Greetings!,
I trust and hope that your holidays and Christmas season are merry and bright, and am writing to you today with a long overdue update on IEBA activity since our meeting in Kansas City during the first week of the month.
Saying that December has been a challenging and trying month would be an understatement for my family, but it has been one of positive steps forward for the horse business in spite of my personal situation.
By way of explanation, those of you who were in attendance in Kansas City know that my husband was admitted to an ICU unit in Kansas City the day before with internal bleeding from an ulcer and esophageal varicies. Since then we have been through three different hospitals with a cascading series of events that included a bout with pneumonia, and then pretty much total kidney and liver failure as a result of infection, the loss of blood, or both, and a condition known as Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN). He was discharged from the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver on Christmas Eve, and we were able to have a wonderful Christmas dinner with the kids on Christmas Day. Yesterday, Rod and I came up to Cheyenne, where we are now, and where he will receive the follow up care that he needs. He has a long way to go, but seems to be a bit better every day, and at this point we are grateful for every small blessing.
Needless to say, my ability to focus on anything except getting him through this crisis has been very limited. The good news is that the groundwork has been laid, most of what we need as an industry is already falling into place, we have a good network, and the companies individually have excellent teams that are pushing forward regardless.
Right after the Kansas City meeting, while in Washington, D.C., I was able to meet with the Deputy Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the agency once again confirmed that they will be in a position to provide inspection as of the first of the year. As a result, several companies are preparing to file their applications next week.
I also learned that the agency will be responding in January to the lawsuit that has been filed by the company in New Mexico which has been ready to process horses since last Spring. This has been widely covered by the press, so I suspect most of you are aware of it. IEBA is not involved at this point, but is watching, and if appropriate and helpful may consider filing some sort of amicus brief or joining the case in some way.
A scientific effort to conduct research in collaboration with the plants is underway which will definitively establish drug residue withdrawal periods specifically for equine for all drugs of concern, and establish the scientific validity of tests both upstream of the plant, and at the plant, that will help the industry ensure a zero tolerance standard for all cheval for human consumption.
Below is a brief synopsis of the Kansas City meeting. All of the presentations and information from that meeting are available to IEBA members.
Happy New Year! May the new year be full of promise and prosperity for all of us in the horse business.
 PS: Many of you have been trying to call me this month, and I apologize that I have not responded in a timely fashion. I hope to catch up on all of that over the next few days. If you have tried to reach me and have not gotten a response by Monday, please try again. Thank you all for your understanding and patience. --------------------------------------------------------------- Presentations made at the IEBA meeting in Kansas City Jennifer Woods - Humane Handling Guidelines and Assessment Joey Astling - Horse Transportation Regulations and Compliance Lantz McLaren, Anne Oscher -Equine Traceability and Testing Kay Johnson Smith - Facility and Personnel Protection and Security, Employee Background Checks and Hiring,Media and Community Relations Sue Wallis, Rich Slater - Administrative Outsourcing Options, Payroll, Insurance, Employee Benefits Administration A working group was set up to determine procedures and protocols for the equine traceability and testing system so that it is implemented in the most cost effective, efficient, and reliable way that does not put any undue burden on any segment of the industry, but provides the assurance and confidence that consumers require. |
