News Update
May 12, 2009

Livestock Industry Leaders Meet in Kansas City

National Pedigreed Livestock Council (NPLC) members conducted business during the organization’s annual meeting May 4-6, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Educational workshops, a tour, a membership meeting and honors banquet filled the agenda for the leaders of various livestock industry organizations, including representatives of beef, dairy, equine, swine, goat, alpaca and other allied industry partners.

Educational workshops on this year’s agenda included topics such as genomics, legislative issues, building positive board relationships, communications and a half-day youth summit. A trip to the American Angus Association, Saint Joseph, Mo., hosting sponsor of this year’s event, included tours of the Association and Angus Productions Inc. (API), and presentations of the various entities and departments of the Association, including AngusSource,® API’s Creative Media, Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI), and Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB).

The attendees also conducted the annual business meeting of the NPLC, where they elected officers and directors.

During the honors program, sponsored by Maxxam Analytics Inc., two men were honored with Distinguished Service awards for their continued contributions to the livestock and equine industries — Gary Griffith, recently retired American Quarter Horse Association staff; and Maynard Hogberg, Iowa State University.

— Adapted from release provided by the American Angus Association.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Names Rayne Pegg as Administrator of the AMS

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of Rayne Pegg as administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The agency is part of USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area, which works to ensure a productive and competitive global and domestic marketplace for U.S. agricultural products. Pegg will begin serving in this role in early July.

Pegg most recently served as the deputy secretary of legislation and policy for the California Department of Food and Agriculture. In this role, she was the principle advisor to both the secretary of the department and the cabinet of the Governor of California on the department’s legislative and policy issues. Pegg represented the department before the California legislature, regulating bodies and interested parties on issues potentially affecting the department’s programs. She has worked with growers and the public to find common ground and reach agreement on controversial issues. She also worked on legislation and public policy that addressed invasive species; the Farm Bill, the department’s budget; organic production; food safety; farmers markets; government oversight; and trade barriers.

As an advocate with the California Farm Bureau Federation, Pegg analyzed California agriculture’s foreign market opportunities and competition and participated in the World Trade Organization and U.S.-Korea FTA (free trade agreement) negotiations. She has worked with USDA to resolve phytosanitary barriers that restrict the movement of California products to foreign and domestic markets. In addition, Pegg was previously appointed to the USDA Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee on Fruits and Vegetables. Pegg was also a principle in the creation of the California Leafy Green Product Handler Marketing Agreement, which was established in response to the spinach E. coli outbreak in 2006.

— Adapted from release provided by USDA.

New Phorid Fly Species Turns Red Imported Fire Ants Into ‘Zombies’

Zombie fire ants may not sound like a cool thing, but wait a minute, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert. On April 29, on the grounds of the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton in East Texas, Scott Ludwig released fire ants infected with a new type of phorid fly, a minuscule parasite that only preys on red imported fire ants.

The infected ants will soon exhibit some very bizarre behavior, he said.

As the eggs of a new type of phorid fly develop inside the heads of red imported fire ants, they take over the control of the host, Ludwig said. “First they become zombies, their movements under the control of the parasite. Then their heads fall off and the parasite emerges.”

Previously released phorid flies only preyed on ants in disturbed mounds. In contrast, the species Pseudacteon obtusus that Ludwig released in April, is attracted to foraging red imported fire ants and not disturbed mounds. That’s even better, he said, as attacks of ants are not dependent upon the mounds being disturbed.

The “zombified,” fire ant is made to wander about 55 yards away from the mound to die.
“The parasite does this so it can complete development without being detected and attacked by the fire ant colony,” Ludwig said.

As with the new species, the previously released phorid fly species in Texas only attacks red imported fire ants. They inject their eggs into their bodies. In response, fire ants withdraw to their underground nests and reduce their foraging range, he said.

Once established, it was hoped that earlier releases of phorid flies would spread beyond the original release sites, and there has been evidence that they have, Ludwig said. “We’re hoping the new parasite will reduce the foraging of fire ants, and thereby allow our native ants to regain some footing.”

The release was part of the Texas Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project.

More information on the project and fire ant research can be found at http://web.biosci.utexas.edu/fireant/index.html or http://fireants.tamu.edu/.

— Adapted from release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course Aug. 3-5

The 55th Annual Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course is scheduled for Aug. 3-5 at Texas A&M University in College Station.

“Planning committee members from around the state have met with us and helped us put together another outstanding program,” said Jason Cleere, Texas AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist and conference coordinator.

Drought, high production costs, emerging diseases and a weakened market have made this a challenging year for cattle producers, Cleere said. The short course, sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will address these issues and others during the three-day event, providing information for both the novice and experienced rancher.

“The short course has become one of the most comprehensive beef cattle educational programs in the U.S., with 20 different educational sessions taught by more than 50 different speakers,” Cleere said.

The Cattleman’s College® portion of the short course provides participants with an opportunity to choose workshops based on their level of production experience and the needs of their ranch, Cleere said. “These concurrent workshops will feature information on ranch management, nutrition, reproduction, genetics, pastures, carcass evaluation, recordkeeping, brush busting, cattle handling, landowner issues and much more.”

In addition to classroom instruction Aug. 3-4, participants can attend one of the popular demonstrations the morning of Aug. 5, said Larry Boleman, associate vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences at Texas A&M and conference director.

“There will be demonstrations on chute-side calf working, cattle behavior, penning, selection and brush busting,” Boleman said. “These provide an opportunity for ranchers to see beef cattle production practices put to use.”

Along with the Cattleman’s College, a key general session will be offered on the afternoon of Aug. 3.

Participants can receive a pesticide applicator’s license during the short course, and can earn numerous pesticide continuing education units if already licensed.

An industry trade show will be held during the event featuring more than 100 agricultural businesses and service exhibits.

Registration for this year’s program, “Ranching for the Future,” is $140 per person, and includes educational materials, a copy of the 600-page Beef Cattle Short Course proceedings, trade show admittance, admission to the prime rib dinner, meals and daily refreshments.

Registration information and a tentative schedule will be mailed to previous participants in June. It can also be found on the short course web site. Producers can register online at http://beef.tamu.edu or contact Cleere’s office at 979-845-6931.

— Adapted from release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Artist to Present Show, “Angus Anthem,” at Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art

Members of the American Angus Association® are invited to an exhibition featuring paintings, drawings and lithographs of Angus cattle June 13 to Sept. 6, 2009, at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in Saint Joseph, Mo. The exhibition will feature 53 works created during a span of 30 years that capture Theodore Waddell’s love of Angus cattle and the land they inhabit. An opening reception with the artist will take place Friday, June 12, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the museum. All members are invited to attend.

Museum director Terry Oldham says when viewing Waddell’s art, “You feel Waddell’s understanding of the land and life that revolves around the herd in the bold brushstrokes he uses in his paintings. The composition may at first appear simple but upon closer examination, everything’s there that needs to be there.

Waddell is gifting a painting titled “Musselshell Angus #6” to the museum.

Waddell’s love for Angus developed while ranching in Molt, Mont. He picked Angus because of two traits he liked: dark pigmentation around the eyes and the udder.

“They taught me more about themselves as they shared their lives and calves with me. After 30 years, I continue to be fascinated by black cows. They populate the landscape in which I live. Their black is beautiful and this exhibition is a chronicle of my journey as a painter and my love affair with these amazing creatures,” Waddell says.

— Adapted from a release written by Mary Jo Helmeke from Campion & Waddell.

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.