Regulatory

Topeka, Kan. - Legislation that would have taken away the Kansas Board of Veterinary Examiners' ability to preside over its own administrative hearings is dead for 2008, though it is expected to come up for consideration again in next year's legislative session.

Topeka, Kan. - To demonstrate the state's commitment to housing a federal bio-security laboratory, the Kansas governor signed legislation to issue $105 million in bonds.

Montpelier, vt. - Organized veterinary medicine is going head-to-head with activists in an attempt to convince the Vermont Supreme Court that pet owners have no right to sue for loss of companionship and emotional distress in alleged malpractice cases.

Camden, N.J. - Another chapter in the lengthy pet-food recall saga is drawing to a close with the reported settlement of more than 100 class-action lawsuits brought on behalf of pet owners in the United States and Canada.

Trenton, N.J. - A plan to eliminate the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has ignited Statehouse protests and rallied the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association (NJVMA).

Washington - 4/11/08 - Operations were suspended at one slaughterhouse and violations issued at three others after 18 facilities were evaluated in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) audit, spurred by the nation's largest beef recall earlier this year.

Washington - 4/4/08 - Emergency funding totalling $16.8 million has been earmarked to continue efforts to eradicate bovine tuberculosis in California, Michigan and Minnesota, announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Washington - 3/3/08 - A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspector and supervisor were suspended without pay after a facility's overlooking of multiple federal rules resulted in the largest beef recall in U.S. history

Rockville, Md. - She wants to build collaborations, share ideas in a transparent system with one over-arching ethos: ensure public health.

San Bernardino, Calif. - A judge issued warrants last month for two California slaughterhouse workers accused of abusing sick and injured cattle.

Kansas City, Mo. - A federal grand jury indicted two Chinese firms, an American firm and their principals on multiple counts related to tainted pet foods that sickened or killed perhaps thousands of pets last year and triggered the largest pet-food recall in the nation's history.

Chino, Calif. - A California meat company recalled 143 million pounds of beef last month in response to animal-abuse allegations that center on purported efforts to sneak sick and injured cattle into the U.S. food system.

Twin Cities, Minn. - The Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine (MBVM) wants Dr. Carl Seemann to pay nearly $40,000 in administrative penalties and fees and complete a list of directives in order to regain his license to practice.

Seneca, Pa. - It's taken six years for Dr. James Nelson to win what he considers vindication against the regulatory board he claims marred his reputation.

Rockville, MD. - 2/22/08 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering the implementation of an Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) Reauthorization plan that focuses on the drug review program's funding, application process and technology.

Chino, Calif. - 2/19/08 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recalled 143 million pounds of beef last month from a California meatpacker due to oversight lapses by public health veterinarians who were not summoned to re-evaluate nonambulatory cattle pre-slaughter.

Rockville, MD.- Dr. Bernadette Dunham was named director of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Aiea, Hawaii - 1/10/08 - Initial testing for a human West Nile Virus vaccine has gotten the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Washington - 1/7/08 - Two Food and Drug Administration (FDA) leadership changes have been implemented today: Stephen Sundlof has been named the director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and Bernadette Dunham will assume directorship of the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

Rockville, MD. - 1/4/08 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is seeking applicants to participate in the 2008 Summer Intern Program.

Washington - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must establish an early-warning and surveillance system by this fall to identify adulteration of the nation's pet-food supply and any future outbreaks of illness associated with pet foods.

San Francisco -Attorneys with the California State Department of Consumer Affairs want to put a legislative stopper on West Hollywood's anti-declaw law, cemented last month by the state Supreme Court's refusal to hear a challenge to the ban.

Rockville, MD. - 10/1/07 - The Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA-CVM) wants nominations for voting members to serve on the agency's Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee (VMAC).

National Report - A potential connection between feline hyperthyroidism (FH) and a flame-retardant chemical found in common household products, house dust and some food items may exist, concludes a recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study.

DeKalb, Ill. - 9/24/07 - The nation's last horse slaughter plant will again shut down after a court ruled against their appeal to a state law banning the practice.

Washington - 9/22/07 - The United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced his resignation earlier this week--after almost three years in office--through the following letter.

Washington - 9/22/07 - United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced his resignation earlier this week and is expected to soon announce plans of running for a Senate seat.

Washington - An additional $35 million in emergency funding is available for the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) bovine tuberculosis (TB) eradication program.