Rancher

FAQs on COVID-19 Vaccination with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:55:55 GMT

To answer common questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. Surgeon General vice admiral Dr. Vivek Murthy joined AgriTalk on May 4. This was the same day President Joe Biden shared the goal for 70% of adults in America to have had at least one shot of the vaccine by July 4.

“The progress report is good,” Murthy says. “We have made tremendous progress in vaccinating the country to date. If you look at people above the age of 65, we’ve gotten at least one dose of the vaccine into more than 80%, which is pretty extraordinary. And we have about 70% of our seniors who are now fully vaccinated.”

But even with those 150 million people who have had at least one shot, Murthy says the country needs to have another 100 million shots administered in the next 60 days to reach the president’s next goal by July 4.

You can listen to the full interview with Murthy here:

On the segment, Murthy answered several commonly asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine:

Do we have enough supply?

“Here in America, we have done a good job of bolstering our supply. So we do have more and more vaccine available for those who want it. And we also, very importantly, have more places where you can get a vaccine.”

What is being done to increase access to the vaccine?

“There are over 40,000 pharmacies in the country that now have vaccine to offer. We have community vaccination sites, we have community health centers where we’ve actually directly delivered vaccine from the federal government and we’ve got more primary care doctors who are getting vaccine direct-ly in their offices so they can give it to patients. The President and the administration will be providing more direct funding and support to rural health clinics to support outreach as well as direct allocation of vaccine to rural health clinics so they can directly vaccinate their own patients.”

How is access being improved specifically to rural America?

“We know rural areas are different from urban areas, people are more spread out, it’s not always as easy to travel to one location that’s close to everyone to get a vaccine. So we’ve got to work through some of those logistical barriers, which is why the funding for the rural health clinics and for these mobile units is so important. But we also know everyone looked gets information from different sources. We’re a big country. Not everyone listens to the same news station, radio station and that means we’ve got to do more work in getting information out, and particularly through people’s doctors, which is the reason behind one of the projects we launched. From my office and other offices in the government it’s something called COVID-19 Community Core, where we bring together doctors, nurses, faith leaders, local business leaders and others to get the accurate information they know they and their communities want and to be able to share that with them.

In addition to people trusting the doctors and nurses who take care of them, we know about 50% of people say they would take the advice of a family member or friend when it comes to making a decision on the vaccine. What that means is even if you don’t have a medical degree or a nursing degree, you can still be a vital force in helping people understand the vaccines we have for COVID-19 are a way to protect them against COVID and a way, ultimately, for us to help turn this pandemic around.”

Why are people hesitant to get the vaccine?

“We’ve seen a lot of news stories about people being hesitant to get the vaccine. But what we’re finding actually is people who haven’t gotten vaccinated yet it’s a combination of a few things. Some people have questions, which are important to answer. We want people to get answers from reliable sources, like their doctors or their nurses who take care of them. But we also know some people are wondering if it’s really that important for them to get vaccinated. Maybe they’re young and healthy, and they think, ‘Hey, I’m not at high risk of a bad outcome, do I really need to get this vaccine?’, or maybe they’re working two or three jobs and don’t have transportation to get to a vaccine center.

We’re trying to work on all three fronts to make sure we’re working closely with doctors and nurses around the country, as well as pastors and other faith leaders, to help get information to their com-munities. But we’re also trying to improve the number of access points so it’s easier and easier hope-fully over the weeks ahead for people to get vaccines in their pharmacy, in their doctor’s office or in their neighborhoods.”

Should people who have had COVID-19 get vaccinated?

“The answer is yes. And here’s why. It turns out the immunity you get from a natural infection is actually not as robust. It’s not as strong as the protection you get from the vaccine. So you’re more likely to be at risk for reinfection. That’s why we’re asking everyone to get vaccinated regardless of their prior infection.”

What if people still have questions?

“I always say our health is personal to us. And if you have questions, you absolutely have a right to get those questions answered because ultimately, it’s your health. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind about the vaccine.

