Eggs recalled after salmonella found at Ohio farm
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — Evidence of salmonella has been found at an Ohio egg farm that is linked to two Iowa egg farms responsible for a massive recall earlier this year.

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., the nation’s biggest egg seller and distributor, said it is recalling 288,000 eggs the company had purchased from supplier Ohio Fresh Eggs after a test showed salmonella at the Ohio farm. No illnesses have been reported. According to Cal-Maine Foods, the Ohio Fresh eggs were distributed in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Austin “Jack” DeCoster, owner of one of the two Iowa egg farms that was linked to 1,600 salmonella illnesses earlier this year, has been a financial backer of Ohio Fresh Egg. The company did not immediately return a call for comment.

USDA plan could partially lift sugar beet ban
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Federal agriculture officials have released a plan to let farmers plant genetically modified sugar beets while a lawsuit over them is resolved.

But farmers say they’re worried a partial lifting of a court-ordered ban won’t come in time for them to plan next year’s crop. Public comment on the plan goes until Dec. 6.

Luther Markwart is executive vice president of the American Sugar Beet Growers Assoc., and he says farmers usually begin ordering their seed around Thanksgiving. A federal judge in California ordered the planting of genetically modified sugar beets halted last summer while the USDA completes an environmental impact study.
Half the nation’s sugar comes from beets.

Ohio jury finds teen guilty in alpaca slaying case

HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) — A teen was found guilty Nov. 10 on four felony counts in the death of a pet baby alpaca named Masterpiece, who was taken from a southwestern Ohio farm and beaten to death.

A Butler County jury found Marcus Miller, 18, guilty of breaking and entering, tampering with evidence, vandalism and grand theft, the Hamilton JournalNews reported. Miller, of the Middletown area, pled guilty the day before to a misdemeanor animal cruelty count before his trial began.

The three-month-old animal that had been valued at $8,000 was taken from Jeff Pergram’s farm Jan. 15.

Nicholas Reynolds, 18, pled guilty to the same charges in September and was sentenced to eight months in prison on the felonies and 90 days in jail on the misdemeanor. Stacie Mullins, 23, was charged with complicity in the case.

Six cattle, lamb found mutilated in Porter Co.
VALPARAISO, Ind. (AP) — Porter County police are investigating the recent deaths and mutilation of six cattle and a lamb belonging to a rural Valparaiso farmer.

The Merrillville Post-Tribune and the Times of Munster reported that the farmer told police that three bulls, three steers and a lamb were mutilated. The mutilations include severed ears and penises. Police said two of the steers, one in the pasture and another in its barn, and a bull were found dead Nov. 1. The other deaths occurred as early as Oct. 14.

The reports did not identify the farmer.

Horse tails cut and feed contaminated on Ky. farm
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Police in Lexington are investigating why the tails of horses were cut, their feed contaminated and soap put into the drinking water for the animals.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported the incidents happened Nov. 5-6 at a farm on Jacks Creek Pike leased by Lisa McConathy. The tails of nine horses were cut, barn windows were broken, and messages like “Let’s play a game, find me” were left around the property.

McConathy said horse feed was contaminated with cat food and amounts of oil feed supplement that could make the horses sick. She said the strings on hay bales were cut and blankets were cut off horses, too.

Lexington Police Lt. Scott Blakely said no one has been charged.

Train kills 20 cattle on tracks in western Ohio

PLATTSBURG, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say a freight train ran into a herd of cattle on the tracks in western Ohio, killing about 20 of the animals.

The Norfolk Southern engineer told Clark County sheriff’s investigators he saw the cattle in the train’s path Nov. 9 but couldn’t stop in time. The Columbus Dispatch reported the train with two locomotives and 122 cars was traveling at 38 mph when the accident occurred.

The primary engine needed about three hours of repair work when the train eventually stopped near Plattsburg, 34 miles west of Columbus. The cattle belonged to a farm in the area. It’s not clear how they found their way onto the tracks.