22 horses seized from farm, woman charged with neglect WOODBINE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities seized 22 horses from a southwestern Iowa farm and have cited the owner with 22 counts of animal neglect.
The horses were removed from Amanda Boyle’s farm on May 21 after officials with the Harrison County sheriff’s office received a tip, Sheriff Terry Baxter said.
“The horses appeared to be deteriorating, so we got a warrant to check the animals,” Baxter said.
Boyle, 36, was cited for neglecting the horses, some of which she owned and some that she was boarding. Baxter said authorities used Boyle’s veterinarian to check the animals because he was familiar with them. The vet recommended removing 22 of the more than 60 horses that were at the farm.
Baxter said the horses that were removed had not been adequately fed. They were taken to two other area horse farms, and he said officials would continue to monitor other horses on Boyle’s farm.
Boyle was scheduled to appear in court on May 29.
Iowa Diocese to sell farm to settle bankruptcy
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — In its efforts to resolve a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Diocese of Davenport will sell a farm in eastern Iowa for $310,000.
The diocese filed a motion recently in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Iowa. It wants to sell the land to Charles Van Fossen. The sale will be considered for approval at a court hearing May 30. Until that time, the church can consider other offers on the property and two others it already agreed to sell last month.
The other properties include a single-family house to James and Gayle Ridge, of Long Grove, for $70,125, and the bishop’s former home, which is to be sold to St. Ambrose University for $170,100.
The diocese has yet to reach a decision on whether to sell the chancery, which has an assessed value of more than $2 million.
Victims of sexual abuse by priests who have filed claims against the dioceses will get money from the sales.
Half of swine producers near outbreak were not registered MILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s response to a potentially-fatal swine disease last month was hindered by farms that failed to register where their animals are kept as required by law, authorities said.
Swine on two farms in Clark County in central Wisconsin contracted the pseudorabies virus, which can cause respiratory and reproductive problems in hogs. After identifying registered farms within a five-mile radius of the infected farms, officials spent four more days tracking down places where unregistered livestock was kept.
Half the 62 sites in the area were not registered, said Rod Nilsestuen, Wisconsin’s agriculture chief.
“This time it was pseudorabies – serious and fatal in many cases, but not a disease that moves terribly fast or that harms humans,” he said. “What if it had been foot-and-mouth disease? What if it had been the deadly strain of avian influenza? We were lucky – this time.”
A year and a half ago, Wisconsin became the first state to pass legislation requiring livestock premise registration to help prevent the spread of disease by enabling officials to track down animals within 48 hours. The legislation covers numerous livestock, including cattle, bison, llamas, goats and ostriches.
The National Animal Identification System said Wisconsin had 57,494 of the 391,884 livestock premises registered nationally as of May 14. That’s more than twice as many as the next three states – Indiana, Pennsylvania and Texas – all of which had 27,000 to 28,000.
Those who have not registered include some Amish producers, who cite religious reasons for not taking part in the program, said Donna Gilson, spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Others apparently have not signed up because they believe it is an “insidious” government program, she said.
Failing to register could result in fines ranging from $200 to $5,000, but no fines have been sought yet, Gilson said.
Although Wisconsin’s commercial livestock operations generally have registered, a number of hobby farms – farms with a handful of cows and chickens – have not, said Robert Fourdraine, chief operating officer of the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, which is spearheading the state law’s implementation.
Danny Meyer of Loyal, whose swine operation of about 3,000 animals was among those quarantined last month during the virus outbreak, said he believes all livestock producers should register with the program as required by law.
“I understand religious freedom and that they have a right to challenge,” he said. “But if I have to follow the law, they should, too.”
Monsanto deal to increase modified genes in crops
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (AP) — Monsanto Co. announced a research partnership May 22 with a Chicago-based biotech company that aims to increase the number of modified genes Monsanto can insert into commodity crops like corn and soybeans.
As the biggest producer of genetically-engineered seed, St. Louis-based Monsanto is increasingly focused on producing so-called “stacked” crops that have multiple patented genes. Instead of just producing its own pesticide, for example, a stacked corn seed could also tolerate Roundup herbicide and be resistant to drought conditions.
“We want farmers to have access to all of our new traits in the best available germplasm – along with the weed and insect protection they enjoy today,” Monsanto Chief Technology Officer Robert Fraley said in a statement.
“By coupling Chromatin’s unique technology with our in-house resources, we believe we’ll be able to deliver these high-value trait stacks faster and more efficiently.”
Neither company immediately returned phone calls seeking comment.
Chromatin, Inc. is a privately-held company that specializes in using mini-chromosomes to incorporate engineered traits into a plant.
The companies said Monsanto will not have exclusive rights to Chromatin’s technology. The three-year research partnership can be extended if necessary.
Chromatin retained the right to license to other companies during the partnership.
The companies did not disclose financial arrangements. This farm news was published in the June 2, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
