News Update
March 9, 2016
Iowa Family Honored for Historic Angus Herd
Oscar Swanson was so pleased with the performance of his son’s Angus steer 4-H project in 1946 that it led to the family selling their dairy herd to get their start in the Angus cattle business. His oldest son, Glen, continues that tradition today on the farm in eastern Iowa.
To recognize their longstanding dedication to the Angus breed, the American Angus Association is proud to name Swanson Angus as a Historic Angus Herd. The award is presented to Angus breeders or immediate families who have been in continuous production of registered-Angus cattle for 50 years or more.
Swanson Angus’ foundation cattle were purchased from Griff Norton, a partner in Wilton Angus Farms of Wilton Junction, Iowa. When Oscar purchased the Angus cows, his second son, Donald, was just starting in 4-H. They decided to officially name their operation the Glen-Don Angus Farm, and by 1950 they were selling registered-Angus cattle throughout Iowa.
Read more in the full Angus news release online.
United States and Canadian Cattle Inventory Up 3%
All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined totaled 104 million head on Jan. 1, 2016, up 3% from the 101 million head on Jan. 1, 2015. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 44.4 million head, were up 2% from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in the United States as of Jan. 1, 2016, totaled 92.0 million head, 3% above the 89.1 million head on Jan. 1, 2015. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.6 million head, were up 3% from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in Canada as of Jan. 1, 2016, totaled 12.0 million head, up slightly from the 11.9 million on Jan. 1, 2015. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 4.79 million, were up slightly from a year ago.
For more information, please view the full NASS release online.
Groups Oppose CME Group’s Discount Plan
In comments sent March 8, the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) and the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA) jointly urged the CME Group to withdraw its plan to impose a seasonal discount of $1.50 per hundredweight (cwt.) on all cattle tendered for delivery at Worthing, S.D., pursuant to the CME Group’s October live-cattle futures contract.
The CME Group recently announced its intention to change its live-cattle futures contract specifications. The CME Group asserted its proposed financial discount on cattle deliveries to Worthing would “achieve a more equal distribution of cattle deliveries across multiple delivery points.” The deadline for public comments initially set for March 7 has been extended to March 21.
In its own analysis, the CME Group determined that more than 50% of all loads of cattle delivered since August 2009 were delivered to Worthing, which is the northern-most delivery point among the CME Group’s 13 centrally located delivery points between Texas and South Dakota.
For more information, please view the full release online.
Leadership Changes for FDA’s Foods and Veterinary Medicine Program
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael Taylor announced March 8 that he is leaving the agency on June 1, 2016. As part of a succession plan that ensures both continuity in the program and strong new leadership for the future, Stephen Ostroff will become the second Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine upon Taylor’s departure. Ostroff led the FDA as acting commissioner until the recent confirmation of Robert Califf as FDA commissioner.
Taylor joined FDA in July 2009 and was named to this position in 2010. Since that time, he has led the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, the most sweeping food-safety reform in more than 70 years, and guided nutrition-related initiatives to reduce the risk factors for chronic disease and other adverse diet-related outcomes.
To read more, please view the full FDA news release online.
Grass Grower’s Gathering to Address Forage for Coastal Bend
With spring green-up thriving in south Texas, forage and livestock producers in the Coastal Bend area are invited to the Grass Grower’s Gathering to learn the latest in forage management practices, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists.
The gathering will be hosted from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 22 at the Johnny Calderon Building, 710 E. Main Street in Robstown. The fee is $20, which includes a catered lunch.
Three general Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be available for licensed pesticide applicators, according to Jason Ott, AgriLife Extension agent for Nueces County.
“Spring green-up is a critical time for forage production,” Ott said. “This is when winter weeds can rob forages of needed soil moisture and when a good fertility program can help us take advantage of any spring rains we may get.”
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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