News Update
July 23, 2015
NJAS Special to Air on RFD-TV
The Angus Report brings you the sights and stories of the 2015 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS) at 7:30 a.m. CDT Monday, July 27, on RFD-TV.
More than 650 participants exhibited nearly 1,200 head of Angus cattle during the weeklong event at the Expo Square in Tulsa, Okla. Members of the Angus Media team were on hand to document everything from showring champions to the competitive educational contests.
“The National Junior Angus Show is a summer highlight for many Angus youth and their families,” says Crystal Albers, Angus Media director of communications. “We hope you join us for a recap of the week’s events and share in the enthusiasm for the future of the Angus breed.”
The Angus Report is a weekly news program produced by the American Angus Association that airs on RFD-TV at 7:30 a.m. CDT each Monday and again at 5 p.m. CDT on Wednesday and 1:30 p.m. each Saturday.
To read more, view the complete news release online.
Follow Us to Kansas
Last fall, the inaugural Angus Means Business National Convention & Trade Show proved itself to be one of the industry’s must-attend events for its membership, education and trade show venues. This year, participants will have the added opportunity to see some great cattle.
The Kansas Angus Association will host a tour Monday, Nov. 2, prior to the official start of the convention, which is slated for Nov. 3-5 in Overland Park, Kan. The Kansas Angus Tour will allow attendees to spend a day visiting area Angus farms and ranches.
For more information, access this article in the July Angus Journal or go online to www.angusconvention.com.
Symposium Tours Focus on Protecting
a Region’s Animal Industries
Managing animal tissue, mortalities, products and byproducts is a significant challenge and major responsibility of the food animal production industry. Catastrophic losses of poultry and livestock caused by disease, fire or weather-related stresses — along with routine losses associated with large-scale production operations — have become significant environmental, biosecurity and waste-management concerns around the globe.
The 5th International Symposium on Managing Animal Mortality, Products and Byproducts, and Associated Health Risks: Connecting Research, Regulations and Response scheduled for Sept. 28-Oct. 1 in Lancaster, Pa., will focus on concerns and challenges associated with animal mortality in the food animal industry.
Professionals from around the world involved in veterinary health, production, academics, extension, emergency and public health management, processing and are encouraged to take part in the Symposium. Participants will have the opportunity to experience tours featuring biosecurity, emergency response, disposal methods, decontamination, depopulation and the progressive agriculture of Lancaster County.
For more information, view the complete news release online.
Roberts Introduces Bill To Repeal Meat Labeling;
Canada, Mexico Reject Voluntary Approach
Legislation introduced today by Senate Ag Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) would repeal country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef, pork and poultry and stave off trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico.
The U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law requires meat to be labeled with the country where the animal from which it was derived was born, raised and harvested. (It also applies to fish, shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain nuts.)
The World Trade Organization (WTO) in May rejected an appeal by the United States of the international trade body’s October 2014 ruling that the COOL provisions on beef and pork discriminate against Canadian and Mexican animals that are sent to the United States to be fed out and processed. The WTO decision will allow punitive tariffs to be put on U.S. goods going into Canada and Mexico, which are asking for a combined $3.1 billion in retaliation. A WTO arbitrator now is determining the level of retaliation.
A measure also introduced today by Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) would repeal mandatory meat labeling and replace it with a voluntary labeling program.
Because Stabenow’s bill — like the existing law — calls for labels to provide information on where animals are born, raised and slaughtered, it still would necessitate segregation of Canadian and Mexican livestock, leading to discrimination against them — a violation of international trade rules.
Canada issued a statement today rejecting Stabenow’s voluntary approach and said it would continue to pursue retaliation.
“The only acceptable outcome remains for the United States to repeal COOL,” said Canadian Ag Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast.
Although the United States could seek a WTO ruling on voluntary labeling or any other legislative proposal to which Canada and Mexico object, that process could take as long as two years, and Canada and Mexico likely would continue retaliating pending a decision. The current WTO arbitration panel will not review any new U.S. COOL proposal but only will determine the level of retaliation.
The House in June passed on a 300-131 vote legislation repealing the COOL meat labeling provisions.
For more information read the complete release online.
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