1. AVIAN INFLUENZA NEWS
USDA’s Plan
On June 29th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released
a draft summary of its plan in regard to highly pathogenic
avian influenza (HPAI) and the use of $91 million
appropriated six months ago to address pandemic influenza.
Among the inclusions in the plan are standard operating
procedures after a finding of HPAI [the highly pathogenic
H5N1 strain has yet to be detected in the U.S.], quarantine
and movement controls, compensation, euthanasia, disposal,
and wildlife management. The agency’s surveillance
of migratory birds and of breeding flocks, poultry
dealers, live-bird markets, auctions and slaughterplants
is also discussed. The summary is posted for review
at: http://tinyurl.com/n5zgw
Comments should be sent to: NAHEMS.Guidelines.Comments@aphis.usda.gov
The full plan is being shared with federal, state,
and industry entities “in order to coordinate
media and public response to any possible HPAI detection.”
Additional information is available at: www.usda.gov/birdflu
Vaccination Warning
By late June, a total of 57 countries had reported
detection of avian influenza in wild birds or domestic
ones. Of the 217 people who had been infected with avian
influenza, 123 of them have died. Mass vaccination of poultry has been undertaken
in an attempt to quell consumer fears about it, including
in China, Indonesia, and Viet Nam. Following the first
confirmed case of human-to-human transmission of the
disease, in mid-June, scientists are warning that
any presence of the virus can go undetected in innoculated
flocks. The H5N1 virus is believed to be firmly entrenched
in poultry throughout much of Indonesia.
European Compensation
A survey found that between February and May of 2006,
741 cases of HPAI were detected in wild birds in 13
European Union (EU) member states. No human case of
H5N1 virus has been identified in the EU, but in some
countries, such as Italy, the demand for poultry has
plummeted by as much as 70%. In an attempt to stabilize
falling prices, the European Commission is putting
65 million euros [$82 million] toward reducing the
glut of poultry meat and eggs. The aid will go toward
compensation for the destruction of eggs, the killing
of chicks, and the early slaughter of birds used for
breeding or egg production. Regulations previously
allowed the European Union (EU) to financially compensate
only in actual instances of disease or when farmers
were ordered to restrict movement of poultry. Europe’s
$42 billion dollar feed sector has also been affected,
with demand losses estimated at up to 40% in some
countries.
USDA RELEASES 180-DAY REPORT ON AVIAN
INFLUENZA EFFORTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL SPENDING
USDA Media Release, June 29, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/ovvpq
SCIENTISTS ISSUE CAUTION AGAINST MASS POULTRY VACCINATION
Food Production Daily, June 26, 2006
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=68668&m=1FPD626&c=ctnjryolzpagjlt
EU AID CHANNELED TO CUT POULTRY AND EGG PRODUCTION
Food Production Daily, June 22, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/zdfw3
2. MAJOR MERGER IN UK EGG INDUSTRY
A planned merger between Deans Foods
and Stonegate would give the new company, Noble Foods,
a 46% control of the UK’s egg supply. The company
owners said the new company will be in a better position
to deal with legislative pressures on the egg industry
and increasing economic challenges. Stonegate recently
spent £5m [$9.18m] in upgrading facilities at
a dedicated free range and organic egg packing operation.
The Office of Fair Trade is determining whether the
merger would result in unfair competitive practices.
The total UK output is about 12.5 million dozen eggs
a week.
UK MERGER GIVES COMPANY 46PC CONTROL
OF EGG MARKET
Food Production Daily, July 6, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/pf6gb
3. REGULATING ANIMAL WASTE
From 2002 to 2005, concentrated animal
feeding operations (CAFOs) in the U.S. expanded by
about 22%. They generate some 500 million tons of
animal manure a year -- three times more waste than
humans in the U.S. produce. Water contamination from
these feedlots has been reported in 29 states. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed
a new requirement, that CAFOs obtain permits if animal
waste from their facilities enters local bodies of
water. The
proposal is a revision of rules from 3 years ago,
which a U.S. Circuit Court said failed to result in
any meaningful review of plans developed by the approximately
18,000 applicable farms to limit pollution. (These
operations contribute up to 60% of all the manure
generated by farms that confine animals.) Remarking
on the new requirement, Michele Merkel, a former staff
attorney in the EPA's enforcement division who now
works for the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project,
said: "The court required the EPA to bring clarity
to some aspects of the 2003 rules; instead they've
created more confusion and new loopholes.”
