Loose Ends

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The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association named the regional winners of its eighth annual Environmental Stewardship Award Program at the organization’s recent summer conference in Denver. The award honors cattle producers who use innovative practices to improve natural resources while maintaining or increasing the profitability of their business.

The winners include: Region I, Rally Farms, Millbrook, N.Y.; Region II, Poplar Hollow Farm, Brevard, N.C.; Region III, Greig and Co., Inc., Estherville, Iowa; Region V, Matador Cattle Company, Dillon, Mont.; Region, Ralph "Shorty" and Maxine Jones and Family Ranch, Midland, S.D.

A national winner will be selected from among these five regional winners and announced during the NCBA convention in Charlotte, N.C., Feb. 10-14, 1999.

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Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board directors during their summer board meeting in Denver approved a $45 million budget for Fiscal Year 1999 and a plan to reapportion the board to reflect U.S. cattle distribution.

The proposed budget includes funding for programs to be implemented October 1, 1998 to September 30, 1999 in the following areas: promotion $22,925 million; research $4.9 million; consumer information $5.9 million; industry information $2.325 million; foreign marketing $5.05 million; producer communications $1.125 million; evaluation $150,000; and program development $125,000.

In addition to the program budget, the Beef Board approved a $250,000 budget for USDA oversight expense and set its administrative budget at $2.25 million or five percent of projected revenues.

Board members also approved a plan to recommend that USDA redistribute board seats based on geographic distribution of cattle inventories. This periodic reapportionment is required by the Beef Promotion and Research Act to assure fair regional representation on the Beef Board. In summary the plan would give one seat each to Nevada and Oregon, but eliminate the two seats now assigned to the "Western Region;" reduce representation in the "Northwest Region" from two seats to one; increase Kansas seats from six to seven; reduce Missouri seats from five to four; increase Nebraska seats from six to seven; and reduce Texas seats from 15 to 14. Other state or regional representations would be unchanged. In addition, importers would continue to hold seven seats, based on current import levels.

The Beef Promotion and Research Act and Order provides for one Beef Board representative in each state with 500,000 cattle and another Board member for each one million additional cattle. States with less then 500,000 head are grouped in regions with other states to ensure representation for producers in all states.

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Another federal court has denied an appeal by Jerry Goetz challenging the beef checkoff and has affirmed a lower district court decision that the Beef Promotion and Research Act was validly enacted and is legal.

The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on July 10 upheld all aspects of the ruling from the United States District Court for Kansas, virtually ending future actions by Goetz, a feedlot operator and order buyer from Park, Kansas. Goetz had contended that the checkoff was unconstitutional, claiming it violated his first amendment rights, was an unfair tax, compels him to support advertising that promotes beef consumption, and unfairly burdens producers, importers and collecting persons.

In its ruling, the Circuit Court said the Act does not suppress or restrict Goetz’ speech, calling his First Amendment claim "fruitless" based on recent Supreme Court rulings on commodity checkoffs. The beef checkoff merely requires an assessment to fund the promotion of a commodity that he markets, the Court declared.

It also affirmed that since regulation is the primary purpose of the Act, it could not be considered a tax, even though revenue was generated. Furthermore, the Court agreed with a ruling on a similar case in Pennsylvania that Congress had several national bases for enactment of the Act and requiring participation by beef producers.

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The Texas Ranch Roundup in which 10 of Texas’ most historic cattle ranches will compete is set for August 14-16 in Wichita Falls.

Ranches participating this year are the R.A. Brown Ranch, Bridwell Ranches, Burnett Ranches, Johnson Ranches, Moorhouse Ranch Co., Nail Ranch, Pitchfork Land & Cattle Co., Quien Sabe Ranch, Spade Ranches and W.T. Waggoner Estate.

Additional information is available from (940) 322-0771.

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Curtis Ray "Curt" Lancaster was named the "1998 Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture" by the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association.

The veteran newscaster has served the agricultural community of Texas since taking what he termed his "dream job" with Roddy Peeples’ Voice of Southwest Agriculture Radio Network in 1981. The position allowed Lancaster to follow two of his greatest loves: agriculture and radio broadcasting. When Peeples sold VSA Radio Network to Clear Channel Communications in October 1995, Lancaster was named general manager of the 62-plus station network.

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The 1998 Big Country Wheat Conference is set for August 20 in Abilene’s Civic Center. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., the program at 8:50 a.m. Conference participants are eligible to earn four and a half CEUs.

Topics to be discussed include: wheat price outlook, NPK price outlook; marketing forage options; wheat response to grazing; update on variety information; establishing a wheat stand; prevalent diseases of the Plains; insect management on wheat; fertility management of wheat; herbicide resistance; and the role of biotechnology in small grains.

Registration by August 14 is $5. Late registrants will be charged $15 at the door. More information is available from the Taylor County Extension Office at (915) 672-6048.

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The Southern Plains Beef Symposium is set for August 8 at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Participants will hear topics addressing veterinary products and practices; year-round cattle management and nutrition; feed alternatives, costs and value; feed grain outlook; competing demand from pork and poultry; profitable beef production in the new millennium; and a producer panel.

A $15 registration fee is due by August 3. More information is available from the Noble Foundation at (580) 223-5810 or the Cooperative Extension Service at (580) 223-6570.

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A group of investors, Vaca Brava Investors Ltd., engaged in cattle ranching and cattle trading, has purchased the commission livestock sales business in Belen, New Mexico, and will move it to a new auction facility in Los Lunas, 10 miles north in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Angelo State University’s registered Angus cattle herd, located at San Angelo, has been designated a Historic Angus Herd by the American Angus Association.

The Historic Angus Herd designation is made by the American Angus Association to owners of herds that have been in the continuous production of registered Angus cattle by the same family (or entity, in this case) for 50 years or more.

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