ANIMALNET APRIL 2, 2003

Hong kong confirms recent foot-and-mouth disease
Johns confident in new nutrient management regulations
Twp. seeks info on factory farms
Game fowl focus of disease fears in California
Salmon-farm column swam around the issues
New industry report from Intrafish out now


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Canadian Animal Health Institute, Ontario Pork, National Cattlemen's Beef
Association, National Turkey Federation, National Food Processors
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Services, Syngenta Crop Protection, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural
Development Livestock Development Division, Office of Consumer Affairs,
Burger King, The Dairy Farmers of Ontario, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Fisheries, Canadian Institute for Food Inspection and Regulation,
National Meat Association, Verner Wheelock Associates Limited, UC Davis
Biotechnology Program, Consumer Federation of America Foundation, Optibrand,
Canadian Livestock Genetics Association, Tactix Government Consulting, Inc.,
Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management Inc., Urbana Veterinary
Clinic, Saugeen River Farms and Global Public Affairs.

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HONG KONG CONFIRMS RECENT FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE
April 2, 2003
Reuters
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
(AFCD) was cited as saying in a written reply to questions from Reuters
Wednesday that an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) had occurred
among its pigs in January, which has already led Indonesia to ban imports of
Chinese corn, adding, "It (FMD) has been an endemic disease in Hong Kong
over 40 years and occurs in pigs during the winter months. In January this
year, AFCD received three reports of FMD in local farms."
The story says that on Tuesday, Indonesia's agriculture ministry said
Jakarta had imposed the ban on Chinese corn on March 18 following the FMD
outbreak in Hong Kong.
The news surprised international grain traders and threatened to disrupt
heavy maize trade between the two countries.



JOHNS CONFIDENT IN NEW NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS:
CRITICS SAY IT COULD BE AN ISSUE IN NEXT ELECTION
April 2, 2003
Owen Sound Sun Times
A14
Jim Algie
Ontario Agriculture and Food Minister Helen Johns has, according to this
story, $4.5 million this fiscal year to implement the first stage of new
farm environmental regulations, but no clear idea of the controversial
program's final costs either for farmers or for the province.
The story says it's bound to be an issue in the next provincial election in
Johns's heavily rural riding of Huron-Bruce. Large hog barns in Huron County
have provoked bitter battles in recent years and the minister acknowledged
as much in a conference call with area reporters Monday, where she was
quoted as saying, "I think I am practically the most appropriate person to
be doing this because I have watched the balance being moved in Huron-Bruce.
We've had lots of talk about this very issue and I understand how important
it is for agriculture to do its part along with municipalities and cottage
owners who have septic tanks."
The story notes that opposition critics in the legislature criticized
Johns's decision last week to delay implementation of the controversial
regulations for two years for all farmers except those with new and
expanding operations. Both the New Democratic Party's Marilyn Churley and
the Liberals' Jim Bradley criticized delay as a weakening of the
regulations.  Johns argues that her government is working to find practical,
scientifically sound solutions to the problems of regulation which can
restore "harmony" to rural Ontario.  Johns said Monday that consultations
with farmers revealed numerous practical problems with earlier drafts.



TWP. SEEKS INFO ON FACTORY FARMS
April 2, 2003
The Peterborough Examiner
A1 / Front
David Smith
A grassroots movement is, according to this story, underway in
Otonabee-South Monaghan Township, Ontario, to give residents and politicians
the straight goods on factory farms.  The story says that a 75-member strong
Rice Lake Ratepayers Association has planned an open information session for
7 p.m. April 27 at Otonabee Arena as efforts gear up to block the
construction of a second "megahog farm" in the township, Tony James said.
The session will feature speakers talking about the environmental, economic
and social consequences of factory farms.
James was quoted as saying, "We're going to try to get some people down that
have had some experience first-hand with these things to warn us about what
happens if a community isn't vigilant. These get built and you then have to
live with the smell and the pollution and that sort of thing. We think all
those effects need to be well known by people before they form an opinion on
these things and we think the politicians need some first-hand evidence
about what these barns do to communities."
Aside from environmental concerns about manure lagoons and water quality,
James was further cited as saying the smell of hog barns devastates the
tourism industry, adding, "We just want the community to know exactly what
it's getting into if council approves the second barn. The effects of this
aren't going to be limited to those few people that happen to live within a
mile or two of this barn."



