News Update

News Update
Sept. 1, 2006

Survey Reveals National Animal ID Issues

According to a survey conducted during the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) conference last week, more than 80% of conference participants considered National Animal Identification System (NAIS) implementation “behind expectations.” Furthermore, 78% of the more than 100 respondents said NAIS should be a mandatory program.

More than 20% of conference participants — including academia, federal and state officials, and animal health and industry experts — responded to the survey, which was administered by NIAA and Tri-Merit™ and provided by Schering-Plough Animal Health and Global Animal Management Inc.

Respondents named cost and confidentiality as two of the biggest hurdles to implementing the ID system. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, the meeting’s keynote speaker, said both of these issues are being addressed by allowing private data management companies to serve as suppliers for the program, Schering-Plough reported.

Montana Herd Screening Aims at Removing PI-Positive Pairs

The Montana BVD-PI Herd Screening Project, a program designed to improve the overall health of the state’s cow herd and add value to its calf crop, is currently under way. The focus is to investigate the role of screening cattle herds for animals persistently infected (PI) with the bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus.

The first phase of the project concluded with the testing of the ear notches from more than 30,000 cattle from 55 Montana ranches, according to a release. Among the PI-positive animals found through the project is what’s being dubbed as the “PI-Pair Project” — an effort to locate calves and their mothers that are BVD PI-positive.

The Montana BVD-PI Herd Screening Project is a collaborative effort by the Montana State University Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program and the Montana Stockgrowers Association. Animal Profiling International is conducting the tests for the Montana project in its Portland, Ore., laboratory.

USDA Invests $17.5M in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Secretary Johanns has announced more than $17.5 million in Section 9006 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program Grants to 375 recipients in 36 states. Johanns said the grants will directly promote energy savings and increased energy production in rural America.

Recipients of the funding include agricultural producers or rural small businesses, U.S. citizens or legal residents that have demonstrated financial need. Grant funds can be used to pay up to 25% of the eligible project costs. Additionally, the program provides loan guarantees up to $10 million to fund up to 50% of eligible projects.

Eligible projects include those that derive energy from a wind, solar, biomass or geothermal source, or hydrogen derived from biomass or water using wind, solar or geothermal energy sources.

Further information on rural programs is available at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

Biotechnology Report Released

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a report about the future of biotechnology. The report, titled “Opportunities and Challenges in Agricultural Biotechnology: The Decade Ahead,” describes the advances in agricultural biotechnology’s first decade and discusses a range of topics related to agricultural biotechnology that may be addressed by the secretary during the next decade.

Further information about the report may be accessed through the Web site for USDA’s Advisory Committee on Biotechnolgoy and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21), available through the agency’s biotechnology portal at www.usda.gov.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.