State vet says Kentucky stallions free from CEM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 30, 2009

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-1137

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The last Kentucky stallion known to have been exposed to contagious equine metritis (CEM) has been released from quarantine, State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout has announced.

The western Kentucky quarter horse completed a testing and treatment regimen and was found to be free of the organism that causes the venereal disease. Four stallions that were infected with the organism were declared free of the organism earlier this month after completing treatment and testing. The infected stallions were housed on the central Kentucky farm where the outbreak was discovered in December.

“Kentucky has addressed this outbreak with minimal disruption to the quarter horse breeding season,” Dr. Stout said. “The success of this operation is the result of more than three months of hard work by employees of my office, the University of Kentucky, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky field office, and private veterinarians.”

The infected stallions arrived at the index farm for the first time for the 2008 Kentucky breeding season. None of them had resided in Kentucky prior to December 2007. After extensive investigation of each possible source, the state veterinarian’s office has determined that the most probable source of introduction of the organism to Kentucky was a horse that entered the state from Wisconsin for the 2008 breeding season. The source of introduction to the United States has not been determined. USDA and Wisconsin officials continue to investigate the source and spread of the disease.

The state veterinarian’s office and the UK Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center first discovered the organism in December in a 16-year-old quarter horse during routine testing prior to shipment of semen to Europe. The state veterinarian’s office and USDA’s Kentucky office established the protocol for identifying, locating and treating infected and exposed horses. They joined with practicing veterinarians to carry out the protocol.

A nationwide traceback identified 16 infected horses (including the four Kentucky horses that since have been released from quarantine) and nearly 700 exposed horses, according to the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Web site.

“Kentucky was fortunate to have the experience and expertise to identify CEM and address it,” Dr. Stout said. “This incident should serve as a reminder that foreign animal disease surveillance is not a luxury – it is an absolute necessity to protect Kentucky equine and livestock operations as well as consumers.”

Commissioner Farmer praises legislation that will strengthen Kentucky agriculture.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-1137

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said two bills passed in this year’s state legislative session will strengthen Kentucky’s Grain Insurance Fund and enable the state to continue providing certain agricultural services.

“These bills will help the Kentucky Department of Agriculture better serve Kentucky’s agriculture industry,” Commissioner Farmer said. “That’s important to the whole state, but especially to Kentucky’s rural areas that depend on agriculture for much of their economic activity. I thank the General Assembly for passing these bills and Governor Steve Beshear for signing them.”

House Bill 462 increases the cap for assessing Kentucky grain producers for the state Grain Insurance Fund from $4 million to $10 million. The maximum claim from a grain elevator failure was raised from $100,000 to $200,000. The Grain Insurance Fund is administered by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Division of Regulation and Inspection.

House Bill 485 increases the annual fee for registering pesticides in the state from $125 to $250. The pesticide fees are used for the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom (KAEC), Rinse and Return and Chemical Collection programs, and cost-sharing for soil and water conservation projects.

KAEC helps teachers educate school children about the importance of agriculture and the environment in their everyday lives. Rinse and Return is a voluntary, cooperative program sponsored by the KDA and the Agri-Business Association of Kentucky that collects rinsed pesticide containers for recycling. The Chemical Collection program collects outdated or unwanted pesticides for proper disposal.

Commissioner Farmer applauds FDA decision to delay implementing feed ban rule.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 19, 2009
For more information contact:
Bill Clary
(502) 564-1137

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer today praised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for delaying implementation of an enhanced feed ban rule that would have made it far more difficult and expensive for livestock producers to dispose of dead animal carcasses.

“I’m grateful that the FDA listened to the people whose livelihoods will be affected by this rule,” Commissioner Farmer said. “This delay will provide additional time for producers, renderers and haulers to determine how we can comply with the rule and still make sure farmers have an affordable and accessible means of disposing of dead animals.”

The FDA extended the effective date of the enhanced feed ban rule 60 days from the original effective date of April 27. Publication of the notice in the Federal Register will open a 30-day comment period during which comments will be taken on whether the rule should be delayed more than 60 days.

In a meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture last month in Washington, Commissioner Farmer met with his counterparts from other states, congressional leaders and officials in the Obama administration to seek a delay in implementation of the rule.

The new rule requires removal of the brains and spinal cords of cattle more than 30 months old for any material from those animals to be used in animal feed. The FDA estimates it will cost the rendering industry between $64 million and $80.5 million per year to comply with the new rule. The agency estimates U.S. cattle producers will lose between $28 million and $39 million per year due to lower cattle prices to offset segregation and disposal costs at slaughter, loss for cattle no longer rendered, and increased dead stock collection fees.

