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Animal Antimicrobial Data Misrepresented By UCS

Truffle Media Networks — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:09:54 +0000

The FDA released the 2009 report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals. The reports lists all the antimicrobial drugs and drug classes approved for use in food producing animals, plus 2009 sales and distribution data reported by drug class. The report does not offer any analysis, observation, or subjective opinion on the effects of antimicrobials in animals.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) issued a news release using the data to support its assertion that antimicrobial use in food animals is too widespread and poses risks to human health by undermining the effectiveness of the drugs.

While UCS claimed the amount of microbials used for farm animals was about eight times more than the three million pound doctors prescribed that year for human medical purposes, [Dave] Warner [National Pork Producers Council] pointed out the FDA data referred to pounds sold, not pounds used, so such comparison data does not exist.

“Despite the fact that the FDA report lacks the data, groups opposed to modern livestock production continue to peddle junk science on the percentage of antibiotics used for ‘non-therapeutic’ reasons, which include prevention and control of diseases, and to make comparisons of antibiotics used in food animals with those used in humans,” Warner added.

SwineCast update for September 17, 2009, What is the FDA's Perspective on Food Safety?

John Blue — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:09:23 +0000

Just back from the Midwest Pork Conference. We had a conversation with Dr. Tom Gillespie, Rennselaer Swine Services, about the metric of 30 pigs per sow per year, and learned from Dr. Larry Rueff, Greensburg's Swine Vet Services, about the future of swine influenza virus (SIV) management.

Next stop St. Paul for the annual UMN Leman conference. This excellent program always visits top issues and ongoing concerns for swine vets and producers with top names in the world sharing their learnings. Dr. Peter Davies is this year’s coordinator.

This is a good place to plug those fairly regular presentations by The Morrison Group – “At The Meeting”. Those audio programs with leading vets typically follow gatherings like the Leman conference and are posted at SwineCast.com with the support of Boehringer-Ingelheim. Good information and easy to take with you on that next trip.

SwineCast^® Conversations

Updates and information on the industry.

SwineCast 0466 Dealing with SIV at the Midwest Pork Conference. Discussing the next few months of swine influenza virus (SIV) management with Dr Larry Rueff of Greensburg's Swine Vet Services.
SwineCast 0465 Striving for 30 P/S/Y at Midwest Pork Conference. Making the right decisions to reach 20 pigs per sow per year. Dr Tom Gillespie of Rennselaer Swine Services shares tips and considerations in reaching and exceeding the number we've used as a goal for some time.
SwineCast 0464 FDA Perspective on Food Safety - What You Need To Know. Dr David Acheson shares the key issues for the Food and Drug Administration in dealing with food safety and traceability, from the NIAA ID/Info Expo conference in KC.

SwineCast^® Headliners

Get the latest thoughts and commentary on the industry.

When will it ever get better?: by Mark Greenwood. "I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked this question over the past year. It seems so long ago in 2007 when the industry had strong profits and strong balance sheets. The answer I keep telling people over and over again is if demand stays sluggish it could take up to 2011 for the industry to be consistently profitable again." Here are more thoughts from Mark Greenwood.
Reminder that H1N1 is not transmitted through food (pork): from the NPPC. "The National Pork Producers Council told foreign officials that the U.S. pork industry and the U.S. government are gearing up for a return of the novel H1N1 flu and that both would continue to get out the messages that the flu is not transmitted through food (pork) and that pork is safe to eat." Discover more about what the NPPC advised foreign officials on the pork industry.

What are the front-burner issues you want to know more about? Tell us at feedback@swinecast.com.

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Thanks, again, for listening!

Ned Arthur
Your SwineCast Host

1.877.SwineCast (1.877.794.6322)
Feedback@SwineCast.com

BeefCast for September 17, 2009, How can employee feedback can help businesses

John Blue — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:06:10 +0000

As the new administration continues to get settled in or maybe stirred up (I’m not sure which is more accurate), the Food & Drug Administration appears to be gaining some steam and power. Today we provide some interesting perspectives from Dr. David Acheson on how the FDA views key food safety issues including traceability.

