News Update
May 2, 2014
USDA Announces New Landmark Conservation Initiatives
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced May 1 that applications are now being accepted for new, landmark conservation initiatives created by the 2014 Farm Bill. The programs will provide up to $386 million to help farmers restore wetlands, protect working agriculture lands, support outdoor recreation activities and boost the economy.
“By protecting working lands and wetlands, we’re able to strengthen agricultural operations, sustain the nation’s food supply and protect habitat for a variety of wildlife,” Vilsack said. “In addition, we’re providing states and Tribal governments a tool to expand access to private lands for hunting, fishing, hiking and other recreational activities, which helps boost wildlife-related businesses and grow the economy.”
The new programs announced are the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP) and the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). Applications for ACEP funding consideration in fiscal year 2014 must be submitted by the individual state deadline or June 6, 2014, whichever is earlier. Applications and state deadline information can be obtained at your local USDA Service Center or at www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted. Applications for VPA-HIP are due by June 16 and should be completed at www.grants.gov. For more information view the notice on www.grants.gov or the program’s website.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Missouri House Moves Livestock Liabilities Bill Forward
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) commends the passage of House Bill 1937, sponsored by Rep. Joe Don McGaugh (R-39), with a bipartisan 117 to 26 vote in favor.
Currently, the sponsoring individuals and organizations have limited liability for injuries from accidents associated with equine activities. HB 1937 expands limited liability to livestock sponsors, owners, facilities and auction markets for injuries or death from accidents associated with livestock activities. MCA President Jim McCann said the liabilities section of this legislation will benefit the cattle sector, as well as the entire livestock industry.
“There are inherent risks associated with all facets of the livestock industry. We do not want people put out of business because of an accident,” said McCann.
McCann said there are several examples of how this legislation will protect cattlemen.
“Cattlemen often invite visitors to their farms and ranches in order for these individuals to learn more about the beef cattle industry. While accidents rarely happen, there could be an incident occur where someone is injured,” he said.
Another MCA priority included in HB 1937, according to McCann, is the issue of animal confiscation. He said Missouri law currently fails to provide due process to the animal owner after confiscation and too easily allows an animal to be euthanized. McCann said language in this bill provides clarity to animal confiscation laws.
Livestock Owners Need to be Alert for ‘Hardware Disease’
Livestock owners need to scan their pastures for storm debris that could prove fatal to their cattle, goats and horses, said Tom Troxel, associate department head, animal science, for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
After the storm has passed, the effects of tornadic winds and floods remain for grazing animals.
“Tornadoes and other storm events with strong winds and flooding can spread debris over a large area,” Troxel said. “This sets the stage for grazing animals to be affected by ‘hardware disease.’ ”
“Cattle grazing may not notice debris such as wood splinters, metal shards or construction items such as screws and nails,” Troxel said. “Sometimes, in fields that have old, rusting fences or bailing wire, foreign objects wind up bailed in hay.”
Items such as nails or wire snippets go directly into the cow’s digestive tract. Contractions that move food along can cause nails and other items to puncture the walls of the digestive tract.
Perforations can cause partially digested foods and bacteria to leak into the abdominal cavity, causing infections and scarring.
Symptoms may include:
- Decrease in fecal output;
- Mild rise in rectal temperature; and
- Heart rate may be normal or slightly elevated, and respiration is usually shallow and rapid.
“Initially, animals will arch their backs, show an anxious expression or be reluctant to move, using an uneasy, careful gait,” Troxel said. “Forced sudden movements as well as defecating, urinating, lying down, getting up, and stepping over barriers may be accompanied by groaning.”
In chronic cases, the animal may not want to eat and isn’t defecating in its usual volume. In certain animals, milk production remains low. If you see any symptoms related to hardware disease, be sure to contact your veterinarian. Treatment improves the chances of recovery from approximately 60% in untreated cases to 80%-90% in treated cases.
For more information, please view the full release here.
FDA Releases FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
(FSMA) Operational Strategy Document
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) today, May 2, is releasing the FSMA Operational Strategy document, outlining broadly the drivers of change in FDA’s approach to food safety and the operational strategy for implementing that change, as mandated and empowered by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
FSMA is the most sweeping food safety legislation in the United States in more than 70 years and requires a dramatic shift in approach — to preventing foodborne illness rather than reacting to it. When FSMA was signed into law in January 2011, FDA initiated a plan for responding to the many mandates within the law. Up until now, the primary focus has been on rulemaking, the development of guidance, and developing new compliance strategies and establishing and implementing protocols to use new administrative tools.
The next phase of FSMA implementation, in addition to continuing to develop rules and guidance documents, involves developing approaches to achieving industry compliance with the new public health prevention standards, once they are in effect, and implementing a modernized strategic and risk-based industry oversight framework. It is this new oversight framework that serves as the basis for FDA’s Operational Strategy document. The Operational Strategy will focus on how FSMA will advance public health by focusing on prevention, voluntary compliance, risk-based oversight and expanded collaboration across the food safety community. It will be a launching pad for all food-safety efforts moving forward.
The agency has to design methods to promote widespread voluntary industry compliance with the new rules, as well as establish preventive/public health-focused inspection and sampling programs to oversee compliance. In addition, the FDA is developing effective enforcement strategies to be deployed when producers, processors, distributors and importers fail to comply on a voluntary basis.
Questions can be sent to fsma@fda.hhs.gov. For more information on the FSMA, visit www.fda.gov/fsma.
For more information, please view the full release here.
— Adapted from a release by U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Hay Production, Wildlife Focus of O.D. Butler Field Day May 16
Hay production and management strategies, plus several presentations on co-existing with wildlife will highlight the 28th annual O.D. Butler Field Day scheduled May 16 at Camp Cooley Ranch.
The ranch is located at 4297 Camp Cooley Ranch Road in Franklin, Texas. The field day is hosted by Circle X Land and Cattle Company–Camp Cooley Division.
“Activities and presentations at this year’s field day will include six tour stops of demonstrations,” said Edward Schneider, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Robertson County. “Other activities will include a contest with prizes as part of the hay value stop, a program on co-existing with wildlife on your ranch, information from Texas Farm Bureau on the June 2-6 Texas Beef Checkoff Referendum, sponsor booth visitation and door prizes.”
Registration is $25 and includes refreshments, a barbecue lunch and printed materials with information from the various outdoor stops and indoor presentations. Schneider said attendees can find directions to the O.D. Butler Field Day on the AgriLife Extension Robertson County Facebook page or request them by email at robertson-tx@tamu.edu. He also said field day signs will be placed along the way to the ranch.
Call the AgriLife Extension office in Robertson County at 979-828-4270 or the AgriLife Extension Brazos County office at 979-823-0129 to preregister for the meal count.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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