News Update
Jan. 21, 2011

Briarwood Angus Farm Purchases the 2011 Angus Foundation Heifer Package

Curtis and Ann Long, owners of Briarwood Angus Farm of Butler, Mo., bid $50,000 on Jan. 12 to purchase the 2011 Angus Foundation Heifer Package, donated by Camron “Cam” Cooper, owner of the Talon Ranch of Twin Bridges, Mont. More than $1.4 million has been raised from this Angus Foundation fundraising activity since its inception in 1980.

The heifer package was auctioned during the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo., with all proceeds benefiting the Angus Foundation, the not-for-profit affiliate of the American Angus Association that funds and supports programs involving education, youth and research in the Angus breed and agricultural industry. Read more.

Board Steps Up Requirements for Farmed Cervidae Located Near CWD-Positive Wild Deer

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that a wild white-tailed deer in Olmsted County tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). As a result of the DNR’s finding, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health has established a 10-mile radius CWD-endemic area in southeastern Minnesota.

All captive deer and elk herds within the CWD-endemic area will have movement restrictions. Farms within this area must maintain their animals in such a way that ensures commingling of farmed and wild cervidae does not happen.

“We have been working alongside farmed deer and elk producers for years to develop a plan for this exact situation,” said Minnesota Board of Animal Health Assistant Director Paul Anderson. “We will continue to work with them through this situation to ensure the safety of Minnesota’s wild deer population and the viability of our farmed cervidae industry.”

In 2003, Minnesota implemented mandatory registration and CWD surveillance programs for farmed cervidae herds. In addition, cervidae must be kept inside an 8-foot-tall fence, complete annual inventories and inspections, and submit paperwork within 14 days of moving an animal. When farmed cervidae over 16 months of age die or are slaughtered, herd owners must submit brain samples for CWD testing.

CWD is a fatal brain and nervous system disease found in cervidae in certain parts of North America. The disease is caused by an abnormally shaped protein called a prion, which can damage brain and nerve tissue. Infected animals show progressive loss of body weight with accompanying behavioral changes. In later stages of the disease, infected animals become emaciated (thus “wasting” disease). Other signs include staggering, consuming large amounts of water, excessive urination, and drooling.

According to state health officials and the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans.

As the official animal disease control and eradication agency of the State of Minnesota, the Board was created more than 100 years ago to safeguard the health of the state’s domestic animals. In carrying out its mission, the Board is a part of a network of state agencies protecting public health and providing an abundant, wholesome food supply to Minnesota consumers.

For more information on CWD and the BAH, visit their website at www.bah.state.mn.us.

USDA’s National Agricultural Library Releases 2011 Edition of Thesaurus

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Library (NAL) has released the 2011 edition of the online NAL Agricultural Thesaurus and Glossary (NALT), which adds 3,441 new terms and 321 definitions.

Terminology in the new edition has been especially expanded in areas associated with nanotechnology, food safety risk assessment and sustainable agriculture.

Among the terms added are:

• Quantum dots — Nanometer-sized fragments (30 nm to 1 micron) of semiconductor crystalline material that holds a discrete number of electrons and emits photons. The number of electrons can be altered by modifying the electrostatic environment of the dot.
• Fomites — Inanimate objects that carry pathogenic microorganisms and can serve as the source of infection. Microorganisms typically survive on fomites for minutes or hours. Common fomites include clothing, tissue paper, hairbrushes, and cooking and eating utensils.
• Ecolabeling — A symbol, graphic or statement that appears on products or their packaging to convey an environmental aspect of that product to the consumer.

The thesaurus and glossary are primarily used for indexing and for improving the retrieval of agricultural information, but they can also be used by students — from fifth grade up —teachers, writers, and others who are seeking precise definitions of words from the agricultural sciences.

“All our definitions are drawn from existing authoritative government sources or are painstakingly constructed and reviewed by NAL staff — often with the help of ARS scientists or University of Maryland researchers — to ensure they are accurate,” said NAL Technical Information Specialist Lori Finch, who oversees NALT. “With that kind of expertise coming together, people can trust that they’re getting precise definitions of agricultural and scientific concepts.”

The NALT, which now contains more than 82,000 terms, has an international following and is regarded as among the most authoritative resources of its kind. It is cooperatively produced in English and Spanish by NAL and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.

NAL is part of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the principal intramural scientific research agency of the USDA.

— Release by USDA.

National FFA Organization, National FFA Foundation, USDA, National Council for Agricultural Education Form Strategic Alliance to Focus on Shared Goals

The National FFA Organization and National FFA Foundation have entered into a new, strategic alliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Council for Agricultural Education designed to develop agriculture students’ skills, leadership qualities, personal growth and career success.

The partnership establishes a general framework for cooperation between four entities, all of which work toward common goals of advancing agriculture education and increasing awareness about the importance of agriculture through assuring international competitiveness and the sustainability of the industry by creating a highly prepared workforce.

Under the agreement, FFA will work with USDA to identify needs and interests of agriculture teachers, students, communities, farmers, agribusiness and related groups. FFA will also collaborate with other USDA programs, such as 4-H and Agriculture in the Classroom, to extend efforts to educate and inform students about agriculture and promote awareness of career opportunities within the agriculture industry. The National FFA Foundation will pursue grants, cooperative agreements and contracts from both the public and private sectors to secure funding for collaborative projects.

“The National FFA Organization and National FFA Foundation believe that this new strategic partnership will heighten our collective focus on our common goals and significantly strengthen our combined efforts to effectively train and develop tomorrow’s leaders in the science, business and technology of agriculture,” said Rob Cooper, executive director of the National FFA Foundation. “FFA is committed to increased collaboration with the federal government and council.”

The USDA will designate some within its top administrative staff to seek and communicate areas in which there is a match between the education delivery needs of USDA and the agriculture education initiatives offered by FFA and the council. The USDA will also identify and provide opportunities, resources, input and coordination between USDA programs and FFA, the National FFA Foundation and the council. The council will work to bolster in-service education opportunities, develop forward-thinking instructional materials designed for agriculture teachers to utilize in their classrooms and help identify today’s needs and interests of agriculture teachers, students, farmers, agribusiness leaders and communities in general.

“This agreement is aimed at preparing and motivating the youth of America to undertake the challenges and reap the rewards associated with life in rural areas,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “Working with our partners, we want to provide educational support and promote career opportunities in agriculture. This partnership will help meet the Obama administration’s goal of raising a generation of Americans who are well-educated, ready to lead their communities and strengthen the American economy.”

The agreement was signed by Vilsack after a meeting in Washington with representatives from FFA, the National FFA Foundation, USDA and council.

— Release by the National FFA Foundation.

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