News Update
Nov. 11, 2008

S.D. Stockgrowers Invite All to Reva Meeting – Rescheduled

Directors and officers of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA) hope cattle producers in the Reva area will join them for an area meeting Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. at the Reva Hall.

The meeting, originally scheduled for Nov. 6, was postponed because of a blizzard in the area.
Local director Linda Gilbert, Buffalo, S.D., reminds folks that they don’t need to be a member of SDSGA to attend the meeting and learn the latest about the cattle industry. “We hope that our local members will show up, and as always, we welcome those who are not members, too. The USA beef supper will be free to all, thanks to our local sponsors.”

Gilbert said that Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) Region 3 Director, Johnny Smith, Fort Pierre, S.D., and former R-CALF USA Director Herman Schumacher, Herreid, S.D., will visit with the crowd about R-CALF USA and issues affecting the U.S. cattle industry.

Other directors who plan to attend the meeting to visit with ranchers and answer questions about SDSGA include District 6 Director T.W. Schalesky, Faith, S.D.; District 6 Director Lester Longwood, Lemmon, S.D.; and President Larry Nelson, Buffalo, S.D. and Executive Director Margaret Nachtigall, Owanka, S.D.

The Stockgrowers appreciate local sponsors who helped make the meeting possible, including: Buffalo Hardware and Lumber; Cenex of Buffalo; Farmers Union & Erk Services, Buffalo; Gilbert Angus, Buffalo; Henderson Oil, Buffalo; Newell Ranch Supply; Niemi Ranch Beef, Buffalo; Pioneer Bank & Trust, Buffalo; Reva Store, Reva; and Sodak Angus, Sorum.

— Release provided by SDSGA.

Farm Foundation Workshop to Detail Agriculture’s Strategic Role

A Farm Foundation conference on Dec. 4 will examine the challenges agriculture and the food system face in providing food, fiber and fuel to a growing world during the next 30 years. Highlighting the conference will be release of a new Farm Foundation report, “Agriculture’s Strategic Role: Feeding and Fueling a Growing World.”

The Dec. 4 conference is part of the Food and Agriculture Policy Summit, a collaboration of Farm Foundation and Farm Journal Media. The summit features two major policy conferences, as well as “A Conversation with the Secretaries,” to which nine former Secretaries of Agriculture have been invited to participate. The Farm Foundation conference and all Summit activities are at the Westin, Washington, D.C., City Center, 1400 M St. NW, Washington, D.C.

Developed with input from a diverse set of agriculture and agribusiness leaders, government agency representatives and academics, the new Farm Foundation report identifies six major challenges that may affect agriculture’s ability to provide feed, fiber and fuel to a growing world. Conference speakers will address issues within each of the six challenges.

Project sponsors include the Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Economic Research Service, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Corn Growers Association, the National Pork Producers Council, and the United Egg Producers.

To register for the Farm Foundation conference, or other events in the summit, visit the summit web site or the Farm Foundation web site. Early bird conference registration has been extended until Nov. 17. A special conference rate is available at the Westin for reservations made by Nov. 14.

— Release provided by the Farm Foundation.

Sire Selection and Herd Management Clinics

Four Sire Selection and Herd Management clinics throughout the state of Nebraska are scheduled for Dec. 1-4. The clinics, sponsored by the University of Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Cattlemen Seedstock Council, are located at:

• Blue Hill – Dec. 1 (Community Center)
• O’Neill – Dec. 2 (Shamrock Livestock Market)
• Burwell – Dec. 3 (Burwell Livestock Market)
• Bridgeport – Dec. 4 (Prairie Winds Community Center)

Nov. 17 is the early registration deadline. There is a $25 registration fee to cover lunch, proceedings and materials.

Matt Spangler, UNL beef genetics specialist, will kick off the clinic with “Additions to the genetic toolbox: EPDs, indexes, card DNA markers.” After, clinic attendees will hear management tips to increase profit potential from Rick Rasby, UNL beef specialist. After lunch, Spangler will put it all together with “Visual appraisal & EPDs,” as Rasby sums up body condition scoring and examples of byproduct feeds. There will be actual cows for condition scoring and bulls for visual evaluation and EPD appraisals.

Send registrations to the location you want to attend. Location contacts are as follows:

• Blue Hill, Duane Lienemann, UNL Extension educator, 621 N. Cedar, Red Cloud, NE 68970; 402-746-3417; dlienemann2@unl.edu.
• O’ Neill, Gary Stauffer, Holt County, PO Box 549, O’Neill, NE 68763; 402-336-2760; gstauffer1@unl.edu.
• Burwell, Steve Niemeyer, UNL Extension Educator, 250 S. 8th St., Burwell, NE 68823; 308-346-4200; sniemeyer1@unl.edu.
• Bridgeport, Tom Holmon, UNL Extension educator, 4502 Ave. I, Scottsbluff, NE 69361; 308-632-1480; tholman1@unl.edu.

More Changes Coming to Medicare in 2009

More changes are in store to Medicare in the coming year, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialist. “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced changes to the Medicare program for 2009,” said Andrew Crocker, AgriLife Extension gerontologist.

“These changes will take effect Jan. 1. It is important to look carefully at all these changes and determine how they might affect you, especially changes to Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit.”

Crocker said many people have already or soon will be receiving a copy of “Medicare and You 2009” in the mail.

“This handbook will help you navigate the services to which you are entitled under Medicare and should be kept in a place for easy reference,” he said. “If you happen to lose your copy or do not receive one, you may access it through the Medicare web site: www.medicare.gov.”

For more information:

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048). 24-hour help is available from trained Medicare representatives.
  
• Visit www.medicare.gov. Compare costs, coverage and more. Get an estimate of out-of-pocket costs for the year.
  
• See plan listings in the Medicare & You handbook and information sent by your plan.
• Talk with local Medicare experts at your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.

— Adapted from a release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension.

— compiled by Tosha Powell, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.