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This forecast as well as past forecasts and verifications are available at http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts Selenium & Polo Horses What is selenium? It is a chemical element that is necessary for proper animal cell function; it is also toxic in large doses. Selenium (top to bottom): raw, processed and bottled for pharmaceutical uses.
   Selenium is implicated in the sudden and initially mysterious April 19 deaths of 21 Venezuelan polo horses in Wellington, Florida. A vitamin supplement containing vitamin B, potassium, magnesium and selenium, was prepared by Franck’s Pharmacy in Ocala. It may somehow have mistaken the 0.5 mg/ml veterinary prescription for 5.0 mg/ml. The administered compound was apparently a substitute for Biodyl, a vitamin-mineral mix that is not approved for use in the US. In a summary memorandum, Florida State Veterinarian Dr. Tom Holt stated that the animals had “significantly increased selenium levels” in samples tested. Findings obtained at the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kissimmee were confirmed by independent testing at UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the University of California-Davis’ Animal Health and Food Safety lab and at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. “Signs exhibited by the horses and their rapid deaths were consistent with toxic doses of selenium,” Holt said. For more detail click here. Flooding & Drought According to Joe Kight, Florida ESF-17 Coordinator, few animal issues resulted from the flooding. “People took care of their own needs and helped each other so it wasn’t a severe issue.” On the other hand agricultural issues such as delayed plantings may not yet be fully assessed. (View photos and a slide show at the Suwannee River Water Management District internet site at www.srwmd.org.) FDACS’ experienced on-site team leader David Perry worked with Hamilton, Madison and Suwannee Counties to ensure that state resources was available if needed and that inter-agency coordination was smooth. Janis Hunter from the Suwannee County Animal Shelter noted, “It appears that all went as well as can be expected, at least, from calls we received at the shelter. We opened a pet friendly shelter, but after ‘no takers’ we soon closed. Seems that folks heeded the messages and are taking pets with them when they evacuate. Most people who live on the river are used to the move whenever the river rises.
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In April, the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) released a series of interactive, e-Learning modules:
NPDN modules include a post-test and all individuals completing the training at the 70 percent level or higher receive a certificate of completion. Nationally, 90 individuals have completed the training, including six Florida-based participants. To access the training, go to http://cbc.at.ufl.edu/ and click on “Take the On-Line Training Modules.” |
 Dr. Amanda Hodges, IFAS/UF |
In addition to the core crop biosecurity training, the NPDN plans to release some pest specific modules in the near future. The draft version of the chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) module is currently under review and available on-line with an anticipated release date of May 2009. If you have questions or comments regarding the current or future planned NPDN e-Learning modules, please contact Dr. Amanda Hodges at achodges@ufl.edu. (Dr. Hodges is Assistant-in Extension Scientist and Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) Assistant Director at IFAS-UF, Gainesville.
Dr. Jiannong Xin of IFAS/UF’s Office of Information Technology (352) 392-0429 xin@ufl.edu reminds us that presentations from the 2009 SART Conference are now available on the SART website at http://www.flsart.org/SART/tm?pageID=1. Alternatively, you may click on the "Conference Presentations" on the left menu of the SART website.
Suzan Loerzel, DVM, PhD| Someone mentioned tracking local resources and having a mechanism to match needs with resources. (I interpreted this to also include neighboring counties being able to effectively communicate or share resources or perhaps the State facilitating this process.) Maybe a resource template could be made and distributed to the counties. Working on communication processes during events might also be useful. Some things are in place already and the SART mail list is very helpful. My impression is that during an event, communication might have room for improvement. I have seen a dramatic improvement from when SART first started, but I wonder if everyone is satisfied with the communications during actual events and if not, is there a way to proactively improve on the communications plan? I liked the format of the conference but if there is a desire to mix it up a little, why not have a session where attendees go to break out groups and work on ideas-problems-solutions and present summaries to the conference. For common issues, getting attendees to work on solutions would be an engaging process that might generate interesting solutions. It might also provide a forum to discuss things in detail away from the general sessions. Another idea is to do a short table top exercise to test some of the county plans. |
 Even scientists need a snack. Dr. Suzan Loerzel, DVM, PhD – APHIS checks out conference brownies. |
 Volusia County’s Toni Contarino (left) and Delores Ferguson. |
 Ebbin Spelman (left – Alachua County) and Richard Ziegler (Leon County). |
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 Allan Schwartz (left – HSUS and DART) and FDACS’ Gary Painter. |
 USDA – APHIS’ Megan Adams (left – Vero Beach) and Gregory Gaj (St. Petersburg) |
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Men in hats; women with badges. (Thanks Fred and Connie.) SART – all that and training, too! |
The term “killer bees” may be socially and biologically incorrect, but it causes people to pay attention and thus, it is oddly useful. Dr. Jamie Ellis’ (IFAS-UF) presentation about this social insect at the 2009 SART Conference generated a great deal of response in the Sentinel’s informal follow-up survey. Florida state apiarist Jerry Hayes reminds that a great deal of information – videos, articles, photos – is available on line at FDACS’ site www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/plantinsp/ahb.html.
