|
|
|
|
|
Texas consumers and dairy farmers can feel more secure about the health of dairy cattle and the safety of dairy products under new rules designed to keep tuberculosis-infected dairy cows out of Texas, according to the Texas Association of Dairymen.
The new rules, recently adopted by the Texas Animal Health Commission, went into effect March 18.
"We welcome and, in fact, encouraged these new testing requirements," said John Cowan, executive director of the Texas Association of Dairymen. "Dairy farmers want to know that any new cows they buy from out-of-state won't infect their herd. We also want consumers to feel more secure about the safety of the food they buy, even though milk pasteurization and other measures are designed to kill bacteria before it reaches the store shelves."
The Animal Health Commission began a statewide TB testing program for dairy cows after two infected herds diagnosed in 2001 caused Texas to lose its U.S. Department of Agriculture's TB-free designation.
As a result, every dairy cow in Texas—336,000 head at 809 dairies—has been tested for tuberculosis. An infected herd was found in Hamilton County and subsequently depopulated.
Under the new regulations, most dairy cows will be required to test negative for TB within 60 days before they enter Texas.
Young dairy heifers and bull calves brought into Texas will have to be identified with an ear tag and restricted at a designated facility until they test negative for TB at six months of age.
Exempt from these new regulations are dairy cattle that originate from herds tested yearly under a TB-accreditation program, neutered dairy cattle being fed for slaughter and dairy cows directly delivered to slaughter. Instead, these animals must have a certificate of veterinary inspection issued within 30 days prior to movement.
In addition to Texas, 33 other states require TB tests before allowing dairy cows into their borders, even if the cows are coming from a designated TB-free state.
Letters: Maintain ag commitments
Sens. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) have been circulating a bi-partisan letter for senators to sign supporting the "importance of maintaining the commitments made to American farm families, rural communities, low income families and children, risk management and conservation under U.S. farm policy."
The same letter is being circulated for signatures within the House by Rep. JoAnn Emerson (R-Mo.)
The letters provide examples of changes in U.S. farm policy that have already contributed to deficit reduction. It also notes that farm policy for commodities amounts to just one-half of one percent of the total federal budget.
The letter goes on to list economic activity contributions from agriculture. The letter also notes that proposed "reduced funding will cause USDA to absorb 16.5 percent of the cuts in federal discretionary funding, while accounting for just 2 percent of the total."
The letters will be delivered to the House and Senate Budget Committee chairmen and ranking members to highlight the importance of agricultural funding and policy in developing the 2006 fiscal year budget resolution.
AFBF is encouraging its members to contact their congressional representatives, urging them to sign these letters immediately.
The poll was managed by principles of Luntz Research Companies and Global Strategy Group for Family Business Estate Tax Coalition, a grassroots group dedicated to full, permanent repeal of the death tax. The poll results have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent. The poll was taken Jan. 3-7 and results have just been released.
Totals show 89 percent of respondents voting for President Bush in 2004 said the tax is somewhat or very unfair, and 71 percent of respondents voting for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) said the tax was somewhat or very unfair. Additionally, 60 percent of respondents with incomes of less than $30,000, as well as respondents with incomes more than $60,000, said the tax is completely unfair.
AFBF prevails in CAFO argument
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Court ruled Feb. 28 that livestock producers will be required to apply for a Clean Water Act discharge permit based only upon actual, not merely "potential," discharges into waters of the U.S.
"This is exactly what we argued before the court on behalf of our livestock producers on December 13," said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. "The court recognized the permitting process would have been the same as requiring a person to apply for a driver's license even though they never plan to drive. We are glad that we won this argument, but we are also concerned that the ruling, in total, is less than ideal."
Notable Quotables
"Today agricultural products account for 2 percent of transportation fuels. Some experts forsee a time when 15 to 20 percent of all transportation fuel will be bio-based."
—Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, speaking at the recent Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington, Va.
