Bucolic Briefs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency reminds North Carolina livestock producers of the availability of Livestock Gross Margin insurance for dairy cattle. LGM Dairy protects against loss of gross margin (market value of milk minus feed costs) on milk produced from dairy cows. The indemnity at the end of the 11-month insurance period is the difference between the gross margin guarantee and the actual gross margin (if positive).
The policy uses futures prices for corn, soybean meal and milk to determine expected and actual gross margin, and may be tailored to any size farming operation. LGM Diary is different from traditional options in that it is a bundled option covering the price of both milk and feed costs. Producers can sign up 12 times per year and insure up to 240,000 hundredweight per year. Insurance purchases must be executed through insurance agents, but producers may access all policy materials, including Premium Calculation Instructions, on the RMA website at www.rma.usda.gov/livestock/. LGM-Dairy sales will resume with the beginning of the 2012 fiscal year.
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The Carolina Mane Event Show Circuit will host a show Aug. 6 & 7 at the Hunt Horse Complex in Raleigh. For more on the shows, contact Michele McLaughlin at (919) 934-1344, e-mail at sileeno@ipass.net or go to www.ipass.net/cmesc.
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There will be an open horse show Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. at Biggerstaff Park in Dallas. Contact Judy Yarborough at (704) 400-1899 or JudyYar@aol.com for more.
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The Historic Seventh Avenue District in Hendersonville will host the Organic Market at 7th Sept. 4 in conjunction with the N.C. Apple Festival. The market will be held in the historic train depot and will feature area farmers who farm organically or naturally. Products offered include traditional fruits and vegetables, jams, soaps and T-shirts. Vendors are still being accepted. Contact Tara Ledbetter, HSAD executive director, at (828) 674-3067 or go to the HSAD website at www.7thavehvl.com.
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The Carolina Paint Horse Club has announced its 2011 show schedule. Following is the schedule: the Fall Fling show, Sept. 17 at Colfax; and the Cardinal Classic, Oct. 15 and 16, at the WNC Agricultural Center, Fletcher. For more information on shows, contact CPHC president Tony Honeycutt, (704) 792-2122 or go to www.thecarolinapainthorseclub.com.
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The 2011 Southeast NC Ag show, hosted by the Lumber River Old Iron Tractor Club, will be held Oct. 22 at the Southeastern Agricultural Center and Farmers Market in Lumberton. The event features antique tractor and equipment displays, food, arts and crafts, kids' games and events, tractor games, music, working horses, equipment demonstration and FFA displays. For more, contact Junior Callahan, (910) 840-0291 or Jerry Willoughby, (910) 648-6369.
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The North Carolina chapter of Re-Run, a non-profit organization that places ex-racehorses into adoptive homes, now has thoroughbred racehorses available for adoption. Thoroughbreds are versatile and do well in any number of disciplines including shows, events, fox hunting or pleasure riding, according to Elizabeth Macdonald with Re-Run. For more, go to www.rerun.org or contact Elizabeth Macdonald at hemacd@mindspring.com.
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