A big congratulations to Dustin Focht, Stillwater, OK, who is the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion! Here’s a photo of Dustin. The Runner up Champion is Blaine Lotz from Edna, Kansas and the Reserve Champion is Brian Little from Wann, Oklahoma. We had a fantastic group of 31 contestants for this honor. It’s the Super Bowl of livestock auctioneering and …
LMA Convention/WLAC Kicks Off
The 2013 Annual Convention of the Livestock Marketing Association and 50th World Livestock Auctioneer Championship has kicked off here in Montgomery, AL. Alabama Governor Robert J. Bentley, welcomed attendees and talked about the importance of farmers. The Governor is pictured center with Mark Mackey, CEO, LMA on the left and Tim Starks, President, LMA on the right. I’ll be providing …
Livestock Marketing Time
It’s time for my first Livestock Marketing Association annual meeting and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. I’ll begin my coverage tomorrow with the opening general session and continuing through Saturday when the auctioneer championship competition ramps into high gear. I’ll be sharing lots of photos, interviews and other media content throughout the event. Taking a look ahead at the schedule, we’ll …
LMA 50th Convention & Auctioneer Championship
My first ever Livestock Marketing Association’s Annual Convention and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship looks to be a golden one in Montgomery, AL. I’ll not only be covering the event but will be participating in the judging. So plan to follow along with me as we plow new ground along the agriblogging highway. For half a century, the Livestock Marketing Association …
Reaction to COOL Decision
USDA has issued the final rule for mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), including an amendment to the regulations for muscle cut covered commodities derived from animals slaughtered in the United States. The decision pleased some livestock organizations, but disappointed others. “We are deeply disappointed with this short-sighted action by the USDA,”said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Scott George. …
Sequester Could Cause FSIS Inspector Furlough
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has shaken up the meat and poultry industry with his comments about how sequestration might impact agriculture during a speech to the National Ethanol Conference last week. Answering a question about funding for a farm bill, Vilsack talked more broadly about what might happen after March 1 if Congress fails to act and sequester creates automatic …
Centuries of Cattle Ranching Captured
The Florida Cattlemen’s Association has welcomed cattlemen and women from across the country this week at the 2013 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show with warm sunshine and a great sense of hospitality. Florida is celebrating 500 years of agriculture and beef production has a rich history here in the Sunshine State. The Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation has created a …
USFRA Announces Four Fresh Faces of Farming
The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) has announced four Faces of Farming & Ranching chosen from on-line voting and a panel of judges. The four represent a range of agricultural commodities including corn and soybeans, hogs, cattle, and dairy and they were chosen from nine finalists announced last month at the New York Food Dialogues. The winners will act …
Get Your MBA and Promote Beef Today
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Convention kicked off the morning with the popular Cattlemen’s College. NCBA’s Executive Director of Communications, Daren Williams, presented to the group on defending animal agriculture. We seem to always be fighting an up hill battle in the agriculture industry, so defending our passion and livelihood is vitally important. Beef has recently been under the spotlight and it …
EPA Denies Ethanol Waiver Request
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a petition by the governors of poultry producing states that would have waived the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its requirement for ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply. In its decision to deny the request, EPA said Friday that the RFS itself is not causing economic harm and that suspending the standard would …