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Texas Agriculture Archive

May 3, 2002

Primaries positive for Texas agriculture

The President of Texas Farm Bureau and the Texas Farm Bureau Friends of Agriculture Fund (AGFUND) said the recently completed primaries are positive for Texas agricultural and rural issues.

Donald Patman, a grain, cotton and cattle producer from Waxahachie, reported that AGFUND made endorsements in 10 runoff elections that were decided on April 9 and six of them won their races.

"Changes in the Texas Legislature will result in the loss of rural leadership," Patman said. "We feel that the results of the primaries are a positive step in electing leaders who understand rural and agricultural issues."

Successful candidates endorsed by AGFUND were: John Carter (R) in Congressional District 31, Texas Senate Candidate Tommy Williams in District 4 and Texas House Candidates Dan Gattis (R-District 20), Glenn Hegar (R-District 28), Joe Moreno (D-District 143) and Ryan Guillen (D-District 31).

Including the races decided without a run-off, AGFUND candidates were successful in more than 77 percent of the races in which an endorsement was made.

AGFUND is the Farm Bureau's political action fund, a separate legal entity that may endorse and contribute money to political candidates. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from the Farm Bureau's 300,000-plus members.

Market drops on news of vCJD victim

Cattle futures prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange dropped 1.5 cents to around 60 cents per pound April 19 on news that a 22-year-old British woman was the first person in the United States to have a confirmed case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)—the human form of mad cow disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health are investigating the woman's case, but are confident she contracted the disease in Great Britain.

The Agriculture Department continues to spread its message about mad cow disease, noting that there has never been a case of mad cow disease in the United States and every measure possible to keep the disease out of the country has been used. A recent report authorized by USDA and conducted by Harvard University found there is little risk that U.S. cattle would be linked to a vCJD case.

New variant CJD is a rare, degenerative, fatal brain disease that researchers say is caused by eating meat from cattle infected with mad cow disease, known by its formal name as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. The disease first emerged in Great Britain in the mid-1990s and has killed more than 100 Europeans.

New 'Coggins' regulation issued by TAHC

Horse enthusiasts with limited area on which to keep their animals can now be assured that nearby horses have tested negative for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA).

EIA, also referred to as "Coggins" or "Swamp Fever," is an incurable disease that can be carried by biting flies from infected equids to "clean" animals. While most infected animals appear healthy, some may die from the virus. Other equids will develop chronic, recurring health problems, such as debilitating weight loss, fever, depression, weakness and swelling of the legs. There is no cure or approved vaccine for EIA, and treatment is limited to providing comfort to the sick animal.

To combat the spread of EIA, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state's livestock health regulatory authority, in response to citizen petitions, has enacted a new regulation that requires equids to have had a negative blood test for EIA within the previous 12 months, if the animals are boarded, stabled or pastured within 200 yards of equids owned by another person.

"Owners may call the TAHC headquarters or their TAHC area office, to request assistance with this regulation," said Dr. Logan, TAHC executive director. "A TAHC representative will first ensure that the complain-ant's animals have up-to-date EIA test documents. Then, TAHC staff will canvass neighboring premises to gain compliance with the testing requirements."

Current TAHC regulations require equids to be test-negative for EIA within the previous 12 months, if they are hauled to assemblies, such as fairs, shows, exhibitions, rodeos or trail rides. The 12-month EIA test rule also applies to equids undergoing a change of ownership or entering the state. EIA-positive equine are permanently identified with a "74A" on their left shoulder and must either be euthanized, sold to slaughter or provided to an approved research facility, or remain quarantined for life, at least 200 yards from other equid.

"Catfish producers have faced difficult economic times in recent years and this purchase will provide some assistance for producers," said Veneman. "This purchase will provide schoolchildren and needy families with a nutritious product."

Notable Quotables

"Remember, in America as a whole, we produce 40 percent more agricultural products than we consume domestically. So either the American farmer sells overseas what they grow and produce or they don't have a profit on the farm, and if you don't have a profit on the farm, you don't survive as a family farmer. It's just that plain and simple."

—Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) at a recent Trade Promotion Authority rally. Grassley signaled that Senate consideration of TPA is nearing, with progress being made on disagreements over assistance for workers displaced by trade. He stressed though that no deal had been reached.