Alabama

Iowa Third State to Create Legislation Regarding Lab-Grown Meat

Tue, 21 May 2024 14:15:35 GMT

In an effort to maintain trust with consumers and protect livestock producers, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds recently signed into law SF 2391 , a bill prohibiting the misbranding of certain food products, including lab-grown meat.

Beginning July 1, lab-grown meat and plant-based imitation meat and egg products will have to be labeled with words such as fake, lab-grown, meatless, imitation or vegan, if sold in Iowa stores. The labeling requirements also apply to meat alternatives made with insect protein.

Gov. Reynolds shared her response to signing SF 2391.

“This legislation prohibits companies from exploiting the trust consumers have with our livestock producers and misleading consumers into buying products they don’t want,” she says. “This is about transparency. It’s about the common-sense idea that a product labeled chicken, beef, or pork, should actually come from an animal.”

Rep. Heather Hora, R-Washington, sponsored the bill in the House. As a pork producer herself, she says the bill protects farmers’ checkoff dollars that are used to market meat and eggs.

According to an Iowa Public Radio (IPR) article, the law will require the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing to inspect food processing plants or grocery stores for compliance if they receive a credible complaint about food products being mislabeled as meat. The law also provides penalties for not following labeling rules.

Furthermore, the law prohibits school districts, community colleges and public universities in Iowa from purchasing lab-grown meat and any foods misbranded as meat or egg products. In addition, the law requires the state to request a federal waiver to prohibit the use of federal food assistance to buy imitation egg products.

While many praised the legislation, some Democrats said their issue was with the purchase of egg alternatives.

IPR reported Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, says he was proud to vote for the original version of the bill but had concerns with the final version.

“Truth in labeling is certainly something that I strongly believe in for consumer protection,” he says. “But I’m also concerned with consumer nutrition. And there are some people who can’t eat eggs because of allergies but still need the nutritive content that might be supplied by alternative products.”

That same day, Gov. Reynolds signed HF 2649 , a bill providing capital gains relief for farmers and ranchers selling certain classes of livestock. This was a bill to reinstate previous tax break exemptions that had ended in 2022.

“Our tax code should promote livestock production, which we know is often how beginning farmers get their start in agriculture,” says Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, who co-sponsored the bill. “We know that livestock production supports rural communities and drives our rural economic activity…We want to make sure that we don’t increase taxes on our livestock producers and farmers here in this state.”

Continued legislation against lab-grown meat

Iowa becomes the third state in the country to pass legislation regarding lab-grown meat. Florida and Alabama both passed laws banning the sale of the cell cultured alternative meat product in their states this month. Florida’s law was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 1, 2024, and Alabama’s Gov. Kay Ivey signed the Alabama Bill , which the prohibits “the manufacture, sale, or distribution of food products made from cultured animal cells,” on May 7.

Jack Hubbard, executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare, shares that consumers have several concerns in the matters of cell cultured meat.

“Policymakers nationwide are grappling with growing consumer concern regarding lab-grown meat’s use of immortalized cells, bioreactors, chemicals and the lack of long-term health studies,” Hubbard says. “I think a lot of this legislative activity is politicians and elected representatives voicing and acting on the concerns of constituents who are saying ‘what is this stuff and have we done our due diligence.’ And to be frank, there is a major yuck factor that a lot of people have when they actually learn about how this is made.”

Hubbard see additional states likely following suit in creating legislation.

“From a transparency perspective, it just seems like the right thing that consumers ought to have a right to know what they’re buying,” he says.

Read more...
North American Cattle Groups Advocates for Oversight of Lab-Grown Proteins

‘Thanks for the Facts’ on mCOOL and Checkoff, Reader Says

Mon, 01 May 2023 19:52:13 GMT

Editor’s note: The following letter from Dr. Terry Slaten was emailed to Drovers and columnist Nevil Speer regarding his recent column about the Opportunities For Fairness Act (OFF). It is reprinted here with the author’s permission.

I am a small cattleman in Alabama and have been a veterinarian, working for the Alabama Department of Ag and Industries for almost thirty years. Prior to that I was a large animal practitioner in Montana, Mississippi and Alabama for ten years. I have been around for a long time and have always loved and appreciated the beef cattle business. I have a small herd of cattle, but it has been cattle people who have allowed me to make a living around the industry I am passionate about.

Earlier this week I was in Washington, DC and had a chance to meet with several of our congressional delegation from Alabama. It was a very eye-opening experience for me. I met one of the staffers for one of our congressmen who is on the House Ag Committee. I met another staffer who works for a ranking member on the House Ag Committee. These staffers do the deep dives into ag-related issues. They both have reasonable ag backgrounds, but I realized that no one can be an expert on every issue and that our representatives and senators rely on these staffers to give them the bullet points on the subjects they are about to vote on. I am somewhat concerned that the information that our staffers get may not always come from the most reliable sources.

