Beef Magazine

WASHINGTON – Today the Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Kids Campaign announced with Sesame Workshop a new tool on emergency preparedness for parents of young children called “Let’s Get Ready!” This guide aims to get families planning together for emergencies through simple activities and games that focus on talking to young children about the people, places and things that will keep the family safe during an emergency.

“Emergencies can happen at any time with little or no warning and, as we’ve seen with recent natural disasters, personal and family preparedness are critically important,” said Erin Streeter, Director of the Ready Campaign. “‘Let’s Get Ready!’ gives parents the tools they need to talk to their young children in a very kid-friendly and non-threatening way and instill in them important information to help them deal with the unexpected.” more…

From AGNMORE (Agriculture and More) News from Texas AgriLife Extension Service and AgriLife

COLLEGE STATION – As Southeast Texas and the Gulf Coast deal with cattle orphaned by Hurricane Ike, most of the rest of the state received cooler temperatures and rain – lots of rain.

Parts of Chambers and Jefferson counties, south of U.S. Interstate 10 and Highway 73, received storm surges from 8 feet to as high as 18 feet, said Dr. Jason Cleere, Texas AgriLife Extension Service beef cattle specialist.

“We don’t really have good numbers on actual death losses, but they appear to be substantial,” said Cleere, who visited the area Sept. 16 to deliver feed and water troughs. more…

Category 2 Hurricane Ike is long gone but has left agriculture in Jefferson and Chambers counties devastated, according to eyewitness reports from Texas Farm Bureau’s public relations team.

According to TFB staff writer Bobby Horecka, who accompanied TFB Video Director Ed Wolff on a trek to the area, countless cattle have been killed and thousands of others endangered.

Three days after Ike hit, emergency and relief help began arriving. more…

COLLEGE STATION – Texas livestock owners can find hurricane preparedness and recovery information on the Texas Extension Disaster and Emergency Network, Texas EDEN, at http://texashelp.tamu.edu.

The EDEN Web site has information on disaster preparedness and recovery.

Immediate danger to livestock from hurricanes comes from drowning due to storm surges and accumulated rainfall. Injury can occur from flying debris or electric shock from downed power lines. more…

COLLEGE STATION – Returning home and cleaning up after a disaster such as Hurricane Ike can be a difficult, time-consuming and potentially dangerous task, said Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts.

But there are ways evacuees and others returning to damaged homes can prepare for what they might encounter and get a good start on recovery. more…

From the TEXAS AND SOUTHWESTERN CATTLE RAISERS ASSOCIATION

Pre-registered members have opportunity to donate registration fees to victims

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 16, 2008—Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association officers announced today that the TSCRA Fall Board Meeting, scheduled September 21-23, in Tyler, has been cancelled due to Hurricane Ike’s impact on Texas and the large number of ranchers and cattle involved. more…

COLLEGE STATION – Texas livestock producers suffering animal losses because of Hurricane Ike need to make sure they follow protocol when disposing of carcasses, said two Texas AgriLife Extension Service engineers and other state officials.

The Texas Animal Health Commission is conducting ground and aerial surveys of the storm’s aftermath, but hundreds of head of livestock are expected to be reported dead in the wake of Hurricane Ike. The searches are focusing on the southern parts of Chambers and Jefferson counties, where the hurricane’s storm surge flooded thousands of acres of ranch land. more…

From the Texas Animal Health Commission

Hurricane Ike– September 15, 2008

Animal response to Hurricane Ike continues to be a team effort, as the issues are much larger than the resources of any one agency or association. The TAHC statewide has worked with the livestock industry to establish sites for emergency shelters, and with local governments, agencies and associations to develop animal issues committees.

+ The Texas Animal Health Commission continues is supporting the disaster district committees in the affected area with persons who have animal and livestock expertise. The agency has established a small area command in the Austin headquarters, and is one 30+ agencies in the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management. The TAHC’s Area Command can be reached at 800-550-8242, ext 296. more…

FORT WORTH, Sept. 15, 2008 – Members of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) special ranger force are converging in southeast Texas to aid cattle raisers in the Gulf Coast area highly impacted by Hurricane Ike over the weekend. “We are glad the federal agencies, such as FEMA, are taking care of the human relief efforts. Our concern is for the ranchers and the cattle in that area and we are committed to providing help to the victims,” says TSCRA President Jon Means, Van Horn.

TSCRA efforts began last Friday before Hurricane Ike made landfall when TSCRA members were asked for help with vacant pastures and available feedstuffs. more…

That Old West Magic Gala and Auction, hosted by Bob Funk of Express Ranches on Aug. 30, raised more than $345,000 in gross income to support the Angus Foundation’s education, youth and research activities. more…