Video Feature: Troy Hadrick-The Importance of Being an Advocate for Agriculture

Video Feature:  Troy Hadrick-The Importance of Being an Advocate for Agriculture –

Troy Hadrick why it is important to be a an advocate for agriculture. Troy works hard to make sure that he tells the story of ag to people across the United States.

BeefTalk: Thank You to the Brown Coverall Brigade

BeefTalk: Thank You to the Brown Coverall Brigade

Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service

There is always a good side to everything. Sometimes, knowing that life is good is sufficient.

Agriculture is a daily exchange with nature. Those involved in production agriculture know there are no short cuts. It takes a real hammer, nails and lumber to produce a real fence.

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Controlling Dust Controls E.coli

Controlling Dust Controls E.coli

Thebeefsite.com

Dr Mark Miller from the Department of Animal and Food Science at Texas Tech University told the convention’s Cattlemen’s College that studies looking into the cleanliness of the vehicles transporting the cattle to the abattoir showed no difference in the risk and liability for E.coli 0157 to be found on the production line.

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Beef Grades and The Bottom Line

Beef Grades and The Bottom Line

KBTX

Ranchers, like most businessmen, are constantly looking for ways to improve their bottom line. That’s one of the goal’s of Texas Agrilife Extension’s Beef 706 Course. Joe Brown has more in this week’s From The Ground Up.

"When you actually have the animal there in front of you and you’re able to work with the different cuts of meat, it’s an eye opening experience."

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Local Beef Producer Works to Reduce Carbon Hoof-Print

Local Beef Producer Works to Reduce Carbon Hoof-Print

Heather Hintze

KEZI

Don’t be surprised to see a 1900’s wagon loaded with beer and beef cruising the streets of Eugene on Saturday.  It’s part of Oregon Natural Meats launch to introduce their new, locally-produced beef.

Stephen Neel started Oregon Natural Meats to tap into the locavore market here in Eugene, using cattle raised locally on sustainable feed, to produce high-end beef in the Willamette Valley.

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Government policy top concern for U.S. cattle leader

Government policy top concern for U.S. cattle leader

Bob Burgdorfer

Reuters

Combating government regulations that could raise costs for already struggling U.S. cattle producers will be the top priority of the next president of the nation’s largest cattle group.

Cattle producers have been losing money for nearly two years and some may go out of business, but Steve Foglesong, who is set to become the next president of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said government policies on ethanol use and climate change could pose more serious problems for the industry.

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Cattle operators urged to come together

Cattle operators urged to come together

William Pack

San Antonio Express-News

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association activities are at

Under siege on several fronts, the cattle industry should embrace innovation, listen to consumers and eliminate internal squabbling to stay strong, panelists at a San Antonio conference said Thursday.

The 2010 Cattle Industry Convention, put on by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the American National CattleWomen and three other industry groups, drew close to 6,000 people to San Antonio.

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Stocker conference set Feb. 23-24

Stocker conference set Feb. 23-24

Southeast Farm Press

"The stocker phase of beef production fits the landscape for Tennessee and Kentucky as well as other areas throughout the area due to abundant supplies of forages providing efficient gains."

"Conditions Change, Management Makes the Difference" is the theme for the 2010 Mid-South Stocker Conference scheduled for Feb. 23 and 24 at the Montgomery Bell State Park near Dickson, Tenn.

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U.S. Cattle Herd Falls to 1958 Low as Losses Climb, Survey Says

U.S. Cattle Herd Falls to 1958 Low as Losses Climb, Survey Says

Whitney McFerron

Bloomberg News

The U.S. cattle herd may have shrunk to the smallest size since 1958, as mounting losses during the recession spurred beef and dairy producers to cull animals, analysts said.

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Cattlemen on Government Watch

Cattlemen on Government Watch

AgWeb.com

At the 2010 Cattle Industry Convention, cattlemen flocked to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Cattlemen’s College. Colin Woodall, NCBA executive director of legislative affairs, headlined an early producer session about government issues that will be affecting cattlemen this year.

