NEWS BRIEFS...
Amprolium Now Allowed in USDA Natural Beef and Never Ever 3 Programs
According to recently released standards by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), producers raising cattle for natural and Never Ever 3 (NE3) programs can use amprolium for the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis when used according to the label.
Joe Dedrickson, associate director of Merial Veterinary Services, says that by allowing the use of coccidiostats like Corid® in natural programs the USDA reinforces the importance of preventing this costly disease.
“Cattle can’t fight coccidiosis on their own,” he says. “By adding Corid to their animal health program, natural beef and NE3 producers can help prevent coccidiosis before the damage is done, or treat it if signs of the disease are seen.”
Raising the BSE Age Limit
The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has adopted a resolution raising the cattle age limits related to preventing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in international beef trade, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Under former OIE standards, beef exports and imports were restricted to boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months old. The resolution allows exports and imports of boneless beef from cattle of all ages, the AP reported. The move is expected to bolster U.S. efforts to convince Japan to do away with limiting imports of U.S. beef to those from cattle aged 20 months or younger.
TB discovered in Nebraska, Texas
According to Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) State Veterinarian Dennis Hughes, NDA and USDA veterinarians discovered a herd of beef cattle in the Rock County area in early June that tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB). Officials have so far quarantined 32 herds with about 15,000 adult cattle.
In addition, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) announced the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, has confirmed a diagnosis of TB in a dairy cattle herd in west Texas.
Further information on TB can be found at www.agr.ne.gov under the Bureau of Animal Industry link.
ACRE Deadline Extended
Among the major U.S. field crop commodities, wheat is the crop most likely to benefit from the extension to enroll in the new Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) farm support program introduced in the 2008 Farm Bill, according to an Ohio State University (OSU) specialist.
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has extended the sign-up deadline from June 1 to Aug. 14 to give farmers more time to review details of ACRE.
Campaign Promotes Benefits of Conventional Beef Production
The Growth Enhancement Technology Information Team (GET IT) is introducing a marketing program focused on the economic and environmental benefits of conventional beef production.
The campaign will provide beef producers with facts about the “eco-friendly and economical” benefits of conventional beef production — facts producers can share with family, friends and neighbors who might not be familiar with the benefits of modern beef production systems.
The GET IT campaign runs through the end of the year and includes both print and electronic advertising in major beef-industry publications, electronic newsletters and web sites, thanks to GET IT media partner BEEF. Special-edition newsletters and videos also will be developed.
Producers and consumers can learn more about the “eco-friendly and economical” benefits of conventional beef production by visiting www.beeftechnologies.com/eco.
2009’s First Case of VS Detected in Texas
The nation’s first case of vesicular stomatitis (VS) for 2009 has been detected in a horse in Starr County, in far south Texas, according to the TAHC.
VS is a sporadically occurring virus that is endemic to the United States. Signs of the disease include blisters, lesions and sloughing of the skin on the muzzles, tongue, teats and above the hooves of susceptible livestock, which include horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, deer and some other species of animals.
More information about VS and a map showing the location of Starr County in Texas are available on the TAHC web site at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us.
N.C. ConAgra Plant Explosion Caused by Gas Leak
An explosion that killed three workers at a North Carolina ConAgra plant was caused by a natural gas leak, according to CBS News.
Authorities reported June 13 the blast was ignited in a room housing vacuum pumps for sealing the snacks.
It will now be up to state and federal workplace investigators to determine how the leak happened and what caused it to ignite in the June 9 blast.
Agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fireams and Explosives (ATF) reportedly believe the gas was sparked by a piece of equipment such as a fan motor or thermostat, but other causes like static electricity could not be ruled out, according to CBS.
Organic Trade Gets a Boost in U.S., Canada Deal
A first-of-its-kind agreement has been reached between the United States and Canada that will expand opportunities for organic producers in both countries, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced.
The “equivalency agreement” follows a review by both nations of the other’s organic certification program and a determination that products meeting the standard in the United States can be sold as organic in Canada, and vice versa.
The two letters determining equivalence and Q&As discussing the details of these actions can be found on the National Organic Program (NOP) web site at www.ams.usda.gov/nop.