News Update

January 20, 2017

National Western Angus
Bull Sale Draws Crowd

Angus enthusiasts consigned 45 bulls to the 2017 National Western Angus Bull Sale, Jan. 11 in Denver, Colo. The annual sale, which is the only sale managed by the American Angus Association, grossed $306,250 and averaged $6,805. A panel of three judges including Kyle Gillooly, Wadley, Ga.; Jim Vietheer, Wilton, Calif.; and Andy Musgrave, Pittsfield, Ill., evaluated the bulls and selected division and overall champions.

Jake Barnes, Broken Arrow, Okla., consigned the grand champion bull, DBR Take Notice, that first won senior champion. The March 2014 son of Dameron First Impression was purchased by Quirk Land & Cattle Co., Hastings, Neb., for $19,000.

Calvin Levisay, Creston, Calif., consigned the reserve grand champion bull. LVS BC 1603 is a February 2016 son of EXAR Blue Chip 1877B and first won late winter calf champion — division 2. Ray Kopecky, O’Neill, Neb., purchased the bull for $5,500.

Other high-selling bulls included Marda Blacksmith 683 consigned by Marda Angus Farm, Lodi, Wis. The January 2016 son of Connealy Black Granite was purchased by Split Diamond Ranch, White Hall, Mont.; Malek Angus Ranch, Highwood, Mont.; and Southard Land & Cattle LLC, Colorado Springs, Colo. for $24,000.

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

— Adapted from a release by Amber Wahlgren, American Angus Association.

Presidential Inaugural Parade to Highlight Agriculture

In its continuing effort to “reconnect city with country,” RFD-TV has organized the Rural Tractor Brigade which has been added to the 2017 Presidential Inaugural Parade, themed “We The People: Our American Journey.” RFD-TV invited every tractor manufacturer to participate and those confirmed include Case IH, Challenger, John Deere, Kioti, Kubota, Mahindra, Massey-Ferguson and New Holland who will showcase tractors used in modern agriculture production. The parade will be broadcast live on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC at 3 p.m. EST.

Members of the National FFA, the world’s premiere youth organization, will carry the banner for the Rural Tractor Brigade and lead this contingent of colorful tractors that help make America’s farmers and ranchers the most efficient food and fiber producers in the world. RFD-TV and Rural Radio, channel 147 on SiriusXM will carry updates throughout the week on “Market Day Report” and “Rural Evening News.” On Inauguration Day, RFD-TV and Rural Radio will have live updates beginning at 9 a.m. EST and continue through the course of the day, with complete highlights on the “Rural Evening News” at 11:30 p.m. EST.

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

— Adapted from a release by RFD-TV.

Peterson Statement on Perdue Nomination to Lead USDA

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson made the following statement Jan. 19 on the announcement that Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue will be nominated to serve as Secretary of the USDA.

“Agriculture and rural America play such an important role in our economy. With the appointment of Perdue, who has a background in agriculture, I am hopeful we will get a better sense of the incoming administration’s policy plans for rural America. There is a lot of work ahead of us including reauthorizing the farm bill, maintaining the RFS and rolling back some of the regulations that are negatively impacting farmers. I look forward to sharing the concerns of Midwestern farmers with Perdue and getting to work.”

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

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner on Selection of Sonny Perdue for top USDA Post

Georgia Agriculture Secretary Gary Black made the following statement on President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nomination of former Georgia Governor, George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III, as the Secretary of Agriculture:

“We are ecstatic and grateful to the president-elect for making this appointment today. Agriculture is in Sonny Perdue’s DNA and now that he has the opportunity for it to be his full focus, we are confident that he will lead Trump’s team in making rural America great again.”

— Adapted from a release by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Chairman Conaway Disappointed in Organic Animal Welfare Rule

On Jan. 18, Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) issued the following statement in response to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) release of its new organic animal welfare standards.

“I am disappointed to see yet another controversial rule pushed through during the final hours of the Obama administration. Not only do animal welfare standards go beyond the scope of the National Organic Program, the requirements regarding expanded outdoor access for poultry fly in the face of lessons learned from the recent and devastating outbreak of HPAI, and are particularly concerning given the detection of the virus in a wild duck in Montana earlier this month. I hope that the incoming administration will immediately withdraw this rule, but stand ready with my colleagues on the Hill to roll back the regulation if necessary.”