News Update
January 09, 2018
Targeted Strategies Incentivized
After more than a decade as “available” to producers, the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand has created incentives for registered Angus seedstock providers for strategic use of its “Targeting the Brand” logo, available at www.cabpartners.com/marketing/images/Targeting-The-Brand.png.
The brand was born with the mission of improving demand for Angus cattle through marketing consistent, high-quality beef with superior taste. Traditionally, that beef was the only focus of the CAB logo, which had never been applied to cattle until the limited application in this century’s feedlot program, followed by blanket approval for the “targeting” logo in 2006.
The next year marked publication of the first CAB Best Practices Manual. It provided recommendations for balanced-trait expected progeny differences (EPDs) in Angus bulls to meet all needs from pasture to plate.
Creative seedstock suppliers, from individual breeders to artificial insemination marketing companies, soon consulted with CAB to gain a tighter focus on the target. In their sale books and online, logo placement began to denote sires and prospect bulls that meet those best management standards.
Continue reading this CAB news release online.
Trump Promotes Rural Development Initiative
in Speech to Farm Bureau Members
President Donald Trump Jan. 8 unveiled a major initiative designed to strengthen a rural economy that has lagged urban areas in recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2008. Trump signed two executive orders that fund and streamline the expansion of rural broadband access after an address to 7,400 farmers and ranchers gathered at American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2018 Annual Convention.
In addition to economic development, Trump touched on issues of particular importance to agriculturists such as regulations, labor and trade. He praised farmers for their enduring values. “We are witnessing a new era of patriotism, prosperity and pride — and at the forefront of this exciting new chapter is the great American farmer.” Farmers, Trump said, “embody the values of hard work, grit, self-reliance and sheer determination.”
The president spent much of his address decrying the costs of excessive regulation and tallying the rules his administration has moved to eliminate.
“We are also putting an end to the regulatory assault on your way of life. And it was an assault,” he said. Trump singled out the Waters of the United States rule, now being withdrawn following an executive order he signed in the first weeks of his administration.
For more information, read the Farm Bureau release online.
Camp Brisket Helps Novice Pitmasters Feed Masses
Nothing beats good brisket and Texas barbecue, but smoking brisket on a barbecue pit can be a daunting task for the novice.
“I love barbecuing in general, but the brisket is a very intimidating cut of beef,” said David Nelson of Austin, who attended Camp Brisket recently at Texas A&M University in College Station.
The program attracted more than 60 attendees who entered a lottery system and won a ticket to the two-day event that organizers say teaches everything you would want to know and more about how to cook good barbecue brisket.
Camp Brisket is a partnership between Foodways Texas and the meat science section of the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M.
“We had probably 300 to 400 people in the lottery,” said Marvin Bendele, executive director of Foodways Texas in Austin. “It’s just crazy how many people want to learn more about cooking good brisket and good barbecue.”
The program was led by Jeff Savell, university distinguished professor and E.M. “Manny” Rosenthal, chairholder in the Department of Animal Science; Davey Griffin, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist; and Ray Riley, manager of the Rosenthal Meat Center, all at Texas A&M in College Station.
Learn more in the news release online.
Colorado Legislature to Consider Identifying USA Beef
On Jan. 5 State Representative Kimmi Lewis and State Senator Vicki Marble introduced in Colorado’s 2018 General Assembly a bill titled, Beef Country of Origin Recognition System, also referred to as the “Beef COORS bill” by the sponsors.
If passed, the bill would require Colorado retailers to place a placard in the immediate vicinity of beef products, including ground beef, that informs consumers as to whether the beef was derived exclusively from animals that were born, raised and slaughtered in the United States, or whether the beef was imported or derived from imported animals.
Federal regulations allow beef products sold in Colorado to be labeled as “Product of the U.S.A.” when, for example, a multinational meatpacker like JBS imports beef from Australia and subsequently unwraps and rewraps the beef before selling it to a retail grocery store in Colorado.
The “Product of the U.S.A.” label can also be used in Colorado on beef derived exclusively from cattle born and raised in Mexico and Canada and then imported into the United States for immediate slaughter.
Read the full R-Calf news release online.
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator Opens Applications for 2018 Cohort
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator has opened applications for AgTech startups wishing to participate in its 2018 cohort. Early-stage AgTech companies from around the world that have an idea, intellectual property or prototype for agricultural innovation are encouraged to apply at www.agiowa.com/apply.php.
Six startups will be selected to participate in The Accelerator’s Class of 2018, which will gather in Des Moines, Iowa, to embark on a 94-day journey to accelerate their businesses. Throughout the incubator period, startup companies will each receive $40,000 in seed funding, subsidized housing throughout the incubator period, time with mentors and investors and opportunities to build strategic partnerships. This year’s class will be May 29 through August 30.
The Accelerator is once again excited to have support from some of the largest and well-known AgTech companies in Iowa, including DuPont Pioneer, Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company, Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corporation, John Deere, Peoples Company and Sukup Manufacturing, in addition to more than 100 mentors. Investor companies and mentors will provide intensive professional and personal mentoring to each of the six startups, offering the companies a wide range of resources to help get their businesses and ideas off the ground running.
For more information, visit www.agiowa.com.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.