Walmart, Home Depot and others are getting ready for Irma: For consumers stocking up on hurricane supplies, help is on the way. Walmart Stores said it has activated its Emergency Operations Center for Hurricane Irma to “get those shelves stocked as soon as possible,” said Ragan Dickens, director of national media relations. “This is an all-hands-on-deck operation.” He said 800 truckloads of supplies were deployed Tuesday from its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, and are on the way to Florida with water, flashlights, batteries, ready-to-eat foods and other supplies. They will be routed to the stores with the most needs, he said. Home Depot and Target are also restocking. Read more HERE and HERE.
FOOD SAFETY
Israel orders recall of 11 million shell eggs: Israel has ordered the recall of about 11 million shell eggs out of fear they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The Israeli egg recall is apparently not related to the withdrawal of millions of European eggs earlier in the summer because of contamination from the use of the toxic insecticide Fipronil and a cleaning agent and sanitizer known as “Dega 16.” READ MORE
ANIMAL HEALTH
ADAI arranges temporary shelter for evacuated livestock: With expectations of Hurricane Irma making landfall in south Florida this weekend, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) has been in contact with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES), Alabama Farmers Federation (ALFA), Alabama Horse Council and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services to confirm temporary sheltering facilities for evacuated livestock including horses and cattle. In preparation for this storm, Alabama’s state veterinarian, Dr. Tony Frazier, has been in contact with Florida’s state veterinarian, Dr. Michael Short, in planning for the potential evacuation of certain livestock and animals. Animals moving in response to evacuation orders will be exempt from a certificate of veterinary inspection. READ MORE
FOOD SECURITY
SE Texas meat industry continues recovery: The southeast Texas meat industry is continuing its recovery more than 10 days after of Hurricane Harvey and massive flooding hit the area, according to an unscientific poll conducted by Meatingplace. Calls to more than 50 meat industry players – from processors to distributors to small food companies – found that the majority were open for business the day after Labor Day. READ MORE
HSUS targets California as ‘caging’ battleground: Last November Massachusetts voters approved— by a 3 to 1 margin—a proposal mandating that all pork, veal and eggs sold in the Bay State come from pigs, calves and laying hens not confined to ultra-tight quarters. Massachusetts’ new rules are the first to dictate how animals are raised in other states if the food from those animals is to be sold in Massachusetts, a major victory for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which pushed the Massachusetts initiative. Now, HSUS has targeted California as the next battleground. Ag groups say the HSUS long-term agenda is to end food animal production. READ MORE