The animal health industry says its complicated product distribution system - along with a labeling system that allows for marketing to multiple species - make it nearly impossible for drug makers to tell FDA who's buying what feed antibiotic for what reason, a major priority of those seeking to end on-farm antibiotic use altogether and the subject of legislation to be introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), ranking member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee which oversees FDA. Waxman's bill will include requirements for "feed mills" to report feeds mixed using low-level antibiotics, to whom the feeds are sold, for what species and for what purpose the antibiotics are to be used. The American Feed Industry Assn. (AFIA) says collecting such data would be expensive, complicated and likely result in private transaction data - now protected - possibly being reported to FDA and subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests by anti-antibiotic groups.  

The Animal Health Institute (AHI), which represents animal drug manufacturers, has recommended to FDA it partner with USDA to collect more farm data if that's shown to be necessary. It points to the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) - a joint antibiotic resistance project of FDA, USDA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - which has a new goal of developing a sampling system that is "more representative of food animal production and consumption." Meanwhile, FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) continues to move forward with an industry cooperative approach, the intention being to eliminate feed efficiency/growth promotion claims for antibiotics and reinvention of the "disease prevention" claim now allowed.  

At the same time, all antibiotics would only be available for inclusion in feed and water through an expanded Veterinary Feed Direction (VFD) process, one which requires a veterinarian to effectively "order" the use of the drugs and transmit that order to feed mills. Last week, internal FDA memos were leaked which showed agency frustration with industry push back on some of its proposals, along with confirmation the agency has regulatory "options" ready to go if the cooperative program on antibiotic use doesn't work to reduce overall antimicrobial use in animals. 

With President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney running neck and neck, and several key House and Senate races much closer than expected, turnout on November 6 will be the key to who lives in the White House for the next four years and who controls Congress. With the "undecided" portion of the electorate down to less than an estimated 2%, polling late this week showed Romney and Obama each with about 49% of the vote, with last-minute campaigning in full swing after a two-day respite due to Hurricane Sandy. At this point in 2008, Obama enjoyed a 14-point lead against Sen. John McCain. While it appears the GOP will retain control of the House, picking up a seat or two, key Senate races in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Montana, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota and Virginia are all too close to call, with none of the front-runners enjoying more than a four-point lead just four days before the general election.  

A big issue at this point for most voters is the economy - jobs, taxes, growth and regulations. Agri-Pulse this week reported on its tracking of agriculture/agribusiness political action committee (PAC) contributions, and the bottom line is ag favored Republicans in this election by 2-1, shifting away from a traditional even split between Republicans and Democrats. Total contributions from producer group PACs as well as those controlled by supply groups and processor trade associations was $15.3 million to all federal candidates in the last year. The business community seeks greater certainty from Washington on prospective regulations and a plan to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff," jump starting the economy out of its currently sluggish "recovery." Personal issues center on broadening the employment base and individual tax rates, both in play as Congress prepares to return to Washington after the election for a lame duck session.

House GOP leadership continues to swear it will take up a "tweaked" five-year Farm Bill when it returns for the post-election lame duck session, but the fiscal cliff and Hurricane Sandy may push reauthorization of farm programs further down the legislative agenda. The number one item for the lame duck session is ensuring there's no headlong rush over the fiscal cliff with its expiring tax cuts and January 2013, mandatory budget cuts, the mere presence of which the U.S. business community says is dragging down the economy. House and Senate ag veterans said this week some form of farm program action will be taken, but Sen. Charles Grassley (R, IA) was the most cynical, saying if President Obama is reelected, it will likely be a five-year bill; if Gov. Mitt Romney wins, it would more than likely be a five-month extension of 2008 programs so the new administration can puts its mark on the new programs. Sen. Pat Roberts told a Kansas audience this week he sees quick action on the Farm Bill - "we will get it done" - but the biggest stumbling block is federal food stamp program costs. The Senate-passed Farm Bill cuts $4 billion out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the new title for food stamps, while the House cuts $16 billion, mostly through reinvention of management and state authorities. However, others contend there's still no agreement among producer groups on farm program reauthorization - the House committee bill includes marketing loans and deficiency payments, the Senate bill does not - so a "quick" resolution of the Farm Bill may be elusive.

