News Update
November 18, 2016
Miss American Angus:
A Crowning Achievement
Miss American Angus, with her sparkling tiara and bold red jacket, represents a promise for the future of the Angus breed. The newly crowned 2017 Miss American Angus, Keegan Cassady, Bloomington, Ill., impressed the judges with her genuine passion for the business breed and love of its people.
“I absolutely love the warmth of the Angus breeders,” Cassady says. “It’s a community you can’t find anywhere else. They’re so passionate about their breed, and it’s great to come together at events like the Angus Convention to get to know one another.”
The Miss American Angus competition, hosted by the American Angus Auxiliary, took place during the 2016 Angus Convention Nov. 5-7 in Indianapolis, Ind. The crowning ceremony was a highly anticipated event during the American Angus Association’s Awards Recognition Breakfast.
A tradition nearly 50 years in the making, five outstanding young ladies compete each year for an opportunity to serve the Angus breed as a spokesperson across the country. The program provides one Angus junior the opportunity to serve the breed and assist with shows, educational events and field days to educate others about the beef industry and benefits of Angus genetics.
Continue reading in the Angus news release online.
Tom Walter Shares Story of ‘Culture Shift’
“Either you change or we’re leaving.” That was the ultimatum Tom Walter faced one morning in 2006 from two employees in his Chicago-based catering business. One of those employees asking him to change his “iron fist” management style was his own 24-year-old son.
Walter recognized this was a defining moment, and said he realized pretty simply, “I couldn’t lose them.”
Walter adds, “I realized the way we were doing things wasn’t going to work for the next generation. It reminded me of my father’s authoritarian ways, which didn’t work.”
The result was a journey of change for his business, his employees, his family and his personal life. Walter detailed that experience in his address during the Angus University General Session Nov. 6 at the 2016 Angus Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. Angus University was sponsored by Merck Animal Health.
Read more in the Angus Media news article online.
TPQA Modification in Cameron County, Texas
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) will modify the 223,000 acre Temporary Preventative Quarantine Area (TPQA) in Cameron County, Texas, on Nov. 17.
The TPQA was established two years ago when cattle fever ticks were discovered on cattle, horses, white-tailed deer and nilgai antelope. Through enhanced surveillance in the area, the TAHC has now determined 14,460 acres located in the southwest corner of the TPQA meet requirements for quarantine release. The modified TPQA will consist of approximately 200,000 acres.
Although the TPQA is being reduced, the TAHC and USDA continue to closely monitor and respond to the expansion and northward movement of fever ticks.
Currently there are 17 individual cattle fever tick infested premises in Cameron County, 19 infested Willacy County premises, 2 infested Kleberg County premises, and 45 infested premises in the permanent quarantine zone along the Texas-Mexico border.
For more information, view the TAHC news release online.
October Hired Workers Decrease 5%,
Wage Rates Increase 3%
Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 798,000 for the reference week of Oct. 9-15, 2016, down 5% from the October 2015 reference week. There were 840,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the nation’s farms and ranches during the week of July 10-16, 2016, down 4% from the July 2015 reference week.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $13.25 per hour during the October 2016 reference week, up 3% from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $12.59 per hour, up 4% from a year earlier. Livestock workers earned $12.25, up 2%. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $12.50 per hour, was up 3% from October 2015. Hired laborers worked an average of 41.6 hours during the October 2016 reference week, compared to 41.7 hours a year earlier.
For more information, view the USDA NASS report online.
Ag Law & Lease Workshop in Salina
Agriculture landscapes and outdoor enjoyment are two of Kansas’ most endearing traits. From pastures to fields to river bottoms, Kansas land yields an abundance of resources and recreational opportunities.
Renters, landowners and recreational land users are invited to attend the Central Kansas Extension District Ag Law and Lease Workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the K-State Polytechnic Conference Center. The program is designed for anyone who wants to know more about agricultural leasing and related laws.
Forrest Buhler, Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services (KAMS) staff attorney, will discuss Kansas laws on renting pastures and cropland, as well as laws related to fencing, including working through considerations with neighbors, landlords and tenants.
For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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