California Christmas Tree Demand and Withdrawal of Horse Protection Act
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**A steady flow of customers are flocking to California Christmas tree farms, but current supplies are tighter than normal.
Tree farmers say they’re trying to manage crowds and their Christmas-time crop to ensure there will also be sufficient trees to sell in future years.
Supplies have been impacted by California’s population and steady demand for trees as some farmers retire.
The drought is also making growing harder.
**USDA's Food Safety and Inspection service seeks proposals from poultry processors for pilot projects that will test different control strategies for Salmonella contamination.
FSIS, in last week’s constituent update, said participating processors will experiment with new or existing pathogen control and measurement strategies and share data collected during the pilots.
The data will be analyzed to determine whether it supports changes to FSIS existing Salmonella control strategies.
The agency announced in October it would be mobilizing a stronger and more comprehensive effort to reduce Salmonella illnesses associated with poultry products.
**USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced the withdrawal of a 2016 proposed rule that would have amended the Horse Protection Act regulations.
APHIS is making the development of a new and improved proposal a top regulatory priority.
The action allows the agency to evaluate and consider more recent findings and research and incorporate the information into a new proposed rule.
