Farm & Ranch
Ag Elsewhere : California – The Importance of “Agvocacy”
By Lainey Smith
With the summer coming to an end, California ranchers look ahead to what the new season brings. Fall gives agriculturalists a chance to breathe, with harvest complete and calves on the ground.
However, this November, agriculture and politics mix once again, with a new round of propositions on the midterm ballot threatening farming practices.
Politics is a frequent hot topic for the state’s farmers and ranchers. California is one of the top producing areas of the world for crops, but the majority of its population resides in large cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is a problem when the majority of registered voters are not directly involved in or understand farming practices. Today, the average person is four generations removed from agriculture.
With positive changes in farm policy happening on a national level, California lags behind.
On its November ballot, Proposition 12 proposes to “ban the sale of meat and eggs from calves raised for veal, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens housed in confined areas.” If passed, all eggs are required to meet “cage-free” standards by 2021, gestation crates for sows will be illegal by 2020, and veal industry will be outlawed all together.
To read more pick up a copy of the September 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.
Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Tressa Lawrence
Babies are tucked away in every nook and cranny. Many ranchers across Wyoming have baby animals popping up all over this time of year.
By Lindsey Monk
Another load of grain in to keep feeding the calves until the green grass can really start popping.
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