Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association www.tscra.org

CATTLE RAISERS HOST SUMMER MEETING Wildfire recovery among topics discussed

Cattle producers from across Texas and Oklahoma will gather June 15-17 in New Braunfels, Texas, for the 2011 Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Summer Meeting.

The meeting will feature a session dedicated to the aftermath of the recent wildfires, how they were combated, and the experiences some cattle raisers went through.

State Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs will speak at the board meeting Friday, June 17. She will update cattle raisers on the state’s economy, and how rural Texans will be affected by the recent budget cuts in Austin.

Educational sessions, hosted by TSCRA’s committees, begin Thursday, June 16. The sessions will cover a variety of topics including wildfire recovery, state and federal regulations and policy, and fighting fever ticks. A full list of sessions is below.

Natural Resources and Environment Committee Vast areas of Texas were scorched by spring wildfires. During this committee meeting, Tom Boggus, executive director of the Texas Forest Service, Dr. Andy Vestal, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and Dr. Matt Cochran, Texas Animal Health Commission will update meeting attendees on the aftermath of the recent wildfires and how the state agencies and volunteer organizations collaborated to combat the fires. A panel of affected cattle raisers will also speak about their experiences.

Agriculture Research Committee Cattle producers are facing a “perfect storm” due to a shrinking national cow herd, more land being taken out of production and higher cattle prices. The first installment of a three-part series features TSCRA members Emry Birdwell and Rooter Brite will focus on weathering this unique situation. Birdwell and Brite will discuss the importance of planning a straight-forward approach to managing grass on cattle operations.

Animal Health Committee Dr. Thomas Hairgrove, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will discuss his research on perceptions in animal care among those in the industry, and Dr. Terry Hensley, Texas Animal Health Commission, will discuss how the agency will cope with the recent budget cuts.

Brand and Inspection Committee TSCRA Special Ranger Hal Dumas will give an update on the importance of branding your cattle and horses and how branding plays an integral role in the identification and protection of livestock.

Marketing Committee During this breakout session, the TSCRA Marketing Committee will discuss and answer questions regarding the recent controversial actions taken by the leadership of the Beef Checkoff program. Featured speakers are Dee Likes, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association and TSCRA’s Executive Vice President Eldon White. The Marketing Committee will also discuss the impact of the potential loss of appropriations from the Texas Legislature for the Market News and Agricultural Statistics programs currently administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Fever Tick Subcommittee of the Animal Health Committee Dr. Kevin Varner, Animal Health and Plant Inspection Service, will talk to cattle raisers about new and existing effective tools in the fight against fever ticks in Texas. Gary Inglish and Ken Tater with Postive Feeds will give an update on the status of FDA approval for their molasses tub infused with Ivermectin.

Wildlife Committee Dr. Dale Rollins, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will discuss the impacts of wildfires on wildlife and how grazing can benefit wildlife and reduce wildfires.

Legislative and Tax Committee State Representative Lyle Larson of San Antonio will discuss what happened during the 82nd Legislative Session and how new or changed polices will affect cattle raisers and the agriculture industry.

Labor Committee During this session, meeting attendees will discuss the H-2A Temporary Ag Works Program with input from an experienced employer’s perspective.

For registration information and a complete schedule, visit www.tscra.org/summermeeting.

All members of the press are invited to attend. For media registration, please contact Carmen Fenton at [email protected] .

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 134-year-old trade organization. As the largest and oldest livestock association in Texas, TSCRA represents more than 15,000 beef cattle producers, ranching families and businesses who manage approximately 4 million head of cattle on 51.5 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma. TSCRA provides law enforcement and livestock inspection services, legislative and regulatory advocacy, industry news and information, insurance services and educational opportunities for its members and the industry.