News Update
June 24, 2010

NCBA, PLC Support Legislation Requiring Transparency in Monument Designation Process

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC) and other livestock groups are supporting legislation (H.R. 5580) to require oversight in the National Monument designation process. “The National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010,” introduced today by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) would require the Administration to seek Congressional approval before designating future monuments.

Over the years, Presidents have aggressively used the Antiquities Act to designate hundreds of thousands of acres of land across the western United States as National Monuments. These designations often serve the purpose of restricting livestock grazing and other activities, which have been a historic part of our nation’s “multiple-use” tradition for public lands — contributing to both healthy landscapes and rural economies.

“Decisions about monument designations are too important to be made behind closed doors,” said NCBA President Steve Foglesong. “States, ranchers and local stakeholders are all impacted by these designations, and they deserve the right to provide input throughout the process.”

H.R. 5580 would allow the President to designate only “the smallest area essential to ensure the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.” It would also establish procedures for the designation of monuments, including a public comment period; public hearings; and a report to Congress outlining the designation’s impact on the local economy, national energy security, and other uses associated with the land. All comments and analyses would be posted on the White House website.

In order to take effect, proposed designations would require Congressional approval within two years; unapproved monuments could not be followed by repeat proposals.

“Grazing is not only a right of our nation’s ranchers, it is also one of the multiple uses of federal lands that has made these areas so vibrant and beautiful,” said Skye Krebs, PLC president. “Rep. Nunes’ legislation will help guard the economic resource our ranchers depend on, and will help protect the natural resource by promoting the continued stewardship of our nation’s rangelands.”

NCBA and PLC are also supporting a Resolution of Inquiry (H.Res.1406) by House Natural Resource Committee Ranking Member Doc Hastings and National Parks, Forest and Public Lands Subcommittee Ranking Member Rob Bishop to direct the Administration to turn over to Congress the missing pages and related documents of an “internal memo” detailing plans to potentially designate 13 million acres of new National Monuments in 11 western states. Despite requests from members of Congress and others, the Administration has failed to disclose the majority of documents related to this initiative. H.Res.1406 — approved last week with favorable recommendation by the full Committee — is the second Resolution of Inquiry offered by Reps. Hastings and Bishop. A motion to favorably report the first resolution, H. Res. 1254, was voted down by the Committee Majority last month.

— Release by NCBA.

USAHA, AAVLD Meeting to Further Dialogue on “One Health”

The United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) and American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) will continue to build on the discussions in animal agriculture regarding One Health at this year’s 114th USAHA/53rd AAVLD Annual Meeting. The organizations’ joint plenary session, on Monday, Nov. 15, 2010, in Minneapolis, Minn., is titled “One Health: One Way Street or are there Opportunities for Animal Agriculture?”

The session will feature a broad range of health experts from both human and veterinary medicine, and address the perceptions and roles from both disciplines as it impacts animal agriculture. Lonnie King, Dean of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine will serve as the moderator for this insightful session.

“As we prepared this session, we realized that the timing was ripe for USAHA and AAVLD to become more engaged in the One Health discussion,” says Steve Halstead, USAHA President Elect, Michigan State Veterinarian and co-chair of the program. “This is an opportunity for our members to come together and engage in an issue that, for all the discussion it generates, has not been clear in its objectives and its application to our day-to-day work.”

Speakers include:

• Lisa Conti, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, CEHP (Director, Division of Environmental Health, Florida Dept. of Health and Co-Author of Human-Animal Medicine, Clinical Approaches to Zoonoses, Toxicants and Other Shared Health Risks.
  

• Gary Simpson, MD, College Master and Professor of Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, Departments of Medical Education and Internal Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, TX
  

• Mark Engle, DVM, Director, Health and Transportation, PIC North America
  

• Katey Pelican, DVM, Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota
  

• Mo Salman, BVMS, PhD, Colorado State University Professor of Epidemiology
  

• James Hughes, MD, FACP, FIDSA (Professor of Medicine and Public Health Emory University with over 30 years experience at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Infectious Disease Unit.

“The concept of One Health is very far-reaching and, in reality, has been a big part of veterinary medicine since its inception,” said Craig Carter of the University of Kentucky, who serves as AAVLD president-elect and co-chair for the session.” We are at a time where zoonoses are on the rise, and veterinarians are positioned well as experts in this area, ultimately benefiting both humans and animals as the One Health concept evolves.”
 

Additionally, AAVLD will feature “One Health: Opportunities for Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories” for its plenary session on Saturday, Nov. 13.

The USAHA/AAVLD Joint Plenary session is part of the USAHA and AAVLD Annual Meetings, scheduled for Nov. 11-17, 2010, at the Minneapolis Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis, Minn. The meeting features USAHA’s 32 committees, scientific presentations and networking with leaders in food animal health, regulatory medicine and veterinary diagnostics. For more information on USAHA, go to www.usaha.org. AAVLD’s website is www.aavld.org.

— Release by USAHA.

Bovine Programs At CVC In August

The Central Veterinary Conference (CVC) will hold its annual convention and trade show Aug. 28-31 in Kansas City, Mo.
Bovine programs will include speakers such as Virginia Fajt, Mike Apley, Tom Noffsinger, Bob Larson, Dave Rhoda and

Mark Alley. Topics will include bovine drug use, antimicrobials, pharmacology, pain management, feedlot lameness, cow-calf management, cattle handling, dairy welfare, treatment protocols, BVD, trichomoniasis, diagnostic testing, regulations and more.

Pre-registration ends July 21. Veterinarians can register online at www.cvccentral.com.

— Release by CVC.

Range Management Workshop July 26 in Bracketville

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service will present a Range Management Workshop from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. July 26 at the Kinney County Civic Center, 200 East Spring Street in Bracketville.

Butch Taylor and Bob Lyons of Texas AgriLife Research will be presenting, as will Dale Prochaska of the Kerr Wildlife Area, said Tyler Bobinmyer, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Kinney County and workshop coordinator.

“These are some of the most respected names in the field of range and pasture management, and they will educate area ranchers and the community on range and pasture improvement, and the different options they have to manage their properties,” he said.

Bobinmyer said it is vital that ranchers and landowners understand the options they have to become better stewards and improve their land.

He said there also will be a presentation from Haden Keyser from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, including how these programs can benefit landowners.

To conclude the program, landowners are encouraged to bring along any forb, grass or shrub species they need help identifying.

Three continuing education units — two integrated pest management and one general — will be available for those with a Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicators license.

The cost of this program is $5, and attendees are requested to RSVP by July 23 to the AgriLife Extension office in Kinney County, 830-563-2442.

— Release by Texas AgriLife Research.

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