Two of the issues that one of our staffers asked me about was mCOOL and the Checkoff. I told the staffer that she should Google Nevil Speer and COOL. I believe you are the most informative, factual source out there when it comes to COOL and other subjects you write about. I received an email yesterday from the Alabama staffer that I told to Google your articles. She had done so and said she very much appreciated the article, “OFF...Uffda,” that was published by Drovers. It was accurate and to the point.

I have followed your articles about COOL for some time. I believe that the only way that someone can read those articles and still believe that COOL is the panacea for the industry is to just refuse to believe the facts. And for sure there are those out there who just don’t want to change their position.

I just want to thank you for what you do and for writing articles that are based on facts and very readable so that even people like me can understand them. Most of the issues that divide us in the cattle industry are very complex and you allow us to get a handle on the issues and at least arm ourselves with facts. If someone does not choose to believe the facts, that is quite another story.

Terry Slaten, DVM

Alabama

Dr. Billy Powell Receives Beef Checkoff Visionary Award

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 13:37:37 GMT

Dr. Billy Powell of Washington County, Alabama was presented with the Cattlemen’s Beef Board’s second annual Beef Checkoff Visionary Award during the General Session of the 2022 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in Reno, Nevada. This honor recognizes an individual in the beef industry who has demonstrated exemplary support of and commitment to the Checkoff’s goals and vision.

“Dr. Powell has been deeply involved with the Beef Checkoff since it was passed back in 1985,” said Norman Voyles, Jr., 2022 chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB). “His knowledge of the beef industry goes back decades, and his leadership and ingenuity helped smooth out many of the bumps in the road that the Checkoff experienced, especially in those early years. Dr. Powell is truly deserving of this Visionary Award.”

A native of Leroy, Alabama., Powell grew up on a farm, receiving his first cow when he was just two years old. Over the years, Powell’s family raised timber, along with commercial and registered cattle, primarily the Red Angus breed. He attended Auburn University’s College of Agriculture where he earned his bachelor’s degree in animal sciences in 1966, going on to earn his Ph.D. in meat science in 1970. Powell then became a food science specialist for the Alabama Cooperative Extension service at Auburn University from 1971-1975. He eventually took a position closer to home with Lapeyrouse Grain Company, and when his father passed away shortly thereafter, Powell and his mother co-managed the family’s cattle herd.

Powell served in various cattle industry leadership positions at both the state and national levels over the next few decades. He served as president of the Red Angus Association of America in 1974-75. In 1982, Powell became the president of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA). In 1985, he took on the executive vice president role with ACA, retiring in 2017 after an incredible 32 years with the organization. Around that same time, Jo Ann Smith, then president of the National Cattlemen’s Association, appointed Powell to a committee tasked with developing the Beef Checkoff Order that still helps guide the program today.

Under Powell’s leadership and vision, the State Beef Councils organized to have a collective voice in the national Beef Checkoff program. After the Beef Industry Council and the National Cattlemen’s Association merged to become the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Powell was instrumental in getting the Federation of State Beef Councils to meet independently, strengthening their efforts to promote beef. Powell also worked with others to develop the concept of a State Marketing Plan template that ensured state efforts would complement the national Checkoff’s efforts rather than dilute them. As the purchasing power of the national Beef Checkoff decreased over the years, Powell’s forward thinking spurred Alabama and other states to pass their own $1-per-head checkoffs, providing additional funding for their promotional programs.

One of Powell’s proudest achievements was the establishment of The MOOseum at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. Opened in 1995 under his guidance, The MOOseum became the premier venue for children and adults to learn more about Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

“Being named the 2022 Beef Checkoff Visionary Award recipient is a tremendous honor, and I appreciate it very much,” Dr. Powell said. “It’s icing on the cake for a South Alabama country boy who spent a lifetime working in the cattle industry. There are many individuals I’d like to thank for nominating me and working with me throughout the years, because if I’ve accomplished anything, it’s been with the help of others. I still truly believe the Checkoff dollar is the best investment that a producer can make.”

“Dr. Powell’s tireless efforts over the years shaped the Beef Checkoff as we know it today,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “Furthermore, his knowledge and vision helped create mutually beneficial relationships between the national program and the State Beef Councils. Dr. Powell has always had faith in the power of the Beef Checkoff. He’s worked hard for what he believes is right, and we are all the better for it. All of us at the CBB congratulate Dr. Powell on receiving this very well-deserved Visionary Award.”

For more information about the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, the Beef Checkoff and its programs –promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety – visit DrivingDemandforBeef.com.

