Weekly livestock news: February 24, 2020

U.S. watchdog will investigate farm subsidy program

The U.S. Government Accountability Office is opening a review of the federal government’s $28 billion subsidy program for farm operations negatively affected by the trade war, amid allegations that the money was mismanaged and allocated unfairly, The New York Times reports. The investigation came at the request of Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, who said the aid program was biased and provided more funds to southern states that voted for Donald Trump in the presidential election, while favoring large and foreign agriculture companies over small farms. Stabenow—one of several lawmakers who have asked for investigations into the program—requested that the accountability office study why payments disproportionately went to large farm operations, whether the Agriculture Department was effectively preventing fraud, waste and abuse in the program, and whether the model USDA used to distribute payments accurately reflected trade damages that farmers experienced.

USDA raises export forecast for China

China will buy $14 billion of U.S. agricultural products this year, $3 billion more than forecast before the preliminary trade agreement between the two countries was signed. U.S. Department of Agriculture chief economist Rob Johansson announced the new forecast, the first by USDA about the effects of the agreement, Successful Farming reports. Under the agreement, China is expected to buy $40 billion per year of U.S. food, agricultural and seafood products this year and next year. USDA updated its estimated agricultural exports for this fiscal year to $139.5 billion, a $500 million increase from its November assessment and up $4 billion from fiscal year 2019—an increase almost all due to higher projected exports to China, Johnson said.

Dairy Farmers of America agrees to buy Dean Foods for $425M

Dairy Farmers of America said it’s agreed to buy Dean Foods for $425 million, though the dairy cooperative could still face challenges from higher bids during Dean’s bankruptcy proceedings, CNBC reports. The co-op will also assume Dean Foods’ liabilities as part of the deal to acquire 44 of the company’s facilities, as well as other assets. “We have had a relationship with DFA over the past 20 years, and we are confident in their ability to succeed in the current market and serve our customers with the same commitment to quality and service they have come to expect,” Dean Foods CEO Eric Beringause said in a statement. If approved by the bankruptcy court, the agreement would make Dairy Farmers of America the stalking horse bidder, meaning the transaction would be subject to receiving higher or better offers while the company is in bankruptcy. Dean Foods is also talking with other buyers interested in plants and assets not included in the deal with the co-op.

World Pork Expo to be held in Iowa this year after last year’s cancellation

After canceling the World Pork Expo last year due to concerns over African swine fever, the National Pork Producers Council plans to hold the event in Des Moines in June, saying U.S. biosecurity has improved, the Des Moines Register reports. Concerns over the virus have been especially high in Iowa, the nation’s largest pork producer, which raises about 50 million pigs a year. According to an NPPC spokesperson, the U.S. government has significantly stepped up biosecurity measures since last year, with increased inspection at American ports and the use of beagles to sniff out illegal products. Both chambers of Congress have approved a measure to add agriculture inspectors at the country’s borders. The pork council said illegal transportation of contaminated products into the country is the most likely path for animal disease to enter.

Negligence case raises questions about academic veterinary mentors

A 2017 personal injury case involving the University of Missouri could have implications for how academic institutions outsource clinical education, Jennifer Fiala writes in the VIN News Service. The case involved Jessica Wodohodsky, whose hand was crushed during an internship she completed in 2009 as a University of Missouri veterinary student. Wodohodsky’s mentor, a private practitioner approved by the university, was offsite at the time of the injury. Both he and the site operators were found in court to have been mostly responsible due to negligence. Wodohodsky said during questioning in the case that she didn’t feel comfortable speaking up after the incident partly because she didn’t have her mentor’s phone number or know the site owners, and also because she felt she didn’t have a choice other than to continue working. According to Dr. Fred Gingrich, executive director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, it’s time for the American Veterinary Medical Association to develop best practices for the safety of students and their veterinary mentors.

Vets shift priorities amid new infectious diseases

Veterinary care in today’s poultry facilities should focus on prevention, control and surveillance of infectious diseases, according to an expert who spoke at the recent International Production and Processing Expo. “I’m not the same veterinarian I was when I graduated. I was taught diagnosis and treatment where you go in and treat the animal once it is already sick,” said Mark Bienhoff, pathogen control team leader at Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health. “We cannot control infectious disease epidemics if we do not understand how they behave.” More than 70% of emerging human pathogens worldwide are zoonotic, meaning they can be easily transmitted between humans and animals, WattAgNet reports. Bienhoff said the One Health approach—a concept viewing human, animal and environmental health as interconnected—will become more important in the coming years. “What happen to the animals can happen to us,” he said. “That [is] important to me because I’m going to feed the world and I don’t want to spread any diseases while I do it.”