Two experienced financial professionals have been named to new positions with the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF). Mary Winn has been appointed treasurer of the organization and Joseph Peters has been appointed chief investment officer.

Colorados oldest area livestock organization will meet March 21 in Rocky Ford. The annual Bent- Prowers Cattle Horse Growers Association will mark the start of its 140th year with its annual meeting and banquet. Events will be held at the Chuck Wagon Inn in Rocky Ford.

David Wood of Coalinga, CA, has been elected as the new president of CattleFax, a member-owned and member-directed cattle market information and research organization. Wood is chief operating officer and Beef Division chairman for Harris Farms, Inc.

The Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska hosted an afternoon informational meeting on wind energy recently which drew a sizeable crowd of 60-plus to listen to those promoting this important resource. A natural occurrence in the windy Sandhills has lately become a marketable source of energy.

Although supply side factors remain positive, recession worries and input costs could lower beef prices, said a University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) economist.

The NBC 4 Health Fitness Expo held in Washington, D.C., Jan. 10-11, 2009, is the nations largest free health event, with crowds exceeding 85,000, and beef took center stage. This year, the star role for beef included a tradeshow exhibit, lean beef cooking stage demonstrations, an ad in 85,000 program books, and four weeks of Web ads on nbcwashington.

The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) recently presented its Commercial Marketing Booster of the Year award during the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) Limousin pen and carload shows.

The international marketplace continued to roll out the red carpet for U.S. beef products in 2008, recording double-digit increases over 2007 levels, according to statistics released by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Total U.S.

Wyoming beef producer Irv Petsch of Meriden has been appointed to serve as Region V vice president of the National Cattlemens Beef Association. In this position, Petsch will serve on the Executive Committee as a representative from the Federation of State Beef Councils, representing Region V.

Were in a second-year La Ni a event, said Nebraska State Climatologist Al Dutcher. This event developed over the last month or month and a half. When we look at statistics on La Ni a events across Nebraska, we find 10 since the 1950s. Seven have gone into the second year.