An Update on Avian Flu Prevention in U.S.

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 180-day report on avian influenza (AI) efforts and the use of $91 million appropriated in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriation to Address Pandemic Influenza six months ago.

Read the full report (PDF).

The report details USDA's efforts both internationally and domestically to combat highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI H5N1).

Highlights from the report:

• USDA is working closely with international organizations to assist affected regions with disease prevention, management and eradication activities.
• USDA continues to strengthen safeguards already in place to protect against the introduction of HPAI H5N1 into the United States. For example, USDA maintains trade restrictions on the importation of poultry and poultry products from regions currently affected by H5N1 HPAI in commercial or traditionally raised flocks.
• USDA and state animal health officials are working cooperatively with the poultry industry to conduct surveillance at breeding flocks, slaughter plants, live-bird markets, livestock auctions and poultry dealers.
• USDA is conducting AI surveillance in wild migratory birds in Alaska and ten other states. Initial AI screening tests are performed by one of more than 45 USDA approved laboratories in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN).

Read the full report (PDF).

What's Up with Farming Subsidies (today's Washington Post article)?

July 3, 2006 - An article in today's Washington Post highlights some of the flaws in today's farming subsidy programs.

Read the article.

This is a tough one, but there's definitely little debate that the legislation has too many loopholes. We all know that farmer's today are competing in a global marketplace. With dwindling farmland and the increased need for organic and American crops from the heartland, it's tough for most of today's farmers to compete successfully without federal assistance.

But on the other hand, this article highlights the gross extravagances that today's legislation provides. Most of the money goes to hard-working farmers and their families, but this article highlights some of the issues with today's subsidy programs.

Highlights from the article to keep in mind:

• "Most of the money goes to real farmers who grow crops on their land ..."
• Residents living on former farmland in Texas collect subsidies for rice and other crops ... and they don't even farm their land
• A nine-month Post investigation found that the subsidy programs have taken much of the risk out of farming for those who dominate the industry
• One developer uses the farm subsidy as a selling point to buyers interested in buying new homes on former farmland.
• Politics has played the biggest hand in the entire mess. From wheat farmers in South Dakota to rice and cotton farmers in Arkansas, over the past 80-90 years the role of subsidies has been shaped and molded by political parties in power to win the favor of farmers in their districts.

Read more on the article at The Washington Post.

Farmer to Farmer Program Ensures Choices in Technology for American Agriculture

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has launched a new program, called Farmer to Farmer, that is designed to help farmers ensure they continue to have a wide range of technology options available to them.

The program includes a new web site with materials that gives growers selected talking points to rebut any pending legislation to restrict access to agricultural technology. The talking points offer a strong rebuttal, based on sound science, to the information put out by biotech opponents.

Also on the site are details on:

• Questions and answers on coexistence farming
• Economics of crop biotechnology
• Environmental impacts of crop biotechnology
• Biotech crop safety
• Additional resources to take action and stay involved

More information can be found at the National Corn Growers Association web site, or at the Farmer to Farmer site.

Is Your Congressman a member of the Organic Ag Caucus?

The Organic Caucus is a bipartisan association of congressional members dedicated to enhancing availability and understanding of information related to the production and processing of organic agricultural products. The caucus serves public interest by promoting sound policies and funding to advance organic production and marketing.

Find out more at the Organic Farming Research Foundation's web site.

To find out if your representative is on the Organic Caucus, check the Caucus membership list. If not, get their office number by calling the US Capitol Switchboard at: (202) 224-3121. Ask for your representative by name. Once your call is transferred, ask for the Legislative Assistant handling agriculture.

OFRF is recommending constituents contact their representative and urge them to join the organic caucus. Organic co-chairs include:

• Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) - Darin.Schroeder@mail.house.gov / (202) 225-5506
• Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) - Jeri.Finke@mail.house.gov / (202) 225-5311

You can also contact the Organic Farming Research Foundation at (831) 426-6606 to find out how many organic growers are in your district.

Food Supply Animal Veterinarians in Demand

With food safety and public health concerns, animal welfare issues, and the threat of bio-terrorism, veterinarians specializing in food supply animals are in demand. But first-year veterinary students aren't exactly banging down their advisors' doors asking to join the ranks of food supply vets.

So what will it take to attract college students to the field of food supply veterinary medicine? The June issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Association included the first of a three-part series of articles on this topic.

Read the report (PDF).

The report, written by Drs. Kevin P. Gwinner, J. Bruce Prince, and David M. Andrus, examines the reasons behind the specialty choices veterinary medicine students make, and offers suggestions for to recruit more of those students into the food supply field.

Ag Dept. Says Latest US Mad Cow Cases "Atypical"

The U.S. Department of Agriculture now believes the only two native-born U.S. cows to contract mad-cow disease were infected with a little understood and rare "atypical" strain that throws into question how the animals were infected.

