News Update
August 28, 2012
Help the Beef Industry and Enter to Win a
$100 Cabela's Gift Card
As the popularity of activist groups including the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) rises, beef cattle producers are faced with the daunting task of defending their industry from scrutiny.
Texas A&M graduate student Lauren Bergin is conducting a study to identify what beef cattle producers' current knowledge levels of animal activism are and, simultaneously, to measure perceived levels of an animal activism risk to the operation. Help the beef cattle industry learn to be better prepared in preventing animal activism attacks by taking the survey below. At the end of the survey you may enter the drawing for a $100 Cabela's Gift Card. Please complete the survey by next Tuesday, Sept. 4.
To take the survey, click here.
Health Alerts in Effect at Big Indian Creek Lake and
Kirkman's Cove
The state of Nebraska has issued a health alert for toxic blue-green algae at Big Indian Creek Lake in Gage County, and a health alert continues to be in effect at Kirkman's Cove in Richardson County. A health alert has ended at Swan Creek Lake #5A (Willard L. Meyer Recreation Area) in Saline County.
Weekly sampling has been conducted at 49 public lakes in Nebraska since the beginning of May. Samples taken earlier this week at Big Indian Creek Lake and Kirkman's Cove were above the state's health alert threshold of 20 parts per billion (ppb) of total microcystin (a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae.) Kirkman's Cove has been on alert since July 27, and this is the first week for an alert at Big Indian Creek Lake. The alerts will continue at the lakes for at least two more weeks, because lakes that are on health alert must have two consecutive weeks of readings below the threshold before the alert is discontinued.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Isaac to Help Drought Stricken Wheat, But Not Corn or Beans
The drought-parched Midwest farm belt could get up to 5 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Isaac, but it would be a mixed blessing to farmers, as the moisture will be too late for corn and soybeans but just in time for wheat planting next month.
Farmers are harvesting their corn, which has been devastated by the worst drought in half a century; as a result, rain would be of no help at this time of the season, reports Reuters. Rain could be of marginal help to soybeans that were planted late in the season, but not to the bulk of the crop that is fast approaching harvest due to early planting this year.
For farmers gearing up to plant the winter wheat crop, rain could boost soil moisture and get the crop in the world's top wheat exporter off to a good start.
For more information and the full release, click here.
OSHA Cites Tyson Foods After Worker Fatality
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Tyson Foods Inc., Dakota City, Neb., for seven safety violations after conducting an inspection at the company's Dakota City beef processing facility, where a mechanic was fatally injured March 14.
The mechanic was performing maintenance work beneath a piece of equipment that had been secured in an elevated position by a chain and quick link, but the chain failed and the equipment crushed the mechanic. A willful violation was cited for ineffective periodic safety equipment inspections and failing to make necessary modifications to the worker safety protection process through the inspections. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowledge or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.
"It is unthinkable that an employer would allow workers in and around dangerous operations without ensuring that sufficient safeguards are in place," said Charles Adkins, OSHA's regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. "All employers must take the necessary steps to eliminate hazards from the workplace. OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so."
Five serious violations are alleged that involve failing to provide protective equipment for working with chemicals, using tags when lockout devices are not available for equipment, using suitable energy isolation devices for the work environment, training authorized workers on using lockout/tagout devices to control the energy sources of equipment and providing comprehensive training on hazard communication. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Kansas Cattlemen Pleased with Changes Coming to
Beef Checkoff
The Kansas Cattlemen's Association (KCA) is pleased that the USDA has approved a proposal to expand the contracting authority of the Beef Checkoff.
According to a release provided by the Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB), "The proposal removes the requirement in the Beef Promotion and Research Order that limits eligibility for managing individual Beef Checkoff programs to only those national nonprofit beef organizations that were active and established when enabling legislation for the program passed in 1986."
In March, the KCA contacted USDA and stressed that expanding the contracting authority to other industry-governed organizations would be acting in accordance with the spirit of the regulation and be for the common good of the industry and Beef Checkoff program.
For more information and the full release, click here.
DLA to Buy $100 Million in Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Fish
At President Obama's direction, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is procuring a six-month advanced meat supply for its Department of Defense (DOD) customers to provide relief to the drought-stricken agriculture industry.
The DLA Troop Support Subsistence supply chain is asking its top three prime vendors to purchase, store and distribute beef, pork, lamb, chicken and catfish items, said Tom Daley, deputy director, in a news release. He estimates purchases will amount to more than $100 million.
In 2011, Subsistence provided 95 million pounds (lb.) of beef, 68 million lb. of pork, 500,000 lb. of lamb, 55 million lb. of chicken and 2 million lb. of catfish to the U.S. military services and other DOD agencies all over the world.
"Dining facility menus will not be affected by this purchase," Daley said. "A soldier at a DFAC in Afghanistan won't notice anything different when eating a grilled cheeseburger or baked chicken. The warfighter will continue to receive healthy, wholesome and nutritious meals."
For the full release, click here.
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