Russia has banned imports from 19 U.S. poultry suppliers as of Monday and could add another 29 companies. Russian officials say the ban was issued because those companies use antibiotics and other chemicals in their products. However, American officials say the ban is in retaliation to U.S. officials criticizing Russia for the use of military force against Georgia. Among the companies targeted in the ban were Tyson, Peco and the Equity Group.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it would deny a request by Texas Governor Rick Perry to reduce the Renewable Fuels Standard.
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson says they carefully considered the more than 15,000 comments on the issue and found that “the RFS is not causing economic harm but is strengthening our nation’s energy security and supporting American farming communities.”
But there are many in the livestock industry disappointed with the EPA’s decision.
With implementation of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling just over six weeks away, USDA is working to assist retailers and food industry organizations in implementing mandatory Country of Origin labeling with outreach and information.
Suppliers and retailers are invited to a free webinar outlining COOL requirements from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8. Pre-registration is required by Aug. 7 to participate. Click here to pre-register and receive audio dial-in instructions. Computer log-in instructions will be sent separately to all pre-registered attendees before the seminar.
USDA has issued the interim final rule for Country of Origin Labeling and are seeking comments. Listen to report here: To learn more about the new COOL rule, click Here
Due to many problems with meat recalls, new rules have been established and will start in a few weeks to help consumers better understand what needs to be done and where.
Many in animal agriculture may not realize it but there is a group out there watching your back everyday when it comes to threats from activists. Report (1:15 mp3) To learn more log on to www.consumerfreedom.com
We are now less than 3 months from the implementation of Country of Origin Labeling, and while many are worried about being ready for the September 30th start date, Ag Secretary Ed Schafer says there will be a six-month grace period once it starts. Report (1:00 mp3)
Georgia, Florida and North Carolina are joining together for their annual meetings this year. The schedule includes an update from the American Egg Board and a Mid Atlantic Layer Management workshop. Georgia is hosting the meeting which will be held June 25-27 at the King and Prince Golf and Beach resort on St. Simon’s Island. Registration information is available from the Georgia Egg Association.
It is with great sadness and tremendously heavy hearts we report of the passing of Lee V. McCoy, known to many of his legions of friends and colleagues as the “RealMcCoy”. Lee lost his battle with cancer early morning Thursday May 22 in a Georgia hospital, admitted the Monday before in a bout with pneumonia.
Please find details regarding Lee’s memorial services at the end of this news post.
For nearly a decade until making a move into a new career opportunity last year, Lee was a regional representative of this radio network. He travelled the region and nation, and occassionally overseas, newsgathering and representing the network from his home location Read the rest of this entry »
Next month’s Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival features two new “eggciting” new contests this year.
The “Guitar Hero” contest and egg and spoon race join the egg toss, chicken wing and hard-boiled egg eating contests, Colonial Sanders look-a-like, “Catch-a-Falling-Egg” competition, chicken clucking contest and karaoke for big chickens.
The Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival is set for April 12 & 13 at the Lions Club Fairgrounds in Moulton.
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Ron Sparks recently returned from the Eastern European Country of Ukraine. Commissioner Sparks led the first American trade mission to participate in a food based trade show in Ukraine. The trade mission included three Alabama poultry related companies and the trade show component showcased six Alabama food product companies and four additional Southern based food product companies.
Premise registration is the first step in the overall animal identification process, and while more needs to be done, USDA Under Secretary Bruce Knight says progress is being made in that area. Report (1:00 mp3)
This week’s Annual Meeting and Legislative Breakfast events hosted by the Georgia Agribusiness Council in Atlanta drew a good crowd of the state’s agriculture leaders, numerous lawmakers and legislative staffers. One of the big news items of the day is the announcement by GA Governor Sonny Perdue that some of the watering restrictions in Georgia will be relaxed, for now anyway, to help support the nursery industry and efforts by the public to establish new plantings of trees and shrubs. Governor Perdue also is set to sign a new state water bill today that Georgia agriculture industry leaders have been very involved in helping to develop. In the reports posted herein, hear Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s comments to the media (mp3)right after he spoke to the GAC breakfast this morning. Also hear comments from Georgia Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association Exec Charles Hall (mp3) including an update about a referendum deadline coming up for GA Vegetable producers to vote on a new marketing order; Georgia Farm Bureau President Vincent ‘Zippy’ Duvall comments (mp3) on the water bill and other present concerns for Georgia agriculture; and GA Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin also offers comments (mp3) for our listeners, speaking to us just before the GAC breakfast this morning. Also to see who’s in these photos, just place your cursor over each photo and the cut line will appear.
