Senators Agree With NCBA: No Beef, No Deal
Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) all said this week that they will vote "no" on the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement because the beef access issue remains unresolved.
Senate Finance Chairman Baucus called the agreement "an entirely unacceptable outcome" and said he would block congressional consideration of the deal unless Korea lifts its ban on U.S. boneless and bone-in beef.
Senator Conrad serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees farm and ranch policy, and the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees trade. Conrad said he, too, would continue to resist the agreement. "The truth is, this is a lousy deal, one that continues to fail ranchers in North Dakota and across the nation," said Conrad.
Senator Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, said the absence of an agreement to remove Korea's ban on U.S. beef was "problematic" and he called Korea's beef ban "not scientifically justified." Grassley said, "The fact is U.S. beef is safe. Millions of consumers enjoy it every day. The political reality in Congress is that no matter the benefits, this agreement is dead on arrival until the beef issue gets resolved."
Nelson, who sits on the House Ag Committee, said, "There is still no deal on the beef issue, so in my mind, there is no trade agreement."
NCBA will continue to generate key support for including market access to Korea as part of a trade agreement. - NCBA
NRCS Seeks Conservation Easement Proposals
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced this week that nearly $70 million is available to protect agricultural land nationwide through the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) in fiscal year 2007. The NRCS will accept proposals through April 27th from groups interested in working together to acquire conservation easements. They are expected to announce final projects in June 2007.
FRPP
provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive
farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA
partners with State, tribal or local governments and non-governmental
organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from
landowners. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value of
the conservation easement.
To qualify, farmland must: be part of a pending offer from a State, tribe, or
local farmland protection program; be privately owned; have a conservation plan
for highly erodible land; be large enough to sustain agricultural production; be
accessible to markets for what the land produces; have adequate infrastructure
and agricultural support services; and have surrounding parcels of land that can
support long-term agricultural production. Proposals must be submitted by the
eligible entities to the appropriate NRCS State Office during the application
window. For more information online, go to:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp. - Information provided by
NCBA
Beef Improvement Federation Symposium to be held in June
The 2007 Beef
Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Research Symposium and Meeting is June 6-9
at the Hilton Fort Collins in Fort Collins, CO.
BIF was founded 40 years ago as a means to standardize programs and methodology
-- and to create greater awareness, acceptance and usage -- of beef cattle
performance concepts. This year's meeting features opportunities for producer
input on guiding the future of genetic evaluation and genetic improvement of the
U.S. beef herd, as well as becoming informed about the field's latest research
findings and progress.
The meeting kicks off the evening of June 6 with a National Association of
Animal Breeders symposium examining "40 Years of Beef A.I." The Thursday session
begins at 8 a.m. with a look back at BIF history, before moving into the day's
focus of "Performance programs at a crossroads." Among the day's topics are:
"Who benefits and who pays from genetic improvement," "Are beef genetics
research, education and Extension relevant?" "Does the seedstock industry focus
on the needs of the commercial cow-calf producer?" and "Defining the ideal beef
animal -- how will we get there?"
Friday's morning program will tackle the theme: "Challenges to conventional
wisdom." Topics to be explored include: "Can we build the ideal animal?" "Why
haven't we seen an improvement in quality grade?" and "Are there benefits to
using DNA markers?" Lunch and committee meetings will make up the afternoon
program.
To learn more about the conference agenda, visit:
www.beefimprovement.org/2007_BIF_Program.pdf.
- Joe
Roybal, BEEF Cow-Calf Weekly
Hereford Juniors Encouraged to Get Applications and Contest Entries in Soon
The John Wayne Memorial Scholarship, Junior Golden Bull Award and Prospect Award applications are due May 1. Several other applications and entries are due in June and July, including photography contest submissions. Visit the National Junior Hereford Association Web site for more information and contact your state advisor for applications.
Download applications and forms:
John Wayne Memorial Scholarship application
Junior Golden Bull Award application
Photography contest entry form
- Information provided by the American Hereford Association
Angus Enthusiasts Gear Up for the 2007 National Junior Angus Show
May 15 is
Ownership and Entry Deadline
Angus youth
should plan now for the 2007 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) July 1-7 in
Tulsa, Okla. The Oklahoma and Arkansas Angus and junior Angus associations will
host “The American Dream.” The weeklong event features the largest single-breed
beef cattle show in the world, with more than 1,000 head of cattle exhibited by
National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members ages 9-21 years old.
