AFIA believes FDA’s changes will streamline Veterinary Feed Directive process

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) has submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). AFIA applauds FDA's decision to issue the proposed rule, which addresses the organization's concerns with the administrative process of issuing VFDs, but AFIA also expressed concerns in the details of the rule that could potentially have a negative affect the feed industry.
"AFIA is pleased with FDA's decision to recognize and tackle many industry concerns about the administrative process of issuing VFDs in the proposed rule. After working with numerous producer groups, the American Veterinary Medical Association and others, our organization provided the agency with a letter on Feb. 25, which expressed our issues with the rule," said Richard Sellers, senior vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs. "We hope the agency takes our suggestions to heart when finalizing the rule, as AFIA feels this is a necessary step in making judicious use decisions regarding approved animal drugs."
AFIA commented that a major area of concern is the overall shortage of veterinarians, who will be needed to cover the large, expected increase in approved VFD animal drugs and the training needed as a result of the rule.
"Numerous incidents have been reported to AFIA regarding VFDs received by feed mills with grossly incorrect information. Calls to the veterinarians in these instances have yielded a serious lack of understanding about the VFD process. This seriously undermines the industry's ability to get these medications to the animal producers in a timely manner," AFIA commented.

Other requests
AFIA is also requesting FDA consider creating a program for integrating the new VFD products into the marketplace and that FDA should discuss how newly created VFD combinations will be addressed in the preamble to the final rule, noting there are no VFD combinations approved.
AFIA supports FDA's decision to include the reduction of time for recordkeeping from two years to one year, the allowance for faxes without a follow-up on an original VFD form from the veterinarian and VFD submissions via smartphones and related devices.
"Many of the changes FDA is proposing to the VFD process are those suggested by AFIA and other feed groups. AFIA believes they will lead to a streamlined process that will in no way compromise safety, recordkeeping or animal health. These changes will assist the feed industry in distribution of approved animal drugs with a valid VFD drug to producers in a more timely and safe manner than currently," the comments stated.

‘Grain & Meat Outlook’ webinar series offers strategies for livestock producers

Register to attend the first installment of a three-part "Grain & Meat Outlook" webinar series for 2014. This webinar is part of the 2014 WATTAgNet Webinar Series and will be presented by WATT Global Media on April 11 at 10 a.m. CDT.
Register for the webinar at www1.gotomeeting.com/register/682638592.
Webinar attendees can expect to learn:

• The most current information regarding the U.S. feed market for 2014
• Key observations regarding planting intentions and grain supply estimates for 2014
• Strategies for feed users
• Wholesale meat and poultry supply and pricing for 2014
Speakers
Tim Brusnahan, vice president of consulting, Richard A. Brock & Associates Inc.; and Dr. Tom Elam, president, FarmEcon LLC, will present estimates for the spring planting season and the impact of the projected plantings on grain supply, price and availability in 2014. The impacts of the projected harvest on the meat and poultry sectors will be forecast, including expectations for meat and poultry supply and prices for the remainder of 2014.
Richard A. Brock & Associates is a commodity trading adviser and commodity pool operator that provides commodity price forecasting, research analysis, hedging and procurement strategies for farm producers, dairy producers and end users of hedgeable and non-hedgeable commodities. Richard A. Brock & Associates serves as an adviser to many of the nation's largest farm operations, agribusiness firms, financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies. Brusnahan has been a stable influence in the sometimes volatile commodity industry. Prior to his employment with Brock Associates, Brusnahan was registered as an associated person with Gerstenberg & Co., a commodity retail brokerage firm in Chicago.
Elam has been working in the area of grain and livestock economics for more than 35 years. His professional career spans service to the University of Illinois, the Economic Research Service of USDA and Elanco Animal Health. In a 24-year career at Elanco, Elam was primarily engaged in global market research and strategic business planning. As a result of that experience, he has broad capabilities in the areas of agricultural price outlook, agricultural production, food marketing, and animal health economics. After retirement from Elanco in 2003, Elam founded his own company FarmEcon LLC.

