f
New Technology For Detecting Turkey
Respiratory Virus Now Available
ATHENS, Ga. Agricultural
Research Service scientists have
identified an important gene se
quence that can help identify and
differentiate avian metapneumo
virus. This organism is responsi
ble for turkey rhinotracheitis, an
upper respiratory illness that
causes sneezing, swollen sinuses,
nasal discharge and coughing in
turkeys.
Microbiologists Bruce Seal and
Rene Alvarez of the Southeast
Poultry Research Laboratory in
Athens, Ga., deciphered a seg
ment of the virus’ genetic se
quence. The sequence, previously
unrecorded in the genetic data
bases, could be used to develop a
diagnostic detection kit.
Avian metapneumovirus can
Lancaster Farming
Check out our Website!
www.lancast
be found in turkey and chicken
flocks throughout the world, but
is frequently reported in turkeys
in Minnesota and Europe.
The virus is also associated
with swollen head syndrome and
infectious respiratory disease in
chickens outside of the United
States.
Although not very virulent by
itself, avian metapneumovirus
in combination with other patho
gens or Newcastle disease vac
cines can cause severe respira
tory disease and weight loss in
poultry. Early detection of the
metapneumovirus may allow bet
ter timing of Newcastle disease
virus vaccination to prevent this
complication.
The metapneumovirus is pri
rmina.com
manly transmitted by surface
contact, which allows producers
to reduce its effects by using bio
containment methods such as
disinfection and controlled access
to poultry houses.
Avian metapneumonvirus
causes a high rate of illness in
turkeys that are 6-12 weeks of
age. Early detection would allow
producers to take action and re
duce potential losses in this seg
ment of the flock.
A patent application was filed
in November 2002 for the unique
gene sequence, and the technolo
gy is now available for licensing.
The sequence may also be useful
for developing methods to detect
different avian metapneumovirus
subtypes.
Farm Bureau And Farmers Union Urge
Congress To Restore Funding For COOL
WASHINGTON, D.C. Na
tional Farmers Union (NFU) and
the American Farm Bureau Fed
eration (AFBF) co-signed a letter
of support for mandatory
country-of-origin labeling
(COOL) for food this week in
light of recent attempts in
the House of Representatives
to weaken the new law.
The two general farm or
ganizations sent a joint letter
to House members July 10
opposing language in the fis-
Lancaster
Poursd r
Walls
• Agriculture
• Commar dal • Residential H_ i
Call for Prices On:
• NRCS approved Manure Storage Pits • Concrete
• Basements • Retaining Walls Pumping
• Footers • Foundation Walls
Customer Satisfaction Is Our Goal
Lancaster Poured Walls, Inc.
2542 Horseshoe Rd.» Lancaster, PA 17601
(717) 656-7370 » Fax (717) 656-7350
Make Your Fencing Last! Choose Galvanized.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 26, 2003-A35
USDA Announces Program
To Protect Grassland
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The USDA Farm Service
Agency and Natural Resources
Conservation Service announce
the availability of $660,000 in
funding to protect grasslands
within Pennsylvania through the
new Grassland Reserve Program,
legislated as part of the 2003
Farm Bill.
Grassland can be protected
through 30-year or permanent
easements which are similar to
the Farmland Preservation Pro
gram, or through rental agree
ments that are set up much like
the Conservationve Program.
Easements are based on an ap
praisal while rental payments
vary by county and range from
$7 per acre to $16.50 an acre.
Rental contracts can be 10, IS,
20, or 30 years in length. Haying
cal year 2004 agriculture appro
priations bill that would freeze
funding for the implementation
of origin labeling for meats. The
House is expected to consider the
legislation as early as July 14.
“The secretary of agriculture
has the ultimate responsibility to
ensure mandatory country-of-ori
gin labeling is successful,” said
NFU President Dave Frederick
son. “Instead of back-tracking to
weaken this important legislation
before the rules are even written,
Congress should work closely
lit
will likely be restricted during
nesting periods to protect critical
wildlife habitat.
There is a minimum require
ment of 40 contiguous acres and
applications will be prioritized
based on ranking criteria that
will be placed on the NRCS Web
site at www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov.
While applications will be ac
cepted at any time, there is an
Aug. 1, cut-off for ranking appli
cations for FYO3 funding. Inis
will allow time for contract obli
gations to be completed prior to
the end of the fiscal year on Sept.
30.
For information contact a
USDA Service Center which can
be found in the telephone book
under USDA, Natural Conserva
tion Service or Farm Service
Agency.
with USDA to make sure the
final guidelines match the origi
nal congressional intent and are
friendly to producers and con
sumers as well as processors.”
NFU and AFBF, which togeth
er represent the majority of the
nation’s agriculture producers,
support an amendment to restore
funding for country-of-origin la
beling, which Reps. Dennis Reh
berg, R-Mont, and Darlene Hoo
ley, D-Ore., introduced this week.
IIIH