News Update
Oct. 21, 2010

Don’t Miss I Am Angus Tonight on RFD-TV

The all-new I Am Angus program re-airs tonight at 9 p.m. (CDT), on Dish Network, channel 231; DirecTV, channel 345; and other cable channels.

Viewers get one more opportunity to watch the American Angus Association’s all-new I Am Angus television program, airing tonight at 9 p.m. CDT (10 p.m. EDT) on RFD-TV.

“Tonight’s show provides a great opportunity to watch the latest I Am Angus program in its entirety,” says Eric Grant, Association director of public relations. “The program has something for everyone, regardless of background, experience or breed affiliation. We encourage viewers to tune in or watch individual segments online at www.angus.org.”

I Am Angus highlights the contributions of America’s ranching industry, with profiles of people from across the country whose lives are defined by Angus cattle and Angus beef. Read more.

Interruption of Live Cattle Deliveries at Columbus Nebraska During Week of November 1-5

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has been notified that the Columbus Sales Pavilion Inc. in Columbus, Neb., will be holding a special feeder-cattle auction during the week of Nov. 1-5. Therefore, live cattle deliveries will not be permitted at Columbus on those dates.

As a result, CME Clearing will not be accepting tenders for delivery at Columbus on the following dates:

• Friday, Oct. 22 (corresponding to a delivery date of Monday, Nov. 1)
• Monday, Oct. 25 (corresponding to a delivery date of Tuesday, Nov. 2)
• Tuesday, Oct. 26 (corresponding to a delivery date of Wednesday, Nov. 3)
• Wednesday, Oct. 27 (corresponding to a delivery date of Thursday, Nov. 4)
• Thursday, Oct. 28 (corresponding to a delivery date of Friday, Nov. 5)
• Friday, Oct. 29 (corresponding to a delivery date of Thursday, Nov. 4)
• Monday, Nov. 1 (corresponding to a delivery date of Friday, Nov. 5)

Market participants planning to make delivery on any of these delivery dates are advised to use one of the other 12 CME Group live cattle delivery points. CME Clearing will resume accepting tenders for delivery at Columbus on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Nov. 2 (corresponding to a delivery date of Monday, Nov. 8)
• Wednesday, Nov. 3 (corresponding to a delivery date of Tuesday, Nov. 9)

Finally, market participants are reminded of Live Cattle Futures Rule 10104.A. – Tendering a Certificate, which states in relevant part:

“The seller is responsible for determining, in advance of tendering a Certificate, if the delivery point stockyards will be able to accommodate a live-graded delivery on the sixth business day following the day of tender (fourth business day following the day of tender if tender is on or after the last trading day) should the buyer request one. If the buyer requests a live-graded delivery which the stockyards is unable to accommodate, then this will be deemed a failure by the seller to present a load of cattle for USDA grading under Rule 10103.B.8. In addition, the Exchange may prohibit deliveries on certain days for certain locations at which it deems deliveries would not be feasible due to auctions or other activities.”

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Paul Peterson, Commodity Research & Product Development at 312-930-4587.

— Release by the CME Group.

Considerations When Pasturing Cattle on Wheat This Fall

Despite dry conditions over much of western and central Kansas this fall, some areas have had enough recent rain to increase the chances of having pasture for cattle. Producers should keep several considerations in mind, however, if they plan to use their wheat fields as pasture this year, said Jim Shroyer, Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension crop production specialist.

“Cattle should not be put onto wheat pasture until there is crown root development to anchor the plants,” Shroyer said. “That may take a little longer than normal this year if growth is slowed by dry soil conditions.

“Don’t just look at top growth and assume that if the wheat is tillered, crown roots have developed; sometimes that’s not the case. Check some plants to make sure there is good root development. Cattle should not be able to pull the plants out of the ground as they graze.”

In general, there should be 6 to 12 inches of top growth before pasturing wheat, but the true test of when the wheat is ready is to see if crown roots have developed enough that the wheat is hard to pull out of the ground, according to Shroyer.

Producers should plan to use extra nitrogen on wheat that is being used for pasture, said Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, K-State Research and Extension nutrient management specialist.

