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AVMA DELEGATE UPDATE
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Dear ALVMA Members,
I believe the following topics from AVMA are important for all of us to be aware of. These current topics may very well impact our entire profession in the near future. Please read them carefully and do not hesitate to get back with me or Dr. Bill DeWitt to share your thoughts or concerns. Thank you in advance for your input.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jan Strother
AVMA Alternate Delegate |
The following articles are printed with permission of the AVMA: |
USDA provides veterinary tool kit to increase support for NAIS |
| The Department of Agriculture published online a guide for veterinarians that is intended to increase the number of premises registered i n the National Animal Identification System. |
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published “A Veterinarian’s Toolkit” Dec. 18. The information is meant to teach accredited practitioners about the NAIS, help them register their premises, and help them persuade clients to participate. The AVMA has supported implementation of the system, which is intended to eventually allow inspectors to trace the origin and movements of diseased horses and food animals within 48 hours. |
Dr. W. Ron DeHaven, AVMA CEO and previously the administrator of the USDA-APHIS, said the NAIS can reduce the number of animals affected by a highly contagious disease and thereby not only minimize economic losses but also minimize the pain and suffering of animals. |
“We can’t afford to wait until we have a major outbreak to have a system in place,” Dr. DeHaven said. |
The toolkit was designed by veterinarians, according to APHIS, and it contains an introduction to the NAIS, a reference guide on how the system works, fact sheets, and conversation starter tips to help deliver information to clients. |
About 493,000 or a third of the nation’s food animal production facilities are registered with the national system, states information from APHIS. |
Dr. DeHaven said he encourages veterinarians to register clinics or hospitals if they hold or treat livestock or horses, register their premises if they own livestock o r horses, and explain to food producers the importance of the system and encourage them to register their premises. |
“Nobody has more trust or credibility with the livestock owner than the owner’s veterinarian,” Dr. DeHaven said. |
Neil Hammerschmidt, program coordinator for the NAIS, said premises registration, a free sign-up that provides facilities with unique national identification numbers, can help authorities contain disease by quickly locating producers in an area. It can also keep markets open by identifying areas not affected in an outbreak, according to the USDA.
Premises registration is the first NAIS component for participating producers. The other two components being implemented are animal registration individually or in lots—after the premises are registered—and installation of scanners and readers in market channels. |
AVMA service aids in setting up job interviews at upcoming conventions |
| Job seekers and employers are being reminded they have another tool at their disposal in their employment search. |
For the fifth year in a row, the AVMA’s Veterinary Career Center is offering its Convention Connection service for the upcoming North20American Veterinary Conference, Jan. 17-21, in Orlando, Fla., and the Western Veterinary Conference, Feb. 15-19, in Las Vegas. |
Dr. Patricia L. Wohlferth-Bethke, assistant director in the AVMA Membership and Field Services Division, explained that when employers purchase a job package and post a job, they can indicate they will be at either convention by choosing a corresponding icon at no additional charge. When doing so, the person also includes their contact information so they may set up an interview while at the convention. |
“It’s a way for employers to use their job listing to let candidates know they will be available for interviews while at the conference and expedite the search process,” Dr. Wohlferth-Bethke said. |
The number of applications through the VCC Web site has increased substantially since this time last year. In the first half of December 2007, 97 candidates had applied for jobs, compared with 176 for the same time period in December 2008. In addition, 3,237 total applications had been submitted through the site for 1,767 jobs by this time last year. That figure increased to 4,001 total applications for 2,026 jobs this year. |
Dr. Wohlferth-Bethke said qualified, talented candidates are available for professional and support staff positions. |
“At this time, there are a lot of qualified candidates looking for positions. This could be the time to find that team member employers have needed for a while,” she said.