Poultry webinar offers tips on using phytase in broiler diets

Genetic selection for growth has ensured that broiler growth rates have more than doubled over the past 40 years. However, the rapid rate of growth required to minimize the cost of meat does not allow for complete bone mineralization. This means skeletal integrity can be compromised across the flock, impacting productivity and efficiency during processing.
Register at www1.gotomeeting.com/register/112328880 to attend the webinar, "Optimizing calcium/phosphorous contribution and skeletal integrity through phytase use in broiler diets," sponsored by DuPont and presented by WATT Global Media, on April 8 at 8 a.m. CDT.
Poultry nutritionists, broiler research and development and operations directors, veterinarians, production managers, purchasing directors, and commercial directors in poultry integration and feed mill companies worldwide should attend the webinar to learn more about the requirement and functional role of dietary calcium and available phosphorus in bone development and performance in broilers. Recent research focused on bone modeling will be cited. The webinar also will discuss the importance of establishing robust estimates of calcium and phosphorus contributions from different phytase products, and how these affect bone mineralization and function. Other topics that will be covered include how calcium levels and calcium sources can alter the efficacy of phytate P, cause metabolic imbalances, and alter phytase efficacy and matrix values in practice.

Speakers at the broiler diet webinar
Dr. Doug Korver and Dr. Peter Plumstead will be the webinar's featured speakers.
Korver holds a BSc. in agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, an M.Sc. from the University of Delaware, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. In addition to undertaking practical research on feed quality and supplement evaluation in poultry diets, he is also focused on nutrition-immune function interactions and has a specialty in poultry bone biology. He has had more than 45 peer-reviewed articles published in journals and has achieved more than 570 peer-reviewed citations.  Korver currently teaches introductory animal nutrition and poultry nutrition courses at the undergraduate level, and is a co-instructor for graduate-level courses in advanced animal metabolism and advanced feed science and technology.
Plumstead holds an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in nutrition and poultry science from North Carolina State University, where his primary research focused on amino acid and phosphorus nutrition of broilers and broiler breeders. Prior to joining academia, Plumstead was engaged at Danisco Animal Nutrition (part of DuPont), where he was responsible for application research and development of enzyme products for pigs and poultry. In addition to his work with enzymes, Plumstead also has several years of commercial experience in the feed industry, having worked as a senior nutritionist within the Meadow Feeds Group (South Africa).

USPOULTRY seeks Charles Beard Research Excellence Award nominees

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation are accepting nominations for the Charles Beard Research Excellence Award through July 1. The goal of this award is to recognize outstanding completed poultry research projects, funded by USPOULTRY or the USPOULTRY Foundation, which have made a significant positive impact on the poultry industry. The nominee may be recognized for multiple completed USPOULTRY research projects, all focused on the same subject area.
Nominations can be accepted from the universities and research institutions that conduct poultry research, as well as from anyone in the research community or any USPOULTRY member, staff, and sponsored committee. Self-nominations are also allowed. Nominations should focus on research projects completed within the past five years, but may include projects completed at an earlier time if a project's impact has only recently become recognized.
USPOULTRY recently simplified the nomination process for the Charles Beard Research Excellence Award. To submit a nomination, please send a letter to Dr. John Glisson, vice president of research, which includes the nominee's name, a brief description of the nominee's research accomplishments and the impact of the research.
The recipient of the Charles Beard Research Excellence Award will be the primary researcher who conducted the recognized research project(s) and will receive round-trip transportation to and two nights lodging at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Ga. A cash prize of $1,500 will also be awarded.
The award will be presented at the IPPE during the International Poultry Scientific Forum. The award will be presented by Dr. Beard and the chairman of the Foundation Research Advisory Committee (FRAC).
USPOULTRY and its Foundation operate a comprehensive research program incorporating all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. Since the inception of the research program, USPOULTRY has reinvested over $25 million dollars into the industry in the form of research grants, with the International Poultry Expo, part of IPPE, as the primary source for the funding. More than 50 universities and federal and state facilities have received grants over the years.

