New Insights into Invasive Plant Management

By Ann Perry
February 3, 2012

Over a decade of research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has resulted in the development of a new matrix for invasive plant management. The model was created by scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Burns, Ore., and helps land managers recognize how rangeland degradation processes vary across landscapes. ARS is USDA's chief scientific research agency.

U.S. agriculture groups want to resolve the COOL dispute

Canadian Cattlemen's Association Action News

January 30, 2012

CCA President Travis Toews attended the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Meeting earlier this month where he had several opportunities to update Farm Bureau delegates on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel report on U.S. country of origin labeling law (COOL).

The discussions identified how the U.S. will be better off by eliminating the discrimination that COOL has created for Canadian and Mexican livestock imported into the U.S. Although COOL has not produced any quantifiable benefits for U.S. agriculture, it puts at least 9,000 U.S. meat processing jobs at risk though closure of excess processing capacity. Once U.S. packing facilities start closing, the U.S. livestock producers that rely on the closed facilities will be negatively impacted.

Also explored was the potential for Canada to take retaliatory action should the U.S. not comply with the WTO ruling. With Canada being such a huge importer of U.S. agricultural and prepared food products, the AFBF concluded that it is in the best interest of U.S. farmers and ranchers to resolve the COOL dispute as soon as possible and not delay a resolution through an appeal. The AFBF expressed this by passing a policy to, "support country of origin labeling that conforms with COOL parameters and meets WTO requirements."

Furthermore, AFBF directed its staff to "Encourage the USTR not to appeal the WTO ruling on COOL, but to go straight to a legislative resolution."

Full text:

http://www.cattle.ca/action-news/2012/01-30-12.html

Got Broadband? Building Businesses on Rural Broadband Investments Dec 14th

Follow this link and the instructions in the left bar to access the webinar.

https://rurdev.webex.com/rurdev/j.php?ED=166646542&UID=0&PW=NMmViNjNjYzc3&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

The Lemhi Link is On-Line

Click on the Image to Read the Table of Contents

Click Here to Read the Eighth Edition

Grower Supply Free Webinars

Join Growers Supply on December 10th at 12:00 PM EST for a 30 minute webinar to find out how Growers Supply can provide you with the best high tunnel system on the market today. Kathleen Osgood, one of our Senior National Account Managers and an authority on the NRCS High Tunnel program, will explain the benefits of purchasing a high tunnel through Growers Supply. She will be covering the costs of obtaining a system, how to get funding through your local NRCS office, and the advantages of owning one. Please note that registration is limited, so reserve your seat now. We hope you will be able to attend!

CLICK REGISTER HERE

National Beef Quality Audit Open Until Feb 6--Please take 10 minutes!!

Widespread response from cattle producers across the United States will continue to  provide a strong production sector voice in the results and strategy of the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA). To assure full opportunity for producers to participate we will keep the survey open until February 6, 2012. The survey can be taken online at http://www.cattlesurvey.com/ and requires less than 10 minutes to complete. Your help in asking producers to participate is greatly appreciated.

We need producer input for the following reasons:

Food Stamps for Cows? Or Reducing Winter Feed Costs in the Near Term.

By Charles Cheyney, Extension Educator

The agricultural economy is kind of crazy. Wheat and corn are sky-high and growers are plowing out forage and pasture crops to plant these cereals, driving up the price of hay and pasture. Some cow-calf operators who grow alfalfa hay have been seduced by the high alfalfa prices and are now trying to figure out how and what to feed their cows. And while, cow calf operators are receiving some of the highest prices for their calves that they can remember, they are still having some trouble making ends meet. Why? Because of winter feeding costs, which can make up as much as 50% of the cost of production of a calf. It is all about ENERGY. Energy for fuel. Energy for human food, and energy for livestock feed. So what is a cowboy to do?