Alabama Authorities Seek Killer of 2 Cows

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:22:46 GMT

A cow killer could be on the loose in Limestone County, Alabama. Wendell Powers says he’s been raising livestock for 15 years and he just lost two of his beloved cows.

WAAY-TV reports the Powers believes someone intentionally shot and killed the animals and he’s looking for some answers.

Powers says the cows were valuable. One was registered a Beef Master cow, worth about $2,500; the other had a calf and could likely have been sold as a pair for about $1,400.

Powers said Friday that he filed a report with the sheriff’s office and they’re looking into the incident. He says he’s just worried that whoever killed the cows won’t stop there. He’s offering a $500 reward for any information that could lead to an arrest.

Alabama Ranchers Aim to Help South Dakotans

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 02:00:47 GMT

A group of young Alabama cattlemen are helping in the recovery of the South Dakota beef industry one heifer at a time.
By: Wayne Smith, The TimesDaily

Brian Smith said Southern hospitality is alive and well — in South Dakota.

Smith, president of the Lauderdale County Junior Cattlemen’s Association, led a group of 56 students and adults to South Dakota earlier this month.

The group delivered 21 heifers to ranchers who lost cattle during last winter’s blizzard.

“They just gave us a huge welcome,” Smith said. “They opened up their homes to us. There were 12 families that divided 56 of us into their homes.”

The junior cattlemen delivered one heifer to 21 different families.

“All the ranchers had their own branding so the kids got to help with that,” Smith said. “That was something new to them. They still have branding up there so they can round up their herds in the fall.”

Smith said the kids will remember the experience for the rest of their lives.

They spent their days working on fences, clearing brush and other ranch chores. Each night, the families gathered for a potluck supper for their visitors from Alabama.

“They learned a lot of things with all the sights they got to see and about beef production,” Smith said. “But the most important thing was the citizenship and the bonding, the relationships that were formed. When I was leaving, I felt more like we were leaving home instead of heading for home.”

Smith said the group had lots of invitations to come back.

“It would be interesting to see what kind of calves these heifers give birth to next year,” Smith said. “There’s already a group of ranchers talking about chartering a bus and coming to Alabama to pay us a visit.”

Smith said the area the group visited was 60 miles from the nearest town.

“I was really impressed with the ranching heritage of the area,” he said. “They remember the stories of their pioneer ancestors. The old schools, old homesteads and barns are still there.”

Smith said the elementary school students still attend a two-room school. Once they get old enough for high school, they move into town and board with someone.

“They do that just to get to go to high school,” Smith said. “It’s a great sense of community there. They are so incredibly remote that they really bond with each other. They are so proud of their heritage.”

Smith said the families lost much of their herds during the blizzard. He said they gave one woman a heifer, and she said it was the only one she had on her place.

“They took us out the first day and showed us where the blizzard hit, where the cattle were blinded and fell into a creek,” Smith said. “They showed us the mass graves where the cattle were buried.”

Smith said earlier that the ranchers lost about 80,000 head of cattle.

Tree planting was also one of the chores the group did, according to Smith.

“We planted about 300 trees in one day,” he said. “They actually plant trees to catch the snow to store up and put on their hay fields during the summer because they don’t get a lot of rainfall.”

The 3,300-mile round trip wasn’t all about work, however. The group visited a 50,000-head feedlot in Nebraska and a show cattle and hog operation in Minnesota. They went to Mount Rushmore and toured the John Deere plant and the assembly line that builds combines.

“They came away with a fantastic experience that they will treasure forever,” Smith said. “Almost every one of them would say being with the ranchers was their favorite part of the trip.”

Jeffrey Calvert, 16, of Lexington, said he thought it was “pretty cool” to deliver the Alabama genetic cattle to South Dakota. “It was an awesome feeling,” Calvert said. “I thought the trip was educational for us, and life-changing for us and the people in South Dakota.”

Calvert said the ranchers treated the visitors like they were family.

“The most memorable part was the people we stayed with,” Calvert said. “They didn’t want us to leave when we did.”

Remington Bradley, 12, said he went with his whole family to South Dakota. His mom was raised in the area.

“The most memorable part was seeing the scenery and the wildlife,” he said. “I can’t wait for us to plan another trip to South Dakota.”

Rogers student Morgan Grigsby, 17, said she enjoyed meeting the people in South Dakota.

“The women up there work a lot harder than they do here,” Grigsby said. “It was amazing to see how different things were up there than they are here. But they treated us like we were at home even though we were miles and miles away.”

Nick Canfield, 13, said he enjoyed seeing how people live in different parts of the country.

“I enjoyed helping people rebuild their herds and just seeing how much they appreciated it,” Canfield said.