The following news release was distributed to ag trade media on behalf of the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association.    

CONTACT:     LeAnne Peters            (601) 354-8951           cbmag@bellsouth.net

              Workshop to Help Cattlemen Overcome Challenges Following Katrina
 
August 8, 2006 - One year after Katrina devastated thousands of farms and ranches in the Gulf Coast region, cattlemen can attend a workshop aimed at helping them recover and improving their herd management. On Wednesday, September 6, the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, The Wax Company, the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Foundation and its sponsors will present  “Getting Back on Track”, a day-long workshop at the Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center, located near Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
 
“Cattlemen will find this workshop to be very helpful as they continue to rebuild their operations,” says Gale Martin, Mississippi Cattlemen's Association president.

North Carolina cattleman John Queen, president-elect of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, will welcome attendees and participate in the workshop.

“This is another great example of cattlemen coming together to help one another,” Queen said. “The workshop offers a terrific lineup of presentations and a lot of very helpful information for cattle producers.”
 
This short course will include a combination of classroom and field activities. Participants will learn how to rebuild fences and handle cattle utilizing low-stress methods demonstrated Joel Ham of Big Lake, Texas. Randy Blach, executive vice president of Cattle-Fax, will be discussing market changes in the cattle industry. A session led by Dr. Jane Parish of Mississippi State University is designed to get producers back on track as they face many common operational management challenges after the storm.  Practical farm examples and key steps in cattle management recovery will be covered in this interactive session.
 
The afternoon breakout sessions will include animal identification, export verification, feeding, management and much more. An outstanding lineup of speakers includes Paul Colman of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Jim Akers of Kentucky Beef Network, and Clint Peck of BEEF Magazine.
 
In addition to these sessions, representatives from the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Mississippi State University Extension Service will be on hand to explain the programs available to cattlemen.
 
The $20 pre-registration fee includes lunch. Registration on the day of the event will be $30. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. and the program begins at 9:30 a.m.  If you would like more information, please contact the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association at (601) 354-8951 or your county extension office. For a complete agenda and to register online, you may also visit: http://www.mscattlemen.org/gettingbackontrack.htm.

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