NEWS ARCHIVES
2008: January February March April May June July August September October November December
Higher feed costs and lower hog prices invite pork producers to take another look at market weight strategies. In a short article, ISU Extension livestock economist John Lawrence describes how changing feed costs and market conditions will affect individual decisions. Producers can download and use either a simple calculator spreadsheet or a more advanced version to aid in their decision-making process. 10/14/2008
Interested in learning more about the 2008 Farm Bill? The USDA’s Economic Research Service offers a side-by-side comparison for your use. Take a quick look or spend more time. The entire Farm Bill also can be downloaded from this site. 09/25/2008
Recent research by USDA-ARS (Agricultural Research Service) scientists shows that dusting hog manure with powdered borax aids in reducing negative odors. The process helps neutralize sulfate-reducing and other anaerobic bacteria, which also lowered levels of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and other gases. Swine nursery rooms were treated weekly with 1 percent or 2 percent borax for six weeks, and compared with control rooms that were untreated. After six weeks, the sulfate-reducing bacteria numbers were reduced by 99 percent and hydrogen sulfide levels were reduced 80 percent. Good news because borax is readily available, fairly safe for people to handle and occurs naturally.(See The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2001). Yes, this is the same borax used for decades for baby laundry needs. (See Mule Team® Borax brochure) 09/24/2008
See IPIC at the Farm Progress Show near Boone. Learn about the economic impact of a 2,400-head grow-finish operation and try out some of our software. We're in the Iowa State University hoop building at the intersectiono of Seventh Street and Central Avenue. See maps and more on the Farm Progress Show Web site. 08/26/2008
Pork and pork variety meat exports in June were twice as high as a year ago. U.S. Meat Export Federation says more than 192,000 metric tons of U.S. product with a value of $451 million was exported that month. The China-Hong Kong area imports the most -- 6 percent of U.S. production in the first half of this year. Read more in this article on the USMEF Web site. 08/19/2008
Learn about the Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling program that goes into effect Sept. 30. ISU experts will explain program requirements, provide guidance and offer suggestions to the state’s swine and cattle producers at a free Web program Aug. 25. See this news release for more information. 08/19/2008
ISU’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture is looking for innovative projects in the sustainable agriculture area as part of its 2008 request for proposals. Director Jerry DeWitt says the process shapes the center’s work for the next year or two, and encourages all eligible groups to consider submitting a pre-proposal by the Aug. 18 deadline. Any Iowa nonprofit organization, agency and educational institution (such as soil and water conservation districts, or regional development groups) may submit proposals. Involvement and collaboration of farmers, landowners and farm-based businesses is strongly encouraged. See more on the Leopold Center’s Web site. 07/16/2008
USDA issues interim final rule for the mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) program that becomes effective on Sept. 30. Revisions include definition of processed food items, retail label requirements and criteria for "United States country of origin" declaration. 07/30/2008
Canadian cull program has mixed success. According to a report on Farmscape.com, Canada’s federal Cull Breeding Swine program is going beyond expectations in some areas while other regions aren’t buying in to it that much. The overall goal was to reduce the nation’s breeding herd by 10 percent, but officials now say that number probably won’t be reached. The program requires that barns in the program must remain out of production for three years. 07/03/2008
Last call for entries in the 2008 Lauren Christian Pork Chop Open. The 32-team field is rapidly filling for the July 15 event, so download and submit the registration form soon to ensure your spot by the July 8 deadline. Cost is $75 per person for golf, lunch, refreshments, social time and evening meal. Call IPIC at 515-294-4103 with any questions. 07/03/2008
Information from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association shows that ethanol can save money for families primarily through lower cost fuel. They used data from USDA, ISU and others indicating that if ethanol use was decreased, consumers would save $24 at the grocery store while paying up to $1,600 more for fuel. And transportation costs are a major source of rising food prices. Read a news release on the Brownfield Network site. 06/18/2008
New “Canadian Pork” label designed to help Canadians identify and choose pork from that country. Pork Marketing Canada is behind this voluntary label program being offered to retailers. Some have already started using the label, according to this news from Manitoba’s Farm-Scape. 06/18/2008
IPIC staff member Colin Johnson is leading a three-week study abroad trip to Denmark for ISU students. Farms.com is providing links for regular communications from the group. To see the individual links which include photos, go to Farms.com and click on any line that begins with “Students Report from Denmark.” 05/19/2008