Of particular concern is that the proposal allows
CAFOs to define what constitutes a polluting discharge,
and thus decide whether a permit is even needed. Melanie
Shepherdson, a staff attorney with Natural Resources
Defense Council said: “They're letting the factory
farms police themselves, which flies in the face of
the whole purpose of the Clean Water Act permitting
process.” Randy Spronk, the National Pork Producer
Council’s environment committee chair, countered:
“Pork producers can decide for themselves if
they will need a federal Clean Water Act permit as
they meet these standards, or if they want to meet
these standards while not getting a federal permit.”
EPA spokesperson Dale Kemery explains: "Under
the Clean Water Act, CAFOs that do not seek permit
coverage risk liability for any unpermitted discharges
that may occur at the facility. But Merkel points
out that few penalties are imposed and few inspections
even occur. Between 1997 and 2004, the U.S. Department
of Justice waged a grand total of eight lawsuits against
CAFOs for violating water-pollution standards under
the Clean Water Act. Of the 18,800 or so CAFOs in
the U.S., only about 8,500 currently have permits.
The new rule is expected to appear on the federal
register soon, with a 45-day public comment period.
Environmental groups are threatening a 2nd lawsuit
if their concerns are not given due consideration.
EPA PLAN TARGETS ANIMAL WASTE
Columbus Telegraph, John Heilprin, June 23, 2006
http://www.columbustelegram.com/articles/2006/06/23/news/news6epa.txt
AG REFLEX
Factory Farms Let Off the Hook for Water Pollution,
Activists Say
Grist, Amanda Griscom Little, June 30, 2006
http://www.grist.org/news/muck/2006/06/30/cafo-waste/index.html?source=daily
4. NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INDUSTRIAL FARM ANIMAL PRODUCTION
The Pew Charitable Trusts has created
the independent National Commission on Industrial
Farm Animal Production, with a $2.6 million grant
to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The Commission will be conducting a national study
of large-scale animal agriculture, considering such
matters as animal welfare, antibiotics, avian influenza,
and the environment. It is made up of 19 members as
diverse as actress Daryl Hannah, Cargill Meat Solutions
Corp. President Thomas Hayes, and James Merchant,
dean of the University of Iowa's College of Public
Health. It began operating in March and plans a national
publicity campaign in September. The panel plans at
least six public hearings before making recommendations
in about 2 years. Pew is a nonprofit organization,
founded by heirs of the Sun Oil Company. It has financed
studies of a wide range of social issues.
PEW BANKROLLS STUDY OF LARGE LIVESTOCK
FARMS
The Des Moines Register, Perry Beeman, June 25, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/l2t3q
5.
AVMA WON'T SIGN WITH HSUS
During an April meeting, the American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)’s Executive
Board unanimously decided against cosponsoring legislation
with The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS). The organizations
had been planning a joint letter to Congress on a
range of issues. The decision was an about-face from
where AVMA leaders had been in February following
a meeting with HSUS President Wayne Pacelle. It resulted
from objections by veterinarians involved in farmed
animal sectors who oppose HSUS’s support of
the Arizona
ballot initiative to ban intensive confinement
of calves and pregnant pigs. Considering HSUS’s
wealth and lobbying power, Pacelle called the AVMA’s
withdrawal “mind boggling.” Issues the
groups had been considering working together on included
an anti-animal fighting bill, a measure to add a bittering
agent to antifreeze, legislation to protect captive
primates, support for the Pet Animal Welfare Statute
and the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards
Act. “We could have done a lot of good things
together if we’d had just agreed to disagree
on the contentious issues,” Pacelle said.
EXECUTIVE BOARD SINKS HSUS JOINT VENTURE
DVM News, Jennifer Fiala, June 2006
http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=338630
6.
CKE COOPERATING WITH PETA
Moments away from having PETA present
a resolution at its shareholders meeting, CKE Restaurants
Inc., parent of the Hardee's and Carl's Jr. burger
chains, agreed to obtain information from it’s
suppliers on how the chickens it uses are killed.
PETA has shares in about 25 restaurant, grocery and
animal-processing companies in order to try to persuade
them to adopt a less inhumane poultry-slaughter method
called "controlled-atmosphere killing" in
which chickens are gassed to death. The current method
involves immobilizing the birds with an electric shock,
slitting their throats and submerging them in scalding
water. PETA says the chickens are conscious through
most of the process. The organization was less successful
last month when Applebee shareholders defeated the
proposal. After the CKE meeting, the company issued
a statement saying it has worked closely with restaurant
and food-marketing industry groups to develop a comprehensive
animal welfare program, and that it requires its suppliers
to observe the program's guidelines or their own industry's
guidelines.
HARDEE'S
PARENT, PETA ARE TALKING
ST. Louis Post-Dispatch, Gail Appleson, June 28, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/mblr8
|
![[missing header image]](../images/faw_goslings.jpg)
![[missing header image]](../images/newsletter_ico.jpg)