News Update

News Update
August 31, 2007

Summaries of Audience Input Posted to www.bifconference.com

The audience was polled for their viewpoints on many different aspects of cattle breeding, management and marketing during the 2007 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Research Symposium and Annual Meeting. Those responses have been compiled into a four-part series, which is available for download from the newsroom at www.bifconference.com.

Summaries, Audio from National Angus Conference available online

Summaries and audio of Wednesday’s presentations during the National Angus Conference are posted on the “News/Audio” page of www.nationalangusconference.com. The 2007 National Angus Conference & Tour, dubbed a Heartland Homecoming, is being conducted this week in Peoria, Ill. Check back next week for photo galleries of the tour and the PowerPoints that accompanied the presentations.

FSIS Releases Final Notice on Non-Ambulatory Cattle and SRMs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Aug. 31 the publication of the SRM final rule “Prohibition of the Use of Specified Risk Materials for Human Food and Requirements for the Disposition of Non-Ambulatory Disabled Cattle; Prohibition of the Use of Certain Stunning Devices Used to Immobilize Cattle During Slaughter” (also referred to as “the SRM final rule”).

The notice also announces that FSIS will issue two new directives. The new directives will consolidate information from all current FSIS notices related to non-ambulatory disabled cattle and SRMs. Finally, the notice also instructs inspection program personnel to meet with the establishment management to discuss the provisions of the final SRM rule and the changes since the interim final rule.

To read the notice in its entirety visit www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/FSIS_Notices_Index/index.asp.

Blueprint for USDA Efforts in Agricultural Animal Genomics Released

The USDA Animal Genomics Strategic Planning Task Force has released the “Blueprint for USDA Efforts in Agricultural Animal Genomics,” a 10-year plan for research, education and extension in animal genomics to improve animal production systems.

USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) led the task force, which was composed of USDA employees and university scientists and administrators. The planning effort involved a synthesis of needs and recommendations arising from several stakeholder conferences, symposia, workshops and working groups.

The task force developed recommendations in order to apply basic science to improve animal production practices. The combined use of genomic information with existing animal breeding and animal management programs will accelerate rates of genetic improvement of breeding stock, lead to animals that are more adaptable and better-suited to various production environments, and develop new genome-based technologies to enable parentage and identity verification.

CSREES intends for the document to guide and facilitate future budget development, resource allocation, implementation and coordination of research, teaching and extension programs by federal and university scientists and educators.

For more information visit www.csrees.usda.gov.

— News release provided by CSREES News.

USDA Rewards $1.1 Billion in Electric Loans

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced the award of $1.1 billion in electric loans to finance 1,323 miles of new electric distribution and transmission lines to make system improvements benefiting more than 30,000 consumers in 14 states.

“USDA’s financing of rural infrastructure improvements through the Rural Development Utilities Program is an investment that delivers reliable and affordable electric service and helps to strengthen America’s rural communities,” Johanns said.

The funding announced today is being awarded through USDA Rural Development’s electric loan program, which Congress authorized under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to provide loans and loan guarantees to help utilities, cooperatives, states and local governments provide and/or improve electric service in rural areas. The program also helps finance energy conservation and renewable energy systems.

For a complete list of loan recipients visit www.usda.gov.

— News release provided by USDA News.