I admit that I have been proscrastinating myself- afterall, it will just be another movie that will misrepresent modern agriculture. However, as I have said time and time again on this blog I think it is important for those involved in the agriculture to watch movies like Food Inc. and read books by Michael Pollan and Jonathan Foer (just to …
New York Animal Law Webcast Available Online
As some of my readers might recall, I am on the Committee on Animal Law (“CAL”) for the New York State Bar Association (“NYSBA”). The webcast from the CAL annual meeting is now available online. If an attorney would like to recieve MCLE credit, NYSBA members can pay $75 and nonmembers can pay $125. There are also materials available for download online from …
Investigations By Non-Police Officers for Animal Abuse: Has Your Livestock Operation Developed a Plan?
Over the last six months, I have been blogging a lot about livestock animal welfare issues. Last month, I wrote this blog that contained a checklist for New York livestock producers when they are confronted by a peace officer that wants to investigate their property for animal abuse. Today I posted this article on JD Supra that describes in more …
Simmental Reading Part 2: Abuse in Show Industry
Yesterday, I noted how much I enjoyed this article in January’s SimTalk. I also recommend reading Marty Ropp’s article titled “Winning At Any Cost?” in the Register published this month. In this article, Marty mentioned the abuses that take place in the show livestock industry. Specifically, he stated that “the use of illegal drugs on livestock, inhumane practices such as cosmetic surgeries …
Catching Up on My Simmental Reading– Succession Planning
For those of you that know me personally, you know that I am a big supporter of the Simmental cattle industry. It’s the breed of cattle that my family raises and grew to love the breed throughout my childhood. I also spent some time in Bozeman, Montana interning at the association’s headquarters. Last night, I was catching up on reading the latest …
YPC’s Public Relations Task Force
I make no secret on this blog my love for the cattle industry and activity with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (“NCBA”) Young Producers’ Council. I will continue to serve as YPC’s Public Relations Chair for 2010. Please let me know if you are interested in joining the Public Relations Team as I would like to have a conference call next …
The Debate on Antibiotics
Recently Katie Couric’s CBS special on antibiotic use on livestock has the agriculture industry (particularly the National Pork Producers Council) once again defending its practices to American consumers. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (“NCBA”) sent Dr. Michael Apley, a veterinary clinical pharmacologist from Kansas State University to Washington to visit with Congress about the use of antibiotics in the beef industry and visit with Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Rep. …
Urban Development: Is It Making It Too Hard For Children To Stay On The Farm?
This past week I was asked this very question and it made me think about the connection between urban development and our children who grew up in production agriculture who later leave the farm only to get a job in a metropolitan area. In this blog, I mentioned that this issue is creating a problem for agriculture estate and succession planning as some farmers …
Checklist: What Should New York Livestock Producers Do If A Peace Officer Asks To Investigate Their Property
If you remember last fall in this blog, I highlighed various livestock animal cruelty laws in New York. Like this Long Island horse breeder, many livestock producers in New York are wondering if they will be next. It is important for livestock producers in New York to understand that duly incorporated animal societies (principally the New York Society Preventing Animal …
What are Some Changes in Farm Animal Care Laws That Should Take Place at the State and/or Federal Level?
Last week on #AgChat on Twitter, @RinckerLaw posed this question to the “ag tweeps” during the forum discusssing animal care issues. You can read what folks on Twitter had to say on this question here. @CowNutritionist and @rosehartshuh both liked what Ohio did last fall with the creation of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. @Amsjost believes that every farm …
Will Be a Panelist at the Sigma Alpha/Alpha Gamma Rho Leadership Seminar
I have been asked to be a panelist to speak on agriculture law and policy issues at the Sigma Alpha/Alpha Gamma Rho Leadership Seminar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 20th from 1:15 to 2:45 pm at the Holiday Inn – Historic District Hotel located at 400 Arch Street. I’m really excited about this event for a few reasons. First of …
New York Agri-Women Are Now On Facebook and Twitter
Several women involved in the agriculture industry in New York are starting a New York affilate of the American Agri-Women Association (“AAW”) (a.k.a. @Women4Ag). I have always particularly admired strong female leaders involved in agriculture – afterall, we’re the ones really running this industry! (don’t tell the guys I said that). New York Agri-Women will give females involved in agriculture in the …