News Update
September 19, 2014
Veterinarian and Pediatrician Groups Issue Reminder about Risk of Lyme Disease in Humans and Pets
Even during the last weeks of summer, it’s important to remember children and pets are at greater risk of being infected with Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases such as anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Because people and their pets often spend time in the same environments where Lyme and other disease-transmitting ticks are found, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are working together to offer advice to households with children and pets.
According to the AVMA and the AAP, people whose animals have been diagnosed with Lyme disease should consult their physician about their own risk. Likewise, people who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease should consult their veterinarian to assess their pet’s risk based on the animal’s lifestyle and possible environmental exposures.
Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorfori. It is spread by the bite of the tiny black-legged tick, which is found in forests or grassy, wooded, marshy areas near rivers, lakes or oceans. People or animals may be bitten while hiking or camping, during other outdoor activities, or even while spending time in their backyards.
This disease appears in specific areas of the United States, including southern New England states; eastern Mid-Atlantic States; the upper Midwest, particularly Wisconsin and Minnesota; and the West Coast, particularly northern California. In analyzing a patient’s risk of having or contracting Lyme disease, physicians and veterinarians in other areas of the country will want to know if their patient has visited a place where the disease is found. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a map detailing confirmed cases of Lyme disease throughout the years.
In animals, Lyme disease usually does not cause any clinical signs at all. Symptomatic dogs with Lyme disease might have lack of appetite, lameness, and joint swelling. Recurrent lameness also is possible. The involved extremity may be tender due to joint inflammation that lasts from days to weeks and migrates from one extremity to another. Also, animals may experience fever and decreased activity.
If a child or pet is diagnosed with Lyme disease, it is likely that other family members or pets also have been in an environment that could lead to exposure. Therefore, the initial case of Lyme disease in a household should serve to flag the risk of exposure and suggest a need for other family members to notify their physicians and veterinarians, who can advise about further evaluation or testing.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Master Marketer Program to Begin in January in Amarillo
Agriculture producers must develop better marketing skills to improve their bottom line in times of greater market price volatility, and the Master Marketer Program is the place to get that training, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.
The next Master Marketer Program will be hosted in Amarillo. It will begin Jan. 21-22 and continue Feb. 4-5, Feb. 18-19 and March 2-3. All the meetings will be held at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center of Amarillo, 6500 W. Amarillo Blvd.
A free futures and options leveling workshop for anyone who doesn’t think they are ready for intermediate to advanced level training will be held on Jan. 20 before the program begins, said Steve Amosson, AgriLife Extension economist in Amarillo.
Master Marketer is a national award-winning risk-management educational program where participants learn how to develop marketing plans, evaluate marketing alternatives, manage production and price risk, and execute a risk-management and marketing plan, he said.
A wide range of topics is covered to enhance marketing/risk-management skills, Amosson said. Case studies, group discussions and simulation exercises will be used to provide experience with real tools that can be used on individual farm and ranch operations.
The 64-hour curriculum is offered as four, two-day sessions held every two weeks. It is the most intensive marketing/risk-management training provided by Extension anywhere in the United States, Amosson said.
The final date to register is Jan. 10, but Amosson said the class has always filled up in advance when it has been in Amarillo, and he has never seen interest this high, this early.
“Only 60 participants can be accepted, so those interested shouldn’t wait to register,” he said.
The registration fee for the program is $340, which includes noon meals and educational materials. Amosson said previous registrants say it is well worth the money, reporting their incomes have increased more than $35,000 per year on average.
The training in the Amarillo area will focus on feedgrains, cotton, wheat and livestock, he said.
For more detailed information about the Master Marketer Program, please visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Ohio State to Hold Farm to School Workshop Oct. 24
Farmers looking for school districts to provide with fresh local foods and school districts looking for farmers to source local foods for their school lunch programs can attend a regional Farm to School workshop Oct. 24 that organizers liken to speed dating for its ability to try to help connect producers and school districts looking to start or expand Farm to School programs.
The workshop is targeted toward educators, farmers, food producers, businesses and anyone else interested in beginning or expanding a Farm to School program or other related activities, said Mike Hogan, an Ohio State University (OSU) Extension educator and sustainable agriculture coordinator.
The Columbus workshop is the last of five regional Farm to School workshops OSU Extension held throughout Ohio this year as part of its efforts to expand the successful program, which works to increase students’ access to healthy foods and to help them learn more about food, health, nutrition and agriculture, Hogan said.
Hogan said, “Farm to School programs are growing as more schools look to add more fresh, locally produced foods to their school lunch menus and as more people are recognizing the benefits of the local economy, by supporting local foods and local producers.”
Topics to be discussed during the event include:
- • Starting a Farm to School program
- What’s happening with Farm to School
- Local foods and meal planning
- Food safety
- Making connections: Distributors, cooperatives, producers and schools
- Students grow: Hands-on education
- Finding local foods in your community
- Local foods cooking demonstration for schools
The workshop is from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, 3960 Brookham Drive, in Columbus. Registration is $30 and includes admission, all materials, continental breakfast and lunch.
The deadline to register is Oct. 17. For more information, please visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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