News Update
July 15, 2015
2015 National Junior
Angus Show Coverage
A near-record 1,200 head of Angus cattle will walk through the showring at the National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) this week in Tulsa, Okla. The cattle show kicks off today, July 15, with the bred-and-owned heifers at Tulsa’s Expo Square. Angus enthusiasts can catch live coverage of the show, provided by Walton Webcasting, online at www.njas.info.
Throughout the week, the cattle shows will feature steers, bred-and-owned cow-calf pairs, owned cow-calf pairs, bred-and-owned bulls, bred-and-owned best five head, owned heifers and the 48th annual National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest.
Judging bred-and-owned heifers, cow-calf pairs and bulls will be Jim Pipkin, Republic, Mo.; with Dave Nichols, Manhattan, Kan., as the assistant bred-and-owned judge. Matt Leo, Snelling Calif., will evaluate steers on July 16. Kevin Jensen, Courtland Kan., will select champions in the owned heifer division during the show July 17-18.
This year’s showmanship judges are Danielle Foster, Mount Eaton, Ohio; Amanda Schnoor, Modesto, Calif.; and John McCurry, Burrton, Kan. Showmanship finals will take place at 8 a.m. July 18.
States will also be competing for the Best Five Head, while individual members will vie for Junior Premier Breeder and the Silver Pitcher Award.
For more information, please view the full Angus release online.
Stallman Announces Departure in January
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Bob Stallman announced July 14 that he will not seek reelection in January 2016 following 16 years at the helm of the nation’s largest general farm organization. Stallman, a cattle and rice producer from Columbus, Texas, is the 11th president of AFBF’s almost 97-year history.
“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the nation’s Farm Bureau members and represent agriculture and rural America,” Stallman said. “After 16 years as AFBF president, six as Texas Farm Bureau president and several more in other Farm Bureau roles, it is time to hand over the reins of leadership — a decision that is made easier by knowing the great leadership and foundation that exist to continue moving Farm Bureau forward. I am as optimistic as ever about the future of American agriculture and Farm Bureau.”
AFBF has thrived under Stallman’s presidency. Farm Bureau membership nationwide has grown by more than 1 million member families. Programming has grown to include more efforts to build rural communities and economies and more leadership development programs to help farmers and ranchers become advocates for agriculture and citizen leaders in their communities.
For more information, please view the full AFBF news release online.
House Agriculture Committee Approves H.R. 1599
On July 14 the House Agriculture Committee approved H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. First introduced by Reps. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), the legislation has evolved through bipartisan discussions between the Agriculture Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee. The amendment in the nature of a substitute, offered by Rep. Davis (R-IL), for H.R. 1599 will provide clarity and stability in the marketplace through national uniformity regarding marketing claims for products grown using the latest agricultural production technologies.
“I appreciate the collaborative efforts of the Energy and Commerce Committee in getting this bipartisan legislation completed and approved today. H.R. 1599 is the solution to an urgent and growing problem. The current patchwork system of varied labels interferes with the free flow of goods across the country, posing a real threat to interstate commerce and typically results in inconsistent and confusing information for consumers. Creating a uniform national policy regarding biotechnology labeling is the free-market solution that will allow consumers access to meaningful information, create market opportunities for those on the production and processing side and will facilitate future innovation,” said Chairman K. Michael Conaway.
Also pleased with the bill’s passage in committee, AFBF President Bob Stallman said, “This bill is an antidote to anti-GMO initiatives that make people wrongly fear the food they eat. Such regulations generally ignore science and undermine the public’s understanding of the food farmers and ranchers produce. H.R. 1599 restores reason to our food discussions and shows pseudoscience and food quackery the door. We look forward to passage by the full House in the very near future.”
For more information, please view the full House Agriculture Committee release and the AFBF release.
Secretary Vilsack Proclaims August 2-8
National Farmers Market Week
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has declared Aug. 2-8, 2015, “National Farmers’ Market Week.” The declaration was made official by proclamation signed by Vilsack. This year marks the 16th annual National Farmers’ Market Week in honor of the important role that farmers’ markets play in local economies. Throughout the week, USDA will celebrate thousands of our nation’s farmers’ markets, the farmers and ranchers who make them possible and the communities that host them.
“National Farmers’ Market Week is a great opportunity for farmers’ markets across the country to host special events to showcase all the tremendous services they provide,” said Vilsack. “Farmers’ markets play a key role in developing local and regional food systems that support farmers and help grow rural economies. They bring communities together, connecting cities with the farms and providing Americans with fresh, healthy food.”
Throughout the week, USDA officials will celebrate at farmers’ market locations across the country. On Saturday, Aug. 1, Anne Alonzo, the Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will kick off the week at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market in New Mexico.
For more information, please view the full USDA release.
Lone Star Healthy Streams Program
to be July 29 in Copperas Cove
A Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop will be hosted July 29 at the Copperas Cove Independent School District Board Room, 703 W. Ave. D in Copperas Cove.
The Lone Star Healthy Streams program aims to educate Texas livestock producers and landowners on how to best protect Texas waterways from bacterial contamination associated with livestock production and feral hogs, said Matt Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist in College Station.
The workshop will begin at 10 a.m. and end by 3 p.m. A catered lunch will be provided at no cost, but an RSVP is requested by July 27. To RSVP, go to http://lshs.tamu.edu/workshops/ or call Brown at 979-862-8072.
Brown said about 300 Texas water bodies do not comply with state water quality standards established for E. coli bacteria, including the Lampasas River watershed, which is the focus of this meeting.
“Workshop presentations will focus on basic watershed function, water quality and specific best management practices that can be implemented to help minimize bacterial contamination originating from beef cattle, horses and feral hogs,” said Pasquale Swaner, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent in Coryell County.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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