Ag crime officer named arson ‘Investigator of the Year’

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — State Agricul-tural Crime Unit Officer Morris Rogers, a 14-year veteran of law enforcement, was recently recognized as the 2006 “Investigator of the Year” by the Tennessee Advisory Council on Arson (TACA).

“We have a team of dedicated law enforcement officers who are committed to protecting life and property in ways that may not be obvious to the average Tennessean,” said state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens. “Morris Rogers is a prime example of the caliber of investigator that we have in our Agricultural Crime Unit, and we’re proud that he has been chosen for this honor.”

Rogers was honored for his work last year in helping to solve numerous wildland arson cases in the southwestern portion of middle Tennessee. He was also instrumental in solving multiple radio tower burglaries that briefly shut down emergency communications for several state law enforcement and public service agencies in Perry County last July and August.

Rogers has been an investigator with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) Agricultural Crime Unit (ACU) since 2003. The ACU specializes in investigating criminal activity affecting rural areas such as wildland arson and livestock theft, and it supports the regulatory programs of the department involving chemicals, animal and plant health, and food safety.

Prior to joining TDA, Rogers served as chief of police in New Johnsonville, Tenn. He served with the Benton County Sheriff’s Department from 1993-2001 as a K-9 officer and chief criminal investigator. He also served on the Drug Task Force in Benton County.


Ohio producers join ASI committees and councils

 COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Sheep Improvement Association is the Ohio membership organization representing Ohio Sheep Producers. The American Sheep Industry (ASI) is the national organization representing state organizations in sheep-related issues.

Each year, several committees and councils are appointed to lead ASI. Ohio members who will represent Ohio over the next several months at the national level include the following people:
Producer, Education, and Research Council: Susan Shultz, Logan County sheep producer, and Dr. Paul Kuber, Ohio State University Animal Sciences Department.

Animal Health Committee: Tim Barnes, Delaware County sheep producer, and Dr. Bill Shulaw, OSU Department of Preventative Veterinary Medicine.

Lamb Council:  Don Hawk, Knox County sheep producer and Cynthia Koonce, Columbiana County sheep producer.
Goat Committee: Cheryl Miller, Wood County sheep and goat producer.

Genetics Stakeholders Committee: Bill Shultz, Logan County sheep producer.

Predator Management Committee: Nancy Cessna, Wood County sheep producer.

Prescribed Grazing Committee: Bob Hendershot, Pickaway County sheep producer and USDA grasslands specialist.

Legislative Action Council: Jim Percival, Greene County sheep producer and Steve Wickersham, Marion County sheep producer.
For more information about the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, visit www.ohiosheep.org

LeCompt named Kentucky’s certified USDA beef grader

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Bobby LeCompt completed six weeks of training to become the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) first USDA-certified beef grader.

According to Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, KDA has worked out a contractual agreement with USDA that allows KDA to offer this service in Kentucky. LeCompt works for KDA’s Division of Value-Added Animal and Aquaculture Production.

LeCompt travels to USDA-inspected processing plants and grades beef hanging in their freezers based on the amount of marbling present, which adds flavor, the age of the animal and the overall quality of the meat. He stamps one of three grades on the carcass: “prime,” or the best; “choice,” the intermediate grade; and “select,” a leaner alternative.

Small family producers whose beef is USDA quality-graded can market their beef as a grain- or grass-fed, locally-raised, high-value product. That enables them to make more money and better compete with high-volume producers. Until now, small producers in Kentucky had to pay high prices to get graders to come from other states to grade their beef.

Hannon selected to judge national Simmental show

DENVER, Colo. — The National Western Stock Show, American Simmental Association and Colorado Simmental Association board of directors have selected Neil Hannon of Valparaiso, Ind., to judge the open Simmental breeding show at the 2008 National Western Stock Show.

National Western’s Simmental show will run Jan. 22-23, 2008. A prominent cattle breeder who has judged more than 300 county, state and national shows throughout North America, Hannon also judged the 2007 National Western Simmental junior breeding heifer show. He has been raising registered Angus cattle since 1957, registered Simmental cattle since 1976 and embryo transfers since 1981. Hannon will host his 40th annual calf sale Sept. 29 at his Indiana farm.

A graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, Hannon serves as the chief probation officer for the Porter County Circuit and Superior Courts.


UK swine nutritionist receives national acclaim

LEXINGTON, Ky. — For decades, Gary Cromwell has loaned his swine nutrition expertise to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Recently, Cromwell received a national award for his efforts in teaching and research.

The National Hog Farmer magazine named Cromwell as the 2007 Master Swine Nutritionist, a prestigious award that recognizes the nation’s best in the swine industry.

Cromwell made his way to Kentucky in 1967 after accepting an assistant professorship. He is the leader of UK’s Swine Research Group. He’s active in teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in swine nutrition and management, and he also serves as the coordinator for the UK Feed Processing Center.

Cromwell’s research emphasis is in mineral bioavailability and requirements, amino acid requirements, evaluation of feed ingredients, modifying diets to make manure more environmentally friendly and efficacy and safety of feed additives. He’s also been a big defender of the benefits of antibiotics for pigs.


Three ag innovators honored for their excellence

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (AgPR) — In an effort to recognize individual excellence in precision agriculture, the PrecisionAg Institute has announced the winners of its inaugural Award of Excellence.

The recipients of the 2007 PrecisionAg Award of Excellence are Dr. Arthur F. Lange, a leader in the creation and development of the Trimble Agriculture Division, which has helped make precision ag practical and affordable for many; Dr. Scott A. Shearer, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky; and Norm Teegardin, founder and CEO of Farm Works Software Co. and Farm Works Journal.