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1. APHIS announces new avian flu cases, new reporting regime
By Spencer Chase
Agri-Pulse
April 17, 2015
WASHINGTON, April 17, 2015 - USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced today a new reporting model to keep up with the rapid spread of high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the nation's chicken and turkey flocks. Six new outbreaks of the disease were announced today alone, bringing the total of confirmed instances of the H5N2 strain of the disease to 47.
The new cases ranged from northeastern South Dakota to northwestern Wisconsin through Minnesota, the state hit hardest by the disease. Of the 47 nationwide cases of H5N2, 26 are in Minnesota, the nation's largest turkey-producing state. Four of the new cases are in Minnesota, with one each in South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Two of the outbreaks in Minnesota are repeat detections in their respective counties. The disease was found in Stearns County for the sixth time and Kandiyohi County for the fifth time. The disease was first confirmed in the Mississippi flyway on March 4 of this year, in Minnesota's Pope County.
APHIS also announced changes in the reporting plans for new cases of the disease ahead of an anticipated uptick in detections in the upcoming spring migration of wild birds. Announcements will now be issued daily rather than as detected.
In the event of a new strain or spread of the disease to a new state, APHIS said it would issue stakeholder notifications and update the website* used for disseminating HPAI information.
[*See: http://tinyurl.com/nmdezb9 ]
Full text:
http://www.agri-pulse.com/APHIS-announces-new-avian-flu-cases-new-reporting-regime-04172015.asp
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2. Wisconsin state veterinarian bans poultry movement to control spread of H5N2 avian influenza virus
DATCP News Release
April 17, 2015
MADISON - To protect Wisconsin's poultry industry from further spread of the H5N2 avian influenza virus, Dr. Paul McGraw, state veterinarian at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has issued a ban on poultry movement to shows, exhibitions and swap meets in Jefferson, Juneau or Barron counties.
"We are taking the necessary precautions to limit the spread of avian influenza throughout the state of Wisconsin," McGraw said. Wisconsin has three confirmed cases of avian influenza in the state since the virus was first found in the Midwest in March. Multiple outbreaks of avian influenza have occurred most recently in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, the Dakotas and Kansas leading to the depopulation of more than 1.5 million turkeys and chickens.
The ban prohibits any movement to, or participation in, any shows, exhibitions or swap meets held in the counties where H5N2 has already been found. Additionally, anyone owning a flock that is enrolled in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), a flock that qualifies as an affiliate flock under the NPIP, or a flock that is enrolled as a Wisconsin tested flock or associate flock are also prohibited from movement to shows, exhibitions or swap meets in the three counties.
Full text:
http://datcp.wi.gov/news/?Id=1274
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3. Chickens' immune system, warm weather may keep them virus-free
By Rob Schultz, Wisconsin State Journal
LaCrosse Tribune
April 17, 2015
Warm weather will slow the spread of a deadly and highly contagious avian influenza among poultry flocks in Wisconsin, an official in the lead federal agency handling the Midwest's outbreak said Thursday.
"Temperature is our friend. We know that at 65 degrees, it's hard for this (H5N2) virus to survive. So the sooner it warms up and dries out, the better off we'll be," said Jack Shere, associate deputy administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
When warm weather combines with continued efforts to control the virus through biosecurity measures and quick action to euthanize birds at infected sites, "I think we'll get ahead of it," Shere added.
But the H5N2 bird flu will likely reappear again this fall when damp, cool air returns, and poultry in Eastern states where chicken production is higher could be affected, Shere said. Experts believe that waterfowl, and mallard ducks in particular, are the most likely carriers of the disease, spreading it through fecal droppings or oral secretions.
This fall "we'll have the same weather type (as this spring), we'll have the birds moving south; it's the perfect storm, so to speak, for (the virus to appear) again," added Shere, who was a veterinarian in Madison before joining the USDA years ago.
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/pg5vae9
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4. NOTICE: Importation of Bird/Poultry Products from Canada Due to HPAI
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Bulletin
April 17, 2015
As a result of the second outbreak of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Canada, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is requiring the following for products entering from Canada:
Commercial shipments of poultry meat and meat products for human consumption must be accompanied by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Annex A-9 which has been amended to include the following statement:
The poultry meat was cooked throughout to reach a minimum internal temperature of 74 degrees C (165 degrees F), or
The poultry meat was derived from birds that did not originate in a current USDA APHIS recognized Avian Influenza Control Zone (quarantine control zone) established due to the detection of HPAI in commercial poultry.