“Cattle remove nitrogen in the wheat forage. It’s not uncommon to see nitrogen deficiencies in wheat after cattle have been removed,” he said.

“For every 100 pounds per acre of animal gain, producers should apply another 40 pounds per acre of nitrogen in order to maintain grain yields.

“Producers should use split applications of nitrogen, with part of the nitrogen going on in early fall, and part of it applied as soon as the cattle are pulled off in the late winter or early spring.”

Producers should have a dry area available to move the cattle to when the fields get wet. That will help limit soil compaction problems, Shroyer said.

— Release by K-State Research and Extension.

Kentucky Women in Ag Moving East for 2010 Conference; U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture To Speak

For the first time in its 11-year history, the Kentucky Women in Agriculture Conference will take place east of Lexington — this time in Carter County Oct. 27-29. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan is the lunch speaker Oct. 28, speaking about “Know Your Farmer — Know Your Food.”

A preconference tour is set for Oct. 27 and includes a morning trip to the Chicken Coop Craft Mall, an actual chicken house that was converted into a craft mall, followed by a lunch tour at Smokey Valley Farm and dessert at Smokey Valley Truck Stop, featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” After dessert, the tour continues to Pat Rayburn’s Craft Farm. Rayburn recycles throw-aways into works of art. Registration for the main conference begins at 3 p.m. EDT at the Grayson Conference Center.

Evening activities include a tour and wine tasting at Rocksprings Winery and Vineyard and dinner made with locally grown products at Carter Caves State Resort Park. The evening entertainment is storytelling in Cascade Cave.

“Past participants expressed a desire to do something different this year,” said Gwenda Adkins, University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture Extension agent for family and consumer sciences in Elliott County and one of this year’s conference organizers. “I think we did that, and we found several ways to showcase Eastern Kentucky agriculture, art and culture.”

The agenda for Oct. 28 begins with breakfast and registration at 7:30 a.m., then buses leave the Grayson Conference Center at 8:30 a.m. for a unique, rolling concurrent-sessions format. One group will travel to Boggs Deer Farm, where deer have become a family business, and the Laurel Gorge Cultural Heritage Center to learn about the history of agriculture in Eastern Kentucky. Maggie Miles will discuss Community Supported Agriculture.

A second group will travel to Garden Gate Greenhouse, a family-owned business that evolved during the downward spiral of the tobacco program, and Ramey Farm, where participants will learn the value of a high-tunnel greenhouse in extending the growing season.

A third group will tour the Midwest Biofuels Processing Facility in Wurtland and get an update on UK’s Switchgrass to Fuel pilot project from UK College of Agriculture Hay Specialist Tom Keene.

All groups will return to the conference center for lunch, where UK College of Agriculture Dean M. Scott Smith will introduce Merrigan as the keynote speaker. After lunch, Kentucky Women in Agriculture board member and one of its founders, Alice Baesler, will moderate an energy and agriculture panel including Kentucky State Representatives Rocky Adkins, Tonya Pullen and Jill York, and Kentucky State Senators Robin Webb and Walter Blevins.

Evening activities at the Olive Hill Historical Society include a silent auction, dinner, a presentation from Kentucky Women in Agriculture Board Member Jennifer Burke, entertainment by the Heritage Hoedowners and internationally known bluegrass artist Don Rigsby.

The final day of the conference begins with breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by business meetings and officer installations until 9:30 a.m. At 9:45 a.m. Mitchell Tolle will close out the conference.

Originally from Lewis County, Tolle’s journey has taken him from the hills of Eastern Kentucky to national and international acclaim as one of the most noted Appalachian artists.

Registration is $75, which includes all main conference tours and meals. Pre-conference tour and first-night activities are an additional $25 each. More information is available online at www.kywomeninag.com/. A conference hotel rate is available at the Guest House Inn and Suites in Grayson, 606-474-0000.

Directions to the Grayson Conference Center, 371 C.W. Stevens Blvd: Exit number 172 from Interstate 64, turn left if coming east, then right at the second light; turn right if coming west, then turn right at the first light. The conference center is on the right just before Kmart.

— Release by UK College of Agriculture.

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