Raising Livestock

• Direct Sales of Beef NebGuide - This NebGuide offers producers suggestions for selling beef directly to consumers.
• Nebraska Cattlemen - Our mission is to work for Nebraska beef producers providing leadership, education and representation. We work closely with state and national legislators to best represent our members so they are able to continue to raise safe, nutritious beef.
• Nebraska Beef Council - Nebraska's farmers and ranchers have been raising cattle for many generations. Each and every day they care for their livestock and their land. Take a few minutes to explore more about the farming and ranching families, how cattle are raised, and facts about Nebraska's cattle industry.
• Nebraska Herford Association - Everyone interested in cattle and especially Hereford cattle is invited to become a member of the Nebraska Hereford Association. You do not need to register cattle to become a member of the Association. Retired breeders, business and professional friends are welcome to join the Association as non-voting, Associate Members.
• Nebraska Angus Association - Join the association and you have a chance to display your registered cattle at the association booth at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, enter cattle at the Nebraska Cattlemen's Classic Show and Sale at Kearney, be a host site for the Nebraska Angus Tour or display your cattle on our annual tour, receive advertising discounts in the Nebraska Angus News magazine and receive printing discounts on your sale catalogs from our printer.
   

• Nebraska State Dairy Association - The purpose of the Nebraska State Dairy Association is for the promotion of dairy interests in the State of Nebraska. To enhance dairy industry products through support of educational functions (Extension, Research and Teaching) and overall industry activities. To generate interest in youth by encouraging their participation in junior dairy programs and recognizing their achievements. To provide dairymen with latest technical and research information to help them improve their herds. To encourage efficient and profitable production through an awards program that recognizes outstanding production in herds and individual animals.
• Central Plains Dairy Expo - The Central Plains Dairy Association is a non-profit organization that works to grow the dairy industry in the Central Plains states and the I-29 Corridor through education and communication activities. The membership region currently includes Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and North Dakota.
• Dairy Farmers of America - DFA is a milk marketing cooperative and dairy foods processor dedicated to delivering value to members through secure markets, competitive pricing and increasing value throughout the entire dairy chain.
• Food Safety & Consumer Protection-Dairy Licensing, Permits & Registrations - To implement and enforce the sanitation and quality standards relative to the dairy and food industry through service, education, and regulation.
• Nebraska Milk Act - This act adopts by reference provisions from the following official documents of the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments as published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States Public Health Service/Food and Drug Administration.

• Nebraska Pork Producers - The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is a grassroots, incorporated, non-profit organization established in 1961. It was developed to promote the pork industry through the enhancement of consumer demand, producer education and research.
• Pork Be Inspired - National website featured I Love Pork videos, pork recipes, cuts & cooking methods, nutritional information, and much more.
• National Pork Board - Today's pork checkoff is at work for pork producers. U.S. pork producers and importers pay $0.40 per $100 of value when pigs are sold and when pigs or pork products are brought into the United States.

• Nebraska Department of Agriculture Nebraska Poultry & Egg - To develop education, promotion, and/or appropriate research programs to enhance Nebraska's egg and turkey producers in developing and maintaining a prosperous industry.
• Nebraska Poultry Industry  - Nebraska Poultry Industries, a non-profit corporation, was established in 1970 to foster, promote, improve, and protect all branches of the poultry, turkey, and egg industry in Nebraska. Nebraska Poultry Industries works together with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to accomplish that mission.
• National Turkey Federation - The National Turkey Federation is the national advocate for all segments of the turkey industry, providing services and conducting activities which increase demand for its members' products by protecting and enhancing their ability to profitably provide wholesome, high-quality, nutritious products. 
• Lincoln Nebraska Chicken Ordinance - Information on the ordinances for raising chickens in Lincoln, Nebraska.
• Avian Influenza: Guidelines for backyard poultry flocks  - This article will provide information about Avian Influenza and suggest recommendations for small or backyard flock owners. Avian Influenza can affect all birds, regardless of housing arrangement or size of flock.

