News Update
December 17, 2012
EPA Retains Dust Standard
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Dec. 14, 2012 that it would retain the coarse particulate matter (PM) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), eliciting a positive response from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) on behalf of cattle producers across the country.
“NCBA is pleased that EPA has decided to retain the current coarse PM standard and did not make a bad situation worse,” said NCBA Deputy Environmental Counsel Ashley McDonald. “Unfortunately, cattle producers did not get the permanent certainty they were seeking in the form of legislation and will again face a review of this standard within five years. But for today, NCBA is relieved that EPA listened to rural America and realized that further tightening the dust standard would have disastrous effects on America’s agricultural economy.”
The PM standard, commonly known as the dust standard, remains one of the most important environmental issues facing cattle producers. Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), EPA is required to review the dust standard every five years to evaluate its protection of public health. Despite the lack of any scientific evidence finding any harm to human health from rural dust at ambient levels, agricultural operations in arid parts of the country have a difficult time attaining compliance with the dust standard at its current level, and must implement costly practices in order to mitigate dust.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Consider Windbreaks to Shelter Livestock
Established tree windbreaks sheltering beef and dairy cattle operations can save producers money on feed costs, weight loss and milk production during the winter months.
A heavy winter coat protects beef cattle until temperatures drop below 18° F, but beyond that point, Bob Atchison with the Kansas Forest Service said the animals require additional feed to maintain body temperatures. The presence of a windbreak can help remedy this problem.
“A 25 mile-per-hour wind at zero degrees Fahrenheit creates a windchill of 44 degrees below zero,” said Atchison. “By contrast, a properly designed windbreak will reduce the same windchill to 15 degrees below zero.”
Atchison said windbreaks can reduce the spike in energy requirements cattle need to maintain their body temperature during extreme cold weather. He cited Canadian researchers who found that cattle on winter range, in unprotected sites, required a 50% increase in feed for normal activities.
“A properly designed windbreak will reduce these needs by half,” he said.
Learn more in the December issue of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, released this Thursday, Dec. 20. Subscribe at www.angusbeefbulletin.com/extra for inbox delivery.
Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria Issue Demands Action
The mention of antimicrobial resistance strikes fear in some and demands response from many.
The importance of the topic to animal health professionals and agricultural producers was evident by the attendance of 170 people at a Nov. 2012 conference on the topic of antibiotic resistance sponsored by the National Institute of Animal Agriculture in Columbus, Ohio.
The issue is the resistance of infectious bacteria to antibiotics that are supposed to kill or control them. Thus, they can become uncontrolled. This represents a potential threat to the health of animals, humans and even plants. Indeed, the length of time of medical treatment and the costs associated with that increase greatly for people infected with resistant bacteria. There is also increased risk of death. It is therefore important for all involved to ask questions about the causes and spread of antibiotic resistance.
For more information and the full release, click here.
EPA Announcement Puts Farm Regulation
Announcement to Rest
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized an update to its national air quality standards for harmful fine particle pollution (PM2.5), including soot, setting the annual health standard at 12 micrograms per cubic meter, in response to a court order.
According to EPA, the announcement has no effect on the existing daily standard for fine particles or the existing daily standard for coarse particles (PM10), which includes dust from farms and other sources, both of which remain unchanged.
“National Farmers Union (NFU) commends the EPA on continuing its position to leave PM10 standards unchanged,” said NFU Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule. “We can finally put this issue to rest. There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about supposed regulatory overreach so this final rule will hopefully put to rest any remaining anxiety regarding ‘farm dust’ regulation by EPA.”
Grilled, Seared Foods May Add to Waistlines, Disease Risk
A steak slapped onto a hot barbecue will leave the meat with black grill lines that add flavor and aroma, but the chemicals contained in charred, seared and fried foods may, over time, kick-start the body's ability to add new fat cells and increase the risk of age-related diseases, a Purdue University study shows.
Over time, the human body shuts down the ability of young fat cells to mature and accumulate lipids. Grilling, searing and frying create glycated proteins, which result from proteins chemically bonding with sugar.
“When you put proteins and sugars together at high temperatures, there is a chemical reaction, and that creates flavor and texture, which we think of as good things,” said Kee-Hong Kim, assistant professor of food science. “Research suggests that these glycated proteins are involved in age-related diseases like cardiovascular disease.”
Kim wanted to see whether glycated proteins affect the speed at which precursor, or immature, fat cells turn into mature fat cells. Using a cell culture, Kim saw no change in how quickly those immature cells accumulated lipids, which is stored as fat in cells, but he did notice something else.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Registration Open for Driftless Region Beef Conference
With nearly 2.5 million cattle in the four-state Driftless Region, cooperative extension in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin have teamed up to offer a Driftless Region Beef Conference. The event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, and Friday, Feb. 1 at the Grand River Convention Center in Dubuque, Iowa.
“The Driftless Region includes beautiful rolling hills, clean streams and karst soil topography,” said Denise Schwab, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and conference planning committee member. “Conservation of our soil and protection of our water are best accomplished with much of the land seeded to forage production, which requires cattle to consume the forages.” Schwab said the Driftless Beef Conference will focus on efficient and economic beef and forage production for the region.
The program will begin at 1 p.m. Jan. 31 and continue until noon Feb. 1. The conference key speakers include Dan Shike and Tara Felix, University of Illinois; Matt Spangler, University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Amy Radunz, University of Wisconsin–River Falls; Darrell Peel, Oklahoma State University; and Dan Loy, Iowa State University. The Thursday afternoon program will focus on feed efficiency at all stages of production, with an evening discussion on straight vs. crossbreeding. The program Friday morning includes three breakout sessions for feedlot operations and three for cow herds.
Registration for the conference is $80 before Jan. 23, or $100 after Jan. 23. Additional information about the conference is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/beef.
For more information and the full release, click here.
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