Weekly livestock and equine news: March 29, 2021

USDA plans to distribute $12 billion in COVID relief for producers

USDA plans to distribute about $12 billion through pandemic relief programs for producers, after reevaluating the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The agency says the new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of producers than previous aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new programs and also plans to begin distributing $4.5 billion for crop producers and $1.1 billion for cattle producers. The agency will develop rules for new programs that put a greater emphasis on outreach to small and socially disadvantaged producers and provide support for the food supply chain and producers of renewable fuel, Feedstuffs reports.

Utah governor signs cage-free law

Utah will go cage-free in 2025, under a new law signed by Governor Spencer J. Cox. Beginning January 1, 2025, farm owners and operators will be prohibited from confining egg-laying hens in an enclosure “that is not a cage-free housing system or that has less usable floor space per hen than required by specific industry guidelines, with certain exceptions,” according to the law. For indoor environments, the bill calls for hens to have the ability to “roam unrestricted” with the exception of exterior walls or fencing used to contain or subdivide flocks under certain conditions. Unlike other states, Utah’s law doesn’t end the sale of cage-raised eggs from outside the state, WattAgNet reports.

Rural infrastructure plan starts with broadband, U.S. rep says

Broadband access will be the centerpiece of a forthcoming rural infrastructure plan from the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, said committee chair David Scott. “We’ve got to be smart and develop rural broadband as a centerpiece to move out for rural development,” Scott told the Agri-Pulse Food and Agriculture Policy Summit. “Because if you don’t have rural broadband there, you’re not going to have the rural development that we need.” He said the policy must address the specific needs of rural communities, rather than being an all-encompassing national broadband plan in a larger infrastructure bill. AgWeb reports.

USDA reverses course on RFID tags

Nine months after proposing a phase-out of metal and plastic identification ear tags, USDA has decided they can be used indefinitely on cattle that cross state borders, cattle exhibited at fairs and dairy cattle. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service wanted to make radio frequency identification tags the only approved tag, saying they would be more useful in a disease outbreak. USDA now says it won’t finalize its July 2020 phase-out proposal and that “all current APHIS-approved methods of identification may be used…until further notice.” The agency said it would consider further rulemaking on the topic, Successful Farming reports.

FDA approves first generic ketoprofen for use in horses

The FDA has approved KetoMed, the first generic ketoprofen for alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders in horses. These disorders, including osteoarthritis and laminitis, are prevalent in aging horses and can cause pain, weakness, stiffness and decreased range of motion in the animals’ joints. KetoMed contains the same active ingredient, ketoprofen, in the same concentration and dosage form as the approved brand name drug product, Ketofen, which was approved in 1990. The FDA also determined that KetoMed contains no inactive ingredients that could significantly affect the bioavailability of the active ingredient.

Covetrus announced as exclusive distributor of RenoVo equine regenerative product

Equine Amnio Solutions, a developer of equine regenerative products, announced that Covetrus will be the exclusive distributor of the RenoVo equine allograft throughout the United States. RenoVo is an acellular, cryopreserved liquid allograft derived from equine amniotic tissues. According to Equine Amnio Solutions, clinical evidence has established the product as safe and effective.