Youth will compete for top prizes in several divisions within the cattle show, including bred-and-owned heifers, bulls and cow-calf pairs; and owned heifers, cow-calf pairs and steers. The opportunity to enter steers in a carcass division also exists.
In addition to the cattle show, numerous educational competitions take place during the week. Contests allow the juniors to showcase their skills outside of the showring and include prepared and extemporaneous public speaking, quiz bowl, team sales, team fitting, livestock judging, photography, posters, creative writing, and graphic design. Another feature of the week is the American Angus Auxiliary-sponsored All-American Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) Cook-Off.
Along with the cattle shows and competitions, a fitting and clipping clinic will be conducted and six members will be elected to the NJAA Board of Directors at the NJAA annual meeting.
Exhibitors and contestants at the NJAS must be NJAA members and be 9 years old, but not yet 21, by Jan. 1, 2007, to compete in the activities. The ownership and entry deadline is May 15, which is earlier than in past years. No late entries are accepted.
For more information about the 2007 NJAS or junior Angus programs, click here to download a story from the May Angus Journal that describes the contests, log on to www.njas.info or www.njaa.info, or contact the Junior Activities Department at 816-383-5100.
- American Angus Association
Missouri Cattlemen's Update
Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Offers Disaster Relief Program
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Board of Directors yesterday approved a disaster relief funding package for Missouri cattle producers affected by winter storms. The disaster relief program, which is funded by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, will provide reimbursement for qualifying items to cattle producers in counties declared a federal disaster area. Qualifying items include fencing supplies, generators and chainsaws used to repair damages incurred during winter ice and snow storms. The Disaster Relief program guidelines are as follows:
November 30, 2006:
Boone, Cole, Greene, Iron, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Washington, or St. Louis County.
January 12, 2007:
Barry, Barton, Callaway, Camden, Christian, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, McDonald, Miller, Moniteau, Newton, Osage, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Louis, Stone, Warren, Webster, Wright, Bates, Benton, Boone, Cedar, Cooper, Douglas, Henry, Iron, Jefferson, Lincoln, Montgomery, Morgan, Taney, Texas, Vernon, or Washington County.
Fencing Supplies, Generator or Chainsaw
The Disaster Relief Program is available to all cattle producers in the counties listed above. Applications for the disaster relief program are available on the MCA website, www.mocattle.com, by calling MCA at (888) 499-9162, or from your local county cattlemen’s association. To qualify, applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2007. Disaster relief funds are a result of donations from individuals, associations, businesses and foundations to the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Missouri Cattlemen's Association seeks Executive Vice President
The Missouri Cattlemen's Association is looking for an aggressive individual to serve as Executive Vice President. The individual should be knowledgeable of the beef industry. The individual will be responsible for overall management of all association activities. Strong communication skills are a must. Association and government affairs experience is a plus.
Individual must have the willingness to travel and to support the interests of a member-driven organization.
Interested individuals should send cover letter and resume, by May 1, 2007, to:
Missouri Cattlemen's Association
Merrel Breyer
2306 Bluff Creek Drive
Columbia, MO 65201
Calendar of Events
April 12 Warren County Cattlemen – Warrenton Firehouse, 6:30 p.m.
April 12 Polk County Cattlemen – Smith’s Restaurant, 7:00 p.m.
April 13 Johnson County Cattlemen – Johnson County Fair Grounds,
Cattlemen's Expo & Agri Trade Show, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
April 14 Tri-County Cattlemen – Shady Dell Community Center, Richland, 7:00 p.m.
April 19 Mid-Missouri Cattlemen Annual Meeting – Miller Co. Regional Stockyards, 6:30 p.m.
April 23 Macon County Cattlemen – Lolli Bros. Café, Macon, 7:00 p.m.
April 26 Newton County Cattlemen – Crowder College Ag Building, 7:00 p.m.
For more cattle industry events, visit www.mocattle.com/calendar.htm
The Fine Print
This newsletter is a publication of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. All rights reserved – this newsletter may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without permission of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Did someone forward this message to you? To subscribe yourself, send an email to cattleinfo@mocattle.com.
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If so, please contact McKenzie Disselhorst at (573) 499-9162 or mckenzie@mocattle.com.