News Update
Jan. 25, 2010

National Western Angus Bull Sale Draws Crowd

Angus enthusiasts consigned 32 lots to the 2010 National Western Angus Bull Sale Jan. 14 in Denver, Colo. The annual sale, which is the only sale managed by the American Angus Association®, averaged $5,703. A panel of five judges, including John Grimes, Hillsboro, Ohio; Brian McCulloh, Viroqua, Wis.; John McCurry, Burrton, Kan.; Darrell Stevenson, Hobson, Mont.; and Kevin Yon, Ridge Spring, S.C., evaluated the bulls and selected division and overall champions. Read more.

CAFOs Face New Permitting Requirements

Permitted concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) will soon face a choice as they look to renew their licensing this year.

New rules will require producers to decide between a new state general permit and a more costly federal permit.

“Farmers are just now registering that this is something they will face in the next year,” said John Lory, University of Missouri (MU) Extension environmental nutrient management specialist. “We understand it’s going to be confusing and farmers need help to be prepared for the deadlines later this year.”

More than 550 animal feeding operations in Missouri now hold permits. Most have held a federal general permit previously. Many of those permits will expire Feb. 23, 2011, so producers will have to choose between the new Missouri general permit and a federal permit in time for the application renewal deadline in late July.

Specifics of the new state general permit are still under development, but two important differences from the previous permit are known.

The new permit will differ from previous standards by prohibiting any type of discharge of manure for any reason. It also requires all producers to use the new Nutrient Management Technical Standard (NMTS) to develop a nutrient management plan that will determine manure application rates and define conditions where manure application is restricted.

The second option is to get a federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which also requires a nutrient management plan that follows NMTS. The biggest difference in the federal permit is a provision that allows certain exceptions to strict manure spill restrictions.

Changes from the old federal general permit include additional public notice requirements for obtaining or amending a permit and higher fees compared with the state permit.

Lory said producers with open liquid manure storage will need to choose carefully.

“In simple terms, if an operation discharges waste there will be fewer ramifications and fines with the federal permit,” he said. “In most instances that won’t matter, but in a time like last year where we saw excessive rain, even the best systems can overflow and that will not be allowed with the state permit.”

The MU Extension Commercial Agriculture Program will be hosting a two-day course on how to interpret and use the Missouri NMTS, Feb. 2-3, at the MU Bradford Research and Extension Center near Columbia.

Cost of the course is $185 and includes two lunches. Call Katrina Turner-Spencer at 573-882-0378 to register before Jan. 27. For more information, see http://www.nmplanner.missouri.edu/training/ - advanced.

MU Commercial Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will be hosting free educational sessions throughout the state to explain CAFO permit requirements and answer questions:

• Dexter: March 2, 1 p.m. Keller Public Library.
  
• Eldon: March 8, 7 p.m. Eldon Community Center.
  
• Macon: March 4, 1 p.m. Floral Hall, Macon County Park.
  
• Mexico: March 4, 7 p.m. Audrain 4-H Center.
  
• Mount Vernon: March 1, 1 p.m. MU Southwest Center.
  
• Neosho: March 1, 7 p.m. Wright Conference Room, Arnold Farber Bldg., Crowder College.
  
• Sedalia: March 8, 1 p.m. Farm Credit Services meeting room.
  
• Trenton: March 5, 1 p.m. Alexander Student Center, North Central Missouri College.
  

— Release by MU Extension.

AMI Accepting Applications for 2010 Environmental Recognition Awards

Applications for the 2010 American Meat Institute (AMI) Environmental Recognition Awards are now available.

The Environmental Recognition Awards, launched in 2005, recognize the efforts of member companies to reduce their environmental footprint through the development and implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS). The program consists of four tiers, each with specific criteria related to the development and implementation of an EMS. The flexibility allows individual plants to tailor an EMS to their needs, budget and capacity. Those plants that have successfully implemented the requirements for each tier will be recognized through the awards program.

The deadline for applications is Friday, March 19, 2010. Award winners will be honored on April 30, 2010, as part of AMI’s Conference on Worker Safety, Health, Human Resources and the Environment in Kansas City, Mo.

For more information and an application, click here: http://www.meatami.com/ht/d/sp/i/262/pid/262.

— Release by AMI.

Ohio House Introduces Livestock Care Standards Legislation

Representatives Sayre and Bolon introduced the implementation legislation for State Issue 2’s Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board on Tuesday, Jan. 19. House Bill 414 does the following:

• Defines “livestock” as equine animals, regardless of the purpose for which the equine are raised; porcine, bovine, caprine and ovine animals; poultry; alpaca and llamas.
  
• Requires the appointment of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board within 45 days of the bill’s effective date and establishes board member provisions such as terms of office, vacancies, meetings and compensation.
  
• Reiterates Issue 2’s language regarding the purpose of the board.
  
• Directs the board to adopt rules regarding civil penalties for violating care standards.
  
• Establishes duties of the director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) for assisting the board and grants authority to the director and his/her representative to enter property for inspection and investigation.
  
• Prohibits anyone from providing false information in response to the livestock care standard requirements, or otherwise violating the rules developed by the board.
  
• Creates an Ohio livestock care standards fund and authorizes the director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture to use the fund for program administration and enforcement.
  
• Increases the commercial feed and seed inspection fee in ORC 923.44 by 15¢ over the next three years, in 5¢ increments per year — to 30¢, 35¢ and 40¢ per ton — and increases the minimum fee from $25 to $50.
  
• Allows the director of ODA to request annual transfers of not less than $500,000 from the commercial feed and seed fund to the Ohio livestock care standards fund.
  
• States that the law does not affect the authority of county humane societies or officials.
  
• Clarifies that the law does not apply to food processing production activities regulated under ORC Chapter 1717.

To view the full House Bill 414, click here.

— Release by the Agricultural & Resource Law Program at The Ohio State University blog.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.