What are you hearing? I would enjoy hearing your comments, feedback@beefcast.com.

BeefCast^® Conversations

Learn more from BeefCast^® conversations.

BeefCast 0407 FDA Perspective on Food Safety - What You Need To Know Dr. David Acheson shares the key issues for the Food and Drug Administration in dealing with food safety and traceability at the NIAA ID/Info Expo conference in KC.
BeefCast 0406 Getting more from your employees with Bob Milligan. Dr. Bob Milligan, Professor Emeritus Cornell University, provides ways to get more from our employees by changing the feedback that we provide.

BeefCast^® Headliners

Get the latest thoughts and commentary on the industry.

Genetic Factors: Neuropathic Hydrocephlus (NH) – “Water Head” from Dr. Ronald Lemenager.
Professional Advice on Staying Positive: by Don Tyler. "A couple of weeks ago when Ned Arthur and I recorded some podcasts for SwineCast, we mentioned that I am not a professional therapist or counselor. When working with clients I often provide some very personal guidance when asked, and use practical experience and logic to help them determine answers to their questions and concerns. I thought it might me good to hear from a professional on the challenge of "Keeping a positive outlook when under financial stress." Angeline Brechlin; APN, CNS is a career mental health professional and a lifelong friend of my wife and I. Here are thoughts on staying positive from Angeline Brechlin."

BeefCast^® Conference Connection

Stay connected to industry conferences.

We continue to provide you with information, in partnership with the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, from the ID-INFO Expo 2009, held August 25 - 27, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
- Audio presentation: Integration of Animal Identification in State Animal Health Programs from George Teagarden, National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials.
- Video presentation: Providing Value to Animals Through ID: Cow/calf from Roger Koberstein, Holyoke, CO.

Don't forget to add BeefCast^® to your playlist!

Thanks, again, for listening.

Trent Fredenburg
Your BeefCast Host

1.877.63Beefcast (1.877.632.3332)
Feedback@BeefCast.com

Limited use of antibiotics: Is this good for the poultry business?

Truffle Media Networks — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:49:34 +0000

Key issue to discuss with your congressional representatives in the next two weeks… We need access to products which ensure the health and wellbeing of our birds. The Food and Drug Administration has now testified (albeit in an unusual setting) that agriculture should be limited in its use of antibiotics due to the potential impact on human health (a link which remains to be established).
"H.R. 1549: Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009" was introduced by Representative Louise Slaughter in March 2009. The bill in question is geared to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to "preserve the effectiveness of medically important antibiotics used in the treatment of human and animal diseases." Legislators are home to hear constituents. Tell your Representative.

PoultryCast update for July 16, 2009, FDA Launches Antibiotic Limitation Effort

John Blue — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:54:28 +0000

PoultryCast^®
Update for July 16, 2009

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The FDA is now on record to limit the use of antibiotics in livestock and poultry production. This was an unexpected, aggressive action given ongoing talks with livestock organizations and portends further efforts to limit access to tools our industry has used to grow with great effectiveness and efficiency.

Recent programs have also touched on FDA efforts to expand oversight in areas of agriculture traditionally given to the USDA. When the agency which oversees drug approval and licensing controls agriculture, will the implementation of new technologies come to a screeching halt as well?

It’s a transitional time for agriculture as the new administration (How long are they new?) is on record to move away from foreign food aid and to instead provide cash and knowledge/training. It might appear to some that we’re paying for the demise of our own export markets.

PoultryCast^® Conversations

Audio: PoultryCast 0179, FDA Launches Antibiotic Limitation Effort.
Audio: PoultryCast 0178, Antioxidant Additions For Your Rations.

