Latest news with #Agriculture
Agriland
2 hours ago
- Health
- Agriland
NI brucellosis compensation rates for June 2025
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published the brucellosis compensation rates for Northern Ireland for June 2025. Farmers are compensated for losses if animals have to be slaughtered under DAERA's brucellosis prevention and eradication control programme. The compensation payable, for reactors and negative in contacts for which notice of intended slaughter is issued in June 2025 will be either: 75% of the animal's market value; 75% of £2,632 (75% of £2,932 in the case of pedigree animals). Valuations on animals are carried out by a DAERA livestock valuation officer and, in the case of a disagreement over the DAERA valuation, a second individual valuation is carried out by an independent valuer. DAERA Separately DAERA has advised that from Sunday (June 1) bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) herd restrictions are being introduced for herds with animals over 30-days-old that have not been tested for BVD. New BVD legislation, which came into force in Northern Ireland on February 1, 2025, introduced a number of BVD control measures in a phased manner. Initially targeting herds with positive animals these measures will now be extended from Sunday to introduce movement restrictions on herds with animals over 30 days old that have not been tested for BVD. These measures will initially be applied if there are 20 or more untested animals in a herd, with the threshold for the application of restrictions being reduced over the next 12 months. Herd restrictions will prohibit all moves into the herd, and all moves out except to direct slaughter or for disposal. The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, has warned that in Northern Ireland there are a 'small cohort of farmers that are not testing all their animals for BVD on time, some of which may be infected with the virus, therefore posing a risk to their herd and to other herds.' The minister said: 'I therefore urge all farmers to test their calves promptly and test any BVDU status cattle in their herd either by using a supplementary ear tag or through blood sampling carried out by their own vet. 'Only through the concerted efforts of all livestock keepers will we continue to make progress towards the eradication of this disease in Northern Ireland.'
Bloomberg
8 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
China Bans All Poultry Imports From Brazil on Bird Flu Case
China has banned imports of all poultry products from Brazil after a bird flu outbreak was detected in the world's top exporter, halting a trade worth more than $1 billion. Direct and indirect imports of all poultry and related products from Brazil are banned in order to prevent the importation of bird flu, China's customs agency said in a statement published late Friday. The agency also said all plants and animal waste arriving from Brazil must undergo disinfestation.
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First Post
12 hours ago
- Health
- First Post
False citations: Did Trump admin use AI for MAHA report on US child health?
The report produced by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, named after the slogan aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was released last week. The 14-member commission included Kennedy, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Food and Drug Administration head Martin Makary among others read more A highly-publicized U.S. government report on the health of American children referenced scientific studies that did not exist among citations to support its conclusions in what the White House said were 'formatting issues' on Thursday. The report produced by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, named after the slogan aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was released last week. The 14-member commission included Kennedy, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Food and Drug Administration head Martin Makary among others. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It said processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in American children, citing some 500 research studies, including those that did not exist, as evidence. Digital news outlet NOTUS reported the citation errors on Thursday. It found seven studies listed in the report's footnotes that did not exist, along with broken links and misstated conclusions, raising questions over whether the report had relied on artificial intelligence. Reuters independently confirmed two of the erroneous citations. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that any citation errors were due to 'formatting issues.' The government said it posted a corrected version of the report later on Thursday, without providing details on how the mistakes had occurred. 'The substance of the MAHA report remains the same - a historic and transformative assessment by the federal government to understand the chronic disease epidemic afflicting our nation's children,' the Department of Health and Human Services said. Kennedy has spent decades sowing doubt about the safety of vaccines, which have long been backed by a scientific consensus on their effectiveness for controlling disease outbreaks, raising concerns within the scientific and medical communities over the policies he would pursue as health secretary. Since taking the role, he has fired thousands of workers at federal health agencies and cut billions of dollars from U.S. biomedical research spending. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Nobody has ever accused RFK Jr. of academic rigor,' said Marion Nestle, a professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. 'The speed (of the MAHA report) suggests that it could not have been vetted carefully and must have been whisked through standard clearance procedures. The citation problem suggests a reliance on AI.' AI-generated fictions, known as 'hallucinations,' have also cropped up in court filings and landed attorneys in hot water ever since ChatGPT and other generative AI programs became widely available more than two years ago. Katherine Keyes, an epidemiology professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, was cited in the MAHA report as the author of 'Changes in mental health and substance use among U.S. adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic,' which the report said was published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics. She said that neither she nor the named co-authors of the paper had written it. 'It does make me concerned given that citation practices are an important part of conducting and reporting rigorous science,' she said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Psychiatry Professor Robert L. Findling did not author the article cited in the report as 'Direct-to-consumer advertising of psychotropic medications for youth: A growing concern' in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, according to a spokesperson for Virginia Commonwealth University, where Findling is a professor. The studies attributed to Findling and Keyes no longer appeared in the MAHA report on the White House website as of Thursday evening.
