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Business news and notes Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Carstensen will lead Iowa Beef Council
AMES, Iowa -- Terri Carstensen, a cattle feeder from Odebolt, is the new chairwoman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. She assumed her new job at the Council's January meeting.
Emerson cattle feeder Will Frazee was elected vice-chairman and Van Meter cattle producer Estee Walter is the new treasurer. Dan Cook, a cow-calf and seedstock producer from New Providence, is the new secretary.
Beef Council directors include Alan Albright, Lytton; Helen Wiese, Manning; Scott McGregor, Nashau; Phil Schooley, Bloomfield; Del Ranney, Lamoni; Leon Yantis, Conrad; Dan Cook, New Providence; Tom Hotz, Lone Tree; Dan Peterson, Muscatine; and Elaine Utesch, Correctionville.
Beef board members include Michael Caine, Elgin; William Carroll, Central City; and Stan Zylstra, Hull. The Council oversees the beef checkoff program for 33,000 Iowa producers.
MInnesota Pork Council elect 2006 leaders
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Pork Board delegates elected 11 people who will help determine how to invest Minnesota's portion of the mandatory Pork Checkoff. The funds finance research, education and promotional programs.
Craig Mensink of Preston was chosen president-elect. Vice president-elect is Lynn Becker of Fairmont and the secretary will be Karen Richter of Montgomery.
The officers will assume their duties after the National Pork Forum scheduled this March in Kansas City. Other people who were elected to the MPB Executive Board were Rachel Anthony, St. Peter; Sam Baidoo, Waseca; Duane Bakke, Lanesboro; Kim Balfe, Waseca; Bill Crawford, Fairmont; Greg Fox, Rosemount; Brad Stevemer, Easton; and Doug Wenner, St. Peter.
ISU scientists deciphering corn genome
AMES, Iowa -- Scientists at Iowa State University are using one of the nation's 10 most powerful computers to help decipher the corn genome, a project that could allow them to expand the plant's uses in plastics, fuel and fiber.
To determine how a corn genome -- the basic genetic structure of the plant -- is put together, scientists must assemble more than 60 million bits of genetic material.
Scientists are planning to use the $1.25 million IBM BlueGene supercomputer, unveiled Monday, which has the equivalent processing power of more than 2,000 home computers and a storage capacity more than 1,000 times greater. It performs as many as 5.7 trillion calculations per second, said Srinivas Aluru, professor of electrical and computer engineering.
The computer's speed enables scientists to shorten the time of processing data that would have previously taken two to three months to just days, Aluru said.
Conservation Service pays $56.8 million
WASHINGTON -- USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service says that $56.8 million in funding will be provided for conservation programs in 41 states for their high levels of participation and performance in implementing four conservation programs in fiscal year 2005.
"These performance bonuses are possible because of a cooperative effort between federal, state and local groups and individuals with the common goal of helping people help the land,'' said Bruce Knight, Natural Resources Conservation chief. "The conservation ethic and hard work of people who live on and work the land as well as others in the agriculture community made these awards possible.''
New FSA form for sheep, mohair producers
ST. PAUL -- Wool and mohair producers will find it easier to apply for commodity loans and loan deficiency payments for their wool due to the Farm Service Agency's new CCC-633 EZ form. The EZ form replaces the older CCC-633 PELT and CCC-709 PELT form, according to John Monson, state FSA executive director.
"Page one of the EZ form takes the place of the 709 PELT form,'' Monson said, "and indicates the producer's intention to receive LDP benefits later on. It's important that producers complete EZ Page One before losing beneficial interest in the commodity.''
CCC loan rate unchanged during February
WASHINGTON -- The interest rate for 1995 and prior-crop year commodity loans disbursed by USDA's Commodity Credit Corp. during February is 4.375 percent, unchanged from January. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during February 2006 is 5.375 percent, unchanged from January.
The interest rate for farm storage facility loans approved in February 2006 is 4.375 percent, unchanged from January. |
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