More EEE found in Ohio and Michigan horses
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — More cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) have been reported in horses in Michigan and Ohio.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture told the Kalamazoo Gazette that through last Thursday, there have been 130 cases so far this year. Officials have called this year’s outbreak the worst in 30 years.

The disease is rare but can be deadly among humans, and officials want people to take steps to prevent its spread. In August, Michigan health officials reported that lab tests confirmed that three people contracted the disease. Health officials say people should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and horses should be vaccinated.

On Sept. 28 the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) confirmed cases of EEE in one horse in Williams County and one in Sandusky County. This is the fourth confirmation of EEE in Ohio this year, following two confirmed cases in Mercer County earlier in September. At this time, there are no known human illnesses associated with these confirmations.

According to the ODA, an effective equine vaccine exists for EEE. Typically, infected horses with clinical symptoms die within three to five days after onset of clinical signs. There is no treatment for EEE aside from supportive care.

Suspect equine cases should be reported to local veterinarians and the state’s department of agriculture, and any suspect human cases should be reported to the local health department.

VeraSun won’t pursue individual farmers in bankruptcy case

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Midwest corn farmers who received official letters from bankrupt ethanol producer VeraSun Energy Corp. asking for money back can breathe a little easier.

Patrick Glover, a Sioux Falls attorney who’s representing some 70 farmers, said he received a call Thursday morning from New York-based law firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP saying the bankruptcy trustee will not pursue individual farmers.

“I’ve talked to attorneys in Iowa and Nebraska and they confirmed that they received the same message,” Glover said. A message left for an attorney with Kelley Drye & Warren was not immediately returned.

August letters sent to growers who sold corn to VeraSun in the 90 days before it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2008 told the farmers they had until Sept. 30 to repay 80 percent of what VeraSun paid them for their corn. The demand was not well-received by farmers, many of whom also had their high-price corn contracts with VeraSun negated when the company filed for bankruptcy.

Doug Goehring, the North Dakota agriculture commissioner, described it as “asinine … I certainly think it’s wrong in the first place to pursue producers who delivered a commodity that they needed to be paid for ... and then, on the back side of that, end up having to be liable for bills that were unpaid by VeraSun,” Goehring said.

Lisa Richardson, executive director of the South Dakota Corn Growers Assoc., said it hasn’t yet been determined whether the bankruptcy trustee will continue to seek money from larger commercial operations.

EPA: Illinois should crack down on farm pollution

CHICAGO, Ill. (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says Illinois isn’t tough enough in preventing water pollution generated by factory farms.

The federal agency conducted a nearly year-long investigation and found problems with the Illinois EPA’s oversight of confined-animal feeding operations. Some of the cattle, hog and chicken operations produce manure in amounts comparable to the waste generated by small towns.

The Chicago Tribune reported the investigation was prompted by a petition from environmental groups. According to the U.S. EPA, Illinois has failed to impose limits on water pollution by the farms. It said the state is also slow to respond to pollution complaints or take enforcement action against big feedlots and dairies that violate federal and state environmental laws.

The growth in the number of factory farms has prompted a growing number of complaints about manure odors and has raised concerns about the huge waste lagoons at the farms contaminating groundwater. Among the actions the federal report suggested state officials should take are the creation of a comprehensive inventory of factory farms, a revamp of the inspection program and the development of standard procedures for investigating citizen complaints.

The Illinois EPA said it is still reviewing the federal report and is working with the U.S. EPA to improve the state’s programs.
The federal report comes as a proposed dairy operation in northwestern Illinois that would house up to 11,000 cows has generated opposition. The Illinois Department of Agriculture approved Tradition Dairy despite objections from the Jo Daviess County Board.

A lawsuit filed by citizen groups to block the operation is pending before a state appellate court.

Lummis opposes proposed U.S. EPA dust rules

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis has joined others in Congress in urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to refrain from imposing new farm dust regulations on farmers and ranchers.

She signed a letter along with 74 colleagues that was sent to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. The Wyoming Republican said in a statement that the attempt to regulate dust on farms and ranches is just another example of how out-of-touch the Obama administration is.

Lummis said evidence points out that the dust standard revision is unnecessary. She said the proposal will cause extreme hardship to farmers, livestock producers and other resource-based industries throughout rural America.

Farming groups argue that tighter standards for dust, soot and other microscopic particles would be unworkable and that dust isn’t a real pollutant.

Fire damages dairy in northwestern Iowa

STRUBLE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities estimate damage from a fire at a dairy operation in northwestern Iowa at more than $500,000.
KLEM-AM reported the fire broke out Sept. 24 in a large metal building at Dykstra Dairy in Struble. No injuries were reported. Le Mars Fire Chief David Schipper said the building housed manure pumps. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Schipper said officials are looking at a possible electrical issue in the building.

Part of the building collapsed as firefighters arrived. Brisk winds hampered the firefighting efforts, which took about three hours.

USDA announces ag disaster declaration for Ohio

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Farmers across most of Ohio will be able to get natural disaster assistance to help cover losses this year from severe weather-related crop damage if they meet eligibility requirements.

The USDA said farmers in 79 of Ohio’s 88 counties can seek low-interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. The agency designated the counties as natural disaster areas, along with bordering counties in Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan and West Virginia.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said effects from rain, floods, high winds, tornadoes, hail, drought, freeze and frost from April 1-Aug. 3 severely damaged corn, wheat, soybeans and other crops. He said the conditions prevented many farmers from harvesting.