Johanns Could Be Leaving USDA Just in Time (AG Weekly) WASHINGTON — The Department of Agriculture is rarely in the headlines these days, but when Secretary Mike Johanns stepped down last week, he listed a range of projects that span the agency’s broad reach, from preparing for an outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza to developing an online facility for providing U.S. citizens with nutrition advice. [News Source]

R-CALF: New FTAs detrimental to U.S. food safety (Prairie Star) WASHINGTON, D.C. n Recently negotiated free trade agreements (FTAs) with Peru, Panama and Colombia would limit inspections and safety requirements for food imported into the U.S. from these countries. [News Source]

Johanns Could Be Leaving USDA Just in Time (Prairie Star) WASHINGTON — The Department of Agriculture is rarely in the headlines these days, but when Secretary Mike Johanns stepped down last week, he listed a range of projects that span the agency’s broad reach, from preparing for an outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza to developing an online facility for providing U.S. citizens with nutrition advice. [News Source]

Chronic wasting disease continues to spread. Neurological disease has hit as far south as West Virginia. [News Source]