Thursday, December 30, 2010

Grain Inspection Advisory Committee Reestablishment

Federal Register Volume 75, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 29, 2010)

Notices
Page 81965
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [http://www.gpo.gov/]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Grain Inspection Advisory Committee Reestablishment
AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.
ACTION: Notice to reestablish committee.
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture has reestablished the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the Advisory Committee is necessary and in the public interest.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Researchers Study Benefits of Barley as a Biofuel Crop

By Ann Perry

December 21, 2010
The benefits of using barley for bioenergy production don't stop at the gas pump, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) studies.

Scientists with USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that barley grain can be used to produce ethanol, and the leftover byproducts-barley straw, hulls, and dried distillers grains (DDGS)-can be used to produce an energy-rich oil called bio-oil. The bio-oil could then be used either for transportation fuels or for producing heat and power needed for the grain-to-ethanol conversion. ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency, and these results support the USDA priority of developing new sources of bioenergy.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Ranch Manager Postion at Research Station Available

Ranch Manager
Nancy M Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center
Open for Recruitment:
December 10, 2010 - Open until further notice
Announcement #: 16604058649
Salary Range: $40,000.00 + DOE + House
Full or Part Time: Full Time
Location: Salmon
Materials Required: Online Application (click to apply) Job References Letter of Qualification Resume

Application Procedures: To be considered, complete the online application including a letter of qualification that addresses the minimum and desireable qualifications, resume and a list of references. Review of application will begin January 3, 2011 and continue until a suitable applicant has been identified. Questions may be directed to John Hall at jbhall@uidaho.edu or (208) 756-2749.

Five Cattle Market Factors to Watch in 2011

COW/CALF CORNER
The Newsletter
From the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
December 13, 2010
Five Cattle Market Factors to Watch in 2011
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

Cattle prices across the board are expected to post year over year increases in 2011. Cattle prices are approaching record levels in several markets at the end of 2010 and will likely take cattle prices into uncharted waters in the coming year. Any number of external factors could impact cattle markets in the coming year but the following market factors are expected to have the biggest impact on market prices.

Monday, December 6, 2010

USDA Scientists Develop Recirculating Systems for Warm-Water Marine Fish

By Sharon Durham
December 2, 2010

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have developed water recirculating systems for warm-water marine fish that have a number of advantages over pond systems. Using recirculated water optimizes fish growth and reduces the incidence of pathogens and disease, conserves water and removes animal wastes. These systems can potentially provide a continuous supply of fresh, healthy fish to consumers near or far from coastal areas.

New prion discovery reveals drug target for mad cow disease and related illnesses

EurekAlert

December 1, 2010

The joy of a juicy hamburger could make a comeback thanks a new discovery by scientists from the University of Kentucky. In a new research report in the December 2010 print issue of The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org/), scientists found that a protein our body uses to break up blood clots speeds up the progress of prion diseases. This substance, called plasminogen, is a new drug target for prion diseases in both humans and animals.

Cattle Market Signals Become More Pronounced

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

If allowed to work freely, markets will provide whatever signals are needed to take care of any market situation. Right now, cattle markets are providing increasingly dramatic signals to address several needs in the industry. Cattle and beef markets across the board have jumped sharply in the past two weeks and both Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle futures prices suggest that we are in for an extended period of largely unprecedented cattle prices.