News Update
July 1, 2015
Angus Producers Gain
Beef Industry Insight at BLI
Most producers see the beef industry through the filter of their personal cattle operation. In order to help ranchers get a better view of the beef community as a whole, each year the American Angus Association hosts the Beef Leaders Institute (BLI).
The event — hosted June 22-26 and sponsored by the Angus Foundation — began in Saint Joseph, Mo., toured throughout the Midwest and ended in Wooster, Ohio, at Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) headquarters. Along the way, participants were able to visit Boehringer Ingelheim, Saint Joseph, Mo.; Gregory Feedlot in Tabor, Iowa; TransOva in Sioux City, Iowa; Tyson beef processing facility in Dakota City, Neb.; Sysco Cleveland; and a retail tour at Buehler’s Milltown in Wooster, Ohio.
“I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to network with fellow breeders and learn about segments of the beef industry I wouldn’t normally be exposed to,” says Joe Fischer, from Auburn, Calif.
This was the first year the event included a visit to the CAB headquarters in Wooster, Ohio. Participants were able to learn about the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) brand and see the Education and Culinary Center.
For more information and full list of participants, please view the full release online.
Industry Groups Disappointed with APHIS Decision
On June 29, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspections Service (APHIS) announced their decision to allow importation of fresh and chilled beef from some regions of Brazil and Argentina. The move was met with much criticism from interest groups, including the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) and South Dakota Stockgrowers Association.
USCA President Danni Beer said in a statement: “Once again, we are faced with an issue that has the potential to severely threaten the health and safety standards of the U.S. cattle herd. We acknowledge the effort and work put in by APHIS staff on this issue, however, the proposed plan to move this notice forward is deeply concerning to producers across the country. Concerns have repeatedly been relayed from industry groups to the Administration on this proposed change in trade and we are disappointed that the choice has been made to move forward with the plan.”
South Dakota Stockgrowers Association President Bob Fortune reacted by saying: “We are very worried that this rule will cause FMD outbreaks that can devastate our United States cattle herds resulting in massive infection of animals, economic losses to ranchers and irreparable damage to consumer confidence. This rule is a bad idea for our family cattle ranches, it’s bad for our rural economies and its bad for consumers.”
For more information, please view the USCA release and the South Dakota Stockgrowers release.
Beef Checkoff Spiced up 23rd Annual Safeway
National Capital Barbecue Battle
Chef Dave Zino, the Beef Ambassadors and Miss Patty Melt made appearances on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., June 27-28.
The national beef checkoff, through its Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) and in partnership with the South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC), braved torrential winds, rain and the summer heat in Washington, D.C., this past weekend for the 23rd annual Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle. As an official product sponsor of the two-day event, Checkoff Executive Chef Dave Zino hosted cooking demonstrations in the Safeway pavilion, while attendees were invited to visit the NEBPI booth for recipes, games and more information on the versatility of beef.
Over the course of the two-day festival, Chef Dave Zino shared recipes for a Three Way Marinated Flank Steak and Gazpacho Steak Salad during four cooking demonstrations under the Safeway tents.
For more information, please view the full news release online.
MCA Backs Missouri Supreme Court
Upholding Farming Rights Amendment
The Supreme Court of Missouri has called the election results on the 2014 “Farming Rights Amendment” as valid, calling the ballot title “sufficient and fair, and so there was no election irregularity.” Missouri Cattlemen’s Association President (MCA) Janet Akers commended the decision.
“This decision was no surprise to me or to this association. The Farming Rights Amendment (Amendment 1) passed and the language was concise and very clear. It is disappointing that some individuals and organizations waited until the amendment passed to call the ballot language into question,” said Akers. “It was a case of sore losers looking to continue their baseless claims. We are proud of the decision today and proud of Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander for the job he did on this issue.”
SC94516, Wes Shoemyer, Darvin Bentlage and Richard Oswald vs. Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander was argued Feb. 25. The opinion was handed down June 30. In an election irregularity proceeding, individuals challenge the summary statement of the title of a ballot issue that voters passed during the August 2014 election.
For more information, please view the full MCA release online.
Registration Opens for 2015 USAHA/AAVLD Annual Meeting
Plans are well under way for the 119th United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) and 58th American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) Annual Meeting.
The meeting will take place Oct. 22-28 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, R.I. The event brings together leaders and stakeholders from across the country to address the most pressing issues in livestock and poultry disease, regulations, diagnostics and research in the United States. Registration is open to anyone interested in the mission of USAHA and AAVLD to safeguard the health of the U.S. herds and flocks.
“Program development is well under way for the multiple committees, scientific and plenary sessions,” says Ben Richey, executive director of USAHA. “The program includes 32 committee meetings addressing a wide range of topics across multiple species of livestock and poultry. “We are excited to be in Providence for the first time in the history of the organization and working with our hosts in the northeast for a great meeting this fall.”
Meeting registration is now open and available. Early registrations will be accepted through Sept. 30, and rates go up after that date. Detailed meeting information is available at www.usaha.org and www.aavld.org.
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