Even with infestation, growers should be prudent and always scout before applying chemicals because buyers want a high-quality, chemical-free forage to feed their horses, he said. Each stem should be examined for evidence of feeding by the alfalfa weevil, maturity of the stem and stem length. When taking samples from a field, it is best to walk in an M-shaped pattern and gather five stems from each touchpoint, totaling 25 stems. Most damage from the alfalfa weevil is done during the larval...

The requests come after a series of problems with Chinese exports which have resulted in toxic materials being found in toothpaste, fish and pet food. Chinese exporters have been asked to register with the government and adopt other measures in an attempt to provide greater assurance on the safety of their products. Concern has arisen following a number of pet deaths due to tainted wheat gluten and rice protein exported from China used in the animal feed; even more alarming is that toxins...

and Canada are suing Menu Foods for producing wet pet food made with contaminated wheat gluten. Almost three months later, the Seattle couple's names appear on the cover page of a class-action lawsuit against pet food manufacturer Menu Foods. Hundreds in Seattle line up lawsuits against pet food manufacturer. But hundreds of tainted pet food products recalled over the space of weeks -- that's another matter. The company's Web site says, "it has always been our desire to compensate pet...

To respond to mounting criticism without a budget increase, the FDA has tried a band-aid approach: On May 1, the agency created a new food-safety oversight position, naming its chief medical officer, David Acheson, the agency's first assistant commissioner for food protection. To respond to mounting criticism without a budget increase, the FDA has tried a band-aid approach: On May 1, the agency created a new food-safety oversight position, naming its chief medical officer, David Acheson,...

I was blessed that my father gave me the opportunity, said Palmquist, 48, a fourth-generation farmer who produces corn, soybeans and livestock north of Salem, S. It is also a way to pay for better equipment to put up our feed for our own livestock. Wanting to give his sons the same opportunity he had, Mark, his wife, Deb, and the two boys are working on ways to expand their farming operation without necessarily increasing its acreage. When Mark decided that he wanted to farm full-time...

Diamond Pet Foods says it has recalled a limited quantity of the product because, they say, the product may include traces of melamine. Fortunately, no animal deaths have been reported yet. The Food and Drug Administration, issuing another pet food recallThursday, May 24, 2007. This time around, the FDA says it is recalling Nutra Nuggets forty-pound lamb meal and rice formula. You can find a complete listing of recalls in theFDA Enforcement Report.