Dr. H. Russell Cross has been named department head of animal science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station.

A recent publication listed the top New Year’s resolutions for 2012. As you might guess the most popular ones had to do with pushing away from the table, getting more exercise, getting their lives more organized including budgeting and getting more out of life. By the time you read this you have probably already broken one of them.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- The U.S. Agriculture Department announced Jan. 9 it will close nearly 260 offices nationwide, a move that won praise for cutting costs but raised concerns about the possible effect on food safety.

Aurora County doesn't have insurance to pay a possible $5 million claim by a dairy farming family that contends county zoning regulations forced them out of business, a jury concluded. Lawyers for the South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance had argued the company, which provides insurance to local governments, should not have to pay compensation in the case.

A new study shows farmers and ranchers in Idaho are continuing to play a bigger role in boosting the state's economy. A report released by University of Idaho researchers shows farm cash receipts for 2011 are projected at $7.4 billion, which is a 29 percent increase compared with 2010, when farm cash receipts increased by 12 percent compared to 2009.

Walt Sandbeck, fertilizer specialist at AGGRAND has recently been certified by the American Society of Agronomy as a Certified Crop Adviser (CCA). To attain this prestigious certification, Sandbeck passed both an International CCA exam and the State of Wisconsin CCA Exam, worked for nearly 10 years as a crop adviser and provided documentation of professional competence. As a Certified Crop Adviser, Sandbeck has signed and agreed to uphold the CCA Code of Ethics. This means he will always focus on grower profitability while optimizing and protecting natural resources.

For the fifth consecutive year, AgriLabs will donate $1500 to be awarded as scholarships to deserving youth by participating state cattle association affiliates.  Selection of the participating organizations will be made during the National Cattleman's Beef Association (NCBA) Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, being held from Feb. 1-3, 2012.

A diverse group of public and private sector agricultural professionals are joining the University of California to form the Conservation Agriculture Systems Institute (CASI), an organization that will be formally launched at a public meeting Jan. 27 in Clovis, California. “This is the agronomic and ecological equivalent of the ‘moon race’ back in the early 1960s,” said CASI coordinator Jeff Mitchell, a UC Cooperative Extension cropping systems specialist.

A coalition of agricultural commodity groups and farmers from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware have partnered to launch Mid-Atlantic Farmers Feed US. “The Mid-Atlantic Farmers Feed US program is a tremendous opportunity to introduce the region’s consumers to the hard-working men and women who raise healthy, nutritious and affordable food,” said Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for Food Integrity. “We need to show that even though our systems have changed and our use of technology has increased, the farmer’s commitment to do what’s right has never been stronger.”

Tillamook, a farmer-owned dairy co-op, announces the release of their light yogurt line naturally sweetened with Truvia sweetener. To make the best tasting, highest quality light yogurt Tillamook took two years perfecting the recipe made with no artificial growth hormones, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners and no high fructose corn syrup. The 10-flavor line is ready for national distribution and has been authorized by major grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest.