News Update
Jan. 15, 2010

USDA Joins National Dairy Council and NFL In Public-Private Partnership

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has joined a campaign to fight and defeat childhood obesity in cooperation with the NFL, National Dairy Council, multiple health organizations and several major corporations. The campaign, known as Fuel Up to Play 60, is funded with an initial private sector financial commitment of $250 million over five years by America’s Dairy Farmers. Funding is expected to grow as government, business, communities and families join this effort to improve nutrient-rich food choices and achieve 60 minutes of physical activity each day among children. More than 58,000, or 60%, of the nation’s 96,000 private and public schools are currently enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60.

It is possible that today’s children could become the first American generation with a shorter life expectancy than their parents. One-third of American children are overweight or obese. The obesity prevalence is about three to four times that of just one generation ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Vilsack joined Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner, and Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc., the managing organization for National Dairy Council, at a New York City public school to support and promote the initiative. Other speakers included Eric Goldstein, CEO, Nutrition and Transportation, New York City Department of Education; David Satcher, Action for Healthy Kids founding chair and 16th U.S. Surgeon General; and Maurice Jones-Drew, #32 running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Also attending the event were leaders from Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association, and hundreds of students from Central Park East Middle School in New York City.

As an initial step, these partners will work together to promote and expand Fuel Up to Play 60. Based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the program empowers students in grades 4 through 10 to engage their peers to “fuel up” with nutrient-rich foods they often lack — particularly low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains — and “get up and play” with 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Components developed for and by youth — such as program curriculum, in-school promotional materials, a web site and youth social media partnerships — are customizable and non-prescriptive. The program’s design allows youth and schools to determine which tools and resources best help schools meet local youth wellness goals and school wellness policies. Partner-supported school grants will help schools make long-term healthy changes.

The program taps the power of the NFL and its teams, players and physical activity programming to add recognition and value for students. National Dairy Council’s trusted school relationships are crucial in sustaining the program. All 32 NFL teams are participating in the program through local dairy councils and schools in their respective markets.

More information about Fuel Up to Play 60 is available at www.fueluptoplay60.com.

— Adapted from a USDA Release.

K-State’s Department of Grain Science to Host Centennial Lecture Series

In commemoration of its 100th anniversary, the Kansas State University  (K-State) Department of Grain Science and Industry will host a six-part lecture series featuring speakers from across the grain and biotechnology fields.

Founded in 1910 as the Department of Milling Industry, and using an experimental flour mill set up in the chemistry building, the department began testing and exploring more efficient ways of milling wheat grown in Kansas and across the Great Plains and improving grain quality. Since that time, the department has emerged to become a unique and internationally distinguished program.

Today, milling science is but one of three unique undergraduate programs offered by the department, which also includes baking science and feed science degrees. K-State is the only university in the world to offer all three degrees.

The lecture series will feature six speakers representing the fields of cereal science, nutrition, publishing and biotechnology. The speakers have been chosen to discuss the future of agricultural science and industry as it relates to global challenges.

The first lecture is scheduled for 2 p.m. Feb. 17 in the Hemisphere Room at K-State’s Hale Library. Julie Miller Jones, professor emeritus of food and nutrition at the College of Saint Catherine in Saint Paul, Minn., will present, “Grains of Truth: Separating Grain Nutrition Myths and Facts.”

More information on the Centennial Lecture Series, or other centennial celebration events is available on K-State’s Department of Grain Science and Industry web site at: www.grains.ksu.edu.

— From a K-State Research & Extension News release.

Safety First When Using Wood Stoves

With Ol’ Man Winter bringing cold days and frosty nights to the state, the temptation to warm one’s toes at a wood stove’s blazing fire can be too much to resist. But according to the National Ag Safety Database, heating equipment is the No. 1 cause of home fires. So safety precautions should be taken by those wishing to heat their homes with a wood stove.

“A wood stove is not just a simple object, but a heating system that includes the chimney,” said Mark Purschwitz, University of Kentucky Extension professor and agricultural safety and health specialist in the College of Agriculture. “It must be properly installed, operated and maintained to provide efficient heat and keep your house and family safe.”

Wood stoves should be installed with adequate clearance from anything with the potential to catch fire such as the floor, walls, draperies, furniture and fuels. The chimney should be in the proper location, away from combustibles, and of the proper height and correct capacity for the stove. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Place the stove on an approved stove board to protect floorboards or rugs from heat and sparks. At the beginning of each season, inspect the chimney connections and flues. Look for cracked flue liners and broken or missing bricks. Bird nests and other foreign materials should be removed. Creosote, highly combustible tar deposits from smoke from wet or unseasoned wood, can build up in the chimney.

“Using uncured wood, not building fires hot enough to keep creosote from building up on the chimney walls, and not keeping the chimney and flue clean are ways in which wood stove systems can be misused and abused,” Purschwitz said. “This results in creosote buildup that can result in a bad chimney fire.”

A periodic chimney cleaning with a stiff wire chimney cleaning brush is essential.

