Culver appoints Inwood man to Iowa environmental post

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Chet Culver has appointed an Inwood man to a seat on the state’s Environmental Protection Commission.

Eugene Ver Steeg will fill a position that is required to be an active grain or livestock farmer. Ver Steeg owns and manages Sunnycrest Inc., an Iowa wean-to-finish hog operation. He graduated from South Dakota State University in 1962, receiving his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1966 and was in practice until 1981.

He also served as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Assoc. from 2006 to 2007. Culver says he believes Ver Steeg will bring important farming experience to the EPC.

 
EU farm ministers agree on reform to aid competition

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union (EU) agriculture ministers have agreed to a new round of aid reforms in Europe’s shrinking farm sector meant to boost competition in the global markets.
The ministers reached their agreement after all-night talks that ended Thursday morning. EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said discussion on how to provide aid to dairy farmers as milk quotas are abolished across the 27-nation bloc in 2015 were the most difficult.

French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier says there was “virtual unanimity” backing the reforms, which are the largest the EU has undertaken since the last major round of reforms five years ago.
The EU spends about 40 percent of its budget supporting 13 million farmers even though they represent less than 3 percent of its population.

Animal rights video shows turkey abuse in W.Va.

LEWISBURG, W.Va. (AP) — A video released by an animal rights group on Nov. 18 claims to show horrific abuse of turkeys at West Virginia farms operated by major global poultry grower Aviagen, Inc.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the video, which includes workers stomping on turkeys’ heads and twisting their necks to kill them, was shot by an undercover investigator who worked on the companies’ farms for more than two months.

The undercover worker, who was not identified, described stifling, dusty barns where the animals were kept and caught video of several workers killing turkeys, slamming them into metal cages and bragging about previous abuse of the animals.

A company official told The New York Times that they “condemn the abuse of any of the animals in our care and will take swift action to address these issues.” They said they would investigate the allegations, which could lead to firing employees who were involved.
A call Nov. 19 to the Alabama headquarters of Aviagen North America was not immediately returned. A call to subsidiary Aviagen Turkeys Inc., in East Lewisburg, W.Va., also was not immediately returned.

PETA filed a criminal complaint on Nov. 18 alleging animal cruelty, according to the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department. In West Virginia, felony animal cruelty can be punished by one to three years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

In 2004, PETA carried out a similar undercover video sting in West Virginia against Texas-based Pilgrim’s Pride at the company’s Moorefield plant. The company fired 11 employees and provided animal cruelty training throughout its North American operations after that, but a Hardy County grand jury in 2005 refused to indict any of the workers involved.

Ohio harness-race horse industry declines

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio is slowly slipping in the ranks of states that produce the standardbred horses used in harness racing.

Ohio was the top standardbred horse producer in 2005, then dropped to No. 2 in 2006 and down to No. 6 last year. Success Acres farm outside Columbus bred only about 25 mares this year, down from 150 during good times.

Owners and industry experts blame the decline on enhanced gambling opportunities at horse tracks in other states, including electronic slot machines.

Sam Zonak, executive director of the Ohio State Racing Commission, estimates the total amount of money bet on horse racing has fallen by $235 million since 2001.

Wal-Mart buys wind energy supply

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. says it has invested in a wind energy farm in Texas that will generate enough power to light 54 of its stores.

The world’s largest retailer said Nov. 20 that the Duke Energy farm is being built in Notrees, Texas, and is to start production in April. Wal-Mart said the electricity it will buy would be enough to light 20,000 homes.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based company has 360 stores in Texas, and the 54 stores represent 15 percent of those properties. Wal-Mart says it will pay traditional rates for the electricity, but doing so will decrease greenhouse gas emissions and will help the company reach its goal of using only renewable energy sources.

The company stated using the wind power will prevent 139,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released each year, which the company likens to taking 25,000 cars off the road.

Willmar utility to try burning corncobs at Minnesota plant

WILLMAR, Minn. (AP) — When it comes to meeting a state mandate for renewable energy, a western Minnesota utility says corncobs might be the answer.

The Willmar Municipal Utilities will test burning cobs along with coal at its power plant this winter. If all goes well, officials hope the new setup will both meet the renewable energy requirements and boost local farm income. All Minnesota utilities must have at least 25 percent of energy needs met by renewable sources by 2025.

In addition to generating power through biomass like corncobs, the utility also has a $10 million wind turbine project going. Officials say the test burn in February will show whether coal and corn cobs can burn together and whether the process is effective and efficient.