News Update
May 28, 2009

The ID Mandate: Meeting Consumer and Government Demands

With the increase in demand for livestock traceability coming from consumers and governments, ID Info Expo 2009 is the place to be Aug. 25-27. The EXPO, now in its eighth year, provides a unique national forum in which all livestock stakeholders can convene to discuss the issues surrounding the implementation of a U.S. national animal identification (ID) system.

Individuals who want to speak out and be heard regarding the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and share ideas to further participation in NAIS are urged to attend the ID Info Expo at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. Sponsored by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), the ID Info Expo will center on the theme “The ID Mandate: Meeting Consumer and Government Demands” and will include presentations, discussion sessions and a tradeshow.

“ID Info Expo 2009 aligns with NIAA’s mission to provide a forum for building consensus and advance solutions for animal agriculture-in this case animal identification,” states Glenn Fischer, chairman of the Id Info Expo Planning Committee. “This is a national forum where individuals — producers, regulatory, scientists, educators, state and national livestock leaders and allied industry — can come together, address specific concerns and be heard. All conference sessions will be informative, interactive and solution-oriented.

“At the conclusion of the conference, our goal is to have identified solutions that will help advance a system that is animal health driven, moves toward 48-hour traceability and helps preserve the profitability of our animal agriculture industry.”

Fischer explains that the conference is designed so those attending can arrive Tuesday morning, Aug. 25, and depart Thursday afternoon, Aug. 27. Conference sessions will start Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. and conclude Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m.

The opening general session will address the state of animal ID today in the United States and a look at how systems were implemented in other countries and within specific species. Wednesday’s conference sessions will cover challenges as well as opportunities associated with a national animal identification system. Specific items that will be discussed include cost, confidentiality, technologies, potential regulation, export opportunities or potential closed export doors, as well as other issues. Thursday’s session will be devoted to identifying elements of a workable national animal identification system that has 48-hour traceability, serves animal agriculture, helps protect the profitability of animal agriculture and meets consumer and government needs.

Individuals who register prior to July 17 receive a $50 discount and can register for $425. Cost of registration for NIAA members registering before July 17 is $375.

The Westin Crown Center has a highly discounted room rate for ID Info Expo attendees. Rooms can be reserved online at www.animalagriculture.org or by calling the Westin Crown Center at 816-474-4400 and requesting the ID Info Expo group rate.

Complete conference information and online registration is available at www.animalagriculture.org.

— Release provided by NIAA.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces $143 Million for Rural Water Projects 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of nearly $143 million in water and environmental projects that are being funded immediately through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The projects will help provide safe drinking water and improved wastewater treatment systems for rural towns and communities in 21 states.

In Wells County, Ind., the town of Ossian has been selected to receive a $4.5 million loan to replace a 75-year-old cast iron water main distribution system. In the last three years, the system has experienced nearly 150 water main breaks, resulting in public health advisories to boil drinking water. The new system will provide a reliable and safe source of drinking water and adequate fire flow pressure for the 1,173 residential and 85 commercial customers.

The Defiance County Auglaize River Project in Defiance County, Ohio, has been selected to receive a $5.2 million loan to build a wastewater and sewage collection system. The area has received environmental citations due to residential sewage discharging into the Auglaize River. The new treatment facility will be used by residents of Defiance and neighboring Paulding County, improving the living conditions of the area.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development’s Water and Environmental Program provides loans and grants to ensure that the necessary investments are made in water and wastewater infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water and protect the environment in rural areas. More information about USDA rural development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov. Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement.

More information about USDA’s Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about the Federal government’s efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.

— Release provided by USDA.

OIE Upgrades Japan’s BSE Status

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on Thursday will formally adopt a resolution classifying Japan as a controlled-risk country for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), according to Asian media reports.

OIE decided at a general session earlier in the week to upgrade Japan’s BSE status, the organization’s officials said.

Japan mandates that beef from domestic cattle aged 21 months and older be tested for BSE, while it limits imports of beef to that derived from cattle aged 20 months or younger.

The OIE ruling technically would allow Japan to ship a wider array of product abroad. Tokyo intends to press several countries including Russia and Mexico to import more Japanese beef.

Meanwhile, the decision might give the United States, also a controlled-risk country, leverage in its efforts to persuade Japan to allow imports of beef from older cattle.

— Release provided by Meatingplace.com.

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.