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USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Ten Turkey Flocks in Indiana- 240,900 Birds Depopulated  

Last Friday, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H7N8 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Dubois County, Indiana. This is a different strain of HPAI than the strains that caused the 2015 outbreak. Dubois County is the largest poultry county in Indiana- and it appears that the disease has spread in that county.

On Saturday- USDA and Indiana Animal Health officials announced that nine more flocks were found with the same strain.  The process of depopulating all of the turkeys on these farms is underway- a total of 240,900 birds are being euthanized.

Depopulation prevents the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.

Click here for the initial news release of the index case from the Indiana officials on Friday.

Click here for the Saturday release detailing the additional nine farms impacted.

Dubois County is in southern Indiana and sits on the north side of I-64 which stretches from St. Louis to Louisville, Kentucky. According to the Dubois County Herald, "The confirmation came Saturday night that nine farms, in addition to Dan Kalb's farm, have tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza. The state board reports that depopulation control is underway at all nine farms.

 
There are likely to be more updates this morning- one thing to keep in mind- There are no known cases of H7N8 infections in humans. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 F kills bacteria and viruses, including HPAI.

Latest OSU Food Demand Survey Shows Consumers Perceive Chicken Breast Most Healthy and Most Tasty 

The January 2016 edition of the Food Demand Survey (FooDS) is now out. The Survey is produced by a team led by Dr. Jayson Lusk of the Ag Economics Department in the Division of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University. The latest report can be seen by clicking here.  Here are a few highlights of the survey:

"The three questions inquired about consumers' perceptions of taste, health, and safety of the eight different food products for which we track WTP. The first question asked: "How tasty or untasty do you consider the following products, where -5 is very untasty and +5 is very tasty?" Participants were asked the same questions twice more, only the words "tasty or untasty" were replaced with "healthy or unhealthy" and "safe or unsafe"."


The eight food products that consumers were asked about included, ground beef, steak, pork chops, deli ham, chicken breast, chicken wing, tomato pasta and beans and rice.


Lusk goes on to write "Chicken breast was, on average, perceived as most healthy and as the most tasty. While beans and rice were perceived as the safest option, it was also the least tasty of the eight choices. Participants perceived deli ham was, on average, one of the least healthy, least tasty, and least safe products. Pork chop and chicken wing fell in the middle for each of the three categories. On average, all six meat products were perceived as less safe than the two non-meat products."

To read more about OSU's Food Demand Survey, by clicking here.

Ag Advocate Michele Payn-Knoper Says Producers Need to Openly Talk about Antibiotics

One of the ongoing concerns of consumers when it comes to meat products in the food chain is antibiotic use by livestock producers. That's been true over the last several years, 2015 seemed to ratchet up the issue somewhat several times during the course of the year and 2016 promises more of the same. Recently we talked Michele Payn-Knoper, an author, an agricultural blogger and speaker that talks a lot to agricultural groups and non-farm groups about how she approaches antibiotics, especially when she's talking with folks that are not necessary connected with animal agriculture.


"I'm not only a Holstein breeder, I am a mom first and foremost," Payn-Knoper said. "So when I am talking with other women, I relate to them as mom, instead of just as a farmer."


She advises ag producers to make sure they are relating to people on a "human level". She said this shows consumers that they are talking with a reliable source, it shows that ag producers care and it also gives producers the opportunity to talk about some of their agricultural practices. Recently, she was at an event in Pennsylvania and she was having a debate with someone about the necessity of using antibiotics in cows. She asked the audience if anyone had ever had mastitis and several women held up their hands. Mastitis is very painful and hard on the body and the same is true in cows. While cows are not humans, she could not in good faith, as an animal care taker, not treat her cows for mastitis. In talking about this, she said producers can share the need for today's animal care practices.  I caught up with Payn-Knoper. Click or tap here to listen to their full interview.

Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation to Host Estate Planning/Succession Seminar

The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation (OCF) will host a Succession and Estate Planning seminar on Wednesday, February 10th.   The event will take place at the Embassy Suites on South Meridian Avenue in Oklahoma City, Okla. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 5:30 p.m.


"Farming and ranching is unique in that the same family can own property for generations. However, preparation and communication are key for a successful transition," said Jeff Jaronek, OCF Coordinator. "The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the West and the viability of Oklahoma's beef cattle industry through research and education and we are excited to offer this succession and estate planning seminar to help in carrying out the Foundation's mission."


The cost to attend the event is $20. Lunch will be included. Seminar presenters include representatives from OSU and from Family Business Resources. "We have an outstanding group of speakers that will help walk attendees through the process of succession and estate planning," Jaronek said. "While attendees won't leave with a completed plan, they will have a clear direction and know what options are available. Numerous companies and firms will be present and available to discuss further steps in actually getting a plan in place."


