July 2017
News and events for Maine Beef Producers from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Maine Beef Producers Association and other agricultural organizations in Maine.

beefsurveyUMaine Extension Beef Survey 
As a new staff member Dr. Colt Knight is looking for help from Maine's beef producers. He is inviting all those interested in beef production in Maine to complete this anonymous survey (just click here for survey.) 
Responses will help determine the topics of future UMaine Extension programs and projects.
Thanks in advance for your help.  
plannedFall Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale Planned
The Maine Beef Producers Association is pleased to announce the tentative sale date of Saturday, October 28th for the Fall Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale. Preconditioning protocols need to be completed by September 23rd. Click here for protocol. 
Sale Manager, Pete Dusoe at 207-416-5441 or  pbdusoe@roadrunner.com.
 manure
Animal Agriculture, Manure Management, and Water Quality
A new eXtensio.org module funded in part by EPA is an overview of animal agriculture in the U.S. and how industry trends have affected manure management. Because the primary use of manure is land application as a plant fertilizer, the module addresses nutrient management and surface water quality impacts. The module also covers regulatory requirements and efforts to manage and reduce risks of manure nutrients reaching water.
  1. Animal Agriculture Trends - Economic pressures and consumer demands have driven a trend toward consolidation in the animal agriculture industry. This has changed the way manure is collected and stored. 
  2. Manure Collection and Storage - Animal feeding operations collect and store manure in several ways with the largest differences being between those that handle manure as a "solid" and those that handle manure as a "slurry" or "liquid."
  3. Land Application of Manure Nutrients - Land application of manure requires specialized equipment and technologies that continue to evolve. This equipment and technology must be combined with nutrient management planning to ensure manure applications are from the right source, at the right rate and time, using the right methods, and in the right place. 
  4. Water Quality and Manure - Improperly managed manure can negatively impact water quality. This section focuses primarily on surface water and nutrients but other topics briefly introduced. 
  5. Clean Water Act Requirements - Some animal feeding operations are regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Program (NPDES). The NPDES program is part of the Clean Water Act. 
  6. Planning for Stewardship - As new information, tools, and resources become available, farmers have opportunities to continually improve environmental stewardship and manage risks related to manure and water quality.
The above materials were developed by the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center (LPELC) 
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Maine Nutrient Management Law
Is administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. A key element of the Nutrient Management Program is the Nutrient Management Plan. Farm operations that meet certain conditions are required to develop a Plan, specifically if:
  • The farm confines and feeds 50 or more animal units at any one time (one animal unit = 1000 pounds of live animal weight);
  • The farm stores or utilizes more than 100 tons of manure per year not generated on that farm;
  • The farm is the subject of a verified complaint of improper manure handling; or
  • The farm stores or utilizes regulated residuals.
A list of certified planners is available from the Nutrient Management Office (mark.hedrich@maine.gov). They oversee nutrient management planning, coordinate enforcement actions as needed, and respond to municipalities and others regarding Right-to-Farm matters.
Another key element of the program is the ban on winter manure spreading from December 1st through March 15th of the following year. The Department developed a Loan Program administered by the Finance Authority of Maine, to help farmers comply with the Law.
A third component of the Law requires that certain livestock operations, because of their size or other criteria, are required to obtain a Livestock Operations Permit (LOP) from the Department. 
nbqaBeef Industry Progress through National Beef Quality Audits
Initiated in 1991, the Beef Checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) has provided the industry a  meaningful set of guideposts and measurements relative to the quality conformance of the U.S. beef supply.

2011 Significant Findings
* Terminology about quality among segments is not standardized which makes communications with  consumers about quality more difficult.
* The audit found consumers want to know more about the beef they consume, how the cattle are raised  and where they come from. The industry must do a better job of telling its story.
* The importance of food safety was shown to be increasing.
* Instrument grading was not found to be notably different than human cooler grading.
* The number of cattle individually identified with visual tags jumped from 38.7 percent in 2005 to 50.6  percent in 2011.
* The audit found increased percentages of carcasses  grading USDA Choice and Prime.
* Nearly 90 percent of cattle producers had a working  relationship with a veterinarian and more than 98  percent of cattlemen interviewed said they do not use  an electric prod as their primary driving tool.
* At the time of NBQA 2011, 87 percent of cattle  producers had heard of Beef Quality Assurance
* Participants in the 2011 Strategy Workshop identified  a number of priorities to address food safety, animal  health, eating quality, and to optimize value and  eliminate waste. To read the Executive Summary of the  2011 NBQA, go to www.bqa.org.

