KABSU Open House – September 5
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Born 60 years ago from an idea by a former Kansas State University administrator, the Kansas Artificial Breeding Service Unit, also known as KABSU, will celebrate with an open house Sept. 5, 2009.
The event, scheduled from 9 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. will showcase a new KABSU facility located at 3171 Tuttle Creek Boulevard in Manhattan. A complimentary lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. with a short program starting at 1:15 p.m.
KABSU, which is based at K-State, provides bovine reproductive technologies, continuing education and research-based information to facilitate genetic improvement of cattle through artificial insemination. The unit collects, extends, processes, freezes and sells bull semen. Other services provided include sales of AI supplies, breeding soundness exams for bulls to be sold and consultation services.
KABSU was the brainchild of F.W. Atkeson, a professor and head of the K-State Dairy Department from 1935-1958. In 1949, the Kansas legislature appropriated $35,000 and another $10,000 was added by the university´s College of Agriculture, to establish KABSU.
USDA Announces Relief for Dairy Producers
Washington, D.C. – infoZine – Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced that the Obama Administration is taking immediate action to support struggling dairy farmers by increasing the amount paid for dairy products through the Dairy Product Price Support Program (DPPSP). USDA estimates show that these increases, which will be in place from August 2009 through October 2009, will increase dairy farmers’ revenue by $243 million.
“The Obama Administration is committed to pursuing all options to help dairy producers,” said Vilsack. “The price increase announced today will provide immediate relief to dairy farmers around the country and keep many on the farm while they weather one of the worst dairy crises in decades.”
The increase announced today will raise the price paid for nonfat dry milk from $0.80 per pound to $0.92 per pound, the price paid for cheddar blocks from $1.13 per pound to $1.31 per pound, and the price of cheddar barrels from $1.10 per pound to $1.28 per pound. This increase in the support price will have an immediate effect upon dairy farmers’ bottom line. Temporarily raising the price of these dairy products increases the price that dairy farmers receive for their milk.
Researchers train Egyptians on food safety
As food safety receives more and more national attention, K-State researchers and food safety experts are working hard to train and educate beyond U.S. borders. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s foreign services has chosen K-State to be the host of instructional sessions to a group of Cochran Fellows from Egypt.
The program, which started Friday and will continue until Tuesday, consists of a series of lectures and field trips to different sites in Manhattan and throughout northeast Kansas.
Justin Kastner, assistant professor of food safety and security, and Doug Powell, associate professor of food safety, will train the group of four Cochran Fellows.
The Cochran Fellows will be instructed on food safety-related legislation, food borne illness prevention, international regulations and import-export controls.
“Food safety does not respect borders, and we are committed in helping other countries build capacity in the important areas of food safety, food security and trade-policy development,” Kastner said.
Megan Hardigree, research assistant with the One Health Kansas Program, and Edward Nyambok, research assistant with K-State’s Frontier program, are also helping with the program.
“Some topics we have been discussing include the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] regulations on imports and the bio-terrorism part of food safety, just to name a few,” Nyambok said.
Though this is the first time visitors from Egypt have been through this program, it is not the first time the program has taken place at K-State. Last year, through the USDA, campus officials trained individuals from Thailand. Kastner said the program shares experiences and ideas across borders and that K-State will continue to apply to be part of this program.
Dairy production eases only slightly
June milk production in the top 23 states totaled 14.7 billion pounds, down 0.1 percent from June 2008, according to USDA’s preliminary data, and the first decline since April 2004. Extrapolated, the 50-state June total is 15.9 billion, down 0.2 percent. Revisions added 46 million pounds to the May estimate putting the nation’s bulk tank at 15.5 billion pounds, up a half a percentage point from May 2008.
The biggest increase was in Virginia, up 5.8 percent, followed by Kansas at 5.1 percent, and Texas with a 3.8 percent increase, thanks to 11,000 more cows and a 20 pound gain per cow.
Hay Trade Slow
In Kansas, the hay trade is slow. Demand is moderate to strong for dairy and stock cow alfalfa, moderate for alfalfa pellets, grinding alfalfa and grass hay, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, July 14. Prices given on a per-ton basis, unless otherwise noted.
Ag Secretary Names Additional Staff at USDA
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2009 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the names of six additional people who will hold staff positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These people will work in various agencies within the department.
“Today I’m pleased to again announce staff who are dedicated to working with President Obama and me to strengthen communities throughout our country, improve the environment, and ensure our food supply remains safe, sustainable and nutritious,” said Vilsack.
Couple finds way to milk their business
CLEARWATER, Kan. — Children gathered around a baby calf at the Klausmeyer Dairy Farm on a recent scorching morning as Debbie Klausmeyer said she would like help naming the animal.
The children raised hands and shouted names at the same time — mostly their own or names of their friends — but the decision came down to a vote.
“Gracie” won.
In addition to cows, visitors can see goats, turkeys and, in the fall, pigs for $5 admission. That’s up from $3.50 when the Klausmeyers opened their doors to tours in 2005.
Dairy farmers make case to Vilsack
WEST SALEM, Wis. — Tomorrow isn’t soon enough.
Dairy farmers can’t wait for a government process to work its way through the system, they need Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to raise the price they receive for the milk they sell now.
The price paid to conventional dairy farmers has dropped from near $20 per hundredweight last year to around $11 per hundredweight this year. A hundredweight is equal to 11.63 gallons of milk.
For organic dairy producers, the story is much the same, with prices falling from close to $30 per hundredweight in March and April to $12.50 earlier this month.
Both organic and conventional dairy producers are losing money every day, dairy farmers told Vilsack Thursday during a stop in West Salem.
June is Dairy Month
June is dairy month and I would like to take time to salute those who get up before the crack of dawn and have to be there 7 days a week to milk those cows.
I have to admit I have only milked a cow once or twice in my life, even though I grew up on a farm. We, like many people back in the 1960s and before that, had one old Jersey cow on the farm that we milked by hand to supply our own needs. Jerseys were nice because they were smaller in body weight and didn’t eat as much as some breeds. Also, they gave less milk which was more than the cats and us could consume anyway. Best of all, they had high butterfat content which was great for cream, butter and such.
About the time I started to grade school, we got rid of the cow and started buying milk at our neighbor’s, the Campbells. They had whole bottled milk, you could see the cream right on top. It was fun to go over there and buy it right from the dairy. That was nearly 50 years ago when we started buying milk there and I am glad to say that dairy is still in business. Carrol is in the business these days. When I was a kid, it was his dad, Harold.
