AnimalNet Feb. 25/04
Bird flu in
Asia: control campaigns need to continue
Commission
suspends EU poultry imports from the USA after avian influenza outbreak in Texas
Empty coops
a sign of bird flu's impact
Nelson
people asked to take part in community conference on biotechnology
Court: 'Got
Milk' ad bleeds Pa. farmers
Statement by
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman regarding the ruling of the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the third circuit in Philadelphia on the dairy promotion program
Officials to
hear Florida residents' input on fish farms in Gulf of Mexico
Code
recommends humane treatment of downer animals
how to subscribe
Bird
flu in Asia: control campaigns need to continue
February 25, 2004
FAO Press Release
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2004/37727/index.html
Around 100 million birds died or culled - international emergency meeting in
Bangkok
Rome, 25 February 2004 -- Outbreaks of avian influenza are still occuring in
some Asian countries, FAO said today, stressing the need for continued control
campaigns.
Countries affected by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus are Cambodia, China,
Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam.
"The situation in some countries is still unclear and further
epidemiological investigations are required to get the virus under
control," FAO said.
FAO estimates that about 100 million birds have died or have been culled to
battle the disease (Thailand 36 million, Viet Nam 36 million, China 5 million,
Pakistan 4 million, Indonesia 15 million).
FAO has sent several disease experts to Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos,
Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam to assess the local situation and assist
countries in their battle against the disease.
The findings of these missions will be instrumental to understand the origin of
the epidemic and the factors that lead to such a wide and massive spread of the
virus.
Surveillance and control strategies should be continued, FAO urged, including
elimination of all birds in infected production units and the strengthening of
biosecurity measures.
Officials from 23 Asia-Pacific countries, international experts, donor and
development organizations will meet in Bangkok, 26-28 February 2004, for a
regional emergency meeting on bird flu to discuss control strategies and
rehabilitation measures.
Commission
suspends EU poultry imports from the USA after avian influenza outbreak in Texas
February 24, 2004
European Commission- Press Release
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/04/257|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=
Following the confirmation of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) outbreak
in Texas (USA), the European Commission adopted the proposal from EU Health and
Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne to suspend the import of live
poultry, eggs and pet birds from this country into the European Union (EU) with
immediate effect until 23 March. Avian influenza is a highly contagious poultry
disease that can cause severe economic damage to the poultry industry and can,
in exceptional cases, be transmitted to humans.
Commenting on the decision, David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer
Protection said: "This immediate ban is designed to protect the high health
status of the European poultry flocks. I have put it the ban in place until 23
March but will keep it under review."
Yesterday, the US authorities have confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic
avian influenza (AI) in a poultry flock in the State of Texas (Gonzales County).
The detected AI virus strain is different from the strain currently causing the
epidemic in Asia and probably poses inferior public health risk to the Asian
one.
However, in view of the risk of animal disease introduction into the EU,
immediate action is appropriate. The Commission therefore decided to suspend the
imports of live poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered game, hatching eggs
and eggs for human consumption and birds other than poultry (pet birds) from all
of the USA.
These actions, adopted by the Commission today, enter immediately into force.
They are for the moment applicable until 23 March. In the meantime, the US
authorities should provide the EU with detailed information on the situation and
the measures taken to bring the disease under control. In the light of the
information received in the next days, further appropriate proportionate
measures could be proposed.
The adopted Commission decision and the disease situation in the USA will be
reviewed at the meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal
Health scheduled for 2-3 March.
The EU is a major importer of eggs and day old chicks from the USA. In 2003,
approximately 9 million eggs for a value of € 20 million have been imported.
This represents about 25% of the total imports of eggs in the EU. In the same
year, approximately 450,000 day old chicks for a value of € 2.5 million (about
50% of the total imports in the EU) have been imported from the USA. The EU does
not import poultry meat from the USA because the current treatment of poultry
carcasses in the USA is not accepted by the EU.
