News Update
July 28, 2017
Culinary Competition at the
National Junior Angus Show
Thirty-six teams of Angus juniors recently competed in the 34th All-American Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) Cook-Off July 11 in Des Moines, Iowa. The contest, sponsored by the American Angus Auxiliary and Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB), is one of the most popular events at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS).
During the NJAS, sports figures, movie and television stars and pop culture characters were seen milling around the exhibition hall. Characters from Beauty and the Beast and The Wizard of Oz mingled with football players, cowboys, Charlie Brown and friends, and game show contestants.
Participants prepare a CAB recipe, and write and perform a skit that promotes the product in an educational and entertaining way to the judges, the audience at the Cook-Off and, ultimately, to consumers. Teams may consist of two to six juniors and are divided by age and type of beef used in the recipe: steak, roast or other beef.
“Year after year, we are always impressed by our Angus youth participating in the Cook-Off,” says Anne Lampe, co-chair of the competition. “The Angus breed and the CAB brand are fortunate to have such a strong future in the National Junior Angus Association members.”
Continue reading this Angus news release online. Look for full coverage of the 2017 NJAS in the September issue of the Angus Journal.
Perdue Regarding Japan’s Planned Increase
of Tariff on U.S. Frozen Beef
The government of Japan has announced that rising imports of frozen beef in the first quarter of the Japanese fiscal year (April-June) have triggered a safeguard, resulting in an automatic increase to Japan’s tariff rate under the WTO on imports of frozen beef from the United States. The increase, from 38.5% to 50%, will begin Aug. 1, 2017, and last through March 31, 2018. The tariff would affect only exporters from countries, including the United States, which do not have free-trade agreements with Japan currently in force.
“I am concerned that an increase in Japan’s tariff on frozen beef imports will impede U.S. beef sales and is likely to increase the United States’ overall trade deficit with Japan,” stated U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in response to the action. “This would harm our important bilateral trade relationship with Japan on agricultural products. It would also negatively affect Japanese consumers by raising prices and limiting their access to high-quality U.S. frozen beef.”
Perdue said he has asked representatives of the Japanese government “to make every effort to address these strong concerns and the harm that could result to both American producers and Japanese consumers.”
Learn more by reading the full USDA news release online.
Iowa Couple Named NJAA 2017 Advisors of the Year
Finding new ways to connect with Iowa juniors is why Chris and Dixie McCormick, Pleasantville, Iowa, were nominated for the Advisors of the Year award through the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA). The McCormicks were recognized for their leadership, inclusion and encouragement at the NJAS in Des Moines, Iowa.
“More emphasis has been placed on developing other skills such as public speaking through speech contests, knowledge of the cattle industry through quiz bowl and the presentation and promotion of our state association through the poster and scrapbook contests,” says Haley Greiman, first vice president, Iowa Junior Angus Association. “We have grown with the guidance of Chris and Dixie in more than just the showring.”
The McCormicks have been very involved in helping to plan the 2017 NJAS in Iowa, leading the junior committees and organizing schedules for the show. Fundraising, contest organization and meal planning have been handled efficiently under the McCormicks’ leadership, according to a nomination letter. The McCormicks have put all their efforts into improving the quality of the Iowa Junior Angus Association, Greiman adds.
For more information, read the Angus news release online.
Evaluating Carcass Quality at the NJAS
Understanding how Angus cattle perform beyond the farm or ranch is an important component of the carcass steer contest hosted during the NJAS. Thirty-three steers were a part of the 2017 NJAS carcass steer contest, where juniors were able to learn firsthand what ranchers are targeting when raising cattle.
This year the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) was hosted in Des Moines, Iowa, July 9-15. At the NJAS, many animals were checked-in, exhibited and placed. Among these contests and shows was the Carcass Steer contest. The Carcass Steer contest is unique to the NJAS due to the fact that exhibitors don’t exactly “show” these steers, they send them off for harvest, evaluation and grading following check-in. Within a matter of days the carcass merit of these steers was reported. The top steers were announced at the NJAS awards ceremony July 14.
“The carcass steer contest at NJAS is one that is held so exhibitors can learn more about carcass values, premiums and efficient feeding and management of Angus cattle,” says Bailey Palmer, American Angus Association assistant director of events and education.
Read the full Angus news release online.
Angus Foundation Scholarships Invest in Industry’s Future
Supporting the educational pursuits of young people in the Angus industry is one of the key endeavors of the Angus Foundation. At the NJAS in Des Moines, Iowa, 116 scholarships were given to undergraduate and graduate students totaling more than $213,000 invested in future agriculture industry leaders.
“The Angus Foundation prides itself on making an incredible investment in the future of our industry — our youth — through education,” says Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president. “Of course, very generous donors from across the Angus industry are really what makes this investment possible.”
A five-member committee evaluates the scholarship applications and considers NJAA involvement, state association participation, leadership and other criteria. Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $2.7 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships.
The 2017 scholarships recipients were recognized on July 13 and 14 during the NJAS. A complete list of scholarship winners follows.
Learn more in the full Angus news release online.
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