDA figures suggest farmers could spend a little extra time in the combine this fall, as record corn and soybean crops are projected across the United States. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), production is expected to reach more than 15 billion bushels (bu.) of corn and more than 4 billion bu. of soybeans.

Due to favorable weather conditions this year, corn yields are expected to set a record average 175 bu. per acre — with record breaking yields in 10 states including Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska.

Learn more in this week’s episode of The Angus Report. You can also watch the show at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday and 7:30 a.m. CST each Monday morning on RFD-TV.

— Adapted from The Angus Report.

Increased Management of Wild Horse Population

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board recommended last week significant management changes to address the exploding population of wild horses and the resulting animal welfare catastrophe. Dave Eliason, Public Lands Council (PLC) president said this is a step in the right direction.

“As a stakeholder group that both cares for animals professionally and works the very rangelands currently being degraded by this growing problem, we are glad to see the Advisory Board take heed of this epidemic and recommend plausible management changes,” said Eliason. “Watching these horses starve to death or die of dehydration because the population has exceeded what the range can hold is simply unacceptable. The Department of Interior must bring these populations back to a sustainable and responsible level.”

Currently, BLM estimates the population of free roaming horses and burros at 67,000 — nearly 40,000 or 150% more than the appropriate management level and growing at 20% per year. Additionally, 45,000 horses and burros remain in long-term storage at a cost to taxpayers of $50,000 per animal.

For more information, view the PLC news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the Public Lands Council.

2016 PLC Meeting; Utah Rancher Takes the Reins

On Sat., Sept. 10, the annual PLC meeting wrapped up with a high desert range and operation tour in Southern Idaho. The meeting drew more than 150 public lands ranchers along with affiliate representatives to engage in the grassroots policy process, hear from agency officials and discuss critical issues that are impacting the West.

This year’s PLC meeting focused on top issues for public lands ranchers including preserving and enhancing sage grouse habitat through land stewardship, managing wild horse and burro populations at appropriate levels, and fighting regulation that threatens multiple use and vibrant western communities.

Dave Eliason, a fifth-generation rancher from Utah was elected to serve the two-year term as PLC president, succeeding Brenda Richards, who will serve as immediate past president.

For more information, view the PLC news release online.

— Adapted from a release by the Public Lands Council.

BioZyme Promotes Lindsey Grimes

BioZyme® Inc., manufacturers of natural supplements for a variety of livestock, has promoted Lindsey Grimes of Saint Joseph, Mo., to area sales manager.

In her new role, Grimes will be responsible for developing the sales territory in Indiana and Ohio, supporting BioZyme’s dealer network and helping producers maximize their operations through use of the company’s products.

Hired by BioZyme in 2015, Grimes previously held the position of nutrition coordinator and was responsible for managing the online feed value barometer, developing feed rations for customers, coordinating producer meetings and dealer training sessions, and aiding the nutrition team.

Grimes, who grew up in the beef industry, has a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and a master’s from Kansas State University. She is a member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, American Angus Association, Ohio Angus Association and American Society of Animal Sciences.

— Adapted from a release by Jennifer Beidle, Jennifer Beidle PR.

Backes Joins Purina Animal Nutrition

Purina Animal Nutrition announces the hiring of Elizabeth Backes, as a nutritionist on the beef technical services team. Backes grew up on a small cow-calf operation in Saint Thomas, Mo., where she developed her passion for agriculture and sparked her interest in a career in the beef cattle industry.

More than 1,350 research projects have been conducted at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center to date. The underlying theme behind all of this research is to deliver proven, flexible solutions that give cattle producers the confidence that they’re doing what’s right for their animals and their operation.

Earning a doctorate in cow-calf parasitology from the University of Arkansas, Backes’ work focused on evaluating various commercial anthelmintics in cow-calf production.

For more information, view the Purina news release online.

— Adapted from a release by Megan Hayes, Filament Marketing, LLC.

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

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