APHIS’ new Emergency Mobilization Guide (MOB Guide) will assist the agency’s efforts to effectively and efficiently respond to every conceivable agricultural and homeland security emergency situation.
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Under a declaration of “Total Mobility” all APHIS employees are considered available for direct emergency assignment. They may be deployed to the site of an emergency where they will be required to work irregular hours and perform duties beyond their normal job description to support the response. The MOB Guide at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/emergency_response/ spells out how APHIS employees will be selected for service and addresses issues concerning their deployment, from reporting requirements and notifications, to procedures for receiving mobilization instructions. The Guide also establishes the length of a standard assignment and the maximum period of time an assignment can be extended. |
The first APHIS employees to be deployed in an emergency will be volunteers. In the event of a long-term or large-scale response where additional assistance is needed, APHIS employees will be called to duty according to an existing system, known as the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS). This system details employees capabilities and dispatchers track the status of employees during an incident.
The MOB Guide maps a consistent APHIS emergency response and lets employees know what to expect if deployed. It also provides guidance on demobilization procedures that must be followed by employees returning to their regular positions. Because APHIS employees will work alongside state partners during an emergency, the Guide is also a good resource for state regulatory officials.
The Beetles are in the news again and they are coming to Florida. Although, no, this is not the Fab Four of John, Paul, George and Ringo. We wish it were….
A tiny, Asian beetle is killing Florida avocado trees. Imported accidentally (aren’t thy all!) from Asia, Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, carries a deadly fungus called Laurel Wilt. The Associated Press recently made the beetle the subject of a national story. While publicity highlights this looming environmental and agricultural problem, and thus keeps the public informed, it doesn’t help solve the problem directly.
UF-IFAS and USDA scientists have not yet made headway finding a way to stop its spread. Pesticides and fungicides are expensive and may present health risks.
Beetle-and-fungus have been discovered in Okeechobee County and it seems to be making its inevitable way toward Miami-Dade and the heart of Florida’s small, but vital avocado industry.
A 2008 IFAS report titled “Florida Avocado Production and Profitability Analysis” by Edward Evans is available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FE575. It begins: The Florida avocado industry consists of about 6,400 bearing acres, 737 growers, and 35 registered avocado handlers and shippers (Census of Agriculture, 2002). Of the 6,400 acres, more than 99% are located in southwest Miami-Dade County. In the 2004/05 season (from May 2004 to March 2005), an estimated 1.12 million bushels (61.6 million pounds) of avocados were produced, valued at approximately $14.45 million. Since the bulk of the avocados produced are sold outside the state, the industry is an important revenue generator for Florida. However, sustainability of the industry requires that it remain a profitable enterprise.
Citing more recent data, the AP article noted that avocados were a $30 million industry in Florida.
The Issue: When a food advisory, food recall, or other incident develops concern for a food product or food category, it is important that consumers receive clear, accurate, reliable and science-based information and education.
Overview: This conference will explain and explore the educational needs of consumers and industry before, during and after a food protection event. It will also strengthen current interagency coordination and communication efforts.
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The Conference: Three regional conferences will be offered in 2009:
Who Should Attend: Extension professionals, food processors and individuals from state and federal agencies and organizations with a vested interest in food protection.
The goals: By the end of this conference, attendees will be better prepared to understand and participate in food protection education and communication to improve consumer safety while reducing negative industry impact. Participants will have a working knowledge of and be able to identify:
These conferences are being offered with support from Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), with support from the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). http://eden.lsu.edu
Editor: Rick Sapp, PhD, Technical Writer, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry [rsa5@cox.net]
Associate Editor: Joe Kight, State ESF-17 Coordinator, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry [kightj@doacs.state.fl.us]
The SART SENTINEL is an E-mail newsletter prepared monthly by Rick Sapp and the members of the Florida State Agricultural Response Team. Past issues of the Sentinel are archived on the Florida SART Web Site, www.flsart.org.
If you have a story or photo that you would like to have considered for publication in The SART SENTINEL, please contact the Editors.
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