-- ST. PAUL Revier Cattle Co. of Olivia, Minn., has been named the July winner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Good Farm Neighbor Award. Tom Revier and seven full-time employees raise about 4,500 head of cattle for the beef industry. The Revier operation, which also includes a crop farming operation, was started by the Revier family in the early 1900s. The cattle are fed locally grown feedstuffs and can be traced to their origin. Revier says the company's commitment to the environment is an ongoing process, requiring intensive manure management. Surface runoff is collected in a holding pond and later is used for irrigation of adjacent pastureland. Solid manure is stockpiled in winter and then incorporated into the fields. Revier works with a professional agronomist on soil fertility and proper use of feedlot manure.
Wally Rustad named interim chief of staff-- WASHINGTON Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., says Wally Rustad, a former longtime aide, has agreed to come out of retirement to serve as interim chief of staff after Bob Van Heuvelen vacated that post in ealry July. Rustad rejoins Conrad's team after retiring two years ago. He had served as constituent and state staff liaison as well as director of economic development for Conrad from 1999 to 2005. Rustad is a former chief of staff to North Dakota Rep. Art Link. Rustad later worked for more than 25 years for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the last 14 of which he served as director for government relations. He's a native of Grenora, N.D.
Mike Hayes to direct UNL-based Drought Center-- LINCOLN, Neb. Longtime University of Nebraska-Lincoln climatologist Mike Hayes has moved from associate director to director of UNL's National Drought Mitigation Center. Hayes, who has been with the center since its inception more than 10 years ago, replaces NDMC founding director Don Wilhite, who is becoming director of UNL's School of Natural Resources. Hayes began at the NDMC as a climate impacts specialist and was promoted to associate director of the center last year. He received doctorate and master's degrees in atmospheric science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a bachelor's degree in meteorology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Red Wing Software hires marketing manager-- RED WING, Minn. Red Wing Software Inc., a developer of accounting and payroll software for small- to medium-sized businesses and agribusinesses, says Cindy Bauer has joined the company's agricultural division as marketing manager. With nearly 20 years of business management experience, Bauer comes to Red Wing Software with an extensive sales and marketing background. She has successfully co-owned and managed her own family business, a lumber and construction supply company. She then went on to a position as marketing consultant at a marketing firm, managing marketing projects and customer and vendor communications. Additionally, Bauer has been responsible for account management and sales coordination for a division of Schwan's Food Co.
Agweek Staff and Wire Reports
