regulations

Triple D Farm and Hatchery has closed for business and thus ends commercial poultry production in Alaska.

Alaska once had as many as 81,000 chickens on farms. Now, Triple D was the last commercial poultry farm in the state. It might be best known for its turkeys, but it only sold about 400 of those a year, dwarfing its chicken business. The farm sold about 10,000 dressed chickens a year. Save for some leftover product in the freezer, all those chickens are gone. All the equipment is for sale. All the hard work, years of toiling, "up in smoke."

The ability to raise poultry in Alaska has be constrained by regulations in recent years.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance started their Stakeholders Summit today (May 5). Some quotes from the event (via Twitter)

The Honorable Pat Roberts, Kansas, Ranking Member, Senate Agriculture Committee, "says at #AAA11 farmers and ranchers ' have to tell our story' or others will tell it for us" via @BeltwayBeef

Jason Shoultz, Summit Moderator, Producer/Reporter, America’s Heartland, "When I look at farmers across the country, I see the passion they have for what they do. That passion is what we need." via @animalag

PoultryCast 0262 Show Notes:

• Salmonella enteritidis testing regulations are a monumental task for state labs and new techniques are being tested.  Ohio's State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey shares an overview of current testing in his state.  Full presentation with slides will soon be available on the Conference  Connection tab.

Clint Hickman, VP of Sales & Marketing, Hickman's Family Farms, provides a poultry producer perspective on the issues in the industry and how to tackle them head on, not by running and hiding but by being open, proactive, and engaging. From the 2011 Annual Conference of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, April 11 - 14, San Antonio, TX USA.

PoultryCast 0258 Show Notes:

• Jim Wiesemeyer, Washington Editor for Pro Farmer magazine, says short carryouts and growing usage will require two good crop years in a row. 

Sometimes the simplest expression of gratitude are the most profound. This Thanksgiving season, we encourage you to use social media to show just how thankful you are for the food we enjoy every day. In doing so, we will also be thanking those many people and industries who bring food to our tables.

Ways to share? Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are some starting points.

PoultryCast 0238 Show Notes: 

• The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) recently produced a webinar to share perspectives on the sometimes perplexing position of the FDA and animal health products.   This audio segment from the "Antibiotics in Animals and People" presentation features comments from Dr William Flynn of the Food and Drug Administration.  He outlines what the FDA is trying to accomplish and why. 

PoultryCast 0237 Show Notes: 

• Catch this audio from a National Ag Law Center webinar looking at proposed GIPSA regulation changes.   Staff Attorney Elizabeth (Springsteen) Rumley, B.A., J.D., LL.M. walks us through the details. 
• Link to the recorded webinar is available here.

PoultryCast 0236 Show Notes:

• Taking full advantage of the most recent stimulus effort passed in Washington requires fast action on your part, as noted by Iowa State's Agricultural Law and Taxation Specialist Roger McEowen.

PoultryCast 0233 Show Notes:

• Conversation with attorney Jacob Bylund of Faegre & Benson in Des Moines on key issues in the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) debate.  The comment period is open and can be entered here or send an email to comments.gipsa@usda.gov.
• GIPSA website
• National Chicken Council GIPSA Comm