The Florida Agricultural Center & Horse Park (FHP) located in Ocala, Florida is currently providing shelter and boarding for 126 horses displaced due to the imminent threat of Hurricane Irma. After receiving the initial inquiry last week, FHP immediately began to accept evacuees. The facility can host up to 160 horses at capacity and encourages those seeking lodging for their …
Four Livestock Shelters Open in Alabama in Preparation for Hurricane Irma
With expectations of Hurricane Irma making landfall in south Florida this weekend, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) has been in contact with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA),  Alabama Horse Council and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services to confirm temporary sheltering facilities for evacuated livestock including horses and cattle. “Hurricane …
Florida Horse Park Full
With Hurricane Irma inching towards Florida, many folks are looking for a place to shelter their animals through a possible hit from the storm.  But it’s been announced that the Florida Horse Park in Ocala is 100% booked with horse refugees. Many horses have already been turned away, so if you were thinking of taking animals to that location to …
Putnam Announces Suspension of Intrastate Movement Requirements for Transportation of Pets and Livestock
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam’s department suspended intrastate movement requirements for the transportation of animals from the areas expected to be impacted by Hurricane Irma. Additionally, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi have waived their interstate import requirements for Florida pets and livestock. “By suspending the intrastate movement requirements for the transportation of animals, we can ensure that Floridians and visitors …
Salmonella Vaccine Reduces Animal Disease and Foodborne Illness
Some types of Salmonella cause disease in food animals, like pigs. Others cause foodborne illness in humans. A new vaccine developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Ames, Iowa, protects against these types of Salmonella in food animals. Most Salmonella vaccines only protect against one type of the pathogen. This leaves pigs susceptible to disease from other Salmonella pathogens. While some Salmonella vaccines reduce disease in pigs, they may …
Wholesale Chicken-Wings Hit Record High Prices
Wholesale prices of chicken wings are hitting record highs, leaving restaurants to choose between raising prices or cutting portions. The Wall Street Journal reports that Americans ate more than one billion restaurant orders of chicken wings in the 12 months that ended in June, and that’s not even counting the wings eaten at home. America’s appetite for chicken wings has …
Pork Industry Pressing for FMD Vaccine Bank in 2018 Farm Bill
The pork industry is pressing for a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine bank in the 2018 farm bill. The price tag would be high, but the industry argues the cost of an FMD outbreak would be even higher. Farm bill writers will already be under huge pressure to keep costs down in the 2018 bill. But the National Pork Producers Council wants …
Swine Disease Monitoring System in Development
Farm Journal’s Pork Network Dot Com reports the Swine Health Information Center has funded a nearly real-time monitoring system for swine disease across the globe. The system will include the capability for identifying potential hazards due to new diseases or potential changes in current diseases. It will also be able to screen the information collected and regularly report it to …
McDonald’s Announces Global Antibiotic Phase Out
McDonald’s Corporation announced it’ll be expanding its effort to cut back on the use of antibiotics critical to human health across the global chicken supply. The fast food giant will require its poultry suppliers to phase out drugs categorized under the highest priority category in the World Health Organization’s four categories by January of next year. Those antibiotics will disappear …
Study Shows Positive Impact of American Sheep Industry
A new Sheep Industry Economic Impact Study completed recently shows that sheep continue to be a good investment for America. The impact analysis revealed that every one dollar spent in sheep and sheep-related production added an additional $2.87 to the American economy in 2016, nearly three times the initial investment. Among some of the study’s findings, a $2.02 billion investment …