Please RSVP by February 1 to Jeff Jaronek at jjaronek@okcattlemen.org or call 405.235.4391.


I talked with Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey about the upcoming Succession and Estate Planning seminar. Click or tap here for our webstory and the audio that you can listen to about the workshop.

Midwest Farm Shows wants to thank everyone who came to the 2015 Tulsa Farm Show.  The show has grown tremendously over the past 22 years- and 2015 was the best yet!

Now is the time to put on your 2016 calendar the date for the 2016 Oklahoma City Farm Show, coming April 14, 15 and 16, 2016.  Contact Ron Bormaster at (507) 437-7969 for more details about how your business or organization can be a part of the 2016 Oklahoma City Farm Show!

Click here for more details about the 2016 Oklahoma City Farm Show- presented by Midwest Farm Shows.

http://oklahomacityfarmshow.com/

16 Counties to Receive Emergency Funds for Critical Flood Control Dam Repairs

Oklahoma's rainiest year on record, 2015 left over 60 of Oklahoma's flood control dams severely damaged. Following authorization by Governor Mary Fallin to transfer $1.8 million from the state emergency fund to qualify Oklahoma for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) emergency funds, 16 counties will receive critical repairs to their flood control dams.


Affected counties are: Atoka, Caddo, Carter, Coal, Custer, Garvin, Grady, Hughes, Kiowa, Latimer, Love, McClain, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Seminole and Stephens.


"Lives and property across the state depend on the safe function of these small flood control dams," said Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC) Executive Director Trey Lam. "Even during challenging budget years, we must make provisions to keep our citizens safe. We are grateful for Governor Fallin's wise and prudent decision."


In 2015, Oklahoma's flood control dams collectively prevented $280 million in flood damages. By comparison, the average annual cost of maintaining them is $2 million.  Click or tap here to read more about this investment in repairing the state's infrastructure.

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Op-Ed: Oregon Standoff is Just a Symptom of a Much Larger Problem

Op-Ed Written By: National Center for Public Policy Research Calls for Three-Step Plan to Help Relieve the Rural West


"As the country continues to focus on the ongoing standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, the National Center for Public Policy Research reminds federal elected officials in Washington that the standoff follows decades of public dissatisfaction with federal land management policies, particularly in the West, yet Congress after Congress and presidents of both parties have largely ignored federal land issues.


"The federal government should take specific actions to reduce citizen dissatisfaction with federal policies, the National Center says. Among them:


"Congress should enact a prohibition on additional federal land acquisitions. The federal government already controls a substantial percentage of western land and too many disputes with local landowners and communities have at least in part been caused by federal agencies seeking to expand federal land ownership and control. At this point additional land acquisitions are unnecessary and a moratorium on additional acquisitions would eliminate this source of dispute."

The National Center for Public Policy makes several recommendations to Congress and to President Obama about this situation.  Click or tap here to read more about their perceptions of  injustice that has befallen the Hammond family in Oregon.

This N That- Martin Luther King Holiday- and Congrats to OSU Livestock Judging Team for Notching Yet Another Championship

 

It is Martin Luther King Holiday- and means that all government offices are closed for the day, as are banks, the stock market and our Ag Futures Markets. 

Some businesses may also be closed for the day.

However, many continue with business on this third Monday of the New Year- for example, the Livestock Auction sales that normally hold sales on Mondays are open today- the early estimate for the Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City is for 6,000 head of cattle to be sold today.

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More good news from the powerful Oklahoma State University Livestock Judging Team- the 2015-16 squad won the overall Collegiate Championship at the 2016 National Western Livestock Show in Denver.  The Contest was held on Thursday and the awards banquet was held Friday evening.

OSU, besides claiming the High Team Overall was also the Champion in the Collegiate Carload Judging Contest held last Friday morning.

High individuals from the OSU team in Denver included Tim Hubbard, who was the second high individual overall, Cooper Bounds was 4th overall high individual, Maggie Neer was seventh, Callie Akins was eighth and Bodee Schlipf was ninth.

Congrats to Coach Blake Bloomberg for more honors that were captured by his team.

Our thanks to Midwest Farms Shows, P & K Equipment,  American Farmers & Ranchers, Stillwater Milling Company, Oklahoma AgCredit,  the Oklahoma Cattlemens Association, Pioneer Cellular, Farm Assure and  KIS Futures for their support of our daily Farm News Update. For your convenience, we have our sponsors' websites linked here- just click on their name to jump to their website- check their sites out and let these folks know you appreciate the support of this daily email, as their sponsorship helps us keep this arriving in your inbox on a regular basis- at NO Charge!

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