PoultryCast^® Headliners

Blog: Being "Fair", by Don Tyler. "I grew up with three brothers and three sisters, so my Mom had to have the wisdom of Solomon, and the ESP of The Amazing Kreskin. We rarely got away with anything. She was a substitute teacher for awhile at our local Jr. High School, and after the first class that she taught on her first day our friends were telling us, 'She really does have eyes in the back of her head! We tried every stunt that we play on new subs, and she just laughed! She had her back to us, writing on the chalk board, and she knew who threw the spit wad without even turning around! She called them by name!' Mom also developed a great way of making decisions as fair as possible." Read more.
Blog: Two Sides of the Same Book, By Mark Jewell . "Spend some time evaluating the different kinds of jobs available to us in the agriculture industry, and something interesting starts to emerge. Almost as if there were two different covers on the same book, there appears to be two different genre’s to exist in, if you work in the agriculture industry. First, you have the stereotypical farm work that anyone can see. Tractors driving through the fields, someone bailing hay, a farmer working on equipment, another hauling manure - all the kinds of jobs that get the day to day dirty work done.". Read more.

PoultryCast^® Ag Job Tools

Job lists are good leading sources of what might happen in the world. In the agricultural industry, there are several job listing sources on which to keep an eye.

AgCareers.com , PigCareers.com , AgJobNetwork , Hansen Agri-Placement , and Ag1Source all have useful tools to search for jobs. But the real power monitoring comes from the RSS feeds (see RSS in plain English video for background). With an RSS feed you can quickly scan job listings.

Some good examples include RSS feeds from AgCareers.com (RSS page) and Indeed.com. Remember, these RSS information feeds only give you information about a listed position, it wouldn't get you the job... You still need to do the hard work to get it.

One interesting use of RSS feeds is monitoring competitors. Using Indeed.com you can filter by company, key words, or job title. Who is Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) looking for? Use this feed. What is Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD) up to? Do a search!

Don't forget to add PoultryCast^® to your playlist!

Thanks, again, for listening!

Ned Arthur
Your PoultryCast Host

1.877.4PoultryCast (1.877.476.8587)
Feedback@PoultryCast.com

PoultryCast update for June 19, 2009, FDA Seeks To Expand Regulatory Coverage On Your Operation

John Blue — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:51:18 +0000

PoultryCast^®
Update for June 19, 2009

The last few conferences and programs I’ve attended have been challenging, not only in communicating the presentations and advances that this industry survives on, but in watching and reporting the whipsaws of our product and input markets. As a producer/grower, you observe these issues and deal with them on a daily basis.

Today I’m sharing comments from my co-producer here at Truffle Media, Trent Fredenburg. Trent’s a fine young man who covers the Beef and Dairy industry, and his recent post reminds me once again that there’s a higher purpose to what we do in agriculture. Keep in touch and send us a note at feedback@poultrycast.com.

From Trent Fredenburg
"This past weekend my eyes were once again opened to the potential and bright future ahead for agriculture. For two days I served on the nominating committee for our next state FFA officer team.

During the time I was able to see the passion and excitement that numerous high school graduates have for our industry. I was extremely impressed with their dedication, commitment and leadership ability. While the challenges we face continue to grow, it is great to see so many young leaders actively engaged on our side of the battle. Several of them were involved in one way or another with on-farm livestock or poultry production.

I believe any efforts to recruit and develop young people to be active leaders in our industry will be magnified significantly and we will all reap the benefits. "

PoultryCast^® Conversations

Audio: PoultryCast 0173, AFIA - New Feed Regulatory Short Course Coming In September.
Audio: PoultryCast 0172, FDA Seeks To Expand Regulatory Coverage On Your Operation.

Don't forget to add PoultryCast^® to your playlist!

Thanks, again, for listening!

Ned Arthur
Your PoultryCast Host

1.877.4PoultryCast (1.877.476.8587)
Feedback@PoultryCast.com