Recognize 90% of doctors in this country have either gotten the vaccine or are planning to get it as soon as possible. That tells you about the faith the medical profession has in the vaccine.
Keep in mind these vaccines, even though it seems like they were developed on a quick timeframe, the technology behind them has been in development for decades.
We are lucky enough to see the culmination of that research, and these vaccines have been studied rigorously in clinical trials and what we’ve seen with nearly 150 million people having received at least one dose of the vaccine is this side effect profile remains really strong in terms of safety. The effectiveness remains extraordinarily strong and high as well. That’s what you want to see — high effectiveness and very low risk in any vaccine you take.
I know many people are worried about the side effects of the vaccine. But first of all, the vast majority of people don’t have side effects from this vaccine. Those who do tend to experience one to two days of flu-like symptoms, meaning fatigue, maybe a low-grade fever and a body ache, but that lasts for about a day or two. Then it goes away, and they feel pretty good. Afterward what you’re left with is protection from the vaccine.

“It’s certainly a blessing to be able to serve the country, especially at a time like this during this pandemic crisis. I’m eager to do everything I can to help,” Murthy says.

Wildfires Can Impact Grasslands

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 19:50:58 GMT

The winter of 2020-2021 has been extremely dry, warm and windy.

As of April 12, all of North Dakota was in drought, with approximately 70% of the state in extreme drought (D3 on a scale of D0 to D4). This condition has created a “perfect storm,” with large amounts of dry vegetation, low humidity, dry soils and wind fueling a high-risk environment for wildfires.

So, what are the impacts of fire on the plant community and forage production, soil erosion and animal health?

“Let’s start with the plant community,” says Kevin Sedivec, North Dakota State University Extension rangeland management specialist and director of NDSU’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center. “Because the wildfires to date have been classified as dormant-season fires (prior to the growing season), there should be no impact on the plant community in terms of species change on rangelands, plant density on grass hay stands or forage production of new growth.”

NDSU researchers conducted a two-year study on a pasture fire near Lemmon, S.D. This fire occurred in early April 2013. The researchers found no change in plant species composition, but they did see an increase in bare ground and reduction in litter the year of the fire, but no differences the following year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Station in Miles City, Mont., assessed the impacts of the fire on forage production. The researchers found the fire actually increased forage production more than 50% during the year of the fire. They also found grazing two months after the fire increased production the highest the following year.

Research at the Central Grasslands Research Extension Center also has shown that April fires have no negative effect on forage production, and grazing one to two months following the burn increased new growth when rotationally grazed.

“Wildfires will remove most of the standing litter, or carryover dead plants, leading to less overall standing forage,” Sedivec says. “However, much of this standing litter is low in quality and palatability.”

The standing litter does protect the soil by acting like armor. Wildfires will increase bare ground, which can lead to a higher risk of erosion. Land with slopes or rough topography will be highly susceptible to erosion or sluffing of soil downslope.

Managing Lands Impacted by a Dormant-season Fire

The most common question will be: “When can I graze my pasture after the fire?”

“This is a tougher question to answer because of many variables,” Sedivec says. “The current drought will impact plant recovery. Past grazing management also will enhance or impede plant recovery.”

If moisture in May and June is normal or above normal, grazing can be conducted at the normal time period, especially on lands with gentle to no slopes. In badland regions or areas with exposed soils and slopes, delay grazing until sufficient growth has occurred to protect the soils. This may be two to four months, but more importantly, the soils need protection with vegetation.

If the drought continues through May and June, delay grazing a minimum of two months to put less stress on the plants while they are growing actively. Most of the grasses will head out, or mature, by early July, so grazing should be safe after that time.

Grazing on badland areas, as seen near Medora or in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, can increase erosion with an extended drought. These areas will be the slowest to recover and have the greatest risk of erosion.

A continued drought will have the greatest impact on these areas in terms of timing of recovery. Grazing may need to be delayed the longest in these areas to negate the impacts of livestock trailing on these exposed, steep slopes.

