HUNTINGTON, Ind. — Madison Riley from Goshen, Ind., a sophomore agriculture major at Huntington University, has been selected by the Agriculture Future of America (AFA) as one of its Campus Ambassadors for 2017-2018.

 

“We are proud of Madison for this honor she has received. It doesn’t surprise me that she has been chosen as AFA’s Campus Ambassador for HU, because she has been our ambassador already, representing Huntington University and its ag program in an exemplary fashion since we began offering courses,” said Dr. Raymond Porter, Director of the Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies.

 

“She has always been willing to go the extra mile and put in the extra work to succeed and to help our program succeed.”

 

AFA’s Campus Ambassadors are the student voice of the organization. In addition to providing feedback on programming, they also serve as a liaison between their campuses and AFA by promoting opportunities to their peers. Campus Ambassadors also share their experiences with AFA’s industry partners and participate in ongoing leader development training. Campus Ambassadors assist in pre-conference activities including on-site support and undergo media and communications training held in conjunction with the May meeting of the Student Advisory Team. A total of 57 applications were received from which 19 were chosen.

 

Some of the criteria that led to the selection of Student Ambassadors were AFA Leaders Conference participation, college agriculture major/career interest. community involvement, campus leadership, personal goals for AFA, year in school, in “good academic standing” at their university and results of the interview.

 

The student leaders will kick off their year April 6-8, when the students convene in Kansas City for training and to develop the 2017 Conference theme. Throughout this summer, the Student Advisory Team will visit corporate partners and potential partners of AFA, as well as develop plans for the 2017 Conference.

 

They will have opportunities to discuss various facets of agriculture and business with leaders from partner organizations.

These visits expand students’ understanding of agriculture and add value to Conference. 

For more information about AFA, visit www.agfuture.org

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ten college students were awarded the $1,500 CME Beef Industry Scholarships on Feb. 3  at the 2017 Cattle Industry Conventionand NCBA Trade Show. The scholarship was sponsored by the CME Group and administered by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF). Taylre Sitz of Bozeman, Mont., was the overall essay winner.

 

“We cannot emphasize enough how grateful we are for the continuous support from CME for Beef Industry Scholarships to provide financial assistance for future beef leaders,” said John Lacey, chair of NCF Board of Trustees. “Each year we are impressed with the caliber of students that apply for these scholarships.”

 

In addition to the $1,500 scholarship, Taylre Sitz received a trip to Nashville, Tenn., for the 2017 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, where she was recognized at the Best of Beef Awards Breakfast. Sitz attends Montana State University, where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in animal science, as well as a minor in business administration. She is enrolled in the pre-veterinary program with plans to become a large animal veterinarian.

 

 

•Thor Burnside, Fort Hays State University, Talala, Okla.

•Cole Grisham, West Texas A&M University, Van Vleck, Texas

•Emily Ivey, Land Lake College, Loudon, Tenn.

•Abby Marion, University of Florida, Deltona, Fla.

•Garrett Nichols, Iowa State University, Marshalltown, Iowa

•Dan Johnson, Kansas State University, Dillion, Mont.

•Shelby Schiefelbein, Texas A&M University, Kimball, Minn.

•Madison Slaven, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

•Rachel Waggie, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan.

 

To learn more about scholarship opportunities and additional youth support from the NFC, visit www.nationalcattlemensfoundation.org

 

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A new study by researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture will evaluate pastures to document how management of native grasslands may enhance soil biodiversity and contribute to producer profitability.

 

The four-year, $375,000 study is being funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and will be led by Patrick Keyser, director of the UT Center for Native Grasslands Management, a program within the UT Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries. Keyser will work with a large transdisciplinary team of UTIA scientists including an entomologist, plant and animal scientists, a soils expert, and economists.

 

Planting winter annual cover crops has been the focus of efforts to improve soil health and agricultural productivity; however, Keyser says the nutrient dynamics of native grasses in forage settings in the humid eastern U.S. have received little attention from the scientific community. “Pastures cover nearly 48 million acres across the eastern U.S., but the comparative lack of data on the potential of native grass forage to improve soil health makes this study imperative,” he said.

 

“We will examine how to optimize fertility and cover crop management strategies for low-input, highly nutrient-efficient grass species that are native to the region including switchgrass, big bluestem and eastern gamagrass,” Keyser said. He and his colleagues believe that the large amount of below-ground organic matter produced by these species’ extensive root systems creates the foundation for a vibrant micro-invertebrate community that in turn enhances the environment for both free-living soil bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizae.

  

“This rich soil biodiversity can improve productivity, thus forming a self-reinforcing feedback loop fostering healthier and more productive agro-grasslands,” Keyser adds.

 

 

URBANA, Ill. — The Illinois Performance Tested Bull sale was the lead-off event of the 2017 Illinois Beef Expo on Feb. 23 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. The sale averaged $3,400 on 54 lots.

 

“This sale continues to be one of the best sources for total performance genetics in the Midwest,” says Travis Meteer, IPT sale manager. “During the past 49 years, the sale has sold 4,717 bulls valued at over $8.4 million.”