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Licking County recognized by Ohio Cattlemen’s Association

Licking County recognized by Ohio Cattlemen’s Association

Newark Advocate

HILLIARD — The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association awarded three counties, including Licking, at the annual awards banquet Saturday at the Makoy Center in Hilliard.

OCA’s outstanding membership growth and communications county affiliate, and the winner of a $200 check, was the Licking County Cattlemen’s Association. This county affiliate’s membership has grown 24 percent in the past two years and the group fulfilled every membership goal set by OCA.

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Temple Grandin: A Life Devoted To Animals

Temple Grandin: A Life Devoted To Animals

WBUR-NPR

Dr. Temple Grandin has devoted much of her career to improving the treatment of livestock animals. Her advocacy for their improved conditions and handling has gained her an ardent following — her latest book Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals is now a bestseller and Claire Danes plays her in a soon-to-be-released HBO biopic.

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Use Practical Strategies in Case of an IRS Audit

Use Practical Strategies in Case of an IRS Audit

John Alan Cohan, Attorney at Law

Cattle Today

Excessive business deductions by livestock or general farmers, or horse owners–or for that matter, most any other business– trigger IRS audits. If you are audited in connection with any farming, livestock or horse activity, the IRS will usually start with one tax year and then look back or forward for other years to see the history of losses or profits.

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Adding Value To The Beef Carcass

Adding Value To The Beef Carcass

Thebeefsite.com

During education sessions at the Cattlemen’s College, Bridget Wasser, the NCBA director of product enhancement and Jim Ethridge, the NCBA director of new product industry partnership demonstrated the development of high value cuts from forequarter meat and also revealed new cuts that are being launched onto the market.

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Fight Frostbite

Fight Frostbite

Kindra Gordon

The Cattle Business Weekly

When winter is at its ugliest, wind chill temperatures of 20, 30 and even 40 degrees below Fahrenheit are not unheard of. And that is when the risk of frostbite becomes a serious concern for people and livestock.

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Video Feature: Mike Rowe Supporting Agriculture

Video Feature:  Mike Rowe Supporting Agriculture

This is an interview Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs did with Farm Broadcaster Orion Samuelson. Mike is a friend of agriculture and knows that some of the hardest working people are farmers. He would be a great spokesperson for the industry.

Indiana Livestock Industry Hit Hard by Inspection Cutbacks

Indiana Livestock Industry Hit Hard by Inspection Cutbacks

Gary Truitt

Hoosier AG Today

The State Board of Animal Health has announced a massive cutback in state inspections at slaughter and processing facilities. This is causing major problems for meat processors and Indiana livestock producers. The Governor’s Office has mandated a 50% cut in meat inspection at state inspected plants.

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Is Choice, Choice? And is Prime, Prime

Is Choice, Choice? And is Prime, Prime

Christopher R. Raines

Pennsylvania State University

A reader asked this fantastic question: is Choice beef (presuming the same cut, of course) from Bifteck Supérieure the same as Choice beef from Heartland Beef Systems? (of course I’m making up names…) The quick answer, in regard to the USDA grade associated with it, is:  Yes.

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President to Nominate New Food Safety Official

President to Nominate New Food Safety Official

Hoosier AG Today

President Obama has announced his intent to nominate Dr. Elisabeth Hagen as USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety. Dr. Hagen is currently USDA’s Chief Medical Officer, serving as an advisor to USDA mission areas on a wide range of human health issues. Prior to her current post, she was a senior executive at FSIS.

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A Myth of Grass-Fed Beef

A Myth of Grass-Fed Beef

JAMES MCWILLIAMS

New York Times

On the PBS website for the muckraking documentary King Corn—a film that roundly attacks industrial agriculture—the following declaration is made: “Before WW II, most Americans had never eaten corn-fed beef.” This claim, which has become a mantra in sustainable agriculture, is more often than not dispatched to rally support for grass-fed beef—a supposedly healthier and more environmentally sound way to feed cattle—which is to say, in accordance with the rhythms of nature rather than the time clock of industry.

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