September 19, 2006

US commissions study on concentrated animal feeding operations

The US has set up a new national commission to study health, environment, and rural community impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations.

The National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production outlined the commission's purpose, last week, according to the National Milk Producers Federation's (NMPF) Chris Galen.

The concern, Galen said, is when the commission looks at large-scale industrial food animal production, the farms involved would be guilty until proven innocent. This meat that groups such as (NMPF) would have to present information that shows that farm concentration is not a big issue in the dairy industry and are not problematic in terms of animal health, the environment, or food safety.

Besides public hearings, the commission would look at existing research into animal operations as well as commission their own research.

The group needs to let the commissioners know that the dairy industry should be looked at differently from that of other animal production systems, Galen said. He added that the industry has had a very good track record on animal health, food safety and the environment

The commission is not likely to complete its work before 2008, likely after the farm bill is written. Galen said this was an opportunity for the industry to tell the truth about the merits of the industry.