Ind. releases 3rd TB quarantine
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) has released the third, and final, quarantine of three cervid farms that housed animals that tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (commonly called TB, or more formally known as Mycobacterium bovis).
All three sites, located in Franklin, Wayne and Harrison counties, had to be depopulated, cleaned and disinfected under BOAH supervision for the quarantines to be lifted. The operations were identified as part of a disease investigation after cervids on the Franklin County farm tested positive for TB in May.
To date, Indiana’s TB status for cervids has not changed. Under USDA guidelines, because all three premises are linked, this remains one case.
More information about the disease and the investigation, as it develops, will be available on the BOAH website at www.boah.in.gov
Turkey lifts ban on biotech
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released a directive Dec. 16 repealing the Oct. 26, 2009, regulation that restricted market access of products with biotechnology derived content, according to the U.S. Grains Council (USGC). The directive instructs Turkish ports to resume pre-Oct. 26 procedures.
“This is great news for U.S. farmers and exporters of U.S. value-added products like DDGS (distiller’s dried grains with solubles) and corn gluten. The lift on the ban brings the assumption that everything will go back to the way it was before. However, the situation is very fluid and we are receiving new information constantly,” said Joe O’Brien, USGC regional director in the Middle East and Subcontinent.
“The Council will continue to follow the situation as developments unfold.”
In addition, Turkey’s Prime Minister has referred a draft biosafety law to Parliament for discussion. USGC Director of Biotechnology Programs Rebecca Fecitt said, “Although we don’t know the exact terms and details of the new, latest version of the biosafety law, it is possible that if this law passed, it may provide the legal basis for the Oct. 26 regulation to resume.
“Some reports show it is unlikely the draft law will be discussed in Parliament until early next year. The Council will continue to work with local industry on this important issue.”
Ag groups donate to food bank BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Illinois Pork Producers Assoc. (IPPA), Illinois Soybean Assoc. (ISA) and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) presented the Midwest Food Bank with a check for $7,500 Dec. 15 as part of the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign.
The donation was to support Gridley Meats’ continued processing of hogs donated by local pork producers. IPPA continued the Pork Power program during 2009 and partnered with ICMB, ISA and the Illinois Assoc. of Meat Processors (IAMP) to build upon the success of the 2008 campaign, in which the partners provided more than 100,000 pounds of donated pork to food banks in Illinois.
“Nutritionists tell us that a healthy, well-balanced diet including lean protein is important for managing weight, cholesterol levels and blood pressure,” said Mike Haag, a pork producer from Emington and IPPA vice president/treasurer. “It is important that Illinois families have access to the nutrients they need, not just during the holiday season, but throughout the year, as well.”
Ringger brothers Stan, Steve, Scott and Brent purchased a meat processing plant and locker, Gridley Meats, in 1999. Today, the Ringgers receive pig donations from approximately eight pork producers. The pork products are then donated to the Midwest Food Bank in Bloomington.
The Midwest Food Bank was created six years ago when the Kieser family began providing food out of a shed on their family farm. Today it serves more than 500 organizations across the Midwest. The food given out each month reaches more than 100,000 people.
Indiana counties disaster areas
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Julia A. Wickard, executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Indiana, announced the USDA has designated Jackson, Jennings, Lawrence and Shelby counties in Indiana as primary natural disaster areas because of losses caused by severe flooding that occurred from Aug. 8, 2009, and continuing.
Farm operators in 15 other counties also qualify for assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those are: Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Greene, Hancock, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Ripley, Rush, Scott and Washington.
This makes all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency loans from the FSA, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.
Information is available at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov |
