Cattle Producers Need To Complete Beef Quality Assurance Certification Prior To January 1st
(Orange City) — Cattle producers are reminded they need to complete a Beef Quality Assurance certification program prior to the start of the new calendar year. Beth Doran, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Beef Program Specialist says having beef producers complete a certification is a way for the beef industry to give assurances to the consumer.
Doran says many packers are requiring beef producers to complete the beef quality program, or they will refuse to purchase the cattle from those producers.
The Iowa State University Beef Specialist says it is important that cattle producers attend the seminar and become certified, in order to maintain market access. She explains what producers need to do to become certified in the Beef Quality Assurance program.
Although the Quality Assurance Program is directed towards the feedlot operator, Doran suggests that the Cow-calf operator also attend the program.
Cattle producers are asked to register prior to November 14th. Doran says eight different sessions have been scheduled for northwest Iowa. They include two at Sioux Center with the first program scheduled for November 19th at the Dordt College new Ag Stewardship Center beginning at 10:00 a.m.
The second session is scheduled for November 20th to be held at the Ridge Event Center at Sioux Center and will begin at 4:00 p.m. Other locations will be at Sheldon on November 28th, Sac County Extension Office on December 4th, Spencer on December 5th, Le Mars on December 11th, Holstein on December 12th, and the Archer Coop Grain Elevator on December 18th.
Commissioning Of USS Sioux City Scheduled For November
(Sioux City) — The long-awaited commissioning of the U.S.S. Sioux City in Annapolis, Maryland is just nine days away. Retired Navy Admiral Frank Thorp is chairman of the commissioning committee for the combat ship.
The name of the ship was revealed in 2012 before it was built in a shipyard in Wisconsin. The U.S.S. Sioux City is comparable in size to a World War Two era destroyer.
Tours of the ship will begin this Sunday, which is Veteran’s Day. Thorp offers an insight as to what will occur during the ship’s
commissioning.
Following the commissioning ceremony on the 17th, the ship will sail to its home base in Mayport, Florida. A crew of nearly 100 sailors will spend time training on the ship before its deployed for close-to-shore combat and security missions.
Omaha’s Tallest Building Evacuated
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Omaha’s tallest building – the First National Tower downtown – has been ordered evacuated after cleaning solution fumes spread throughout the building, sending four people to the hospital.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that the evacuation was ordered Thursday morning, cutting off traffic on the streets surrounding the 633-foot (192.94-meter) tall tower where about 2,000 people work.
The newspaper said that of the four taken to hospitals, one was in critical condition and the other three in serious condition.
First National Bank spokesman Kevin Langin says workers were using a de-scaling solution on the building’s air system humidifier starting around 10 a.m., creating the fumes. Officials initially called for the first 17 floors to be evacuated, but expanded that to all floors before 11 a.m.
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Work Release Inmate Escapes
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Corrections Department says a work release inmate has been listed as escaped.
The department said Thursday that 20-year-old Jason Ruplinger Jr. didn’t return as required Wednesday night to the Davenport Work Release Center.
The department says Ruplinger has been serving time for robbery and other crimes in Scott County. He was admitted to the work release center on Oct. 17.
