Robert J. Melchior Northeast Sheep And Goat Marketing Program Cornell University COBLESKILL, N.Y. By now most producers should be aware that the sheep and lamb checkoff commenced July 1. In structions have not fully filtered down to slaughterhouses and sale barns yet, and so implementation has been spotty at best. Producers should be aware, however, that when selling their lambs or culls in slaughter mar keting channels, they will receive a charge of Vi of 1 cent per pound. These funds, along with addi tional monies collected directly from the slaughterhouses, will be accumulated at the slaughter level and forwarded to the USDA, to be held pending for mation of the Lamb Promotion Board. The Board will direct how the funds will be spent for lamb promotion and research. APHIS Discusses Scrapie Eradication DENVER, Colo. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) conducted a meeting June 20-21 regarding the Nation al Scrapie Eradication Program for state veterinarians. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss methods for add ing uniformity and simplicity to ttw program, as well as increas ing its overall effectiveness. “We understand that they had a very productive meeting and came to consensus on a number Nominations for the Promo tion Board were due in Washing ton July 5. The nominating com mittee of Empire Sheep Producers Association, after cau cusing with other approved Northeastern state sheep associa tions, submitted the following slate of nominees to the Secretary of Agriculture; Producers David Major (Vt) and Susan Schoenian (Md); Seedstock Jean Walsh (NY); Feeder Joe Harper (WV). The Lamb Promotion Board will consist of 13 members select ed by the Secretary of Agricul ture from nominees submitted by sheep organizations from around the country. Three positions (of the 13) on this Board will repre sent slaughterhouses. It is antici pated that the Secretary will an nounce Board appointments later this summer, with the Board meeting to commence promotion efforts by early fall. of issues,” said Paul Rodgers, di rector of animal health, product safety and technical services for the American Sheep Industry As sociation (ASI). “We are very pleased that APHIS is working closely with their state stakehold ers and we look forward to re ceiving communication from APHIS regarding the future di rection of the program.” ASI and several State veteri narians have been urging APHIS to engage in formal consultation with states regarding the matter for some time. ASI Testifies At Congressional Hearing On Department Of Homeland Security DENVER, Colo The Ameri can Sheep Industry Association (ASI) participated recently in the hearing held by the House Com mittee on Agriculture concerning the movement of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspec tion Service (APHIS) into the proposed new Department of Homeland Security. ASI, along with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council, collectively presented testimony addressing the organi zations’ questions and concerns about the proposed move. The organizations expressed their support “to better stream line the work...by different agen cies to protect America from Black Fly Spraying To Resume Along Susquehanna River HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Helicopter spraying for black flies on the Susquehanna River and several tributaries in South central Pennsylvania resumed Tuesday, July 9, following a break for security reasons over the Fourth of July holiday week end, Department of Environ mental Protection (DEP) Secre tary David E. Hess said. “We suspended aerial spraying for black flies over the long holi day period as part of the Com monwealth’s enhanced security procedures,” Secretary Hess said. “We now want to let the public know we are resuming the spray ing.” Aerial spraying is scheduled to resume on the Susquehanna River on Tuesday morning, July 9. The spraying will begin in the those who wish to cause interna tional harm” and commended the Administration for including threats to the agricultural sector in the proposed new department. However, many witnesses stated that numerous questions should be addressed before “we can make an educated decision on what is best to ensure the contin ued protection of American agri culture.” Agricultural organizations and state ag officials expressed con cerns on the effect of moving APHIS into the new department on “APHIS missions that do not relate to protection from terror ism.” These include existing APHIS programs that have taken many years to build and effec- Selinsgrove, Snyder County, area, and proceed south along the river, finishing south of the Marietta area in Lancaster Coun ty. Spraying on the river also will be done from Sunbury, Northum berland County, north to the Bradford Wyoming County line. Spraying also is planned for a number of creeks feeding the Sus quehanna River. Areas to be sprayed include Penns and Mid dle creeks in Snyder and Union counties, Mahantango Creek in Dauphin County, Tuscarora Creek in Juniata County, Augh wick Creek in Huntingdon Coun ty, and the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River at its conflu ence with the Susquehanna River and ending in Huntingdon Coun ty- In addition, spraying will be conducted on the West Branch of Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 1 3, 2002 -A35 tively implement, and the many APHIS tasks that are more do mestic in their nature, such as disease eradication, monitoring and surveillance programs, along with trade issues and programs. “Members of the ASI executive board at their June 22 meeting discussed how the movement of APHIS into the proposed new de partment might affect key APHIS programs of importance to the U.S. sheep industry, such as Wildlife Services,” said ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick, who participated in the testimony to the committee. “Several law makers and industry witnesses mentioned the functions of APHIS at our borders obviously fit the new department while other programs are less clear.” the Susquehanna River from Sunbury, Northumberland Coun ty, to Williamsport, Lycoming County; along Tunkhannock Creek in Wyoming County; and Loyalsock and Pine creeks in Ly coming County. “Because of rains that occurred in May and early June, spraying in much of the Susquehanna Val ley was delayed because river and streams levels were too high and flows too fast for the spraying to be effective,” Secretary Hess said. “This has resulted in a larger number of black flies than nor mal, but the resumption of our spraying operations should re duce these numbers.” DEP uses “Bti,” a naturally oc curring bacteria, to control black flies. This bacteria degrades quickly in the environment and does not harm the aquatic ecosys tem.
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