Read the full story at CattleNetwork.com.

The USDA's chief veterinarian, John Clifford, said the latest two cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE, in the U.S. -- found in Alabama and Texas -- are abnormal, differing from the common form of the disease found in Canada and the U.K.

Clifford said the USDA has no plans to change the way it safeguards the U.S. beef supply.

Pork Producers: Environmental Regs Not Helping Farmers

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) reported to Congress on what they feel is the lack of progress on environmental regulations that were designed to be a government/farmer cooperative initiative.

According to the NPPC, Randy Spronk, a pork producer from Edgerton, Minn., testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, that the primary environmental assistance program for the agriculture industry – the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – has done little for pork producers, and he offered to work with the committee on the problem in the 2007 Farm Bill reauthorization.

Read the full story at the National Pork Producers Council website.

“EQIP has made only a minimal contribution to pork producers’ environmental efforts,” Spronk told the Agriculture Committee. “We think EQIP is missing a tremendous opportunity to have a dramatic effect on the environment by failing to work with producers who are ready to take their [environmental] performance to the next level.”

In 2003, 2004 and 2005, pork producers received just 3 percent of the EQIP cost-share assistance provided to all livestock producers – $43 million of the $1.26 billion allocated. That share was less than the amount received by goat, emu, ostrich, elk and bison producers.

NPPC is conducting a detailed review of EQIP and why it has not been beneficial to pork producers.

Agriculture Secretary Addresses World Pork Expo

Mike Johanns, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for the Bush Administration, addressed the National Pork Producers Council's World Pork Expo on June 8. He outlined themes for a new farm bill white paper on farm policies that we need to address in coming farm bills.

Read the full story at Agriculture Online.

Highlights from the address include:

• The latest white paper looks at conservation programs that America's farmers can take greater part in driving. Download/view the PDF of the white paper.
• Consolidating similar programs will increase our efficiencies in watersheds and landscaping efforts
• Focusing on "green" payments, which would encourage farmers to be more environmentally conscious of their farming methods
• Pushing for a national animal identification system
• Expanding requirements for farmers to meet higher water quality and soil standards before receiving federal subsidies

The Agriculture Secretary also stressed the importance of immigration reform, in that many of the workers in today's processing facilities and meat-packing plants are hard-working immigrants.

Read the full story at Agriculture Online.

Poll: More Americans Support Ethanol

Nearly 80 percent of Americans are in favor or increased use of ethanol. Two-thirds of Americans support the use of bio-fuels overall. Results were accumulated by Public Opinion Strategies, a polling firm who conducted the survey.

Read the full story at AgWeb.com

Among other poll results, 91 percent of Americans say they feel the country is facing an energy crisis and 53 percent believe we should diversify our energy supply by utilizing alternative energy sources like ethanol.

“These results clearly reflect the growing enthusiasm for ethanol and other biofuels we have seen in the past year,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President Bob Dinneen. “From the farmer in the field to the business owner on Main Street to consumer at the pump, Americans are realizing that we need to do something different when it comes to meeting our energy needs. Ethanol and renewable fuels are ready today to start America down a path of greater energy independence.”

CattleNetwork: Feeder Cattle: Aggressive Buyers, Pastures In Poor Condition

CattleNetwork.com - Compared to last week, feeder and stocker cattle sold steady to 2.00 higher across most of the United States. The only exceptions both took place in the hot/dry Southern Plains, where yearling feeders traded as much as 4.00 higher and a light test of calves sold weak to 3.00 lower. Feeder buyers were aggressive this past week following last week’s 2.00 gain in the fed cattle market and the expectation of tight supplies of yearlings through the summer.

Read the full story at CattleNetwork.com.

Other highlights from the article:

• The USDA rated 45 percent of the pastures in this area to be in poor or very poor condition, compared to 21 percent last year and a five year average of 23.6.
• Cow receipts in Texas auctions have been well above normal for weeks as producers are being forced to sell not only their old cows but also viable breeding stock, many of which are going to slaughter
• Slaughter steers and heifers sold 1.50-2.00 lower from 81.00-81.50
• Packers continue to operate at aggressive chain speeds with an estimated weekly cattle harvest of 707,000, which was 49,000 head larger than the same week a year ago

NAIS Is Coming: National ID System for Farm Animals

As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard U.S. animal health, the United States Department of Agriculture initiated the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in 2004. NAIS is a cooperative State-Federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. NAIS is currently a voluntary program.

Read more about the program at the USDA website.

NAIS is being developed through the integration of three components—premises identification, animal identification, and animal tracking. The long-term goal of the NAIS is to provide animal health officials with the capability to identify all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery.