 

There were three breeds represented in the 2017 sale: Angus, Simmental and Polled Hereford. Travis Meteer, IPT sale manager, said a senior Simmental bull was the top seller, selling for $6,500. The bull, DAF Cadillac Style C4, was sold by Diamond A Farms, from Altamont, Ill., to Lukach Cattle, Grand Ridge, Ill.

 

The top-selling Angus bull was consigned by Kramer Farms, Keith and Brady Kramer. He was the high-indexing Angus bull in the sale. He sold for $5,500 to Chris Bruns, from Carthage, Ill. Other high sellers included Lot 43, consigned by Osborne Simmentals, which sold for $5,300 to Eugene Stufflebeam of Lewistown, Ill.

 

Three Angus bulls tied for the second-high selling Angus bull at $4,700. Lot14 and Lot 18 were consigned by Murphy’s Angus LLP and were selected by Charles Hunt, Oakford, Ill., and Lukach Cattle, Grand Ridge, respectively.

 

Evans Angus consigned Lot 31, who also sold for $4,700 to Dusty Farms, Rushville, Ill.

 

Arlyn Rabideau consigned the two high-selling (and also high-indexing) Hereford bulls. Rabideau’s Lot 66 brought $3,000 and Lot 63 brought $3,000 as well. Travis Hagen selected Lot 66. Triple J Farms, Shumway, Ill., took home Lot 63.

 

Producers interested in viewing a breakdown of all the prices can visit the IPT Bull Sale website at www.IPTBull-Sale.com. Also included on this site are the individual bull prices from the 2017 sale and the numbers and averages from the previous 48 sales.

 

Seed-stock breeders interested in consigning to the 2018 IPT Bull Sale should contact Travis Meteer at 217-430-7030 or wmeteer2@illinois.edu to request a copy of the rules and regulation and nomination form. Nominations need to be made by Dec.15 for the 2018 sale.

 

 

CRYSTAL, Mich. — Bulls graduating from the 29th Annual MCA-MSU Bull Evaluation Program were sold Saturday, March 18, in Crystal, Mich. The sale averaged $3,240 on 61 lots.

 

The highest-indexing and highest selling bull was an Angus bull, Lot 23; EvAF Resistol 619, a son of EXAR Resistol 3710B consigned by Eastview Angus Farm LLC of Corunna, Ind. He sold for $6,000 to Rappette Family Farm of Cornel,

Mich.

 

The second-high selling bull was Lot 81; PSFD4, a Simmental bull sired by WS All-Around Z35 consigned by Plank Simmental Farm of Crystal, Mich., that sold for $5,700 to Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich.

 

Other high-selling lots included Lot 88 consigned by Plank Simmental Farm and sold for $5,100 to Springbrook Farms of Carson City; Lot 26 consigned by KB Angus who sold for $5,000 to Anthony Mieske of Linwood; and Lot 43 consigned by Bordner Farms LLC who sold for $5,000 to Otsego Farms of Kalamazoo. Breed results were as follows: 37 Angus bulls averaged $3,276; 23 Simmental and Simmental Hybrid bulls averaged $3,204; and one Red Angus bull sold for $2,800.

 

Breeders interested in consigning to the 2018 MCA-MSU Bull Evaluation should contact the Michigan Cattlemen’s Assoc. at 517-347-8117 or visit the program’s website www.MIBulls.com for details. The next evaluation will begin in October, with nominations accepted until Sept. 1.

 

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is well represented among the leadership of the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA). Scott Senseman, professor and head of UT’s Department of Plant Sciences, will serve as the organization’s president-elect in 2017, while Larry Steckel, professor, Plant Sciences, will serve as vice president.

 

WSSA is a national scientific society that promotes research, education, and extension outreach activities concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The Society publishes three professional journals (Weed Science, Weed Technology, and Invasive Plant Science and Management) and provides science-based information to the public and government policy makers. Their membership is composed of scientists from around the globe.

 

Senseman and Steckel assumed their positions at the WSSA annual meeting,

held in February 2017 in Tucson, Ariz.

 

 

TUCKER, Ga. — USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation are accepting nominations through July 1 for the Charles Beard Research Excellence Award. The goal of this award is to recognize outstanding completed research projects, funded by USPOULTRY or the USPOULTRY Foundation, which have made a significant positive impact on the poultry industry. The nominee may be recognized for multiple completed USPOULTRY research projects, all focused on the same subject area.

 

Nominations can be accepted from the universities and research institutions that conduct poultry research, as well as from anyone in the research community or any USPOULTRY member, staff and sponsored committee. Self-nominations are also allowed. Nominations should focus on research projects completed within the past five years but may include projects completed at an earlier time if a project’s impact has only recently become recognized.

 

To submit a nomination, please send a letter to Dr. John Glisson (jglisson@uspoultry.org), vice president of research, which includes the nominee’s name, a brief description of the nominee’s research accomplishments and the impact of the research.