The VCC is located at www.avma.org/vcc. Questions can be e-mailed to vetcareers@avma.org. For the month of January, there will be a VCC special. If you purchase a 30-day veterinary job package, a second identical posting is free, to be used before Jan. 31. |
State legislators’ group opposes federal bills to restrict horse slaughter |
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The National Council of State Legislatures recently approved a resolution urging Congress to oppose legislation that would restrict horse slaughter. The last horse processing plants in the United States, two in Texas and one in Illinois, closed in 2007 after courts upheld state legislation banning the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Congress has considered bills that would prohibit transportation of horses to slaughter outside the country for human consumption—and is likely to consider the legislation again. |
The NCSL, meeting Dec. 11-13 in Atlanta, passed a resolution opposing such legislation. The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staff s of the nation’s states, commonwealths, and territories. |
According to the resolution, the loss of horse processing plants in the United States has contributed to the neglect and abandonment of unwanted horses. The export of horses for processing has increased, and some foreign facilities may not meet U.S. standards for humane handling and slaughter. |
The resolution concludes: “NCSL urges Congress to oppose legislation that would restrict the market, transport, processing, or export of horses, to recognize the need for humane horse processing facilities in the United States, and not to interfere with State efforts to establish facilities in the United States.” |
Co-sponsoring the resolution were Sue Wallis, a Republican serving in the Wyoming House of Representatives, and Dave Sigdestad, a Democrat serving in the South Dakota House of Representatives. Wallis said the resolution will allow NCSL staff to lobby about the unintended consequences of federal legislation to restrict horse slaughter. |
AVMA launches “Chew on This” podcast series on food safety |
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From holiday meals to unpasteurized milk, the AVMA’s new podcast series “Chew on This” examines issues relevant to food safety and the nation’s food supply. “America’s veterinarians play key roles in food safety, and these podcasts offer us an opportunity to speak directly to consumers—many of whom may not be tuned in to the latest science and research surrounding the food we eat,” said Dr. James Cook, AVMA president. “We’re going to explore and investigate many of today’s burning topics surrounding food—where it comes from, how it gets to our tables, and why it’s important to keep our food safe, abundant, and affordable.” |
“Chew on This” kicked off in late November with a Thanksgiving installment featuring Dr. Dustan Clark, extension poultry veterinarian at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Dr. Clark answers questions about how to ensure that holiday meals are safe for the family. |
The second installment in the series addresses the importance of pasteurizing dairy products. The podcast features Dr. Raymond Sweeney, professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. |
Additional podcasts will explore topics such as animal clones, organic foods, animal and product identification, and food imports. The “Chew on This” series is available at www.avma.org under “RSS feeds,” through Apple’s iTunes, o r through the AVMA advocacy site at www.KeepOurFoodSafe.org. |
FDA planning to ban cow brains, spinal cords from all animal feed |
| Federal authorities are accepting comments on a planned regulation that would prohibit use of some cattle tissues in all animal feeds by late April. |
The regulation published by the Food and Drug Administration is intended to reduce the risk of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy by prohibiting use of brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months and older in all animal feed. The materials are already prohibited from use in feed for ruminants, including cattle, sheep, and goats. “The added measure of excluding high-risk materials from all animal feeds addresses risks associated with accidental feeding of such material to cattle, which could occur through cross-contamination of ruminant feed with non-ruminant feed or feed ingredients during manufacture and transport or through misfeeding of non-ruminant feed to ruminants on the farm,” states a Nov. 25 update from the FDA. |
The FDA is accepting comments through20Jan. 26. The proposed rule is scheduled take effect April 27. |
The regulation would also ban from animal feed the entire carcasses of all BSE test-positive cattle, the entire carcass of any cow 30 months or older that is not inspected and passed for human consumption and from which the brain and spinal cord is not removed, tallow derived from the prohibited materials that contain more than 0.15 percent insoluble impurities, and mechanically separated beef derived from the prohibited materials, according to information from the FDA. |
Consumption of beef infected with BSE is presumed to cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. |
The FDA also released in late November a report indicating that, of 7,876 firms that handle materials prohibited from use in ruminant feed, none had violations of the Ruminant Feed Ban that warranted regulatory sanctions during their most recent inspections, and 121 required voluntary corrective action. The firms examined by state and federal inspectors include renderers, feed mills, protein blenders, ruminant feeders, on-farm mixers, pet food manufacturers, animal feed salvagers, distributors, retailers, and animal feed transporters. |
New resource available on generic drugs |
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Pharmaceutical trade group members hope veterinarians will learn more about generic drug safety and drug industry issues through a Web site launched in November. Stephanie Batliner, chair of the Generic Animal Drug Alliance, said the Web site will address issues related to generic drugs for large and small animals, pharmaceutical compounding, and organizational positions on legislation such as the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act of 2008. The site is in its infancy, and the alliance is still determining what other information it will eventually include, she said. |
Christina Perkins, vice president of marketing and communications for Putney, a GADA member company, said the site is partly intended to answer questions and dispel negative preconceived notions about generic drugs. |
Site developers were also working on an FAQ section and information about user fees, their impact on funding for the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, and how they could reduce times for release of generic drugs, Perkins said.
Batliner said she hopes site users will learn about generic drug manufacturers and how to contact them with questions. The site will not be used to market specific drugs, she said.
