Noble News and Views: December 2018

Chronic wasting disease attacks the brains of white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose and caribou. Hunters can help reduce the spread of CWD in infected areas by eliminating practices that encourage deer-to-deer contact and participating in state-organized deer population reduction plans.

Being good stewards of antimicrobials is one way to ensure the drugs currently being used remain effective.

Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association senior vice president of government affairs, shares an update on legislative issues including the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, transportation, fake meat and international trade.

The Food Safety Modernization Act has resulted in a spotlight on the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program and its parallel for packers and processors, the Good Handling Practices (GHP) program. The purpose of these programs is to reduce, as much as possible, the chance of contamination on produce sold to consumers.

Genome editing is a new and promising technique that can help plant breeders more efficiently identify and build better tasting, higher yielding crops that are more resistant to pests and diseases and more tolerant of drought.

To find the right farm or ranch employee, know what the job will entail and communicate that to prospective employees. Get the word out, and conduct a thorough interview of applicants. Once you’ve hired someone, invest in them.