Animal Ag
Livestock
Equine Study. North Carolina's horse community will be participating in a far-reaching study to assess the industry's statewide economic impact and identify opportunities for growth. For maximum benefit, everyone's help is needed, from horse owners and all industry related professionals to feed and equipment suppliers. The study seeks to be all-inclusive, taking in all breeds, all competition and recreational disciplines and all associated activities. The study will begin with a survey of horse owners, farms, training facilities, veterinary practices, trailer and building suppliers, feed suppliers, and other horse-related operations and businesses. The surveys do not require signatures or other identifying information, and all answers will be confidential. An analysis will then be done to measure the economic impact of the equine industry, and an action plan developed to maximize the industry's contributions to North Carolina's economy.
Aquaculture. The NCSU Ag Foundation gets controlling interest of sturgeon farm. La Paz LLC, a start up sturgeon aquaculture facility in Caswell County will be 56.6% owned by the NCSU Agricultural Foundation. The project, put together by Drs. Tom Losordo and Jeff Hinshaw, will be launched in the coming months as a stand alone, for profit venture. LaPaz's founder, Bill White, recently passed away from advanced stage cancer. Prior to diagnosis of his disease, Mr. White had worked very closely with the NCSU researchers to develop the business plan. He believed in the project so much that he bequeathed the majority of his life estate to support the project. Sturgeon are the source for caviar. Since the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species protected sturgeon by regulating trade in most caviar several years ago, world demand has gone unmet. La Paz will be a closed, re-circulating system with zero discharge.
10,000+ NC farms join NCFarmID program - NCDA&CS reports that more than 10,000 premises now registered in the state. North Carolina leads other states in the Southeast in farm registrations. Nearly 28% of premises have voluntarily registered for the program. NCFarmID is North Carolina's part of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a three-part program with the goal of tracing a disease outbreak back to the farm of origin within 48 hours. Through premises registration, a unique national identification number is assigned to locations in North Carolina where animals are born and raised. Tying a premises identification number to an individual animal identification number allows first responders to more effectively trace animal disease back to its source. This system is used in Canada and throughout Europe. Farmers are encouraged to voluntarily participate in the program. For more information about the NCFarmID program, visit www.NCFarmID.com.
Smithfield Foods says no to cloned animals. Smithfield Foods, a leading US pork firm, has said it will not produce pork from cloned animals because the technology is still too new. "Smithfield Foods is not planning to produce meat products from cloned animals. The science involved in cloning animals is relatively new. As thoughtful leaders in our industry, we will continue to monitor this technology," said the company. Smithfield told FoodNavigator-USA.com that even if FDA confirms its position on the safety of food from cloned animals in the update of its risk assessment, Smithfield would not reconsider its position against the technology.