By Mayhah Suri
How The Super Bowl Shaped The Chicken Industry! On January 15, 1967, the Green Bay Packers faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the very first Super Bowl. On that day, few of the estimated 51 million fans gathered around their television sets realized the profound impact the Super Bowl would have on chicken consumption in the United States. The Packers won the game 35-10, but ultimately the real winner was chicken – particularly wings. To read the full story visit http://blogs.usda.gov/2016/02/03/it-all-began-with-a-football-how-the-super-bowl-shaped-the-chicken-industry/
MDE Poised To Streamline CAFO Permits Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles told Eastern Shore legislators at a delegation meeting Friday, Jan. 29, that the department is committed to streamlining permits for concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. Farmers who, for instance, want to build a large chicken house must apply to the MDE with a CAFO permit, but a number of factors have slowed the approval of the permits and they are backlogged. Grumbles said MDE is aware it is a threat to the economic vitality of the Eastern Shore. To read the full story go here: http://m.stardem.com/news/environment/article_1c8814d1-038c-5217-8959-cba82fee514c.html?mode=jqm
Veterinary Feed Directive: What You Need to Know Major changes to how producers can purchase many medicated feeds are on the way under the new Veterinary Feed Directive rule, passed by the FDA. Three significant changes are coming: (1) many drug labels are currently being modified by limiting the drug’s use to therapeutic, rather than production uses; (2) all “medically important” antimicrobial drugs used in feed will no longer be “over the counter”; and (3) a veterinarian must complete a VFD form before a producer can purchase certain medicated feeds that fall under the definition. To the read the full story visit http://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/2016/01/12/veterinary-feed-directive-what-you-need-to-know/
Maryland Lawmakers Address Poultry Waste, Oyster Restoration On Tuesday, Maryland legislators and contract farmers — those hired by companies to grow certain products — introduced the Poultry Litter Management Act to both chambers of the General Assembly. The bill would require major animal agriculture companies to pay the cost of properly disposing excess manure on their contract farms. “It’s a fairness issue, it has an adverse impact on our environment and we need to clean it up,” said Sen. Joan Conway, D-Baltimore, “and those individuals who are making the mess need to clean up the mess.” To read the full story click here: http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/2016/02/02/maryland-poultry-oysters/79717630/
Environmental Groups Plan to Sue Plant Over Pollution Concerns The Environmental Energy Project and Blue Water Baltimore, both environmental groups, have announced plans to sue Erachem Comilog Plant for allegedly polluting more than the legal limit. The plant, which is owned by a French company, processes manganese for use in electronics and agriculture and is located in Baltimore. For more information, visit: https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/local/groups-intend-to-sue-chemical-plant-over-alleged-pollution/2016/02/02/ee476b18-c9bd-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html?resType=accessibility&nid=menu_nav_accessibilityforscreenreader