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7/25/05
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1. Overuse In Chicken Production Renders Avian Flu Drug
"useless"
2. USDA Provides $5 Million in Sage Grouse
3. Conservation
Security Program Comment Period Extended
4. Farm Program Field
Forum Dates Announced.
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OVERUSE IN CHICKEN PRODUCTION RENDERS AVIAN FLU DRUG
"USELESS"
International researchers have concluded that an important
antiviral drug called amantadine will no longer protect people
in the event of a worldwide bird flu epidemic.
The strain of
bird flu thought most likely to make the jump to a human-borne
disease is now resistant to amantadine, because since the 1990s,
the Chinese government encouraged poultry farmers to give the
drug to chickens in an attempt to suppress bird flu outbreaks.
The Washington Post reports: "The Chinese Agriculture
Ministry approved the production and sale of the drug for use in
chickens, according to officials from the Chinese pharmaceutical
industry and the government, although such use is barred in the
United States and many other countries. Local government
veterinary stations instructed Chinese farmers on how to use the
drug and at times supplied it, animal health experts said."
"It's definitely an issue if there's a pandemic. Amantadine
is off the table," said Richard Webby, an influenza expert
at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, because the
only other antiviral drug is difficult to produce in large
amounts and is therefore much more expensive.
USDA PROVIDES $5 MILLION FOR SAGE GROUSE
USDA announced last week that $5 million in funding through
the Grasslands Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives
Program, and Environmental Quality Incentives Program are
available for special projects to protect and enhance Greater
sage grouse habitat in eleven western states.
The sage grouse, a
bird native to the Great Plains and western United States, has
seen a decline in population over the past two decades. Private
lands comprise 28 percent (40 million acres) of the total
acreage where existing Greater sage grouse populations are
threatened; the remaining acreage is on state, tribal and public
lands. "These funds will boost existing efforts and
partnerships with private landowners, local organizations and
state agencies to improve the viability of the sage
grouse," said Agriculture Secretary Johanns. Get
more information or apply for a project to protect
sage grouse
CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED
The public comment period for the Conservation Security
Program has been extended from Monday, July 25 to Friday,
September 9.
The USDA made the extension after learning from grassroots
activists in recent days that the email address to file comments
electronically has not been working and that the snail mail
address provided in the Federal Register was incomplete.
Send
written comments on the amended interim final rule to:
Financial
Assistance Programs Division
Attn: Conservation Security Program
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
P.O. Box 2890
Washington, D.C. 20013-2890.
FarmBillRules@usda.gov
Fax: 202-720-4265
FARM BILL FIELD FORUM DATES ANNOUNCED
This past week Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced
the location of the next three USDA Farm Bill Forums. The public
is also welcome to submit comments via the USDA Farm Bill Forums
web site.
Few conservation voices were represented at the last forum.
Please participate in a forum if you can or send comments to the
USDA.
Your input is critical to this process.
- North Dakota State Fair: Minot, ND
July 26, 12:00 pm-3:00 pm CST
- Minnesota Farm Fest: Redwood County, MN
August 3, 4:00 pm-7:00 pm CST
- Wisconsin State Fair: West Allis, WI
August 4, 11:00 am-2:00 pm CST
- Iowa State Fair, Des Moines, IA
Aug. 11, 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. (CST)
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Scotty Johnson and Aimee Delach
National Rural Community Outreach Campaign
sjohnson@defenders.org
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