Land availability still concerns young farmers, ranchers

Securing adequate land to grow crops and raise livestock, government regulations and red tape, availability of farm labor and related regulations, water availability and urbanization of farm land are among the top concerns of young farmers and ranchers.
Securing adequate land to grow crops and raise livestock was the top challenge identified in the American Farm Bureau Federation's (AFBF) annual outlook survey of participants in the Young Farmers & Ranchers program, as reported by the AFBF. The issue was also the top challenge cited in last year's survey.
The challenge was identified by 22 percent of respondents, ages 18-35, followed by economic challenges, particularly profitability, which was identified by 15 percent of the respondents.
"For young people today, securing adequate land to begin farming or expand an established farm or ranch is a major challenge," said Jake Carter, AFBF's national Young Farmers & Ranchers committee chair and a farmer from Georgia. "Another major challenge is figuring out how to excel -- not just survive -- in today's economy," he added.
Optimism, despite concerns
Other issues that ranked as top concerns in the annual survey included government regulations and red tape (12 percent); availability of farm labor and related regulations (9 percent); water availability and urbanization of farm land (7 percent each); and health care availability and cost (6 percent).
The 2014 survey revealed that 91 percent of the nation's young farmers and ranchers are more optimistic about farming and ranching than they were five years ago. Last year, 90 percent of those surveyed said they were more optimistic about farming compared to five years ago.
The survey also showed that America's young farmers and ranchers are committed environmental caretakers, with 55 percent using conservation tillage to protect soil and reduce erosion on their farms.
The future of farming
In a new question on the survey this year, the young farmers and ranchers were asked about their rural entrepreneurship efforts, with 40 percent reporting they had started a new business in the last three years or plan to start one in the near future.
Additionally, more than 91 percent of respondents considered themselves lifetime farmers, with 88 percent hoping to see their children follow in their footsteps.
The survey results were compiled following the AFBF's 2014 Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach, Va., in February.

UK supermarket loses poultry welfare award

The Co-operative Food's Good Chicken Award has been withdrawn by Compassion in World Farming following the retailer's decision to increase broiler chicken stocking densities from 15 to 17 birds per square meter.
While the increase from 30kg to 34 kg per square meter meets legal requirements, it goes above the maximum limit set for the organization's Good Chicken Award, which recognizes companies committing to provide higher welfare standards throughout their supply chain. A reduced stocking density is one of the criteria that must be met. The Co-operative Food signed up to this agreement in perpetuity in 2010 for its fresh and frozen chicken.
Tracey Jones, Compassion in World Farming director of food business commented: "We're very disappointed that The Co-operative has taken this step. As well as the Good Chicken Award, they have also received a Good Egg Award, a Good Dairy Award and Supermarket Awards for introducing higher welfare standards in their supply chain. However, we cannot ignore that the company is now reneging on the criteria for our Good Chicken Award and feel that sadly we have no choice but to withdraw it."
The Co-operative has commented that it has increased stocking densities for economic reasons so that it can continue to supply consumers with chickens at competitive prices.

Poultry groups want proposed injury, illness tracking regulation withdrawn

The National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) have sent a letter to the Department of Labor regarding the OSHA proposed regulation, "Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses,"   respectfully suggesting that the rule is misguided and that it should be withdrawn.
"We believe the existing record keeping system is sufficient to allow employers to identify and address risks in their work environments," the groups wrote.  "In addition, we are very concerned that the proposed rule improperly and in a negative way changes the traditional no fault record keeping system.  This change will force employers to commit energy and resources toward lagging indicators, as opposed to more effective leading indicators."
The groups also said the proposed rule will have the effect of limiting the amount of useful information currently included in record keeping forms, out of concern that the information will be made public.
"We also question why OSHA did not make Federal agency injury and illness information public in a similar rulemaking completed just a few months ago," the letter continued. "Finally, our members have significant privacy concerns with making the information public and also believe that OSHA has significantly understated the costs of the rule."