• The Nibble: Different Types of Eggs - A glossary of egg terms, types, and definitions.
• Safe Handling For Shell Eggs - Q/A's explaining the safe handling requirements for shell eggs.
• Nebraska 4-H Embryology: A School Enrichment Project: Discusses incubation (instructions, resources, why chicks don't hatch), candling (instructions, photos, movie clips), and watch the 4-H EGG Cam!
• NebGuide: Egg Cleaning Procedures for the Backyard Flock - This publication provides guidance on washing eggs for eating rather than hatching.
• Candling Eggs
  • George Hanssen, Food Division Administrator, Nebraska Department of Agriculture suggest this option: I don't have any written plans for a coffee can egg candler. However you can cut a small hole in the side of the coffee can and attach a light bulb fixture (porcelain usually) to the top.
  • Check out this PDF on a homemade egg candler from HomeMade: 101 Easy-to-Make Things For Your Garden, Home, or Farm by Ken Braren & Roger Griffith

Egg Labeling Requirements

2-3506. Graded eggs; designation of size and quality; unlawful acts.
It shall be unlawful to prepare, pack, place, deliver for shipment, deliver for sale, load, ship, transport, or sell graded eggs in bulk or in containers and subcontainers unless each container or subcontainer of such eggs is marked with the full, correct, and unabbreviated designation of size and quality of the eggs therein in accordance with the standards prescribed in the Nebraska Graded Egg Act and the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated under the act.

2-3507. Shell eggs; sale without designation of quality grade and weight classification; unlawful.
It shall be unlawful to sell any carton or container of shell eggs to the consumer that does not have imprinted on each carton or container in letters not less than three-eighths inch in height the quality grade and weight classification designations established pursuant to the Nebraska Graded Egg Act.

2-3508. Shell eggs; labeling requirements.It shall be unlawful to sell any carton or container of shell eggs to the consumer that does not have imprinted on each carton or container, in a conspicuous manner, (1) the name of the distributor or packer and (2) the official code number identifying the packer of the eggs used by plants under federal supervision, the state identification number assigned under the federal Egg Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq., or a code number assigned by the director under the Nebraska Graded Egg Act. Applications for code numbers to be assigned by the director may be made to the department upon forms provided for that purpose.

2-3509. Shell eggs; sale without designation of date packed; unlawful.
It shall be unlawful to sell shell eggs in any carton or container which fails to show the date of the year on which the eggs were packed.

2-3510. Shell eggs; sale without invoice; unlawful.
It shall be unlawful to sell shell eggs to a retailer or food purveyor without furnishing an invoice showing the quality grade and weight classification designations established pursuant to the Nebraska Graded Egg Act.

NOTE: Cartons without the Safe Food Handling Statement. Cartons and other containers of shell eggs shall bear a Safe Food Handling Statement alerting consumers to properly store and refrigerate eggs.

Did you know? Many people who are allergic to cow's milk find that they can drink and eat dairy products made from goat or sheep milk, though cross-reactivity can happen. The reason is, each species has slightly different proteins in their milk and, of those that are the same, different proportions.

• Western Nebraska Sheep and Goat Association - The Western Nebraska Sheep and Goat Association mission is to support, improve and strengthen the Western Nebraska's sheep and goat Ag community and it's infrastructure, through education, networking and marketing programs.
• Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers - The Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers is a domestic livestock association formed to foster, support, protect, and promote the best interests of the sheep and goat producers in the State of Nebraska and the United States of America.
• Nebraska Dairy Goat Association - The NDGA was founded in 1982 during a 2-day gathering of goat people from across the state. We have established ourselves as a non-profit corporation, complete with by-laws and a governing board of directors. Our mission is to promote all aspects of the goat industry (meat, milk, fiber and fun), to act as a center of communication among goat raisers in the area, and to circulate information beneficial to all goat producers.
• American Dairy Goat Association - The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) was organized in 1904 to collect, record and preserve the pedigrees of dairy goats and to provide genetic, management and related services to dairy goat breeders.
• Food Safety & Consumer Protection-Dairy Licensing, Permits & Registrations - To implement and enforce the sanitation and quality standards relative to the dairy and food industry through service, education, and regulation. Nebraska Milk Act: This act adopts by reference provisions from the following official documents of the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments as published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States Public Health Service/Food and Drug Administration.
• American Goat Society - Today, AGS remains committed to serving its members and the dairy goat industry through programs that focus on the functionality of the dairy goat in all its shapes and sizes.
• American Sheep Industry Association - ASI is the national organization representing the interests of more than 82,000 sheep producers located throughout the United States. From East to West, farm flocks to range operations, ASI works to represent the interests of all producers.

• Nebraska Statewide Arboretum - an excellent recent publication on sustainable landscapes and attracting wildlife to your yard. You can read this online by enlarging it to full screen (first button lower left) and flipping the "pages," or you can also print it out. 
• Nebraska Beekeeping Association - We are an educational association dedicated to promoting the beekeeping industry in the State of Nebraska.
• National Honey Board - Conducts research, advertising and promotion programs to help maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets for honey. The Board's work is designed to lift the awareness and use of honey by consumers, the foodservice industry and food manufacturers.
• Nebraska Fish & Game Association - Community involvement and education.