Quality Challenges 
Ranked According to Priority from 1991 to 2011
1991 1995 2000 2005 2011
External Fat Overall Uniformity Overall Uniformity Traceability Food Safety
Seam Fat Overall Palatability Carcass Weights Overall Uniformity Eating Satisfaction
Overall Palatability Marbling Tenderness Instrument Grading How and Where Cattle Were Raised
Tenderness Tenderness Marbling Market Signals Lean, Fat, & Bone
Overall Cutability External & Seam Fat Reduced Quality Due to Use of Implants Segmentation Weight & Size
Marbling Cut Weights External Fat Carcass Weights Cattle Genetics


Source:  NBQA Beef Quality Timeline (pdf)
interestItems of Interest
resourcesFeatured Resources

App: 
NUBeef-cowQlate ( University Nebraska- Lincoln) includes 4 calculators for beef producers: Feed Cost Calculator; Dry Matter Conversions Calculator; Corn Stalks Calculator; and Gestation Calculator. Use these calculators to compare cattle feed costs, manage corn stalks grazing opportunities for cattle, and determine the most advantageous schedule for breeding programs. $0.99 at Google Play or I-Tunes. 

Website:
Monthly Grass Fed & Vermont Local Beef Market Report: AMS - USDA has two reports available. On the National Monthly Grass Fed Beef Report including wholesale and retail prices received for various cuts of meat, carcass prices, and grazing fee estimate. The other is the Vermont Monthly Beef Report that reflects beef sold direct to consumer on a whole carcass and on retail basis. 

Videos: 
A Lifetime of Farming!  The latest video in our Growing Maine series tells the story of Cedar Run Farm in Bradford, Maine, a natural grass-fed beef and pork operation. Leanne and Billy Waters started the farm when their kids were young. Their children, Cierra and Colby, are active in the farm operation. Their participation started in the UMaine Extension 4-H program and grew into a full-scale beef operation. Leanne, Cierra and Colby talk about the past, and the vision for the future, as each of the youth plan on staying connected to agriculture when they finish high school.

Publications:    

Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online Publications Catalog
for agriculture information, such as:
  • Beef Herd Health Vaccination Guide for Maine # 1031 A herd health management plan is vital to profitable beef production. Do not wait until a disease outbreak occurs before implementing a sound herd health program. For cattle to reach their performance potential, they must be healthy. Vaccinations are an approved practice for organic producers. 5 pages. © 2014 by University of Maine Cooperative Extension.Download it for free or buy a color copy. $0.75
  • This Old Hayfield: A Factsheet on Hayfield Renovation #2491 Learn how to bring neglected hay fields back into production or simply maintain the fields with desirable grasses and open space. 2 pages. © 2004 by University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Download it for free or buy a color copy. $0.50.
events  Upcoming Events
  • July 23, 2017 Open Farm Day sponsored by the MDACF
  • August 23 & 24, 2017 Maine Farm Days, Misty Meadow Farm, Clinton.
  • September 23, 2017 Deadline for Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale health protocols to be completed. 
  • October 28, 2017 Tentative Date for the Fall Preconditioned Feeder Calf Sale at D & S Farm, Richmond. Sponsored by the Maine Beef Producers Association. 
  • November 4 - 6, 2017 Farmer to Farmer Conference, Northport, sponsored by MOFGA. 
  • November 11 & 12, 2017 Maine Harvest Festival, Cross Center, Bangor
  • November 18, 2017 Tentative Date for the Fall Beef Conference, all day in Orono/Bangor area. 
  • Save the date for NxLevel™ Tilling the Soil of Opportunity, a business planning course for Maine farmers, is going to be offered at KVCC this fall/winter. 11/29, 12/13, 1/8, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21. 
joinmbpa Maine Beef Producers Association
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association 
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2017 year. Annual dues are $35. For an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com/forms.html

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subscription Newsletter Subscription Information   
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 680 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by University of Maine Cooperative Extension since 2011. As of January 1, 2015, the MBN transitioned to electronic-only delivery. There will still be four ways to receive the MBN from UMaine Extension:
1) Maine Beef Newsletter remains available online for free! You can sign up to receive the newsletter through your email or view the archived issues anytime at  http://bit.ly/PPfarming If you currently do not have an email, you can get one for free from several email hosts. If you do not have a computer, community libraries have computers for you to use to access information on the Internet and to view your email.
2) Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year. If you are interested in subscribing send a $15 check made out to UMaine Extension to Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426.  
 3) A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Office and pick up a free printed copy of the newsletter.  
4) Maine Beef Producers Association members who do not have an email on file will receive a printed copy of the newsletter as a benefit of their membership.  
       We appreciate our readers referring others to the newsletter, and sharing it with your family and friends.
    Thank you for your continued support of the MBN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for beef producers and those interested in the beef industry in Maine since 2011.
Mission
University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide.  UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.
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Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
quick Quick Links
weatherLocal Weather Anytime
Many farming activities are driven by the weather.  Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day.  They are willing to talk with you about rain predictions for your town.  Give them a call at 492-0180.  Or check out their online detailed maps at  http://www.weather.gov/car/.

Need Pesticide credits?  Check out the   Maine Board of Pesticide credit calendar.  Many approved pesticide applicator re-certification programs are listed.
Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
and
Colt Knight, Extension Livestock Specialist

Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in Maine.
The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
 
Photos by Donna Coffin unless otherwise noted.  

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Penobscot Office - website 
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Bangor, ME  04401 

207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485 (in Maine) 
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207.342.5971 or 800.287.1426 (in Maine)
 
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