Officials and livestock industry leaders fear the new rule could make it difficult, if not impossible, for many producers to dispose of carcasses properly, which could have unintended environmental and public health consequences. Means of disposal other than rendering, such as composting, incineration and digesting, are expensive and impractical. The state no longer is able to provide grants to counties for dead animal removal because of lack of funding.

COMMISSIONER FARMER ASKS SENATORS TO BACK BILL PROHIBITING EPA FROM REGULATING LIVESTOCK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 16, 2009

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-1137

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer urged Kentucky’s U.S. senators, Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning, to support federal legislation that would prohibit the federal government from regulating livestock under the Clean Air Act.

“I believe that this legislation is necessary to protect the livelihood of Kentucky’s animal agriculture producers, who collectively are responsible for nearly $3 billion in farm sales in the Commonwealth, and whose continued prosperity is essential for the future of rural Kentucky,” Commissioner Farmer wrote in a letter to Kentucky’s senators.

Senate Bill 527 would prohibit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from requiring livestock operations to obtain Clean Air Act Title V permits for greenhouse gas emissions caused by biological processes.

An EPA report states that greenhouse gases from the entire U.S. agricultural sector represented just 6.4 percent of the total greenhouse gases of carbon dioxide equivalents, Commissioner Farmer wrote. He noted that producers can provide soil carbon sequestration and renewable energy sources as carbon offsets.

Texas Ag Commissioner Touts Healthy School Breakfasts

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples continued his campaign to remind children all across the great state of Texas about the importance of starting their day with a healthy, nutritious breakfast during National School Breakfast Week March. 2-6.

FOX 7 News interviewed Commissioner Staples live from Lucy Reed Pre-Kindergarten School to showcase the quality meals available all across Texas. More than one million students participate in the national School Breakfast Program every day in Texas.

You can watch the interview here:

Kentucky Ag Commissioner hails new law establishing agriculture trust fund.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 9, 2009
For more information contact:Bill Clary
(502) 564-1137


FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer today applauded the Kentucky General Assembly and Gov. Steve Beshear for enacting legislation that sets up a trust fund to help pay for Kentucky agricultural programs.

“This law will help the Kentucky Department of Agriculture carry out the programs Kentuckians expect and deserve,” Commissioner Farmer said. “I want to thank the legislature for passing this bill and Gov. Beshear for signing it.”

House Bill 100 creates a revolving fund to be used for the Department’s agricultural programs. Revenue for the fund will come from voluntary contributions from anyone who applies for or renews a Kentucky farm truck license registration. Anyone registering or renewing registration for a farm truck may opt out of making the contribution. The fund also may accept contributions from other sources, and balances in the fund at the end of the fiscal year will carry forward into the next year.

The bill took effect when the Governor signed it into law on Friday.

The Department’s funding has been reduced by one-third in the past 10 years (adjusted for inflation). The KDA has cross-trained some employees and utilized new technology in an attempt to compensate for the decline in its budget. But the Department no longer has the funding to carry out some programs, and its ability to meet its statutory responsibilities has been strained because of a lack of funding and personnel.

Colorado’s Beef Exports Make History

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The beef industry is the largest segment of Colorado’s agricultural industry, accounting for more than half the State’s total cash receipts from livestock and crop production.

Although industry profitability has been under pressure due to high production costs and lower market prices, exports continue to be a bright spot for the beef industry, with exports of beef and beef variety meats from Colorado reaching a record high of $497 million in 2008. In fact, current levels of beef exports from Colorado have, for the first time, exceeded levels reached prior to the closure of most major markets to U.S. beef in 2003 following the discovery of BSE in the US herd.

“Exports help generate added revenues to the industry. Some cuts and products are purchased by customers in international markets at prices higher than could otherwise be received in the US,” said CDA’s markets division director, Tom Lipetzky.

According to the most recent 2008 statistics:

·Exports of beef and beef variety meats from Colorado surged 55 percent from
2007 levels to $497 million. Total US exports increased 42 percent to just
over $3 billion.
·Colorado ranks second among all states in total exports of
fresh chilled beef and third among all states in total exports of beef and beef
variety meats.
·Colorado is the number one supplier of beef and beef variety
meats to Canada and the number two supplier to Mexico and Japan.
·Colorado was the number one supplier of fresh chilled beef to Korea.

“Potential for future growth in exports remains quite positive as Korean consumers are again welcoming US beef and a full opening of Japan’s market could add significantly to exports,” continued Lipetzky. “More and more, it’s looking like its Colorado beef that is what’s for dinner for customers around the world.”

