f
University Correspondence Course
Focuses On Forestry Basics
WESTMINSTER, Md.
Landowners, farmers and other
folks interested in forestry can
learn to manage their wood lots
for timber products, wildlife and
overall forest health by taking a
General Forestry Correspon
dence Course developed by Mar
yland Cooperative Extension
specialists at the University of
Maryland’s College of Agricul
ture and Natural Resources.
Registrations are being accepted
now for the fall semester.
The General Forestry Corre
spondence Course provides the
basics of forestry, forest ecology
and forest health. Studying in the
comfort of their home, students
learn how to protect trees from
insects, diseases and fire, and ex
plore the details of the forestry
business, including tax nuances
and the sale and harvest of forest
products. They can use their own
property, a friend’s forest or
nearby public lands to apply
practical exercises in forest man
agement. Ultimately, the course
exercises help them develop an
actual forest management plan.
The General Forestry Corre
spondence Course is presented as
a notebook of lessons and supple
Cattlemen To Address USDA’s Faulty Price Reporting
Washington, D.C. The Na
tional Cattlemen’s Beef Associa
tion (NCBA) recently met with
USDA officials to address con
cerns raised as the result of the
agency’s inaccurate price reports
on beef cut-out values.
USDA Secretary Ann Vene
man requested a review of the
livestock reporting system, which
has been reporting inaccurate
price reports since its induction
April 2.
Lynn Cornwell, NCBA presi
dent, noted that beef producers
may have used the inaccurate in
formation for six weeks prior to
the USDA’s announcement
earlier this week reporting that
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e-mail; afs@nbn.com
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mental readings. Its six units
each contain several lessons with
questions at the end of each unit.
Maryland Cooperative Extension
experts at the university’s Wye
Research and Education Center
correct answers and return them
throughout the course, so stu
dents have constant feedback.
As part of the $l5O registra
tion fee, learners receive a Gener
al Forestry Correspondence
Course text notebook and a sepa
rate appendices packed with re
sources. Supplemental readings
provided include A Sand County
Almanac, The Woodland Stew
ard: A Practical Guide to the
Management of Small Private
Forests and American Forests: A
History of Resiliency and Recov
ery. A certificate of completion is
awarded when all assignments
are completed.
For more information or to
register, contact Bob Tjaden or
Tawna Mertz at the Wye Re
search and Education Center,
P.O. Box 169, Queenstown, MD
21658; phone: (410) 827-8056;
e-mail: rt2o@umail.umd.edu or
tml77@umail.umd.edu.
the numbers were incorrect.
Thousands of contracts and
cattle sales rely on the informa
tion in the reports, which were
stating lower than market value
prices for the sales.
This mistake questions
USDA’s integrity and threatens
producer confidence in the mar
ketplace, according to Cornwell.
Potentially, it could cost produc
ers millions of dollars.
According to USDA officials,
products that were not quality
graded, known as “no-roll,” were
mistakenly included into prices
reported for select and choice
box-beef. USDA attributes the
error to a software problem.
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STATE COLLEGE (Centre
Co.) The annual Boar Per
formance testing program and
the Ram Performance testing
program of the Pennsylvania De
partment of Agriculture’s Meat
Animal Evaluation Center
(MAEC) are well under way,
according to Glenn Eberly, direc
tor.
All 20 boar pens at the center
are occupied. The current group
of boars includes 39 Yorkshires,
nine Durocs, three Hampshires,
three Poland China’s, three
Berkshires, and three Hampshire
sired X-breeds.
Eberly said the boars are grow
ing well and will remain on test
until the average weight of their
pen reaches 250 pounds. After
completing the testing period,
the boars will be scanned with
real-time ultra-sound and will be
Among the concerns that will
be addressed by NCBA in its
meeting with USDA include:
1. USDA’s plans to address
losses experienced by producers.
2. NCBA’s need for assurances
and guarantees that future prices
reported will be accurate and
truly reflective of the market.
3. Information on when the
problems started and correct in
formation on prior marketing in
formation to allow producers to
accurately define their losses.
4. Assurances that NCBA will
be informed of other potential
system weaknesses.
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Pa. Boar And Ram
Performance Testing Under Way
3/16'
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evaluated for soundness by a
committee of producers and
swine extension specialists.
The 26th annual Pennsylvania
Performance Tested Boar Sale is
scheduled for Wednesday, Aug.
15, at 6 p.m. in the Ag Arena on
the Penn State campus. The sale
date falls during Ag Progress
Days.
The 88 rams on test are gain
ing extremely well, thus far. This
group consists of 28 fall-bom
Dorsets, 21 junior Dorsets, 22
junior Suffolks, nine junior
Hampshires, four senior Suf
folks, two Shropshires, one Ox
ford, and one senior Hampshire.
After completing their 84-day
testing program, the rams will be
evaluated for breeding sound
ness, structural correctness and
breed character. They will also be
scanned ultrasonically to de
NYBIC Trains Meat Managers
At Tops Friendly Markets
WESTMORELAND, N.Y.
Over 350 meat and seafood
professionals at Tops Friendly
Markets attended a Beef Col
lege training session spon
sored by the beef industry.
In conjunction with the Na
tional Cattlemen’s Beef Asso
ciation, Pennsylvania Beef
Council, and Ohio Beef Coun
cil, the New York Beef Indus
try Council (NYBIC) coordi
nated a seminar to teach meat
department employees the ba
sics of beef.
The presentation began
with a consumer overview,
discussing how customers are
unfamiliar with anatomy and
how retailers need to help
them in purchasing the cor
rect cut of beef to suit their
needs. Today’s consumers
only know four cuts: steak,
ground beef, chicken breast
and pork chops. By helping
them to use the right cut of
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 26,2001-A37
termine fat thickness and loin
eye area. Final indexes will be
calculated based on average daily
gain, feed efficiency and fat
thickness.
The 23rd annual Performance
Tested Ram Sale is scheduled for
Saturday, Aug. 4, in Penn State’s
Ag Arena. The Pennsylvania
Sheep Producers Field Day com
mittee is planning a tremendous
program for Saturday, Aug. 4 in
conjunction with the Ram Sale
and Invitational Ewe Sale.
The Meat Animal Evaluation
Center is a cooperative effort
through Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Agriculture, Penn State,
and livestock organizations.
For further information or to
request sale catalogs, contact
Glenn Eberly, director, MAEC,
651 Fox Hollow Road, State Col
lege, PA 16803; phone (814)
238-2527 or (814) 865-5857.
beef, retailers are ensuring a
positive eating experience
every time.
Additionally, women (the
primary meal preparers) are
starved for time and it’s im
portant that meat department
staff members recognize how
convenience items can be part
of a quick and nutritious
meal. The attendees were later
invited to try their hands at
preparing beef stir-fry and
grilled top blade steaks.
With a bite to eat in their
stomachs, the session contin
ued with a discussion on
beefs power pack of nutri
ents: zinc, iron, and protein.
Finally, the program con
cluded with a presentation on
the components of beef, in
cluding a segment on tender
ness, marbling, and quality
grades.
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