Other points of interest:

• NAIS Implementation Plan: Goals include 100 percent of premises registration by January 2009 (as well as 100 percent registration of new animals identified); (View PDF of plan)
• News release: USDA Releases Guidelines for the manufacture and distribution of official identification devices under NAIS (View PDF)
• News release: USDA to Award up to $14.3 Million to States and Tribes for National Animal ID Systems Premises Registration (View release)

Stay Informed about Avian Influenza

Separate the facts from fiction by staying abreast of current developments in the Avian Influenza, or bird flu, research and monitoring program.

Read more about it at the USDA's Avian Influenze (Bird Flu) page.

Some highlights from the site include:

• Report sick birds at 1-866-536-7593 (view biosecurity site)
• USDA's role in national implementation plan (view PDF of plan)
• An Early Detection System for H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Wild Migratory Birds (view fact sheet)
• Q&A: Questions and answers about avian influenza, how the disease spreads, and it's threat to human health (view Q&A site)
• Official USDA Avian Flu Response Brochure (view PDF)

World Pork Expo, June 8-10, in Iowa

The 18th annual World Pork Expo will be held June 8-10, 2006, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. As the largest pork-industry trade show and exhibition in the world, the expo draws some 30,000 pork producers, exhibitors and visitors from across the country and around the globe.

Find out more at: http://www.worldpork.org/

“World Pork Expo has been getting better and better every year,” says Joy Philippi, National Pork Producers Council President and pork producer from Bruning, Neb. “We’ve added a new environmental information center as well as a job fair and career center. Pork producers and those in allied industry are finding that World Pork Expo has more to offer than ever.”

“Returning this year is the World Pork Expo Farm Toy Collector Show and Sale featuring a limited edition World Pork Expo commemorative toy tractor,” she adds.

World Pork Expo entertainment will be held Friday afternoon and evening, presented street dance-style on the Grand Concourse featuring the hit pop-turned-country act, Exile, and headliners, perennial favorites, the Grass Roots.

“We’re very much looking forward to yet another successful World Pork Expo!” Philippi says.

Keep Farming in the Family

It's great to see young people wanting to be more involved in today's farming. With the farm having to compete with city jobs and busy lives, it's great to see today's youth wanting to be a more active participant in the process. I came across this story on Agriculture Online about a new generation of farmers. While farming is never easy, it really makes you appreciate what you have and the results it yields.

Check out the full story here.

Learning More about Ethanol

With gas prices soaring faster than the stock market these days, it's no wonder that many renewable fuel experts are talking fast and furious about ethanol. But ethanol is nothing new and its production has been around since Henry Ford was cranking out cars. Agriculture Online takes a more in-depth look at ethanol, it's history, it's place in today's fuel wars, and the future of ethanol farmers in an increasingly global environment.

Read all about ethanol at Agriculture Online or by clicking here.

Some highlights:

• Henry Ford's Model T could run on gasoline, alcohol or both
• During Prohibition Ford advocated the use of distilleries to make alcohol to fuel cars; but the lower price of gasoline didn't allow ethanol to compete
• Ethanol was used in World War II to extend the military fuel supply
• The 1978 tax subsidy helped increase the focus of gasohol on ethanol, with 50 million gallons of ethanol being blended with gasoline per year (note: today, one plant makes this much ethanol; in 1978 it took 10 plants to do this)
• Energy inputs are increasing and making break-even costs for farmers more profitable

For specific articles on ethanol (in PDF format) see below:

• Ethanol has been around a long time (view PDF)
• How an ethanol plant works (view PDF)
• Farming in today's ethanol environment (view PDF)
• A day in the life at an ethanol plant (view PDF)

Best Rural Places to Live in America

The Progressive Farmer Magazine has just released its latest "best places" listing for life in rural America. It includes places like Boone County, Indiana; Ontario County, New York; and Hood River County, Oregon (see picture). Check out the top 200 at The Progressive Farmer Magazine.

Learning more about FAMACHA©

FAMACHA© is a new system for identifying the need to de-worm individual animals, like sheep and goats. The FAMACHA system utilizes a color eye chart, showing varying degrees of anemia. Sheep and goats are the animals who can gain most from this new gastro-intestinal (worm) identification. By looking at the animal's eyes, one can distinguish between the level of anemia and whether an animal needs de-worming.

Read more about FAMACHA at the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control.

Learn more about FAMACHA, as well as all kinds of news and information affecting sheep and goats at Susan Schoenian's very informative blog (Shepherd's Notebook), also found at Sheepandgoat.com. Susan has asked me and others to help spread the word on this new technique to prevent worms in goats and sheep.

Farming Today Blog Launches

At Wild Wind Farm, we've begun a new blog to update you on the latest activities at Wild Wind Farm, as well as the latest industry farming news, leading farming practices, a historical look at farming from time to time, and the latest news and information on some of our favorite animals like cattle, goats, sheep, rabbits and chickens.

Bookmark this page and come back often. Should you have questions or comments, please email us at wildwindfarm1@yahoo.com.

We look forward to Farming Today along with you!