Yesterday was the last day for the scheduled listening sessions on the National Animal Identification System, as the next to last one took place this past Saturday in Jasper, Florida where the overall negative tone against the current system continued.
Producers who lost livestock over the last two years due to weather related incidents will soon be able to sign up for the farm bill’s indemnity program.
The National Pork Board is asking pork producers across the country to help shape the future of the U.S. pork industry, as are trying to find new solutions to the economic, social and scientific challenges facing the industry.
For Southeast producers, USDA will hold another listening session on the National Animal Identification System this Saturday, June 27th in Jasper, Florida.
Again, the listening session will be held at the Hamilton County Extension Office, 1143 U.S. Highway 41 in Jasper, Florida from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., with registration beginning at 8:00am. To learn more about this or other sessions, go to usda.gov/nais/feedback
The state of Florida has announced restrictions on the importation of animals from states affected with vesicular stomatitis following a confirmed case in Texas, as State Veterinarian Dr. Tom Holt says it’s a disease they don’t want in the state.
While USDA is hearing a lot of opposition to animal ID at the recent listening sessions about NAIS, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Ron Sparks said it’s important to have animal trace-back.
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced restrictions on the importation of animals from states affected with vesicular stomatitis following a confirmed case in Texas, the first such case reported in the United States since 2006. Read the rest of this entry »
The H1N1 virus has had quite an impact on the pork industry, as it along with a few other factors are causing problems for U.S. producers and also lead to smaller attendance at the recent Pork Expo.
Troubles for pork:
Expo attendance:
In this report, USDA Radio’s Gary Crawford (photo) talks with Meteorologist Brad Rippey about the potential for an El Nino weather pattern to develop, and if it does, what the impacts on various areas of the U S may be.
In this four part series we take a closer look at the much loved hotdog. And why there is a new contest to right what some say was a historic wrong regarding this American favorite.
While USDA’s listening sessions on the National Animal Identification System continue across the country, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said there have been a number of concerns raised and no decisions will be made until after the sessions conclude.
The Annual World Pork Expo started Wednesday and runs through Friday in Des Moines, Iowa as a variety of topics are being discussed including the H1N1 virus which was responsible for some changes at this year’s event.
The original set of listening sessions for the National Animal Identification System were set to wrap up next Monday, but late this week U.S.D.A announced they’ve scheduled an additional 6 sessions with one to be held in Jasper, Florida on June 27th for Southeast producers.
Comments concerning NAIS can also be submitted on-line. For more information click here
Producers and other interested parties from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee were on hand to make comments Thursday in Birmingham, Alabama concerning the National Animal Identification System.
For those not able to attend the listening session, comments can be made on line by clicking Here
Listening sessions have been taking place at various points across the country on the National Animal Identification System, as one of those sessions took place yesterday in Birmingham, Alabama. In a phone interview, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Southeast AgNet that this is an extremely important effort that USDA has undertaken.
For those not able to attend the listening session, comments can be made on line by clicking Here
When it comes to animal identification there is a lot of worries about the confidentiality and costs issues surrounding it. But Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said livestock producers are going to have to weigh the costs of having a national animal ID system verses not having one.
And a reminder a NAIS listening session will take place this Thursday, May 21st in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information click Here
Phillip Lobo, Communications Director for the Animal Ag Alliance, says it’s time for those involved in animal agriculture to start speaking up about their industry.
According to USDA’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, economists are forecasting total U.S. meat production for 2010 to be fractionally above 2009.
Due to the H1N1 influenza, nearly two dozen countries have closed trade to U.S. pork because of worries about its safety. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said pork producers have suffered and will continue to do so until we get this turned around.
In Montgomery, Alabama there have been efforts by animal rights groups to make their presence known through legislative efforts, and that’s why Dr. Billy Powell with the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association said a variety of ag groups came together.
Due to the current influenza problems, hog producers in the U.S. have suffered major losses prompting the National Pork Producers Council to ask USDA for relief.
Alabama was chosen as one of the states to host an USDA listening session on the National Animal Identification System as it will take place in Birmingham on Thursday, May 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To learn more about the NAIS listening sessions click Here
While efforts continue to prevent expansion of overreaction to the H1N1 virus, the three North American countries strongly urged the international community not to use the outbreak of the influenza as a reason to create unnecessary trade restrictions.
Today Tyron Spearman has information from EPA concerning refinements to the renewable fuels standard, and also how the name of the latest influenza has been changed to help protect the hog indsutry.
Renewable Fuels:
H1N1 Influenza:
In this report, USDA Radio’s Gary Crawford (photo) talks with Meteorologist Brad Rippey about the potential for an El Nino weather pattern to develop, and if it does, what the impacts on various areas of the U S may be.
