USDA announces extension to GIPSA comment period
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA has responded to calls from Congress, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. (NCBA) and other agriculture organizations to extend the comment period to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock marketing.
The proposed rule, announced June 18, suggests major changes to the way producers can market their cattle. The comment period will be extended for an additional 90 days.
“Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle were very clear about the critical need to extend the comment period to allow stakeholders to thoroughly analyze the potential impacts of the rule,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall.
For more information on the proposed rule and its potential impacts on cattle producers, visit www.beltwaybeef.com Farm with 2 million chickens planned in eastern Indiana
BRYANT, Ind. (AP) — A company is seeking permission to start a farm with up to two million chickens in eastern Indiana.
An application with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management calls for a six-barn confined animal feeding operation near the Jay County town of Bryant. Keith Boeckman of Hoosier Pride Farms said plans are to raise egg-laying hens, with between 1.5 million-2 million birds at the farm about 40 miles south of Fort Wayne.
The company expects to have the farm in operation within a year and have about 35 workers. Jay County now has 19 chicken farms that are state-regulated because they have more than 30,000 birds. State officials say regulated chicken farms in Indiana average 300,000 birds. Indiana agency revokes permit for 3,500-cow dairy
LAKEVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Developers haven’t given up their plans for a large dairy near South Bend, though Indiana environmental officials have revoked its permit.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management stated it revoked the permit for the 3,500-cow Walnut Grove Dairy LLC in Lakeville, about 10 miles south of South Bend, because developers didn’t start construction by April 2010 as required by the permit.
Property owner Peter van der Vegt of Fremont said he’s appealing and Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development LLC still plans on building the dairy. Marc Nelson of the St. Joseph County Health Department said the proposed concentrated animal is too close to nearby homes and poses a public health threat, and may violate a new county CAFO ordinance. Boy dies after horse lands on him at NW Indiana farm
PORTAGE, Ind. (AP) — Police say a 3-year-old Chicago boy died after a horse landed on him at a northwestern Indiana horse farm.
The Lake County coroner’s office said Amier Sanchez died from blunt force trauma at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart soon after he was injured July 26 at the farm near Portage. Porter County police Lt. Chris Eckert said the boy was placed on a horse that reared up and then fell on him. Eckert said it appears to be a “freak accident.”
Farm owner Victor Maldonado said the boy was the son of a friend to the horse’s owner and that they had all come to see the animal. He said he didn’t know of any previous problems with the 6-year-old stallion or what might have caused its actions. Services held for two killed in Illinois grain bin accident
MOUNT CARROLL, Ill. (AP) — Funeral services were held for two teens killed in a northwestern Illinois grain bin accident.
A private funeral mass was planned for July 31 for 14-year-old Wyatt Whitebread. Visitation for 19-year-old Alejandro Pacas was also planned for Saturday. The teens died Wednesday after they became trapped in the grain bin owned by Haasbach LLC in Mount Carroll.
A third worker, 20-year-old William Piper, was injured in the accident and has been released from the hospital. A fourth worker outside the bin wasn’t injured. The accident is still under investigation.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said a preliminary probe suggests that the accident was preventable and federal regulations weren’t followed. Indiana timber buyer charged with corrupt business influence
MILAN, Ind. — A Milan man has been charged with Corrupt Business Influence by the Ripley County Prosecutor’s Office, according to Gary Catron, public information officer for D9 Operations for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Scott Powers, 37, of Milan, was taken into custody July 27 on an arrest warrant. Conservation Officer Steve Miller began investigating him as a result of numerous complaints about his business practices.
Powers, operating as Powers Logging, is alleged to have committed multiple thefts while in operation buying timber. Some of the victims lost timber valued at several thousands of dollars as a result of alleged illegal business practices that involved the removal and sale of timber from landowners, then keeping the proceeds.
Corrupt Business Influence is a Class C felony. As of July 30 Powers was in the Ripley County jail awaiting initial hearing. Bradley County charges man for cattle rustling
CLEVELAND, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities in Bradley County have charged a man with cattle rustling after getting a tip through a local newspaper article about 11 stolen cows.
An article in the Cleveland Daily Banner about the theft of the cows on July 12 prompted a man who purchased the cows for $3,000 to call police to determine if they were stolen. According to the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, Dustin Chad Hutson was charged with theft over $1,000 and was being held last week in the Polk County jail for a probation violation.
He was to be moved to the Bradley County jail. |
