News Update
January 23, 2014
Angus Cattlemen to Meet for 2014 Cattle Industry Annual Convention
Nashville, Tenn., will host hundreds of Angus producers during the upcoming Cattle Industry Annual Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show Feb. 4-7.
Many of those producers will be setting the policy and priorities of the livestock industry while participating in the joint and individual meetings of five of the industry’s leading organizations: NCBA, Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (CBB), American National CattleWomen Inc. (ANCW), CattleFax and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF).
Participants from across the country will enjoy top-notch general session speakers, including Captain Richard Phillips, who is the inspiration for the movie, Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks. The movie is based on Phillips’s book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy Seals and Dangerous Days at Sea, a fascinating and suspenseful recounting of the first hijacking of a U.S. ship in more than 200 years.
In addition, all-American and NFL quarterback Archie Manning shares lessons he learned as a 14-year veteran quarterback and father of two Super Bowl-champion quarterbacks, Peyton and Eli, to inspire audiences to achieve greatness in their journey for personal and professional success.
A number of educational sessions are also on the agenda for the 2014 convention. The CattleFax Annual Outlook Seminar, the 21st Annual Cattlemen’s College® sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health, and events at the Stockmanship and Stewardship Demonstration Area will provide producers with practical information on reproduction management, genetics, forage management, business strategies and much more.
New this year is the NCBA Learning Lounge, which will feature 30-minute educational sessions to provide attendees valuable educational tips from industry experts in informal, face-to-face, technology-friendly classroom settings.
Visit www.beefusa.org to register for the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show and to read a full schedule of events. Don’t miss the Angus Journal’s complete online coverage, available at www.4cattlemen.com. The website features presentation summaries and photos, trade show news, as well as archives of past conventions.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Cattle Enthusiasts ‘Tweet Up’ in Nashville
Meet up with fellow cattle and social media enthusiasts at the fourth-annual Angus “Tweet Up” during the 2014 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn. The American Angus Association, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) and the Angus Journal are hosting the event for their Twitter followers and others who would like to learn more about online communications.
“It’s a rare occasion when we are able to visit with our Twitter friends outside of our smartphones and computers,” says Jena McRell, Association assistant director of public relations. “Join in our ‘tweet up’ to catch up with old friends and meet new people to connect with across the country.”
Attendees will have a chance to meet and share more than Twitter’s 140 characters while in a social setting at the trade show. The gathering is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at the Angus booth, 575, during the NCBA Trade Show Welcome Reception.
While at the booth, make plans to stay for a carcass fabrication demonstration by Phil Bass, CAB corporate meat scientist. The Butcher’s Block, sponsored by GeneMax™, will give insight into what end-users do with the quality beef raised on the ranch.
“The Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show is a fantastic educational event, but the social and networking aspects are equally important,” says Kasey Brown, Angus Journal associate editor. “The annual ‘tweet up’ is a great opportunity to connect with those in the beef industry you may have met through social media.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
NFU Reiterates Farm Bill Priorities, Urges No Changes to COOL
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson sent a letter Jan. 23 to the members of the farm bill conference committee emphasizing the importance of finishing a five-year, comprehensive farm bill as soon as possible.
“It is time to move the farm bill across the finish line,” said Johnson. “Family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, rural communities and consumers have waited long enough for a long-term plan. We are hopeful that the process is nearing an end.”
NFU is especially concerned by attempts to repeal or undermine country-of-origin labeling (COOL), which provides valuable information to consumers.
“If any harmful changes to COOL are included in the farm bill, it could very likely affect NFU’s ability to support the entire farm bill,” said Johnson. “Farmers, ranchers, producers and consumers strongly support COOL and I urge Congress to defend the current law.”
The letter outlined additional key priorities such as support for establishing fixed reference prices for commodity programs, enacting a price stabilization tool as part of the dairy safety net, providing $900 million in mandatory funding for renewable energy programs, including adequate funding levels for the Farmers Market and Local Foods Promotion Program, and maintaining farm bill permanent law to provide Congress the impetus to update and review farm policy periodically.
“There are many important policies and programs in the farm bill that have been debated and amended at length,” said Johnson. “It’s time to seal the deal. I urge the conference committee to take swift action so that we can ensure certainty for all Americans as soon as possible.”
Extended Cold Spell Poses Risks to Livestock
Save for the brief warm-up last weekend, this could end up being the coldest stretch of sub-freezing temperatures Kentuckians have experienced in quite some time. The lingering period of extreme cold puts livestock at risk.
“Normal temperatures this time of year are supposed to be in the low-to-mid 40s, with lows dipping into the 20s,” said Matthew Dixon, University of Kentucky (UK) agricultural meteorologist. “The low temperature for Lexington on Jan. 22 was -6 degrees Fahrenheit, and that’s the coldest this city has been since January 2004.”
As Arctic air builds in the state, livestock become vulnerable to deteriorating outside conditions. Dixon said that during the next week and possibly into early February, the livestock cold stress index will hover in the danger and emergency categories for much of Kentucky.
“We just want to remind livestock producers to take proper precautions,” said Jeff Lehmkuhler, livestock specialist for the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “We’ve already seen a case where a horse fell through the ice and had to be rescued earlier this month. There’s always a risk for that as animals search for water sources and end up walking out onto ice-covered ponds.”
Dixon said the system that brought unseasonably cold, Arctic air down into Kentucky will essentially stay in place through at least the next workweek.
“The Bluegrass State will remain below freezing with multiple nights where the mercury will drop into the single digits,” he said. “Long-range outlooks are even calling for below-normal temperatures to continue into early February.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
National Cover Crop Conference
Broadcast Live to Sites in Missouri
Farmers and farm advisers can participate in a free national forum on cover crops and soil health.
On Feb. 18, almost 200 sites across the country, including several locations in Missouri, will host a free, live broadcast from the National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health in Omaha, Neb.
The forum will feature remarks from Jason Weller, chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); philanthropist Howard G. Buffett; and innovative farmers such as Gabe Brown and David Brandt.
“We feel this is a great opportunity for farmers and farm advisers to hear from some leading users of cover crops,” says Rob Myers, University of Missouri (MU) Extension regional director for USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. “It is also a chance to meet other farmers from their area who are interested in cover crops and learn what these farmers are doing.”
The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, SARE and NRCS are sponsoring the national forum and the concurrent meeting in Omaha. Following the video broadcast, participants can discuss soil health and cover crops with other farmers as well as industry and agency representatives.
The broadcasts will begin at 9 a.m. NRCS and MU Extension will host forums in Missouri at the locations listed. RSVP to the site you plan to attend; site organizers suggest arriving 35-40 minutes before the broadcast. The overall program will last about three hours at most locations.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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