Empty
coops a sign of bird flu's impact
February 25, 2004
Associated Press/Knight-Ridder Tribune
HOUSTON -- Owners of four live markets were cited as agreeing to kill hundreds
of chickens and about 20 ducks after the highly contagious strain of avian flu
was discovered on a farm in Gonzales County, about 50 miles east of San Antonio.
The stories note that about 6,600 birds have been destroyed so far.
On Tuesday, South Korea and the European Union banned all poultry imports from
the United States, while Mexico banned most U.S. imports -- a devastating
development for an industry already reeling from the discovery of bird flu in
the East.
The stories say that the two nations and the EU bought U.S. poultry meat
products totaling $340 million last year, nearly 20 percent of the $1.8 billion
worth of such exports by American producers.
Toby Moore, a spokesman for the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, a trade
group based in Stone Mountain, Ga., was quoted as saying, "Every new media
report is like throwing gasoline on a flame. Even consumers here are asking, 'Is
it safe to eat chicken?' It's not like there's arsenic in it."
Texas officials requested that Houston market owners disinfect their businesses
using a potent chemical called Virkon S after the owner of the infected Gonzales
farm brought some of his birds to the markets.
Carla Everett, a Texas Animal Health Commission spokeswoman, was cited as saying
that chickens and ducks at two of the Houston markets tested positive for the
virus, but had not become ill.
Dr. Nancy Cox with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was cited as
saying the highly pathogenic designation means more birds that get the disease
will die, but the strain has never been known to pass to humans.
The reason it is so worrisome is it hurts bird health and trade and might mutate
into a worse form if left unchecked.
The designation also means the federal government has activated its response
system and will set up a post in the county, about 50 miles east of San Antonio.
Federal officials are working with state commission officials to test all flocks
within a 10-mile radius of the sick birds, all 6,600 of which were destroyed
over the weekend.
The flocks within a five-mile radius have all tested negative, TAHC veterinarian
Max Coates said. Unless more sick chickens are found, no more birds will be
destroyed.
Nelson
people asked to take part in community conference on biotechnology
February 25, 2004
Bioethics Council Media Release
Nelson has been chosen as one of two places where the New Zealand Bioethics
Council will hold community conferences to explore people's views on the use of
human genes in other organisms.
The community conference will be held on Saturday 6 March 2004. Places are
limited to ensure that all those attending can fully participate, so those
wanting to attend need to pre-register by emailing humangenes@bioethics.org.nz
or phoning (03) 963 2059.
The conference is one of 30 hui, community conferences and workshops being held
by Toi te Taiao: the Bioethics Council to explore New Zealanders' cultural,
ethical and spiritual views on the use of human genes in other organisms.
Sir Paul Reeves, Chair of the Council says decisions about biotechnology are too
important to be left solely to government, business or science.
The Council has chosen human genes in other organisms for its first dialogue
because it is an area of biotechnology that is developing quickly both
internationally and locally and which raised some basic questions common to many
biotechnologies.
'ERMA, for instance, recently had an application for research involving the use
of human genes in cattle. It is also a technology which is currently used to
produce most of the insulin used by diabetics in New Zealand and around the
world,' said Sir Paul.
The Bioethics Council was set up to help New Zealanders have the crucial debates
we need to have about biotechnology and ethics, and have them in a way that
enables us hear others' viewpoints as we make up our own minds about very
difficult questions, he said.
'Some of these questions go to the heart of what it is to be human and where we
draw a line between what is possible, and what as a nation we believe is right.'
The national dialogue on human genes will run until the end of April and will
feature an online forum and a submission process as well the face-to-face
events. The hui and community conferences are open to the public, while the
workshops are by invitation and are designed cover a wide range of views from
groups such as scientists, community organisations, churches, Pacific peoples.
The main outcome of the dialogue will be advice to the Government on the
cultural, ethical and spiritual issues surrounding the use of human genes in
other organisms. The Council reports to the Government through the Minister for
the Environment, but has a high degree of independence, including setting its
own work programme and priorities.