Animal Health a Concern

Animal health also can be a concern on burned areas that do not have sufficient recovery of plant growth. Ash and dust can lead to dust pneumonia in livestock, especially the young.

Do not graze freshly burned areas that have little to no new plant growth, especially if the drought persists. Rainfall will settle the dust and ash, leading to new plant growth and a safe environment for livestock.

Sedivec recommends delaying livestock grazing until early May on crested wheatgrass and late May on rangelands, regardless of whether the pasture was burned.

“The drought has created a delay in plant growth and production,” he says. “If you follow this guideline, pastures affected by wildfire should be safe to graze by late May or early June without impacting the plant community or new forage production. The drought will have a greater impact on forage production than dormant-season fires in North Dakota.”

CattleTrace Holds First Industry Symposium

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:19:02 GMT

CattleTrace, the industry-driven initiative to build a disease traceability system for the beef industry, has expanded to multiple states. That was one of the messages more than 200 industry leaders from across the nation discovered at the first CattleTrace Industry Symposium held Nov. 22, 2019, in Manhattan, Kan.

The symposium provided opportunities for CattleTrace partners and other stakeholders to discuss the future of disease traceability and to provide feedback and guidance on CattleTrace and the advancement of disease traceability.

“CattleTrace was developed by and for beef producers,” said Brandon Depenbusch, CattleTrace, Inc., Board of Directors Chairman. “It was humbling to have so many producers and partners participate in the symposium, and their feedback will be critical as CattleTrace continues expanding and progressing.”

CattleTrace was launched in late June 2018. Since then, a disease traceability system has been developed and built, including ultra-high frequency ear tags, tag readers and a private database, owned by CattleTrace, Inc. To date, more than 50,000 tags have been distributed, which has resulted in approximately 150,000 individual sightings at cow-calf operations, livestock markets, backgrounding operations, feedyards and packers being transmitted to the database. Attendees of the symposium saw the first-ever public demonstration of a mock traceback using the CattleTrace system. Kansas Animal Health Commissioner, Dr. Justin Smith, says the CattleTrace system significantly enhances the ability to trace movement of feeder cattle in the event of a disease outbreak.

In addition to observing the first-ever public demonstration of a disease traceback, symposium attendees gained additional insights about the costs and economic impact of implementing a full disease traceability system and were able to ask questions of CattleTrace leaders during a panel discussion. A highlight of the symposium was remarks from Dr. Andrew Moxey, a consultant with ScotEID, about livestock traceability in Scotland and the benefits of ultra-high frequency technology. Attendees also engaged with other CattleTrace partners in breakout sessions where discussion focused on the future of CattleTrace.

“We have come a long way since CattleTrace was launched, but there is a lot of work that lies ahead of us to develop a national disease traceability system for the beef cattle industry,” said Depenbusch. “The feedback we gained at the symposium is not going to be put on a shelf and forgotten about. It will be used to help make critical decisions about the future of CattleTrace. We are excited about building new partnerships and continuing to expand CattleTrace, but more importantly, developing a disease traceability system to benefit our entire industry.”

To learn more about CattleTrace, visit www.CattleTrace.org or follow CattleTrace on Facebook or Twitter.

Texas Man Charged for Forged Checks from Cattle Sales

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:38:34 GMT

After forging three checks from the sale of cattle in Texas a man has been arrested and could be charged with more.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) and the Milam County Sheriff’s Office were able to arrest Kenneth Kirk, 64, of Cameron, on three counts of passing a forged check.

Kirk is alleged to have endorsed three checks with the victim’s signature prior to cashing in the checks at a local convenience store. More than $10,000 was taken through the scheme.

After an investigation by TSCRA Special Ranger Hal Dumas and members of the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, a warrant was issued for Kirk’s arrest. He surrendered to authorities on Nov. 6 and was booked into the Milam County Jail. That same day Kirk later bonded out of jail for $12,000.

