News Update

News Update
June 5, 2008

Kansas Animal Health Department Launches Campaign To Protect Livestock

The Kansas Animal Health Department has announced a coordinated promotional campaign to encourage the state’s livestock owners to participate in a premises identification (ID) program. Titled “Locate In 48,” the program focuses on educating Kansas landowners and those who handle or manage livestock on the importance of registering locations where animals are held.

Locate In 48 refers to a system that will allow 48-hour traceback if an animal disease outbreak were to occur. This system will help protect animals, increase consumer confidence in the nation’s food supply, better connect producers to the global marketplace and protect the Kansas way of life.

The campaign is supported by a brochure, posters, radio and print advertisements, a billboard and an enhanced web site that outlines the program. The site, available at http://kansas.locatein48.com, includes campaign materials, frequently asked questions (FAQs) and online registration capabilities.

Through the program, livestock owners are asked to voluntarily register their premises.

A premises is any location where animals are managed or held — this includes farms, ranches, hobby farms, veterinary clinics, stables, livestock markets and any other location where livestock are kept. Registration will allow animal health officials to quickly contact livestock owners or caretakers in the event of an animal disease outbreak or animal health emergency.

For more information about premises registration or to register online, visit http://kansas.locatein48.com. Livestock owners can also print a copy of the registration form from the web site and fax it to 785-296-1765 or mail it to the Kansas Animal Health Department, 708 SW Jackson St., Topeka, KS 66603-3714. In addition, registrations are accepted at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices or by phone at 785-296-2326.

— Release provided by the Kansas Animal Health Department.

2008 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Nears

Preregistration is now open for the 2008 Cattle Industry Summer Conference, which will take place July 15-19 in Denver, Colo. The event is co-sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), American National CattleWomen, Inc. (ANCW), and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF).

For the second year in a row, the beef and dairy industries will team up for an educational session to kick off the conference. Wednesday, July 16, the Beef-Dairy Animal Care and Quality Assurance Symposium will highlight joint issues and crisis management efforts coordinated between the two industries. The symposium will also address the timely topic of animal care and handling guidelines for all segments of the beef industry. Speakers from dairy, cow-calf and feedlot operations will address animal-handling techniques, transportation requirements, and strategic marketing decision tools that can lead to improved product quality and consumer satisfaction.

At last year’s Cattle Industry Summer Conference, the National Dairy Council and the Beef Checkoff Program teamed up for a joint nutrition symposium. This session examined the common nutrition environment faced by the beef and dairy industries, and the cooperative work being performed by the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition. This year’s attendees will receive an update on the work of this coalition, including collaborative efforts in completing a new scientific index, successful thought leader outreach and education, and promoting the importance of high-quality protein in the diet.

The following day, the Beef Industry General Session will focus on current cattle industry conditions and challenges. Industry experts will discuss methods cattlemen can use to deal with today’s record-high operating costs and difficult business climate. The general session will be followed by the CBB Update Session, as well as issues forums conducted by the NCBA Policy Division and NCBA’s Federation of State Beef Councils Division.

The Cattle Industry Summer Conference also offers cattlemen the opportunity to attend NCBA regional caucus meetings and NCBA policy committee meetings. These sessions provide an update on industry issues affecting NCBA members, as well as the status of many legislative and regulatory policy priorities in Washington, D.C.

In addition, joint industry committees and subcommittees will receive progress reports on all projects and initiatives currently funded by the beef checkoff program.

The week’s events draw to a close Saturday, July 19, with meetings of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the NCBA Board of Directors. Cattle Industry Summer Conference meetings and events will be at the Sheraton Denver Hotel (formerly the Adam’s Mark) in downtown Denver. Preregistration is open through June 25. Those not registered by this deadline may do so on-site beginning July 15.

Full registration and hotel information is available at www.beefusa.org/convsummerconference.aspx.

— Release provided by NCBA.

U.S. Suspends Chicken Exports to Russia, Japan Implements Ban

Following the discovery of a low pathogenic strain of avian influenza in an Arkansas hen flock, Tyson Foods Inc. has announced that the United States has voluntarily suspended any poultry exports from Arkansas to Russia for 90 days, according to Meatingplace.com. Also, Japan has decided to implement a temporary ban.

For the Russian market, all fresh or frozen poultry meat derived from birds raised or processed in the state and harvested on or after June 2 are ineligible, though meat from birds harvested prior to that date is still eligible.

According to Meatingplace.com, Tyson began depopulating the 15,000-chicken flock on Tuesday.

— Adapted from a Meatingplace.com article.

AMI Indicates Support for Policy That Tested Product be Kept Under Control Until Results Are Received

The American Meat Institute (AMI) told USDA June 3 that it would support an agency policy that would require companies to control product tested by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) until the test results are known.

In a letter to Undersecretary for Food Safety Richard Raymond, AMI said it would support an agency policy that product tested by FSIS, subject to company lotting and control procedures, not be allowed to enter, or be used in product that would enter, commerce until the test results become available. AMI said that such a policy should not consist of agency retention of any FSIS-tested product, but rather require a company to utilize its own, effective control measures that ensure the product is not used or distributed for sale before the test results are known.

In the letter, AMI said it has long advocated as a best practice that companies retain control of sampled product to avoid a recall in the event the test result is positive. In September 2005, AMI, along with several other organizations and with assistance and encouragement from FSIS, mailed to every small and very small federally inspected establishment a best practices document encouraging them to adopt a policy to control tested product until the results are known. Still, some plants have not adhered to this practice.

Many recalls that occurred in 2007 could have been prevented if product tested by FSIS had not been used or did not enter commerce until negative test results were available, AMI officials said. For E. coli, 26 of the 49 recalls in 2007 occurred when product tested positive after it left the control of the producing company and entered commerce.

For more information or to read the letter, visit www.meatami.com.

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