For additional information and statistics, visit www.colorado.gov/ag and click on “Colorado Beef Exports.”

Colorado has become a leader in the beef industry on the global level and that is a reflection of our beef producers. The following information has been provided by Colorado’s beef industry organizations.

Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA)

“A key ingredient for the beef industry in working our way out of these trying
economic times is to open new export markets for our product,” said CCA
President Paul Bernklau. “World food supplies will be in tight demand by 2012
and beef producers should be empowered to provide our safe, nutritious, and
readily available product to those country’s through expansion of
trade.”

Website: http://www.coloradocattle.org/
Contact
information: Amy Bader, Director of Communications, (303) 431-6422 or
email info@coloradocattle.org

Colorado Livestock Association (CLA)

“This past years increase in beef exports is directly correlated to the worlds
demand for the high quality, nutritional and wholesome beef products that are
produced in Colorado’s ranching, feeding and packing industries,” said Colorado
Livestock Association CEO, Bill Hammerich.

Website: http://www.coloradolivestock.org/
Contact information: Bill Hammerich, 822 7th Street, Suite 210, Greeley, CO
80631, bhammerich@coloradolivestock.org,
(970) 378-0500

Colorado Beef Council

“As demand for high quality beef increases throughout the world our exports
should, and will, continue to grow. Consumers outside of the United States are
looking for a safe, wholesome and nutritious product and will continue to turn
to U.S. beef,” said Colorado Beef Council Executive Director, Fred
Lombardi.

Website: http://www.cobeef.com/
Contact information:
Fred Lombardi, 789 Sherman Street, Suite 105, Denver, CO or call (303)
830-7892

KDA, UK played key roles in containing CEM outbreak nationwide.

by Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer

Kentucky’s equine industry averted a crisis in the contagious equine metritis outbreak thanks to the expertise of the state veterinarian’s office and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Practicing veterinarians, horse owners and federal employees at the state level also were instrumental in diagnosing and containing the disease. We are confident that Kentucky again will be CEM-free in a few weeks.

The disease was first identified Dec. 10 in routine testing of an American quarter horse for export of semen. Authorities identified the farm where the stallion stood and found three more positive stallions. The infected stallions were treated and test bred. Another six exposed stallions tested negative.

Statewide and nationwide traces were performed to locate stallions exposed to the positive horses on the Kentucky farm and mares that were inseminated by the positive stallions. Approximately 750 mares were determined to have been bred via artificial insemination to the infected stallions, of which 35 were located in Kentucky. To date only three mares and 11 stallions nationwide have tested positive for CEM.

Early in the outbreak Kentucky was the de facto lead agency in the nationwide response. Our equine experts worked with U.S. Department of Agriculture authorities in Washington to develop testing and treatment protocols that were put in place for the entire country.

All the stallions on the farm arrived there for the first time for the 2008 Kentucky breeding season. None of them had resided in Kentucky prior to December 2007. After extensive investigation of each possible source, the Kentucky state veterinarian’s office has determined that the most probable source of introduction of the disease to Kentucky was a horse that entered the state from Wisconsin for the 2008 breeding season. The source of introduction of this foreign animal disease to the United States has not been determined. USDA and Wisconsin officials continue to diligently investigate the source and spread of the disease.

Kentucky’s response to the CEM outbreak has been a success by any measure. If all goes well, the disease will be eradicated in Kentucky with little disruption of the breeding season. The state’s expertise and quick, decisive action enabled Kentucky to avoid more strict interstate and international restrictions (other than a ban imposed by Mexico) that could have been crippling to the Commonwealth’s quarter horse breeders, most of which are small family operations. The outbreak did not affect the state’s Thoroughbred population in any way.

The outbreak also tested the ability of state government, our partners at UK and USDA, our counterparts in other states and private stakeholders to respond to an animal disease crisis. We all learned valuable lessons from this experience that may be put to good use in another – perhaps more serious and faster-moving – disease outbreak.

The disruption to Kentucky’s equine industry was kept to a minimum because the disease was detected early and because Kentucky had the experience and expertise to address the outbreak. This case should serve as a wake-up call to remind us all that animal disease surveillance is not a luxury. In this case, routine surveillance prevented a larger outbreak that could have cost horse breeders millions of dollars and driven some of them out of business.

The Office of the State Veterinarian/Division of Animal Health has had its budget and staff cut to the breaking point. A strong surveillance program is absolutely necessary to prevent the introduction of animal disease that could wreck Kentucky’s $3 billion livestock industry and threaten public health. Let your legislators know that you value the services of the state veterinarian’s office and you want to see it fully funded.