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Check your runoff after rain storms
With the wet weather we’ve had this past month in Iowa, it might be a good time to check the run-off from your cattle yard. Small feedlots can use a tool developed by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Here’s a video to explain the tool.
More information is available from Extension.
County Extension Offices which have the water quality testing kits are Allamakee, Buena Vista, Carroll, Cherokee, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Delaware and Dubuque.
Also, Floyd, Johnson, Lyon, Mitchell, O'Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Pottawattamie –East, and Story.
Cattlemen at the Capitol event attracts 75 members, serves 750
Iowa cattlemen showed up in Des Moines for the Cattlemen at the Capitol event held April 24. Those that attended the event spent time in the morning visiting with legislators about Beginning Farmer legislation, and funding for Iowa State University Extension and the Ag Experiment Stations. During the noon hour, the Johnson and Madison County Cattlemen fired up their grills and served state workers who came out to the west courtyard to grab a sandwich. This gave producers an opportunity to talk with more Iowan about beef production.
In the afternoon, a group of young cattle producers met with Governor Terry Branstad when he signed the May Beef Month proclamation.
2013 YCLP class named
Twenty-six young cattle producers are part of the 2013 Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP), which kicked off activities in mid-March. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association program is designed to develop leadership qualities in young producers.
This year’s YCLP members are: Garrett Ballard, Green Mountain (Marshall County); Danny Beckman, Danville (Des Moines); Erin Bradford, Casey (Guthrie); Laura Bro, Montour (Tama); Joel Broich, Alta (Buena Vista); Dawn Butzer, Alcester, SD; Kevin Cordray, Nevada (Story County); and Nick Echard, Farmersburg (Clayton County).
Also, Kyle Fischer, Minden (Pottawattamie); Tara Gray, Toledo (Tama); Christopher Hosch, Cascade (Jones); and David Laubenthal, Wesley (Kossuth); Gatlin Leytham, Garwin, (Tama); and Adam Ledger, Brighton (Jefferson); Kristin Liska, Wayne, NE (ISU student); and Erika Lundy, Fontanelle (Adair County).
Finally, Adam Manternach, Cascade (Jones); Dan Martin, Bernard (Dubuque); Thom Miller, Winfield (Henry); Mitch Sieren, Harper (Keokuk); Steve Van Voorst, Sioux Center (Sioux); Jennifer Wicks, Rockford (Floyd); and Ryan Zitelman, Strawberry Point (Clayton)
YCLP is sponsored by ICA with funding provided by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation and members of the ICA President’s Council.
ICA 2013 policy
Members of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association adopted policy at their annual meeting in December 2012 that supports improvement in infrastructure for farmers, protecting animal health, and providing information and transparency to consumers.
“We are adopting policies that are level-headed,” said
incoming ICA President Ed Greiman of Garner. “We’re headed in the right
direction.”
ICA's 2013 Policy Book includes policy positions adopted at the meeting, along with those still in effect from previous years.
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ICA Tama bull sale is tops for the season; heifers set record
At the final sale of the season for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Bull Evaluation Program, the average price of 68 bulls sold at Tama Livestock Auction on May 3 was $3,043. That is the highest average of the three sales ICA holds during the spring; and it was the second highest historically. Last year’s sale at the Tama produced the highest ever average sale price, which was $3,420. The ICA BEP sales have been held since 1985.
The price of open heifers at the 2013 Tama sale was the highest average ever. The 49 heifers averaged $1,639. The program for ICA’s performance evaluated heifers was established in 1999, and heifers are sold only during the Tama Livestock auction.
Read more about the sale and check out photos of some of the Lots, too.
You can also read more about the other top-selling bulls at Dunlap and at Bloomfield.
Iowa's Best Burger winner selected; it's in SE Iowa
The “crown” for Iowa’s Best Burger in 2013 goes to the 61 Chop House Grille
in Mediapolis, where they serve the Angus Black Crown Burger, a hit
whether you are looking for “juicy and flavorful” beef or have a fun
upscale burger in mind.
The Angus Black Crown Burger was specifically created t o
enter this year’s Iowa Best Burger contest, say chef Terry Reis and his
wife Lori Denney. Iowa’s Best Burger starts with a fresh 8-ounce CAB
(Certified Angus Beef) patty that is char-broiled to medium. The other
ingredients combine to show off the distinctive beef flavor, Reis says.
“I really thought about the simplicity of this burger as I developed the recipe.”
This
is the fourth year of the Iowa Best Burger contest. During this year’s
contest, more than 6,320 nominations were received. Those nominations
named 349 Iowa restaurants in 170 Iowa communities.
To learn more about the contest, visit the Iowa Beef Industry Council website.
Upcoming Events
June 11 Carcass Challenge Awards Dinner
June 12 Summer Policy Conference
June 24 Beef Master's Open, Lake Panorama
June 25-26 Iowa Grazing Conference
July 22-26 Beef Business Connections Low-Stress Cattle Handling, Training and Demonstrations
Aug. 5 Beef Master's Open, Shellsburg
ICA mission, strategic plan
ICA’s mission is ‘Grow Iowa’s beef business through advocacy, leadership and education.’
The strategic priorities and the goals of each are:
Represent ICA Members
Goal: Be the definitive voice of the Iowa beef industry.
Have a Legislative and Regulatory Presence
Goal: Influence the outcome of government actions to the most positive outcome for cattle producers.
Support Leadership Development of Members
Goal: Strengthen the leadership capacity of ICA members with a special emphasis on developing young leaders.
Provide Staff Support to County Affiliates
Goal: Develop tools and training for county affiliates to effectively implement local activities.
Review Governance Structure
Goal: Assure association governance is representative of
members while maintaining effective and efficient operations.
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