News Update
May 26, 2017
Seeking Donations for Angus Foundation Silent Auction
The Angus Foundation is once again hosting its annual silent auction during the 2017 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) in Des Moines, Iowa. As always, the proceeds benefit education, youth and research initiatives supporting the Angus breed.
Items donated to the Angus Foundation for the silent auction may come from individual Angus supporters, farms, companies, or state junior and adult Angus associations. Junior state Angus associations have an extra incentive to donate items: The state junior Angus Association that donates the highest-selling item will receive $100.
Donation ideas include paintings, gift baskets, books, cattle supplies, jewelry, clothing and Angus collectibles.
“Each item is a testament to the generosity of Angus breeders to support youth, education and research efforts,” says Milford Jenkins, Angus Foundation president. “These items help us to raise unrestricted funds, which can go toward a variety of efforts throughout the year.”
At the 2016 NJAS in Grand Island, Neb., the silent auction raised nearly $13,000. These funds support scholarships and events, including the Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) Conference, Cattlemen’s Boot Camps, Beef Leaders Institute (BLI) and research projects to benefit the Angus breed.
Visit www.angusfoundation.org for more information.
USDA Seeks Grant Applications to Develop Rural Community Facilities
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue May 24 announced that USDA is seeking applications for technical assistance and training grants in the Community Facilities Program.
“Too often, rural community organizations lack the technical expertise they need to access federal dollars,” Perdue said. “These technical assistance and training grants will help rural organizations overcome hurdles that prevent them from fully utilizing the Community Facilities Program. Increased access to federal funding will help build essential community facilities and will allow rural areas to thrive.”
The grants are being provided through the Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program. Congress authorized this new program in the 2014 Farm Bill to help rural communities develop their applications for Community Facilities loans and grants.
Communities can use the grants to hire specialized personnel, pay for feasibility studies, retain consultants to prepare financial assistance applications and identify and plan for long-term community facilities needs.
Providing technical assistance will help more rural communities qualify for loans and grants. Many often lack access to specialized personnel who complete financial and environmental analyses, for example.
Learn more in the USDA news release online.
Kansas Net Farm Income Rebounds, but Ag Economy Continues Slump
Kansas average net farm income rebounded somewhat last year to $43,161 from a dismal stretch the previous year when income fell to $6,744 — the lowest in 30 years. The improvement in 2016 was supported by higher crop yields and a decrease in crop production input and machinery costs, according to data from the Kansas Farm Management Association’s (KFMA’s) annual summary of member farms.
Not all Kansas farms are KFMA members, but the annual summary can be helpful in identifying trends in agriculture across the state, said Kevin Herbel, KFMA executive director. The 2016 summary information is based on member data from 1,024 farms, including a range of operations such as dryland crop production to irrigated crop production to various types of livestock production businesses.
Prices for most commodities continued at subpar levels in 2016, Herbel said, but above-average crop yields per acre in many areas helped lead to greater value of farm production. That, coupled with a decrease in overall crop production and machinery expenses, contributed to the rise in net income.
Continue reading this K-State news release online.
CRI CEO Announces Retirement
Doug Wilson, CEO of Cooperative Resources International (CRI), will retire from the agricultural holding cooperative in August.
Wilson has spent 49 years in the artificial insemination (AI) industry, 39 with CRI. Early in his career, he worked in cattle genetics and came to Genex, part of CRI, as the vice president of genetic programs. Later, he took on the role of leading Genex domestic marketing, as well. In 1993, Wilson was named COO of Genex. Then, in March 2002, he was named CEO of CRI.
Under Wilson’s leadership, CRI grew by revenue and employees. CRI reported $189 million in revenue in 2016 and employs more than 1,350 people across the globe.
“Throughout my career, the changes at CRI and within the agricultural industry have been many and exciting,” states Wilson. “One of the greatest rewards has been to navigate those changes with an outstanding group of people — members, delegates, directors and employees included. Because of this dedicated team, I’m certain the best decade for this cooperative and its member owners is yet to come.”
World Angus Secretariat
Anyone who is planning to attend and has not booked accommodation for the World Angus Secretariat, I would like to suggest that you do this as soon as possible. We have a few rooms remaining in the Principal Hotel and the Roxburgh Hotel in Edinburgh, UK.
Those who have not confirmed attendance at the Secretariat must register by Wed., May 31, 2017. Find out more information on the website http://worldangusforum2017.com/.
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