GAME FOWL FOCUS OF DISEASE FEARS IN CALIFORNIA
April 2, 2003
Knight-Ridder Tribune
Leslie Berkman, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.
Concern about the spread of exotic Newcastle disease has, according to this
story, spurred campaigns in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to raise
cockfighting and shipping fighting roosters across state or national borders
from misdemeanors to felonies.
The story says that animal advocates long have decried the blood sport for
alleged cruelty. Now they seek to gain momentum from worry that further
spread of the virus on roosters moving to and from matches is endangering
high- value poultry meat and egg industries, as well as cherished pets.
Already in Southern California, 3.2 million egg-laying hens on commercial
farms and nearly 136,000 backyard birds have been euthanized by order of a
joint state and federal task force that has been striving since October to
eradicate the disease.  Those who oppose upgrading cockfighting to a felony
argue that imprisonment is too harsh a penalty for immigrants from countries
like Mexico and the Philippines, where cock matches are widespread and
legal. They also warn that a crackdown could force the illegal enterprise
further underground in the United States.  SB 732, a bill introduced by Sen.
Nell Soto, D-Pomona, would strengthen California's cockfighting law by
giving a district attorney the option to charge offenses either as a
misdemeanor or a felony. The bill is heading to its first hearing Tuesday
before the Senate Public Safety Committee.



SALMON-FARM COLUMN SWAM AROUND THE ISSUES
April 2, 2003
The Vancouver Sun
A17
Rafe Mair of Vancouver writes that while it was interesting to hear about
the eagles and the Blue Mussel farm, (Fishing for the truth, April 1), Chris
Hatfield carefully avoids dealing with any of the following salmon-farming
issues:
1. The environmental waste issue, which includes not only salmon feces but
unconsumed food, antibiotics and colourants used to make people believe that
farmed Atlantic salmon are really pink-fleshed.
2. The frequent and horrifying development of disease in fish cages,
resulting in a huge quarantine area being set up around them and obvious
exposure to wild salmon stocks.
3. The escapement of a "foreign" salmon by the tens of thousands of which
153 have been certified as spawning in B.C. waters, which number is
undoubtedly a great deal higher because of the limited numbers of rivers
actually checked.
4. The issue of sea lice, which explode in population in the vicinity of
fish cages and which everyone but the fish farmers acknowledge attack and
kill migrating pink and chum salmon smolts.



NEW INDUSTRY REPORT FROM INTRAFISH OUT NOW
April 2, 2003
IntraFish
www.intrafish.no
INTRODUCTION
In general terms, the availability of vaccines has been a godsend to the
fish farming industry. For example, one of the factors - probably the
mostsignificant one - in reducing the use of antibiotics in salmon farming
has been the development of effective vaccines to offer protection
againstbacterial diseases such as furunculosis.
However, as with all forms of intensive culture of animals, the spread of
disease is an ever-present threat, and the development of new vaccines is
likely to form an important part of R&D work for the foreseeable future.
The IntraFish industry report on fish vaccines clearly shows that there are
specific areas where such research is currently concentrated. For instance,
although oral delivery of vaccines would be, according to the authors, "an
deal method", causing less stress to the fish and needing less labour input,
oral vaccines have not had an extensive track record in terms of success.
There is also much work within the area of finding vaccines to treat the
most
virulent fish diseases - such as the continuing research on effective ISAV
vaccines. The latest work in this field, using recombinant and DNA vaccines,
has shown promising results.
The report's authors believe that the next major developments in fish
vaccines
are likely to concentrate on the newer aquaculture species such as cod and
halibut - although they also state that there is probably much scope for
modification of existing vaccines for use with such species.
A further area likely to bear fruit is the use of vaccines to control
susceptibility to parasites such as sea lice. Although little success has
been
achieved to date in this field, "the potential of DNA and recombinant
technologies to play a role in the development of vaccines against parasites
is huge".
The report's authors all work within the Marine Laboratory of the Fisheries
Research Services (FRS), an Agency within the Scottish Executive Environment
and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD). FRS is headed by a Chief Executiveand
Director who is responsible to the Secretary of State for Scotland.
FRS provides scientific advice and information; conducts research,
monitoring
and surveillance; performs regulatory and enforcement activities; represents
the Scottish Executive at national and international meetings; communicates
issues and information to all stakeholders; ensures that the policies and
regulatory activities of Government are supported by full and up-to-date
knowledge.
The Fish Cultivation Team's programme carries out research in and monitoring
of fish and shellfish diseases to meet EU legislation on fish health and to
advise the parent Department on policy and health regulations. The
Laboratory is one of two national fish disease reference laboratories in the
UK.
This industry report is 20 pages long.



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