Hans India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Union Minister Shivraj Chouhan participates in 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' event in Jammu
Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has said that the Government will make farmers self-reliant and transform the agricultural landscape of India. The minister was addressing a convention of farmers organised under the 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' (VKSA) at R. S. Pura, Jammu, on Friday. He was accompanied by the Union Minister of State, Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh. The Union Minister paid homage to the brave soldiers stationed at the border areas and lauded the enduring resilience of farmers living under the constant shadow of cross-border threats. The Minister emphasised the government's dedication to national security and agricultural prosperity. The Minister upheld the valour of Indian soldiers and recognised the significance of Operation Sindoor, during which calculated strikes were conducted on terror infrastructure across the border. 'It was a necessary step; Pakistan's attempts to infiltrate with drones and missiles were dealt with decisively. This is a tribute to the strength of our armed forces and the will of the Indian people,' he said. The Minister highlighted the vital role of farmers living in border regions, describing them as the second line of defence. Terming the courage of farmers as unmatched, he said that despite facing constant danger, farmers continue to cultivate the land and feed the nation. He assured the local farming community that their concerns, particularly regarding land rights, security infrastructure, and access to government schemes, have been heard. 'The demand for more bunkers in vulnerable areas will be strongly raised in New Delhi. Your safety is our priority,' he affirmed. Underlining the government's vision of Viksit Bharat, he said that there can be no Viksit Bharat without Viksit Krishi, highlighting that the agricultural production has reached an all-time high this year, thanks to the hard work of the farmers and scientists. As part of an ongoing agricultural transformation, he revealed that research scientists will now visit villages, address farmers' queries, and provide hands-on guidance to tackle crop diseases and boost productivity. 'Maintain close contact with these scientists. They are your partners in progress,' he urged. The Minister thanked the Prime Minister, the state government, and the farmers of Jammu for their efforts and cooperation. He reiterated his mission to elevate the agriculture sector to new heights, ensuring that Jammu & Kashmir becomes a model agri-region for the nation. He said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the government has taken a resolve to transform the agriculture sector by incorporating the latest trends, technologies and modern research. Chouhan emphasised that his life is devoted to serving farmers, increasing agricultural output, lowering production costs and protecting the nation's food supply. He highlighted that a balanced use of fertilisers, a deep understanding of local conditions and access to high-quality seeds are key factors that can significantly boost the productivity of farmers. He said that the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry, State Agriculture Ministry, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Krishi Vigyan Kendra and all agricultural institutes should work together as a team to realise this goal. Terming the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan as a result-driven initiative, he expressed confidence that its benefits, including higher crop yields and reduced input costs, would be evident as early as the upcoming Kharif season.
The Sun
14 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
Trump administration 'MAHA' health report cited nonexistent studies
A highly-publicized U.S. government report on the health of American children referenced scientific studies that did not exist among citations to support its conclusions in what the White House said were 'formatting issues' on Thursday. The report produced by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, named after the slogan aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was released last week. The 14-member commission included Kennedy, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Food and Drug Administration head Martin Makary among others. It said processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in American children, citing some 500 research studies, including those that did not exist, as evidence. Digital news outlet NOTUS reported the citation errors on Thursday. It found seven studies listed in the report's footnotes that did not exist, along with broken links and misstated conclusions, raising questions over whether the report had relied on artificial intelligence. Reuters independently confirmed two of the erroneous citations. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that any citation errors were due to 'formatting issues.' The government said it posted a corrected version of the report later on Thursday, without providing details on how the mistakes had occurred. 'The substance of the MAHA report remains the same - a historic and transformative assessment by the federal government to understand the chronic disease epidemic afflicting our nation's children,' the Department of Health and Human Services said. Kennedy has spent decades sowing doubt about the safety of vaccines, which have long been backed by a scientific consensus on their effectiveness for controlling disease outbreaks, raising concerns within the scientific and medical communities over the policies he would pursue as health secretary. Since taking the role, he has fired thousands of workers at federal health agencies and cut billions of dollars from U.S. biomedical research spending. 'Nobody has ever accused RFK Jr. of academic rigor,' said Marion Nestle, a professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. 'The speed (of the MAHA report) suggests that it could not have been vetted carefully and must have been whisked through standard clearance procedures. The citation problem suggests a reliance on AI.' AI-generated fictions, known as 'hallucinations,' have also cropped up in court filings and landed attorneys in hot water ever since ChatGPT and other generative AI programs became widely available more than two years ago. Katherine Keyes, an epidemiology professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, was cited in the MAHA report as the author of 'Changes in mental health and substance use among U.S. adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic,' which the report said was published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics. She said that neither she nor the named co-authors of the paper had written it. 'It does make me concerned given that citation practices are an important part of conducting and reporting rigorous science,' she said. Psychiatry Professor Robert L. Findling did not author the article cited in the report as 'Direct-to-consumer advertising of psychotropic medications for youth: A growing concern' in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, according to a spokesperson for Virginia Commonwealth University, where Findling is a professor. The studies attributed to Findling and Keyes no longer appeared in the MAHA report on the White House website as of Thursday evening.
