ANIMALNET JANUARY 8, 2003

Bad for chickens, good for some egg farmers
British cows could be target of terror attack
Alberta launches 'manure odor control technology' evaluation
State allows deer baiting: hunt extended in hot zone near Mount Horeb
Anthrax suspected behind eight deaths in eastern Indonesia: report
Nutrient management law will replace patchwork of bylaws
New concern over proposed hog farm
Island environmentalists fuming over fish farm fines


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BAD FOR CHICKENS, GOOD FOR SOME EGG FARMERS: FOR SMALLER CALIFORNIA
PRODUCERS, A POULTRY VIRUS MAY BE THEIR WAY OUT
January 8 2003
Los Angeles Times
Melinda Fulmer
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-egg8jan08,0,5282923.story?coll=la%2Dhe
adlines%2Dbusiness
LAKEVIEW -- Donning a paper biohazard suit and plastic booties, Paul Bahan,
according to this story, steps over a thin plastic tape that serves as the
last line of defense for the 600,000-plus hens at his AAA Egg Farms.
The story says that Bahan and other big egg producers in Southern California
have put their farms on virtual lockdown, barring visitors, washing down
trucks and disinfecting employees to keep their birds safe from exotic
Newcastle disease.
The deadly virus has led state officials to order the destruction of about
1.2 million chickens in recent weeks and prompted the California Department
of Food and Agriculture to draft a request to the governor for disaster
assistance.
The virus is "a tremendous problem" because it can spread so easily, Bahan
said. "This stuff is microscopic. It's hardy. It sticks on tires, shoes and
the hair in your nose."
Yet as hard as Bahan and other big farmers are fighting to stave off the
disease -- which is harmful only to birds, not humans -- industry observers
say exotic Newcastle could be a blessing for many smaller California egg
producers who are deeply in debt after four money-losing years.
That's because the state has agreed to compensate egg operations for the
losses they suffer when they're ordered by agriculture officials to destroy
their flocks. The state is paying farmers $2 to $5 per chicken, based on the
bird's age.
Observers were cited as saying that for many longtime farmers who no longer
have any desire to remain in the industry -- and have no buyers in sight --
this could be a way out, albeit a grim one.



BRITISH COWS COULD BE TARGET OF TERROR ATTACK
January 8, 2003
Reuters
LONDON, - British cows could, according to this story, be on the frontline
as the threat of a potential terror attack spreads from the nation's streets
to its fields.
British authorities are to step up surveillance against bioterrorism amid
concerns that rogue groups could target the food chain by seeking to
introduce animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth or the brain-wasting mad
cow disease.
"We don't ignore the fact that there could be the deliberate introduction of
viruses in the form of livestock diseases...as an attack on our national
economy," animal health minister Elliot Morley told a news conference on
Wednesday.
Morley said that an analysis of the threat of bioterrorism and steps to
counter illegal imports of viruses to the United Kingdom will form part of a
10-year strategy being prepared to boost animal health and welfare and food
safety.
The move to protect the national herd comes as Britain launched an urgent
hunt for the deadly poison ricin after traces were found in north London.



ALBERTA LAUNCHES 'MANURE ODOR CONTROL TECHNOLOGY' EVALUATION
January 8, 2003
Farmscape Episode 1152
Alberta's Odor Control Team is launching a three year project aimed at
determining what strategies livestock producers are using to control odor
and to evaluate those options. The Odor Control Team includes
representatives of Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development, the
University of Alberta and Alberta Research Council engineers and scientists.
The range of odor control options includes things like straw or geotech
manure storage covers, manure additives, feed additives, diet manipulation,
biofilters and others. Odor Control Specialist Ike Edeogu says the team
will survey producers to determine what technologies they are adopting, then
assess the effectiveness of those technologies.
Clip-Ike Edeogu-Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development We want to
have some understanding of where the industry is going and, to an extent,
how the industry views this problem at this time. On an individual producer
basis we don't really know how many of them are actually starting to say,
"yes, odor control technologies, we're taking it on." From our perspective,
what we're saying is "yes, there's technology all over the place, Europe,
North America, Australia." What we find is that we can't just bring
technology into the province and say, "here's a biofilter, these are the
design specs from Europe, go ahead build yourself one and you'll get 95
percent odor reduction right away." We feel that we've got to set up these
same biofilters ourselves, run them and do our own evaluation on these
biofilters, define the specifications or operational parameters, maintenance
and cost.
Edeogu says this information will be passed onto livestock operators in the
form of an odor control manual. He says the information will allow
producers to make well informed economic decisions as they develop their own
plans for odor control. For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.
*Farmscape is a presentation of Sask Pork and Manitoba Pork Council



STATE ALLOWS DEER BAITING: HUNT EXTENDED IN HOT ZONE NEAR MOUNT HOREB
January 7, 2003
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Meg Jones
Madison - According to this story, State wildlife officials intensified
their efforts to eliminate the deer herd in a zone near Mount Horeb by
deciding Tuesday to allow baiting in that region, to bring in sharpshooters
and to extend a special hunting season there until March.
The story says that the Department of Natural Resources took the steps after
conceding it will be impossible to kill every deer in the chronic wasting
disease eradication zone this year. So far, only 8,000 of the estimated
30,000 deer in the 411-square-mile area in Dane, Sauk and Iowa counties have
been killed despite extra measures, such as additional hunting seasons.
Fifty wild white-tailed deer killed in the zone have tested positive for the
fatal brain disease since it was first discovered in Wisconsin in February.
The state has not found the disease in any wild deer outside the zone.
The Natural Resources Board's decision to allow baiting comes seven months
after the DNR banned the baiting and feeding of deer statewide because of
concerns that the disease could spread quicker if large groups gathered
around bait piles. That irritated many hunters, who relied on bait to
attract deer, as well as residents who enjoyed feeding the animals.



