The number of PRRS Area Regional Control and Elimination (ARC&E) projects continues to grow in hog producing areas of North America. “It actually grows like every month,” says Dr. Laura Batista, a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI) PRRS Area Solutions Team, who organized the recent ARC&E workshop and update in Chicago. “Last year I think we were supporting five …
Andy Vance Joins Feedstuffs
Andy Vance, formally with ABN Radio, has officially announced his new gig will be with Feedstuffs. “I’m very excited to announce that I’m joining Feedstuffs and Feedstuffs Foodlink as a featured contributor, writing for Feedstuffs’ weekly print and online editions, and providing exclusive online audio and video content,” Andy says on his blog “The Angle.” According to Feedstuffs, Andy starts …
ABN Radio Ceases Operations
It is always sad to report a death – in this case, the death of a very well-respected agricultural radio operation. The ABN (Agri Broadcast Network) was founded in 1972 by the late Ed Johnson and has a rich history of service to Ohio’s agricultural community. In 2007, the network was taken over by Lindsay Hill and Andy Vance, who …
Farm Bureau Celebrates 50 Years of Membership Growth
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has more members than ever before. According to new AFBF membership figures, there are now 6,279,813 member families that belong to the nation’s largest general farm organization, marking 50 consecutive years of membership growth. State Farm Bureaus overall reported a total 2,149 more member families this year than in 2009. American Farm Bureau President …
Lucas to Chair House Ag Committee
Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK) has been selected to chair the House Agriculture Committee in the 112th Congress. “It is an honor to continue in this leadership role of the Agriculture Committee where I have served since I was first elected to Congress,” Lucas said. “As a lifelong farmer from a diverse, agricultural state, I have lived the real world challenges …
Sweet Holiday Greetings from Pioneer
Pioneer made my day a little sweeter yesterday when a package of holiday cookies arrived on our doorstep in a cute Pioneer Plenish coffee mug. Can’t show you a photo of the cookies because daughter Chelsea and I gobbled them up. We didn’t even save any for Chuck, they were just so AMAZING! Chocolate chip and cranberry and I presume …
PRRS Area Regional Control Grows
We have talked several times over the past few years with Dr. Scott Dee of the Swine Disease Eradication Center at the University of Minnesota about area regional control (ARC) and elimination of Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS), since he is one of the early advocates of using that approach to the virus. Scott was the moderator of last …
Bioportal Could Help Understand PRRS Genetic Diversity
One of the challenges of controlling PRRS (Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) is the diversity in which the disease presents itself. “We can have several hundred different types of PRRS around and one of our main concerns is that every year we isolate new types of PRRS,” says Enrique Mondaca, a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI) PRRS Area Solutions …
Change the Game Management
Resistance to change is normal, but there are ways to move people to make changes, without forcing them! Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) is hosting its third annual “Area Regional Control of PRRS” seminar in Chicago today, prior to the start of the 2010 International PRRS Symposium. Since the concept of ARC is a regional approach, it requires the participation of …
The High Cost of PRRS
Hog farmers who might be resistant to the idea of participating in an Area Regional Control and Elimination (ARC&E) program for PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) because they don’t think it’s a problem need to listen to Brent Sandidge’s story. Brent is a successful producer located in Saline county, Missouri. He was not on the program here at the …