Weekly livestock news: June 21, 2021

Nevada passes cage-free egg law

A new Nevada law will require all eggs sold in the state to come from cage-free chickens. Enrichments for egg-laying hens such as nests, perches and dust-bathing areas are also required by the law, the Reno Gazette Journal reports. Nevada is the ninth state in the country to adopt a policy banning cages for egg-laying hens. The law will go into effect in stages beginning January 1, 2022. The Nevada Farm Bureau originally opposed the bill, arguing it was too restrictive for small farmers. But after the bill was changed during deliberation to exempt farmers with 3,000 or fewer egg-laying hens, the organization changed its position to neutral.

USDA defends minority farmer debt relief despite legal fight

USDA is pressing forward on its goal of forgiving government-backed loans for minority farmers who have faced decades of discrimination, despite a temporary restraining order issued by a U.S. District Court, Reuters reports. A USDA spokesperson said the agency will be ready to process payments on an estimated $4 billion in debt relief for 17,000 Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and Asian farmers once legal battles are resolved. It planned to start issuing payments in June. The spokesperson said the government can’t appeal the restraining order, which pauses payments until the court decides more broadly on a lawsuit over whether or not the debt relief program discriminates against non-minority farmers.

Lawmakers probe JBS over $11 million ransomware payment

The U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee has requested information from JBS on the $11 million ransom the company paid to the ransomware group REvil following a cyberattack in May that forced it to temporarily close some of its operations. In a letter released June 11, Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney requested JBS provide by June 24 private documents and other information related to the attack, including details about when the company first discovered the intrusion and any communication between employees and the attackers. “Any ransom payment to cybercriminal actors like REvil sets a dangerous precedent that increases future risk of ransomware attacks,” Maloney said. A JBS spokesperson said the company “will fully cooperate” with the investigation, Bank Info Security reports.

Cargill joins U.S. CattleTrace

Cargill has joined CattleTrace, a program formed by several state cattlemen’s associations that aims to develop a national infrastructure for animal disease traceability in the U.S. cattle industry. Cargill, which has joined the program as an official packer member, is the second beef processor to invest in the effort, according to the announcement. (Tyson Fresh Meats joined in April.) Using ear tags and radio frequency technologies, CattleTrace collects data including animal identification numbers as well as GPS location of animals. This information is then used to track animals in case of an outbreak, as well as to track animals from birth location to each location they travel before reaching a processor for harvest.

Workshop focuses on multi-state vaccination plan for foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

A recent workshop hosted by Texas A&M focused on foot-and-mouth disease vaccine plans in case of outbreaks in major livestock-producing states. The United States hasn’t had an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease since 1929. An outbreak could be economically devastating to the livestock industry, including billions of dollars of lost trade, according to Texas A&M. Funding in the 2018 farm bill allowed for more foot-and-mouth disease vaccine production, meaning vaccination “is now a viable option on the table as a tool that could be used in a national outbreak situation,” said Dr. Jimmy Tickel, who helped coordinate the event. But since there would still be more vaccine than livestock initially, the vaccination plan must be strategic to be effective.

Webinar will focus on precision livestock farming in the swine industry

National Hog Farmer will host a webinar July 9 focusing on the future of precision livestock farming in the swine industry. The event will feature Dr. Rodger Main, a veterinarian and director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Iowa State University, and Anna Johnson, a professor of animal behavior and welfare at Iowa State. Dr. John Kolb, a veterinarian and director of Merck Animal Health Ventures’ precision swine business, will moderate. More information and registration are available online.