|
|
|
The most recent AABP News Articles
|
| NCBA responds to legislation to mandate farm practices
|
| |
NCBA President Bill Donald this week criticized legislation introduced by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) that would codify an agreement between the Humane Society of the United States and the United Egg Producers establishing federally mandated egg production practices. Donald said the legislation would set a dangerous precedent for allowing the federal government to dictate on-farm production practices and disregards decades of work the cattle industry has undertaken to develop science-based, voluntary animal care programs. Donald issued the following statement: |
|
| Livestock industry wins Supreme Court appeal
|
| |
WASHINGTON (CNN)-- A state law mandating ''humane treatment'' of downed livestock headed for the slaughterhouse was unanimously overturned Monday by the Supreme Court. At issue was whether federal regulations dealing with inspection of domesticated animals about to be killed, processed,and sold for human consumption preempted -- or nullified -- California Penal Code 599f. Several justices had earlier noted the good intentions behind the state action, but all now agreed that it went too far into the traditional federal arena. ''The Federal Meat Inspection Act regulates slaughterhouses' handling and treatment of non-ambulatory pigs from the moment of their delivery through the end of the meat production process,''wrote Justice Elena Kagan. ''California's (law) endeavors to regulate the same thing, at the same time, in the same place -- except by imposing different requirements. The FMIA expressly preempts such a state law.'' http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/23/us/scotus-livestock/index.html |
|
| FDA Denies Petition to Ban Certain Antibiotics
|
| |
The Food and Drug Administration Wednesday rejected two petitions to ban certain antibiotics from being used in food animal production. The petitions werefiled in 1999 and 2005 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Environmental Defense, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT), and the Union of Concerned scientists. Both petitions asked the agency to withdrawal its approval of certain antimicrobial drugs that are considered important for human medicine, like penicillins, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, streptogramins, macrolides, lincomycin and sulfonamides. The groups argue that these antimicrobial shouldn't be used for growth promotion and disease prevention to help preserve the efficacy of the drugs for human health purposes. In its response to the 2005 petition -- which came after advocates sued the FDA last spring -- the agency acknowledged shared concern and ''the need to address concerns related to the role that antimicrobial drug use in food-producing animals plays in the emergence and selection of antimicrobial drug resistant bacteria.'' |
|
| VMLRP Shortage Maps updated for 2011
|
| |
The VMLRP 2011 shortage situation maps have now been updated to include coding of shortages for which offers have been made. The code is the same as last year; shortages for which offers have been made have been changed to red font on each State map and on the lower US(Federal shortage) map. 2011 VMLRP shortage map: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/animals/in_focus/vmlrp_11/vmlrp_shortage_situation_usmap.html |
|
| FARAD sees slight drop in FY 2011 funding
|
| |
President Obama in April signed fiscal year 2011 appropriations legislation allocating $998,000 for the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank. FARAD is a decades-old Department of Agriculture-sponsored project with a primary mission of providing information on how to avoid problems with drug and pesticide residues and environmental contaminants in food animals. The support system operates out of the veterinary institutions at North Carolina State University, the University of California-Davis, and the University of Florida. FARAD is credited with mitigating several food safety crises, including those arising from the Chernobyl nuclear fallout and the dioxin contamination of milk in Europe. Funding has been a challenge for much of the program's existence since its creation in 1982. In 2007, FARAD had to suspend certain services after Congress appropriated no monies for it. And yet, despite the shaky economy and a divided Congress, the current level of funding for FARAD was cut just $2,000 from FY 2010. Through its Governmental Relations Division, the AVMA will continue to press Congress to support FARAD . A promising sign for FARAD supporters came this May when the House subcommittee that recommends congressional spending on agriculture allocated $1 million to the program in the panel's draft FY 2012 appropriations bill. ''This is an excellent indicator of the funding level that will emerge at the end of the budget process for the next fiscal year,'' observed Gina Luke, a GRD assistant director. |
|
| Online Livestock-handling Course
|
| |
Proper livestock handling and animal care is a major concern for livestock producers and auction personnel. A partnership between Livestock Marketing Association and the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University now allows livestock handlers to fine-tune their handling skills. The two organizations collaborated to produce the Animal Care Training website*, which offers training videos, testing and certification in specific areas of livestock handling. |
|
| AABP 44th Annual Conference Award Winners
|
| |
The AABP 44th Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO. recognized several deserving veterinarians and one new Honorary Member. Boehringer Ingelheim AABP 2011 Practitioner of the Year
Dr. Donnie Gardner, Bedford, VA AABP Award of Excellence
Dr. Jim Reynolds, Visalia, CA
Merial Excellence in Preventive Medicine
Beef - Dr. Troy Drake, Kathryn, AB
Dairy - Dr. Mark Thomas, Lowville, NY
Pfizer Animal Health Distinguished Service Award
Dr. N. Kent Ames, East Lansing, MI
Merck Animal Health Mentor-of-the-Year
Dr. Jenks Britt, Bowling Green, KY AABP Honorary Membership
Dr. Mike Hutjens, Urbana, IL
|
|
| One Hungry Planet - Video
|
| |
World food production will need to double by the year 2050 in order to head off mass hunger, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It will require education and technology, according to speakers at the BASF Agricultural Solutions Media Summit last week in Chicago. At first glance, the prospect of doubling current food production may seem daunting. But, according to a video that BASF released on Wednesday, agricultural production has already shown tremendous progress during the past 60 years: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd-48Zw0Tr4 |
|
|