The Generic Animal Drug Alliance Web site is located at www.gadaonline.org. |
Proposal would add regulatory option for managing hazardous pharmaceutical wastes |
| The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to add hazardous pharmaceutical wastes to regulations currently governing more than half a million health care-type facilities, including veterinary practices. |
Hazardous pharmaceutical waste generators, including veterinary practices, can elect to have their hazardous pharmaceutical waste remain regulated under the current Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations. Under the EPA proposal, depending on an individual generator’s state rules, a generator can choose to manage his or her hazardous pharmaceutical wastes under the Universal Waste Rule. That rule modified the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act’s hazardous waste regulations by establishing a set of streamlined requirements for the collection of certain widely dispersed hazardous wastes, called ‘‘universal wastes.’’ |
The EPA announced in the Dec. 2, 2008, Federal Register its intent to amend the Universal Waste Rule, and issued a call for comments by the Feb. 2, 2009, deadline. Several AVMA entities are working together on formulating the Association’s response. The AVMA believes veterinary practices are minimal contributors of=2 0pharmaceutical wastes. In addition, the Association will clarify the impact of the proposal, if finalized, on the profession. |
Comments must be received on or before Feb. 2, 2009. Submit comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–RCRA–2007–0932, by one of the following methods: online, www.regulations.gov; e-mail, rcra-docket@epa.gov; fax, (202) 566–9744; or mail, RCRA Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. In addition, mail a copy of comments on the information collection provisions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attn: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20503. |
For additional information, contact Lisa Lauer, Office of Solid Waste (5304P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; phone, (703) 308–7418; fax, (703) 605–0595; or e-mail addresslauer.lisa@epa.gov. |
Education council schedules site visits |
| The AVMA Council on Education has scheduled site visits to schools/colleges of veterinary medicine at eight institutions for 2009. |
Comprehensive site visits are planned for the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Jan. 11-15 (rescheduled from Sept. 2008); University of Guelph Ontario Veterinary College, Feb. 1-5; University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Sept. 13-17; Murdoch University School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Sept. 27-Oct. 2; and Calgary University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Oct. 25-29. |
Consultative site visits are scheduled for the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias, April 19-23; University of Liverpool Faculty of Veterinary Science, May 3-7; and University of Copenhagen Faculty of Life Sciences, June 14-18. |
The council welcomes written comments on these plans or the programs to be evaluated. Comments should be addressed to Dr. David Granstrom, Director, AVMA Education and Research Division, AVMA, 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360. Comments must be signed by the person submitting them to be considered. |
Legislative News Except for four states and the District of Columbia, which are still in session for a few more days, state legislatures have adjourned until 2009. The=2 0AVMA will issue its year-end summary of legislative highlights for 2008 shortly, including what we can expect to be major issues of 2009 for veterinary medicine in state capitols. All states are scheduled to meet in 2009. Bills will not carry over from the 2008 session to 2009, except in New Jersey and Virginia. |
Taxing veterinary services State lawmakers and governors will face a plethora of major challenges next year as they struggle to guide their states through a difficult economic downturn. The nation's deteriorating economy is taking a toll on states, which are reporting slowing revenue collection from sales taxes and declining income from investments. "States have been confronted with bad economic conditions in the past, but never so many states, all at once, says William Pound, executive director of the National Conference of State Legislatures. |
We reported last month that California Governor Schwarzenegger is proposing a tax on veterinary services along with other revenue increases. We have heard that a similar proposal may be unveiled in another state soon. State veterinary medical associations need to be vigilant about identifying and defeating such ill-advised measures proposed as quick fixes to a budget shortfall. The California VMA has prepared some excellent materials to combat the veterinary tax proposal, which can be accessed at http://www.cvma.net/. |
The status of California's tax proposal is still up in the air. On Nov. 25, the California Senate and Assembly failed to come to an agreement on the budget proposal, but on Dec. 1, a 45-day emergency session was declared during which all proposals, including the Governor's proposal to extend the sales tax to veterinary services can be considered. |
Court watch A federal judge approved a $24 million settlement for owners of dogs and cats who got sick or died after eating pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical. The case began in March 2007, when dogs and cats began mysteriously getting sick, and the common thread was pet food produced under nearly 200 labels, much of it by Menu Foods. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman clears the way for U.S. pet owners to begin receiving compensation next year. The settlement compensates owners for several type of measurable expenses, including the cost of the food, medical and burial expenses for their animals, checkups for animals who ate the food but did not get sick, and time the owners took off work to seek treatment for their animals. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are not awarded. A Canadian court also approved the settlement separately. For more information on the settlement, see www.petfoodsettlement .com and http://www.sfmslaw.com/user_documents/Notice.pdf (PDF, 937 Kb). |
Also in Canada, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the province's 2005 law to ban the breeding, sale and ownership of pit bulls after several dog attacks on people. Superior Court Justice Thea Herman said, "The total ban on pit bulls is not arbitrary or grossly disproportionate in light of the evidence that pit bulls have a tendency to be unpredictable and that even apparently docile pit bulls may attack without warning or provocation." Penalties for pit bull owners are fines up to $10,000 or jail time up to six months. |
Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association retains lobbying firm The Arkansas VMA is the latest in the growing number of state VMAs retaining professional lobbying firms to represent their interests in state capitols. In addition to providing traditional lobbying, the firm of Philips Management and Consulting Service will also offer a comprehensive web-based application that enables veterinarians to stay up to speed with tracked bills, legislative committee reports, and individually tailored news feeds and blogs. |
The link at the bottom of the page will take you to the latest chart of significant pending bills and regulations from around the country. We wish you a Merry Christmas, joyous holiday season and Happy New Year. See you in 2009! |
Featured in JAVMA |
Carcass composting can eliminate many pathogens and be used as a safe and efficient disposal method, but more study may be needed to determine the effects of the practice on spore-forming bacteria and prion agents in carcasses, according to a Reference Point article in the Jan. 1 issue of the JAVMA. The article states biosecurity agencies in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada have recognized potential benefits of such composting, and interest in the practice has increased among farmers. |
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Young animals with competent immune systems may be more susceptible to prion diseases, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, according to a Zoonosis Update in the Jan. 1 issue of the JAVMA. The article states that lymphoid follicular dendritic cells that transport prions through the immune system to the CNS lose functional capability with age.
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