USDA Hearing.

U.S. Senator Jim Talent and Congressman Roy Blunt welcome the announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to hold a listening session in Joplin on August 27 to discuss the development, structure and implementation of a national animal identification program for beef and dairy cows. Sen. Talent and Congressman Blunt requested the listening session on behalf of the state’s agriculture community.

"We have the opportunity to build an animal ID network that works for producers, consumers as well as our trading partners," said Talent, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Marketing, Inspection and Product Promotion, which has jurisdiction over food safety and animal health. "This listening session will be an opportunity for farmers and ranchers to share their concerns and have their questions answered by the Administration. Working together we can address potential concerns and make certain the agriculture community has all the information it needs to ensure the program is a success."

Congressman Blunt said, "The USDA hearing recognizes the national prominence of Southwest Missouri’s livestock industry and the impact a National Animal Identification Program would have on it. Within a 100-mile radius of Springfield there are more cow-calf herds than any comparable region in America. The Joplin Stockyards is the nation’s second largest and Springfield’s livestock center continues to grow in sales." Blunt continued, "Any animal identification program should address the issues of cost, confidentiality and liability and Southwest Missouri livestock producers should use this hearing to express their views on these critical issues. I am pleased that USDA chose Joplin for this important dialogue."

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced in December 2003 that USDA would expedite the implementation of a national animal ID program. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received emergency funding to build and implement a national system that will quickly and efficiently traceback diseased or potentially diseased animals. The Administration testified that a premise identification system will be completed this summer, which will allow for the beginning of pilot programs to test identification systems.

Growin’ up in this part of the country, ya just take cows for granted I suppose. Bein’ from a small rural community, a good portion of the kids I grew up with lived on farms and most had at least a few cattle.

‘Course all the pastures that we hunted from time to time had evidence of cattle. Trails leadin’ to the pond and the dangers of not watchin’ where ya stepped while followin’ the trail.

‘Course we were always mindful of the infamous bull that was thought to occupy all open territory. I was never personally confronted by an angry bull, but I never went outa my way to aggravate one either.

‘Bout the most confrontation I ever had with cattle was with a tough piece a steak on a camp out. I’m still not sure who won that one.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• "To encourage our son to save money rather than spend, we offer him a choice of weekly allowances. He can choose to receive a smaller amount outright or a larger amount with the restriction that half of it goes to savings. For example, he can get $5 or opt for $8, $4 of which goes into savings. The amounts have changed through the years. It always amazes me how often he chooses the savings option, even though he gets less to spend right away. He started doing chores over the past summer, and even gave me some of that money to put into savings." — Texas reader via e-mail

• Keep an alarm clock in the bathroom to help keep you on track in the morning. You could also use a kitchen timer. If you get a digital timer that counts down, you will always know how much time you have before you have to leave.

• Here’s a great toy for budding artists. Purchase a garden kneepad or large, solid foam board. Tape string to five or six crayons, then tie the strings through a hole in the board. You have a lightweight worksurface for drawing, and the strings keep the crayons handy — you could even hold paper in place using a hair clip. It’s also great for the car, since the light foam is safer than a clipboard.

• "I was doing a lot of cooking recently and had to grease many pans for baking. The shortening I used ended up all over my hands, and they feel great. Crisco makes a fantastic moisturizer for hands (and feet, too, I have since learned)." — J.I. in Rhode Island

• Net laundry bags work great for keeping everything organized in a toy box or in the car. You can store all game pieces together and just toss it in the box with other toys.