'While the report to Government can be seen as the main outcome, it's also
important to note that the dialogue is an aim in itself,' said Sir Paul. 'Our
job is to provide the information and the forum for ordinary New Zealanders to
engage in and discuss these issues and to make sure that government takes New
Zealanders' views into account when it makes decisions about how these
technologies are regulated.
'We have no illusions about how difficult this is likely to be, but just because
issues are complex and difficult to discuss doesn't mean we should shy away from
them.'
Court:
'Got Milk' ad bleeds Pa. farmers
February 24, 2004
Associated Press
Patrick Walters
PHILADELPHIA -- The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was cited as ruling
Tuesday that the catchy "Got Milk?" dairy promotion -- famous for
plastering milk mustaches on celebrity faces -- violates the free speech rights
of farmers forced to pay for the ads.
The story says that the unanimous decision overturns a lower court ruling that
dairy farmers Joseph and Brenda Cochran had to contribute to the National Dairy
Promotion Board campaign even though the couple felt the ads did little to
support sustainable agriculture products, such as milk from cows that are not
injected with hormones.
The Cochrans' attorney, Steve Simpson, of the Washington, D.C.-based group
Institute for Justice, was quoted as saying, "The court made clear that
just because an industry is regulated, and even if it's heavily regulated, that
doesn't mean the members of that industry lose their First Amendment
rights."
The story says that "Got Milk?" is the latest of clever industry
promotions whose funding has been found in violation of the First Amendment.
Lawyers defending the law on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture have
said because dairy prices and distribution are tightly regulated, a joint
marketing campaign is the only effective way to compete with other beverages.
Statement
by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman regarding the ruling of the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the third circuit in Philadelphia on the dairy promotion program
February 24, 2004
USDA Release No. 0084.04
http://www.usda.gov/Newsroom/0084.04.html
"We are aware of the ruling and are reviewing it. USDA regards such
programs, when properly administered, as effective tools for market enhancement.
We are consulting with the U.S. Department of Justice to determine the next
steps regarding this matter."
Officials
to hear Florida residents' input on fish farms in Gulf of Mexico
February 25, 2004
Knight-Ridder Tribune
Kevin O'Horan, The Bradenton Herald, Fla.
Area anglers and ocean activists will, according to this story, have the chance
to weigh in this week on the idea of limiting, or even banning, fish farms in
the Gulf of Mexico's deep waters.
In three meetings scheduled for Florida, including a Thursday night session in
Pinellas County, federal officials will, the story says, listen to arguments on
whether the fenced-in farms would fuel the economy or foul the environment.
Wayne Swingle, executive director of the federally authorized Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council, was quoted as saying, "We want to give the
public an opportunity to suggest what type of issues should be used to regulate
this type of activity."
The story says that Florida regulates scores of fish farms, but only in the
relatively shallow, near-shore waters that fall under state auspices, or in
freshwater ponds or labs.
Proponents say moving the farms to the deep seas would allow the industry to
harvest a host of marine finfish stocks. Opponents say the operations threaten
wild species in a host of ways, from disease to pollution.
Code
recommends humane treatment of downer animals
February 24, 2004
Brockville Recorder and Times
A6
Kim Sytsma, Director to the Ontario Cattlemen's Association, writes regarding
Priscilla Pickett's letter about downer animals to say that the Canadian
Cattlemen's Association as well as the Ontario Cattlemen's Association do have a
recommended code of practice to deal with these animals as humanely as possible.
As well there are federal regulations in place. The associations have been
working with OMAF, CFIA and other provincial governments to educate producers
about the humane handling of all farm animals.
Farmers are generally animal lovers, who nurture and care for their animals.
In this time of BSE, crisis cattle are being cared for much better than the
producers, who are under so much stress and duress that there are some taking
the final solution. The Farm help line number is 1-888-451-2903.The Canada
Ontario BSE Recovery Compensation Program number is 1-877-838-5144.
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