Author: staff
With a $1 million Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Iowa State University scientists and collaborators are leveraging the Swine Disease Reporting System to rapidly detect new strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus. They have launched a one-of-a-kind web-based tool called the SDRS BLAST Tool (BLAST stands for Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) that allows veterinarians, producers, and other users to compare genetic sequences of PRRSV with those in the Swine Disease Reporting System. South Dakota State University, the University of Minnesota, Kansas State University, Ohio Animal…
While cattle who contract highly pathogenic avian influenza have reportedly experienced nonspecific illnesses that include decreased feed intake, rumination, and milk production, most of these cattle recover in two to three weeks with supportive care. Infections in humans have been been a significant factor, with one dairy worker who contracted HPAI only experienced mild symptoms. Meanwhile, HPAI has proven highly contagious and often deadly in poultry and barn cats on an impacted north Texas dairy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bodies of two deceased adult domestic shorthaired cats were found and examined postmortem. While the…
Since the nomination period began for the 2023-24 Golden Owl Award, more than 1,100 teachers have been nominated by students, parents, and community members across 11 states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. This award by Nationwide and its state partners aims to recognize the contributions of agricultural teachers and support them with $500 of additional resources to help fund future educational efforts for their programs. For the this award season, 79 teachers have been recognized as finalists. “As the need grows for more ag educators across the nation, we are proud to…
Amid cattle depredation by wolves in Colorado, a bill to delist wolves as endangered species managed to slip through the U.S. House on Tuesday with a narrow vote of 209-205. The bill from Republican U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, named Trust the Science Act, would force the Department of the Interior to delist gray wolves in the lower 48 states, and it would prohibit judicial review of the decision. “Out-of-touch Denver and Boulder leftists voted to reintroduce wolves in Colorado. Farmers and ranchers are powerless to defend their livestock from wolf attacks and there…
The nation’s farm bill, which officially expired in 2023 and has been floundering in Congress for months, is finally seeing some tangible momentum — at least from the outside looking in. House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania has released a title-by-title overview of the bipartisan policies and priorities he hopes are included in the 2024 farm bill. “This bill is a product of an extensive and transparent process, which included soliciting feedback from members of both political parties, stakeholder input from across the nation, and some tough conversations,” he said in a statement. “Each title of…
On Saturday, the routine task of leveling a grain silo turned tragic for one Pennsylvania family when the silo collapsed, fatally entrapping 31-year-old farmer Bryan Kendall inside. At about 11:33 a.m., the Annville Cleona Fire Department responded to a building collapse near the South Annville Township. Despite having the Citizen’s Fire Company of Palmyra, Campbelltown Fire Company, Lebanon County Hazmat, and Lancaster County Rescue Taskforce on the scene, when emergency responders arrived, additional emergency and heavy equipment support was requested. “Regrettably, what began as a rescue mission transitioned into a recovery effort when a body was discovered within the silo…
On Monday, the U.S. government announced the collection of ground beef samples for testing from retail stores in states hit by bird flu outbreaks in dairy cows, though it maintains confidence in meat safety. Federal officials aim to ensure milk and meat safety following H5N1 virus confirmations in 34 dairy cattle herds across nine states since late March, along with one case in a person from Texas. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization note a low overall public health risk, caution is advised for those exposed to infected animals. Scientists suspect that cow…
For the 10th straight year, Culver’s is offering guests a single scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard in exchange for a $1 donation to local FFA chapters and other agricultural education organizations as part of its annual Scoops of Thanks Day fundraiser on May 2. This year’s milestone event also features the one-day-only return of Culver’s How Now Brown Cow flavor of Fresh Frozen Custard, which made its debut on Scoops of Thanks Day in 2023. Scoops of Thanks Day is a core part of Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project, a guest-fueled initiative that supports local agricultural efforts in the communities Culver’s serves along…
The Illinois Farm Families coalition won a Best of Show award in the consumer category last week at the National Agri-Marketing Association 2024 AgriMarketing Conference in Kansas City. The Best of NAMA awards program honors the best of the best work in ag communications; companies and agencies must first qualify through regional competition to advance to the national level. The Best of Show award was given for a 30-second commercial first aired during the Super Bowl 2023 as the official kickoff of the We Are the 96% campaign produced by IFF. The commercial, The Corporation, features Illinois farmer Chad Bell…
Walking horses are known for their particularly high gait, but to be more successful in competitions, some owners and trainers have impelemented methods to exaggerate a horse’s gait. These methods may cause the horse to suffer physical pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness while walking and moving. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is announcing strengthened Horse Protection Act regulations to end horse soring at Tennessee Walking Horse shows. According to the USDA, soring is “an inhumane practice where some owners and trainers chemically or physically irritate or burn horses to provide an accentuated gait that…