The California Chamber of Commerce has released a list of new employment laws scheduled to take effect in 2013 or earlier that will have an impact on businesses in California.

There have been significant changes in key areas, such as anti-discrimination protections, employee access to personnel records and employer access to personal social media accounts. Other laws relate to specific industries, such as farm labor contractors and temporary services employers.Unless specified, the following list of new legislation goes into effect on January 1, 2013. The entire list can also be viewed at,  www.calchamber.com/newlaws2013.

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In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, USDA wasted no time in pushing out two press releases, one reminding farmers and ranchers to keep comprehensive records of their losses, while the second three-page release detailed what individual agencies within USDA are providing as disaster assistance. The records release told farmers to keep records that document all losses, including livestock and poultry deaths, as well as expenses for feed purchases and "extraordinary costs" because of lost supplies or transportation costs.  

Producers were told to document the number and type of livestock lost, "supplemented if possible" by photos or video records of ownership and losses; the dates of animal deaths supported by "birth recordings or purchase receipts"; Costs of moving livestock to safer grounds or animals to new pastures; feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed; crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records; pictures of on-farm storage facilities destroyed by wind or flood damage, and "evidence of damaged farm land." 

Hand tools are used every day on a construction site. They are used so much and so often that the proper care is many times forgotten. As we list some important points on proper care of hand tools please refresh your memory concerning these points.  

Proper Care of Tools

• Take good care of tools. Use tools carefully and you will have less need for a first-aid kit.
• Keep tools clean. Protect them against damage from corrosion. Dip tools occasionally in cleaning fluids or solvents and wipe them clean. Lubricate adjustable and moving parts to prevent wear and misalignment.
• Keep cutting edges sharp. Sharp tools are much safer than dull ones.
• When sharpening, redressing or repairing tools, sharpen, grind, hone, file, fit, and set them properly, using other tools suited to each purpose.
• For sharpening tools, either an oil stone or a grind stone is preferable.
• Tools which are struck by hammers, such as chisels or punches, should have the head pointed towards the ground periodically to prevent mushrooming.
• When tools are not in use keep them in suitable boxes, racks, or trays. Put them down carefully and in an orderly manner on work benches, with cutting edges turned away from you.
• Place tools so they cannot fall and where no one can strike against or trip over them. Tools should be placed on elevated benches, tables, or platforms so they cannot roll or be kicked or knocked off.
• When carrying tools protect the cutting edges and carry the tools in such a way that you will not endanger yourself or others.
• Carry pointed or sharp-edged tools in pouches or holsters.
• Refit or replace loose or split handles. Do no rely on friction tape to secure split handles.

Keep handles wedged tightly in the heads of all tools. Keep them smooth and free of rough or jagged surfaces.

(Source: InterWest Insurance Services) 

Contact Mike Taylor for your Insurance Needs....

Mike Taylor, CPCU,  Vice President

chrisInterWest Insurance Services, Inc.

100 Pringle Avenue, North Tower, Suite 550

Walnut Creek, CA 94596

(925) 977-4104 Office

(800) 464-0077 Toll Free

(925) 977-4150 Fax

(510) 206-5505 Mobile

CA Lic # 0B01094

www.iwins.com

mtaylor@iwins.com

You may not be able to stop time, but you can turn it back!  A reminder that time stops for no man, but it can be turned back when daylight savings time ends and standard time returns on Sunday, November 4th at 2:00 am.  

So, "Fall Back" and turn your clocks back one hour;  when you go to bed on Saturday night, November 3rd.  This is also a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and replace furnace filters. 

The CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard is a tool designed to help employers assess and improve health promotion in their worksites.

The newly released CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard (HSC) is a tool designed to help employers assess the extent to which they have implemented evidence-based health promotion interventions in their worksites. Using a validation study by the Emory University Institute for Health and Productivity, the HSC has been determined to be a valid and reliable tool for employers to use in assessing health promotion programs aimed at preventing heart disease, stroke and related conditions among employees.

The Health ScoreCard assists employers in identifying gaps in their health promotion programs, and helps them to prioritize high-impact strategies for health promotion at their worksites across the following health topics: organizational supports, tobacco control, nutrition, physical activity, weight management, stress management, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke, and emergency response to heart attack and stroke.

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