Firewood with a moisture content of higher than 20% will create a lot of smoke, increasing the potential for creosote buildup. Use firewood that has been split and stacked in the open during the whole summer. Hardwoods are preferred, as pine smoke can leave more of the sticky resin. Control creosote by maintaining a briskly burning fire from well-seasoned, dry wood with a flue temperature greater than 250° F.

The irony behind new high-efficiency stoves is, because they push more heat into the home, the flue temperature is often not as high as with older models. This can create a better environment for creosote buildup, so such units need more frequent inspections.

Never burn anything other than wood in a wood stove or fireplace. Paper or pine boughs can float out of the chimney and have the potential to ignite the roof. Avoid burning coal, charcoal or other fuels in an apparatus designed for wood. This is not the place to burn garbage since dyes, inks and plastics can emit airborne toxins when burned. Also, don’t use fence posts or any wood that may have been treated with preservatives, as they can release dangerous chemicals, as well. And don’t think about getting rid of Christmas wrapping paper in a stove or fireplace. The paper may ignite suddenly, causing a flash fire. Any metallic materials in wrapping paper also could release toxins when burned.

Never use kerosene or gasoline to start a fire in a fireplace or stove, as these substances may explode and cause a serious injury.

And when the fire has burned out, dispose of the ashes safely.

“Ashes should be removed by placing them into a metal container with a lid and keeping the container on a noncombustible floor until they are cool and can be disposed of,” Purschwitz said.

There are a few other simple steps to take to insure safe use of wood-burning stoves. These are not the places to dry clothing, so do not hang fabrics on or near the appliance. And warn children that the stove is extremely hot and not to be touched or played near. When leaving the house, make sure the fire is completely out.

With a few precautions and some common sense, a wood stove or fireplace can turn a chilly house into a cozy retreat for whiling away winter’s blustery presence.

— From a University of Kentucky College of Agriculture release written by Carol Spence.

Key Shipment of U.S. Bone-in Beef Arrives in Taiwan

Taiwan News has reported that the first shipment of U.S. bone-in beef arrived in Taiwan on Friday, Jan. 15, amid a controversy over the island government’s decision to re-impose a ban on other beef imports because of health concerns.

The six boxes of beef products, totalling 360 pounds, will be kept by customs officials for about three days pending inspections, health officials said.

The shipment arrived one week after Taiwan’s parliament re-imposed a ban on certain U.S. beef imports, triggering an angry response from Washington and fears the move could damage ties with the island’s most important ally.

Lawmakers unanimously passed an amendment to the food health law banning imports of cow organs, minced beef and other items seen as high-risk, such as spines and eyes.

Meanwhile, a leading Taiwanese advocacy group has vowed to press ahead with preparations for a referendum aimed at extending the ban to all bone-in beef.

Taiwan banned all U.S. beef imports in December 2003 over concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). In 2006, Taipei relaxed the rules to permit imports of boneless beef.

Some scientists believe that consumption of the brains and spinal cords of animals infected with BSE can lead to the potentially fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.

— Adapted from an AFP release.

South Korea to Strengthen Quarantine Measures to Stem Spread of FMD

China View reports that South Korea is set to strengthen quarantine measures to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) after its government confirmed a second outbreak Jan. 14.

The first outbreak of FMD in eight years occurred Jan. 7 on a cattle farm north of Seoul.

The government will severely restrict access of animals and humans to the contaminated area, especially within a three-kilometer radius of the farms where the highly contagious disease was reported. To read the entire release, click here.

Rancher Knowledge: An Untapped Resource

Land management and conservation agencies have traditionally performed rangeland management activities based predominantly on technical information resulting from scientific research. However, rancher experience and knowledge is an untapped resource that could help broaden the scope of these activities and lead to more sustainable land management.

The number of ranchers in the United States is steadily decreasing. Therefore, it is more important than ever to document rancher knowledge and share it with other ranchers and with those involved in rangeland management.

Researchers gathered and codified the knowledge of ranchers in northwest Colorado; their results appear in the journal Rangeland Ecology and Management. Numerous studies document the local knowledge of pastoral communities in developing countries. However, only a few studies have focused on rancher knowledge, and until now, none has systematically studied rancher knowledge in a developed country.

Fewer people are choosing ranching as their profession because it is less economically viable to do so. As land is sold and subdivided for exurban development, invasive species become more difficult to control on these parcels. In addition, wildlife populations tend to move to intact ranches, where they put additional stress on the available natural resources. As a result, those who are still in the ranching business face more and unique challenges than they have previously.

This compilation of information represents the first step toward sharing previously undocumented knowledge with all land stakeholders so that more sustainable management practices can be implemented. The combination of active, embedded and integrative knowledge of ranchers along with the knowledge gained scientifically through the testing of hypotheses will be key to managing rangelands in a way that will benefit the entire ecosystem.

Ranchers tend to gain most of their knowledge through personal experiences and from family and friends. This knowledge is traditionally not recorded. Because there are fewer ranchers and this trend is expected to continue, it is imperative that this important source of knowledge be documented and used by all of those involved in rangeland management.

To read the entire study, visit www2.allenpress.com/pdf/RAMA-62.6fnl.pdf.

— Compiled by Linda Robbins, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.