ANTHRAX SUSPECTED BEHIND EIGHT DEATHS IN EASTERN INDONESIA: REPORT
January 8, 2003
Agence France Presse
JAKARTA - The Antara state news agency was cited as saying that anthrax is
suspected to have killed eight people who died after eating goat meat in
Indonesia's eastern island of Sumbawa.
The victims, aged between seven and 55, were from the village of Lare'u
about 75 kilometers (47 miles) west of Bima.



NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT LAW WILL REPLACE PATCHWORK OF
BYLAWS: MANURE HANDLING REGULATIONS WON'T BE AS TROUBLING
AS MANY FEAR, OMAFRA EXPERT SAYS
January 8, 2003
Owen Sound Sun Times
A8
Jon Radojkovic
ELMWOOD - Proposed provincial nutrient management legislation will,
according to this story, supercede all municipal nutrient management bylaws,
beef farmers heard at Farmers' week on Tuesday.
Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs nutrient management
specialist Keith Reid was cited as telling a full house of 400 farmers that,
"There is a patchwork in Ontario of municipal bylaws concerning nutrient
management. We will provide consistent province-wide standards."
The provincial legislation is slated to take effect March 31 for all new
barns and additions to barns. By 2008, every farm in Ontario will have to
comply. The law will be enforced by the Ministry of Environment with
technical and training support by OMAFRA.
Farmer Bev Watson who spoke earlier about farm safety was quoted as saying,
"If we are forced into this, many small and middle farmers will go out of
business. This will not be as large a change as people perceive."
The proposed legislation would stop manure spreading on frozen or
snow-covered fields between Dec. 1 and March 31.
Snow contaminated by manure must be placed in a storage facility, but Reid
added the snowmelt would be classed as "runoff" and not liquid manure.
Manure storage facilities with a capacity of more than 600 cubic metres will
need to be designed by a professional engineer.
Outdoor feedlots will have four categories, depending on density and the
manure may have to be removed if pasture does not provide one-half of the
feed for the animals. For example, for 125 beef cows a minimum of 10
hectares would be needed to be classified as low density.
All farmers will have to fill out a nutrient management plan by 2008,
stating, among other things, how they will store manure and where they will
spread it. There will be no cap on the number of animals housed in one
operation, something that most municipalities in Grey and Bruce Counties
have in their bylaws




NEW CONCERN OVER PROPOSED HOG FARM
January 8, 2003
The Dunnville Chronicle
1 / Front
Karen Best
Fresh concern over intensive livestock operations in the Dunnville, Ontario
area arose over the Christmas break.
The story says that HogWatch Dunnville is holding a meeting on Sunday for
members, the public and Haldimand County politicians to review a proposal
for two piglet barns. The buildings are proposed on the Ramsey Road farm
that, last year, was the proposed site of a 3,000 head sow farm under Elite
Swine operation.
The farmer and three members of HogWatch discussed details of Art Hopman's
plans for the property last week. Rob Kerr, a prominent HogWatch member, was
cited as saying it was a friendly meeting with a straightforward and
cooperative tone, said. He declined to offer details of the discussion which
was an information sharing session with the Hopmans, who run a chicken
operation on Regional Road 3. However, the Hopmans were told a public
meeting would be held where the proposal will be revealed. The farmer has
been invited to attend.
A committee of members later reviewed the proposal and decided to take it to
the general membership for direction. The group decided the two barn
proposal was still a concern and felt obligated to take the new proposal to
the public and members, said Kerr. "Most people think the problem has gone
away," he said. The building permit for the sow barn was transferred last
fall to a Nanticoke property.



ISLAND ENVIRONMENTALISTS FUMING OVER FISH FARM FINES
January 8, 2003
The Daily News (Nanaimo)
A3
Robert Barron
According to this story, a $2,500 fine for fish escapes netted by a
Clayoquot Sound aquaculture company in a Tofino court room Monday has
environmentalists fuming. Leah Walberg, of the Friends of Clayoquot Sound,
was cited as saying the fine stemming from 17 charges of fish escapes from
three farms in the Sound owned by Pacific National Aquaculture, a
Norwegian-based company, is a "huge disappointment" adding that, "It shows
that consequences of having irresponsible operations in Clayoquot Sound
don't match the actions. Enforcement in the aquaculture industry is a
relatively new thing so, as PNA is considered a first-time offender, they
got off easy even though 10 years of data gathered by the federal fisheries
department show Atlantic salmon in Clayoquot's rivers for some time. Where
have they been coming from?"
The story says that the charges were laid in connection with a number of
incidents between August 2001, and February 2002, at three of PNA's 16 fish
farms in Clayoquot Sound. The charges range from failure to prevent
escapes, failure to report escapes and the unauthorized releasing of fish
into tidal waters.
Walberg said PNA is well known to environmentalists as the "black sheep" of
the aquaculture industry for its record of fish escapes, overcrowding, and
diseases at a number of its farms.



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