As the International Poultry Expo gets underway this week in Atlanta, the Propane Education and Research Council is turning up the heat on a hot product for poultry producers.
As a producer you should of received your Ag Census form in the mail, and you are urged to complete it and return it by the deadline. Tyron Spearman tells us today just how important this census is. Report (:45 mp3)
USDA Under Secretary Bruce Knight has information about the recently released business plan for Advancing Animal Disease Traceability. Report (1:00 mp3)
From Thanksgiving through Christmas many people think of turkey for their holiday meals, but turkey growers have been working to make sure it’s a meat people think of all year long. Report (1:00 mp3)
Nominations are now open for appointments to a committee which helps with the prevention of foreign livestock and poultry diseases in the United States. Report (:25 mp3) Nominations can be sent to this address:
New forecasts are out for meat production and prices, and while some numbers are down a bit from earlier projections, overall they still look good. Report (1:10 mp3)
It only happens once each five years and producers of any kind of agriculture products are required to be counted. We’re working with USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service in our region again to help get the word out about the Census of Agriculture, so stay tuned for lots of information and frequent reminders about it in the coming weeks. Agriculture Census questionnaires will be mailed the last week of this year and should be returned by the first week of February 2008. Prompt action by producers will save a lot of extra time and effort to chase down the forms not returned on time. Learn more from USDA’s special Census of Agriculture website.
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The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it would deny a request by Texas Governor Rick Perry to reduce the Renewable Fuels Standard.
With implementation of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling just over six weeks away, USDA is working to assist retailers and food industry organizations in implementing mandatory Country of Origin labeling with outreach and information. 
We are now less than 3 months from the implementation of Country of Origin Labeling, and while many are worried about being ready for the September 30th start date, Ag Secretary Ed Schafer says there will be a six-month grace period once it starts. 
It is with great sadness and tremendously heavy hearts we report of the passing of Lee V. McCoy, known to many of his legions of friends and colleagues as the “RealMcCoy”. Lee lost his battle with cancer early morning Thursday May 22 in a Georgia hospital, admitted the Monday before in a bout with pneumonia. 
USDA’s 
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Ron Sparks recently returned from the Eastern European Country of Ukraine. Commissioner Sparks led the first American trade mission to participate in a food based trade show in Ukraine. The trade mission included three Alabama poultry related companies and the trade show component showcased six Alabama food product companies and four additional Southern based food product companies.
Premise registration is the first step in the overall animal identification process, and while more needs to be done, USDA Under Secretary Bruce Knight says progress is being made in that area. 
This week’s Annual Meeting and Legislative Breakfast 
events hosted by the Georgia Agribusiness Council in Atlanta drew a good crowd of the state’s agriculture leaders, 
numerous lawmakers and legislative staffers. One of the big news items of the day is the announcement by GA Governor Sonny Perdue that some of the watering restrictions in Georgia will be relaxed, 
for now anyway, to help support the nursery industry and efforts by the public to establish new plantings of trees and shrubs. Governor Perdue also is set to sign a new state water bill today that Georgia agriculture industry leaders have been very involved in helping to develop. In the reports posted herein, hear 
comments from 
including an update about a referendum deadline coming up for GA Vegetable producers to vote on a new marketing order; Georgia Farm Bureau President 
As the International Poultry Expo gets underway this week in Atlanta, the Propane Education and Research Council is turning up the heat on a hot product for poultry producers.
