- Author: John M Harper
Below is some exciting news that will impact Lake & Mendocino County livestock grazers. I'll be participating in some of the effort so stay tuned for more information.
Prescribed Grazing Research Funded –
Cooperative Extension Specialist Ken Tate has been awarded a three-year, $484,488 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for his project entitled, “Prescribed grazing to restore rangeland soil quality, plant diversity, water quality and agricultural productivity.” Others working with Tate include Assistant Professor Valerie Eviner, Cooperative Extension Specialist Mel George, graduate student Leslie Roche, Toby O’Geen, assistant soil research specialist in Cooperative Extension from Land, Air and Water Resources and Assistant Professor Mark Lubell from Environmental Science and Policy.
The team will survey 1,500 ranchland managers to help determine social-cultural-economic-institutional factors driving grazing decisions and understand how managers receive, assess and use grazing management information. They will quantify the differential effects of season and intensity of cattle grazing, and associated interactions, on multiple ecosystem services. Finally, they will develop an online network that allows users to access research-and-management-derived information about prescribed grazing and restoration; receive assistance in developing grazing management and effectiveness monitoring options for site specific restoration applications; and participate in interactive prescribed grazing/restoration information exchange.
- Author: John M Harper
Have you ever wondered how much beef or lamb is consumed in Mendocino or Lake Counties daily, weekly, monthly or annually? Or how much is produced? Would you like to know how much is produced in other counties or in the whole state of California?
Well, thanks to the The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University you can now find out. The Center has developed a unique tool known as the U.S. Food Market Estimator. The tool has a series of drop down menus that will give you lots of information about the food market but it's not just about meat. Other foods such as vegetables, fruits and nuts are listed too. This tool would be useful to our niche meat producers looking at capturing a share of the traditional market or finding out what the potential of "going local" would really mean. Take a look and play with it for a while. You'll be amazed!
- Author: John M Harper
Meat Industry Capacity and Feasibility Study of the North Coast Region of California NOTE: This is a 1 MB file and may take a while to download. Printed copies are available from the Mendocino County Economic Development and Finance Corporation (MCEDFC) at a cost of $20. The full plans and technical specifications for the facility are also available from MCEDFC at a cost of $100.
I'm happy to respond to questions concerning this study through this BLOG.
- Author: John M Harper
- Author: John M Harper
TWENTY-EIGHT HOUR LAW
A. Under the Twenty-Eight Hour Law, transporters are required to stop to provide animals with food, water, and rest. Transporters who have deprived livestock of food, water, or rest for more than 28 hours are in violation of the Twenty-Eight Hour Law (49 USC 80502).
B. If livestock arriving on a transport vehicle appear exhausted or dehydrated, IPP are to ask establishment management whether the truck driver stopped within 28 hours to provide the animals rest, food, and water. If the truck driver or establishment is unwilling to provide information, or if IPP believe the condition of the animals could be the result of being deprived of rest, food, and water for over 28 hours, IPP are to contact the APHIS, Area Veterinarian-in-Charge, via their FSIS chain of command, so that APHIS can conduct an investigation.
The full copy of the USDA FSIS Notice can be read at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/06-10.pdf.