Commercial shipments of processed and unprocessed poultry/bird meat, poultry/bird products/by-products and products containing such, (including egg and poultry meat as ingredients) must be accompanied by a USDA APHIS Import Permit and/or appropriate CFIA certification agreed to by APHIS. This also includes composted manure.
Full text:
http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/ff8b98
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5. Producers Laud Change on U.S. - Canadian Bison Shipping Rules
New ID Requirements Reduce Stress on Animals, Costs for Producers
National Bison Assoc. News Release
April 16, 2015
DENVER, CO - The leaders of the U.S. National Bison Association and the Canadian Bison Association today applauded the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for implementing a new directive that eliminates the requirement that bison imported into the United States from Canada be branded.
The new directive replaces the branding requirement with a new rule that allows producers to identify animals with an approved RFID (Radio Frequency) tag compliant with the U.S. National Animal Identification System, and a secondary ear tag bearing the official identification number.
"This is a very positive development for the bison business. The National Bison Association, Canadian Bison Association and individual producers have worked with our respective federal agencies to request this new procedure. We are very pleased that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture responded to our requests," said Bruce Anderson, president of the National Bison Association.
Mark Silzer, President of the Canadian Bison Association noted, "These developments are very positive for bison and the bison industry. We have been working to remove the requirements for branding since the requirement was imposed about 10 years ago. Also, reduced requirements for importation of bison to Canada from the United States will provide easier access for Canadian producers to enhance their herds' genetic base."
The new rule is effective as of April 8, 2015. A transitional periods will take place until May 8 to accommodate health certificates issued prior to the effective date of the new rule. See more details on the new rules at:
http://bisoncentral.com/sites/default/files/Branding%20of%20Bison%20Imported%20from%20Canada%204.15.pdf
Source: http://tinyurl.com/qhbsrhg
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6. High-risk foreign goods intercepted here [OH]
Emilie Eaton
Cincinnati.com
April 18, 2015
High-risk agriculture products coming from China, India and Saudi Arabia en route to various places throughout the United States were intercepted by Customs and Border Protection agents in Cincinnati this week.
The products included fresh and processed poultry and pork products coming from countries with known fatal disease outbreaks, according to a news release. They also included fresh plums, eggs, plant products and invasive species.
"CBP Agriculture Specialists are the first line of defense to protect U.S. agriculture, forest, and livestock industries from exotic and destructive plant pests and animal diseases," said Angela Dilland, chief supervisory CBP officer.
Agriculture specialists started the eight-day special operation to target shippers who use the Internet to sell agriculture products not allowed in the United States.
Shippers often use fake names and addresses and provide unrelated cargo descriptions in order to evade detection by CBP agents, according to the news release.
In this operation, agents found meat placed in fish packets and tea bags, fruits inside sealed cookie bags and seeds within candy wrappers.
Full text:
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/04/18/special-operation-intercepts-high-risk-ag-products/25980937/
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7. CSU scientists working together through the One Health initiative to solve big problems
By Christina Dennison
The Collegian
April 15, 2015
As the human population around the world continues to increase, the demand for resources such as food, water and land is also increasing, which can create complex problems in society.
Mark Stetter, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and one of the leaders of the One Health initiative at CSU, explained that some diseases, such as the plague and tularemia, are passed from animals to humans. Rates of infection are influenced by interactions between humans, animals and the environment.
"In many ways, One Health combines human health, animal health and environmental/ecological health into working groups that help deal with certain societal problems," Stetter said.
Interdisciplinary teams composed of people from across the CSU campus will work together to solve big problems related to animal, human and environmental health.
"We are excited to launch this new initiative, which combines our strengths in environmental sciences and animal and human health," said Alan Rudolph, vice president of research at CSU, in an email to the Collegian. "Our office will advocate and promote key research activities to ensure great impacts of our One Health initiative."
According to Stetter, the One Health initiative at CSU has been successful in garnering support from government agencies located in Fort Collins, which is critical in solving these problems. He said CSU can play a role in bringing people at these agencies together so they can work in a more collaborative way.
"If we're going to make a major impact, it's not just about the research," Stetter said. "(Research) is a big part of it, but it has to be about public education, outreach, policy and we want this to be relevant to the citizens of Colorado, but we also think that a lot of the things we will learn, discover and do here will have a global impact."
Full text: http://tinyurl.com/oo5twl7
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