A week later a grand jury in Milam County handed down indictments for three counts of passing a forged writing with intent to defraud or harm another. All three counts are felonies in Texas. Kirk could face up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each charge, if convicted. A release from TSCRA says that more charges are expected.

Dumas and TSCRA thanked Milam County District Attorney Bill Torrey for his ongoing assistance on the case, as well as Sheriff Chris White and Lt. John Mendoza of the Milam County Sheriff’s Office.

If anyone has information about this case they are asked to contact investigators at:

Special Ranger Dumas at (979) 828-5832
Milam County Sheriff’s Office at (254) 697-7033

U.S. Senate Works Overtime to Protect Sunshine

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 18:14:33 GMT

Even by Washington, D.C., standards this was among the busiest of weeks.

Inflation was a hot topic, with some Washington politicians considering a temporary suspension to the federal gasoline tax. The Federal Reserve, in an attempt to walk a tight-rope between inflation and recession – announced the first interest rate hike in more than three years, with more to come.

Oh, there’s also more than a little concern that Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine could become a broader conflict and ignite WWIII. Indeed, even as Vladimir Putin’s military has shown the world its stunning incompetence, America and its NATO allies remain wary. The four-week-old conflict brought about a rare address from a foreign leader to a joint session of Congress.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke virtually to lawmakers on Wednesday, followed by a response from President Joe Biden announcing an $800 million aide package to Ukraine. Urgent stuff.

As busy as the week started, the Senate – known for its filibusters and octogenarian foot-draggers – hurriedly passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent. They called it the “Sunshine Protection Act,” which I guess is a misnomer if ever there was one. If you didn’t know sunshine was in peril, well, we should be thankful the Senate has found a way to fix the problem.

But the surprising part is that the measure passed UNANIMOUSLY. On a voice vote!

As we know all too well, these guys don’t agree on much. And daylight savings time would not be one of those issues one would expect consensus. Maybe it was the fact the Senators were groggy after just losing an hour of sleep over the weekend, or maybe they figured the House of Representatives would have a more prolonged (reasoned?) debate. (The House, which has held a committee hearing on the matter, must still pass the bill before it can go to the President to sign.)

An AP-NORC poll of Americans in 2019 found 72% want to stop changing their clocks twice a year.

Only 28% want to continue changing their clocks. Among the rest of Americans, 40% prefer year-round standard time and 31% prefer year-round daylight saving time.

Among Americans age 45 and older 38% support staying in daylight saving time permanently, compared to just 22% of those under 45.

(Farm Journal)

According to a poll by AgWeb/Drovers this week, roughly 60% of respondents want permanent daylight savings time. Which is interesting because I thought farmers and ranchers would much prefer standard time, and I remember the logic of one cowboy who told me, “you can’t cut the end off of a blanket and sew it onto the other end and make the blanket longer.”

America, however, has struggled with its clocks since 1918 when the first laws were passed mandating daylight saving – to save fuel, give shoppers extra light, etc. But by the end of World War II the system had become fractured. That led to Congress taking up the issue again in the early 1960s.

Naturally, “The Committee for Time Uniformity” was formed. Congressional hearings were held. Legislation proposed – bi-partisan we presume.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed The Uniform Time Act of 1966 – designed “to promote the observance of a uniform system of time throughout the United States.” Except, well, some states refused to participate. Namely Arizona and Hawaii.

The permanent change to daylight savings time, however, has plenty of support. Since 2015, about 30 states have introduced legislation to end the twice-yearly changing of clocks, with some states proposing to do it only if neighboring states do the same. The bill would also allow Arizona and Hawaii to remain on standard time.

Nebraska lawmakers voted 39-4 to make it permanent if Congress approves and three neighboring states do, too. Wyoming passed a similar bill earlier this year, bringing to 19 the number of states now having such laws.

So now it’s up to the U.S. House of Representatives to ensure that sunshine is protected.