The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced new strategies to reduce Salmonella illness linked to poultry products. The efforts will include gathering data and information to support future actions to move closer to the Healthy People 2030 target of a 25% reduction in Salmonella illness.

ASAS and the ASAS Foundation recognize members on Giving Tuesday.

The School Recovery Act was recently introduced to direct the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide competitive grants to support schools working on food waste reduction programs. “Reducing food waste in schools will give students the opportunity to develop responsible habits that can benefit their communities and our planet throughout their lives,” said Bonamici in a press release.

The government hired hundreds of private companies last spring to buy food no longer needed by restaurants, schools, and cruise ships, and transport it to overwhelmed food banks. The program faced several problems such as spilled and spoiled food, high costs, and uneven distribution nationwide.

“We recognize that beginning farmers and ranchers have unique needs for education, training, and technical assistance. Their success, especially in the first 10 years, often hinges on access to reliable, science-based information and the latest educational resources so they can improve their operations’ profitability and sustainability long-term.”

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) released the results of a survey about plant-based meat alternatives. The purpose of the survey was to see how often plant alternatives are consumed and why. It should be noted that the study was funded by SNI Global (formally the Soy Nutrition Institute) and the United Soybean Board.

As the holidays approach, the price to prepare your celebratory dinner will likely be higher this year. Factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages, transportation costs, and supply chain issues are to blame.

A new bill introduced and approved by the House Agriculture Committee would offer transparency in the discrepancy between what cattle producers receive and what consumers are paying for beef.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) was held in Glasgow, Scotland. The event had local and seasonal offerings and took a “plant-forward approach”, with 40% of the menu being plant-based options. The menus also feature a carbon footprint graphic of each item so attendees can be informed of the impact of their choices.

During the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), the United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE), along with 31 other countries and 48 non-government partners, announced the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate). “The United States is proud to be launching the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative alongside the United Arab Emirates and over 80 partners across the globe," said John Kerry, US special presidential envoy for the climate.

The swine industry continuously battles infectious disease challenges; unfortunately, the nature of our intensive management makes it particularly vulnerable. Understanding how the numerous physiological systems respond to disease is advantageous to scientists working to establish immunity.

Multi-site pig production is a standard industry practice, though it risks stressing animals during transportation. Most data involving transportation effects was done in market hogs, and the current Canadian transport regulations weigh heavily on these studies' information.

Nutrient restriction in pregnant females has been repeatedly shown to have adverse effects on the growth and development of their offspring. Realimentation following nutrient restriction may be a strategy to mitigate the negative growth effects that maternal nutrient restriction has on offspring.

Global temperatures are expected to increase over the next thirty years; the implications of climate change will have a large impact on livestock population and production, which will affect food security. Ruminant animals have contributed to 39.8% of global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, but will play a role in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions through the development of sustainable livestock production and the adoption of mitigation measures.

A study recently published in the Journal of Animal Science aimed to determine the effect of myostatin on lipid accumulation in porcine subcutaneous preadipocytes and to further explore the potential molecular mechanisms.

Long-haul transport may occur at several points during the lifespan of feedlot cattle and is a source of undesirable stress on the wellbeing of these animals. Performance can subsequently suffer and lead to reduced health and productivity.

It has been well documented that Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) participate in the paracrine regulation of granulosa cell function in multiple species. However, it is unknown if responses to BMPs change with follicular size or interacts with connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) or BMP antagonists (e.g., gremlin) to directly affect granulosa cell function in cattle.

Garbanzo beans (Cicer arietinum) are a popular and important legume food protein crop in human nutrition but is not as well utilized or studied in companion animal nutrition. Because raw garbanzo beans contain anti-nutritional factors, it may potentially have negative impacts on digestibility, fecal characteristics, or the gut health of companion animals.

Transport and feedlot entry are among the most stressful events in the lives of feedlot cattle, and the stress from these events tend to adversely impact welfare and productivity. Therefore, there is a great interest in strategies to relieve these stresses to improve welfare and performance.

Sulfur is an important element for the ruminant animal due to its role in bacterial growth and metabolism, but high concentrations of dietary sulfur can be related to reductions in growth performance and the incidence of polioencephalomalacia.