The Farm Bill was passed by Congress, vetoed by the president and reapproved by the House, or was it? Apparently about 35 pages of the actual document were somehow left out of the copy that President Bush received, and vetoed. Because his version was not the same as what Congress had passed, both chambers might have to re-approve, then send again to President Bush to re-veto, and finally, vote yet again to re-override that veto. What’s next? Stay tuned to the official 2007 Farm Bill Web site. 05/23/2008
Four U.S. plants, including Tyson Fresh Meats of Storm Lake, Iowa, won’t be able to export pork to Russian Federation as of May 5. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service officials say unspecified violations of Russian drug tolerances led to the ban. Read an article about this action on the Agriculture Online Web site here. See the listing of U.S. slaughter facilities eligible for Russian export on the FSIS Web site. 04/30/2008
Speakers address key criteria for making sow group housing work. One session at the recent annual meeting of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians focused on housing and maintenance of gestating sows, and presenters offered several areas of importance for those working with group housing. Fro example, ISU’s Ken Stalder emphasized foot and leg soundness and creating and maintaining good stockmanship skills in workers. Read more on the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Web site. 04/28/2008
Calculator helps producers determine value of adding DDGS. University of Illinois faculty member Hans Stein and his post-doctoral student Beob Kim have developed a free Excel-based calculator that can help producers figure out the value of adding distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to their swine diets. The calculator is available on the Illinois Pork Producers Association Web site. 04/08/2008
IPIC Associate Director James McKean is winner of the Pork Checkoff’s Distinguished Service Award, just announced at the 2008 National Pork Industry Forum in St. Louis, Mo. This annual award recognizes the lifelong contribution to the pork industry by an outstanding leader. McKean also is an ISU University Professor and ISU Extension swine veterinarian. NPB president Lynn Harrison said, "Jim is an exceptional player in the pork industry (and) …is dedicated to the industry as a whole, dedicated to the local producers and dedicated to the local community." 03/10/2008
Farming Matters: A forum for Iowa crop and livestock farmers, the fourth in a series, is set for March 25 in Ames. Sponsored by Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers, the agenda focuses on managing energy and input costs, effective communications with neighbors, and livestock rule reviews. Cost is $35 when registered by March 14, $50 per person after that date. Read more on the CSIF Web site. 02/22/2008
ISU associate professor of Veterinary Medicine Scott Hurd is named the new USDA deputy undersecretary for food safety. His appointment expires Jan. 20, 2009, when the next U.S. president takes office. Hurd says he's looking forward to using his background and knowledge of food risks and food safety in this new position and when he returns to Iowa State afterwards. Read more in news releases from Iowa State and USDA. 02/13/2008
USDA extends comment period for "naturally raised meat marketing claim" through March 3, 2008. See more information on the USDA-ARS Web site. Comments may be sent by regular mail, fax or e-mail, Be sure to reference "Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0731" in writing at the top of the letter or email "Re: Docket No. AMS-LS-07-0131." Include your name, address, and if appropriate, affiliation(s) and/or interest(s) in the issue. To read the more than 1,100 comments already received on this topic, check out the comments page. 02/12/2008
The USDA has released a final risk assessment on animal clones, including the finding that, " … meat and milk from clones of cattle, swine, and goats, and the offspring of clones from any species traditionally consumed as food, are as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals." For more information on this topic and links to additional sources like the Food and Drug Administration's cloning pages, see this special USDA web site. 01/16/2008
Interested in adding crude glycerol to your swine diets? See the new IPIC publication on crude glycerol usage in the series "Feeding Bioenergy Coproducts to Swine." 01/14/2008
Learn more about niche pork production costs, returns and efficiency in this report from 2006 prepared as part of a National Research Initiative Grant. The project is coordinated through IPIC and Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), and the report was prepared by James Kliebenstein and John Mabry of ISU, Dave Stender of ISU Extension and Gary Huber of PFI. 01/14/2008
ISU researchers working with a team of USDA-ARS researchers have characterized a fairly newly identified influenza subtype in pigs. Wenjun Ma and Bruce Janke, both of the College of Veterinary Medicine, say the discovery is important because theis subtype typically hasn't been found in pigs. See the USDA news release. And, read more in an ISU news release about the virus frequently found in birds. 01/03/08
The latest U.S. Hogs and Pigs report shows hog numbers continue to increase and returns continue to decrease. ISU extension ag economist John Lawrence says production is "forecast to increase in 2008 over record 2007 levels." Read his report on the final 2007 numbers. 12/31/2007
"Transitioning to Organic" course available at ISU starting Jan.
8, 2008. Associate professor of horticulture and agronomy Kathleen Dalate
is the lead instructor. She says anyone interested in the topic is welcome to
register. Cost is $10 per
sesssion,
and only
those interested in receiving academic credit need to attend all 16 weekly
sessions. Learn more on the course Web
site. 12/31/2007
