Muscovies in US - REGULATION CHANGES OPEN FOR COMMENTS - 10/1 update

[Mac_]

Do you know what type of marking Dr. Allen was referring to?

Thanks,

Mac

 

[keeperofthehearth]

This is what I believe Dr. Allen was referring to. It's what is required right now concerning mallards. I wrote him concerning this also & hope they make revisions to marking your Scovy. Yeash!!! As to the seamless metal band.....Scovy are still growing lilke crazy at 6wks of age. Tattooing is going to be costly which leave you with pinoning or cutting off the right hind toe.

(b) All mallard ducks possessed in captivity, without a permit, shall have been physically marked by at least one of the following methods prior to 6 weeks of age and all such ducks hatched, reared, and retained in captivity thereafter shall be so marked prior to reaching 6 weeks of age.

(1) Removal of the hind toe from the right foot.

(2) Pinioning of a wing: Provided, That this method shall be the removal of the metacarpal bones of one wing or a portion of the metacarpal bones which renders the bird permanently incapable of flight.

(3) Banding of one metatarsus with a seamless metal band.

(4) Tattooing of a readily discernible number or letter or combination thereof on the web of one foot.

(c) When so marked, such live birds may be disposed of to, or acquired from, any person and possessed and transferred in any number at any time or place: Provided, That all such birds shall be physically marked prior to sale or disposal regardless of whether or not they have attained 6 weeks of age.

(d) When so marked, such live birds may be killed, in any number, at any time or place, by any means except shooting. Such birds may be killed by shooting only in accordance with all applicable hunting regulations governing the taking of mallard ducks from the wild: Provided, That such birds may be killed by shooting, in any number, at any time, within the confines of any premises operated as a shooting preserve under State license, permit, or authorization; or they may be shot, in any number, at any time or place, by any person for bona fide dog training or field trial purposes: Provided further, That the provisions: (1) The hunting regulations (part 20 of this subchapter), with the exception of 20.108 (Nontoxic shot zones), and (2) The Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (duck stamp requirement) shall not apply to shooting preserve operations as provided for in this paragraph, or to bona fide dog training or field trial operations.

(e) At all times during possession, transportation, and storage until the raw carcasses of such birds are finally processed immediately prior to cooking, smoking, or canning, the marked foot or wing must remain attached to each carcass: Provided, That persons, who operate game farms or shooting preserves under a State license, permit, or authorization for such activities, may remove the marked foot or wing when either the number of his State license, permit, or authorization has first been legibly stamped in ink on the back of each carcass and on the container in which each carcass is maintained, or each carcass is identified by a State band on leg or wing pursuant to requirements of his State license, permit, or authorization. When properly marked, such carcasses may be disposed of to, or acquired from, any person and possessed and transported in any number at any time or place.

[40 FR 28459, July 7, 1975, as amended at 46 FR 42680, Aug. 24, 1981; 54 FR 36798, Sept. 5, 1989]

Read more: http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/exceptions-captive-reared-mallard-ducks-19894607#ixzz0m8nw0tJ8​

 

[Danaus29]

I had already decided I would not be mutilating babies and was going to stop selling females anyway. And no, a seamless leg band at 6 weeks won't work. I've tried banding with the split rings at 6 weeks and they just fall right off.

 

[Mac_]

We need to strongly oppose having to mark our Muscovies. They are only native to 3 counties in Texas. So why do we have to mark Muscovies in the rest of the US???

Dr. Allen appears to be backsliding on what he told me in phone and e-mail conversations. Once a regulator, always a regulator? It seems they just can't help themselves.

For those that process and sell Muscovies for meat, how receptive will your customers be to one foot being left on the bird???

Mac

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

As I expected. But I do hope Dr Allen hurries up, I hate being in limbo. My girls and boy where hatched March 26th and have been at the Oyster Shell dish. They are getting ready to start laying and I am not going to stop them. But then I have Muscovies for home meat birds but I care for them as if they were pets.

Now, I am clipping wings for the first time to prevent the girls from flying, (I caught one on top of the shed). What an ordeal. Their mom's never flew once they started laying though. I figure I have until the end of the year to send in reports on them.


Just how long before a revision do you think? I figured it would come thru this month. Oh, 5 months is August.

 

[Mac_]

The next step will be when FWS (Dr. Allen) publishes his proposed changes for public comment. Then there is a public comment period before the new rules will be officially adopted.

I do not think that you need to change anything that you are doing until such time that the new rules are adopted. (With the possible exception that you probably should not be intentionally releasing Muscovies to the wild.)

Regards,

Mac

 

[Danaus29]

Just don't ask for a variance or a permit to keep them if you are doing so illegally (which I didn't know I was). And don't ask permission to keep them in an "environmentally sensitive" watershed area. But if I had 5 acres instead of just the one or if I was outside the stupid subdivision (which I did not know I was in) they wouldn't have been a problem.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

The next step will be when FWS (Dr. Allen) publishes his proposed changes for public comment. Then there is a public comment period before the new rules will be officially adopted.

Mac, how do we know when or where this will be published? 1st I knew about this was on this forum.

Actually, I was wanting to cull all my Scovies and get them again later (in a few years). With the new changes, I think I should keep them for my meat birds until I see how this shakes out. It may be real hard to get them in years to come.​

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Our local newspaper mentioned the Muscovy Duck ban this week. Raed the story at: http://mymonticellonews.net/articles/2010/08/12/news/local_news/doc4c644413d894f695000580.txt

Agri disaster aid checks expected soon
By Patty Wooten
Advance Staff Writer
Published:
Thursday, August 12, 2010 2:13 PM CDT
A representative from the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee fielded questions Wednesday from a small group at the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

Asked about agriculture disaster assistance, Damon Wells said he hopes the checks will begin going out at the end of the month.

According to an August 6 letter to Sen. Blanche Lincoln from Acting Deputy Director Robert Nabors, the administration is committed to providing assistance consistent with her legislative proposal by the end of the month.

"We are currently evaluating options to ensure compliance with existing laws, ease of administration, and effectiveness of targeting the assistance to those in need," Nabors wrote.

"That's the best commitment I have," Wells said referring to Nabors' letter.

Asked about the status of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Wells said the federal government is trying to work through issues that have plagued the process which provides financial assistance to producers or entities that deliver eligible biomass material to designated biomass conversion facilities for use as heat, power, bio-based products or biofuels.

Wells said he hopes the issues will be addressed in the next farm bill.

An attempt to expand the federal Clean Water Restoration Act, giving the Environmental Protection Agency regulatory control over more waters, including some waters on private property, is "dead", according to Wells.

Opponents have called the move most extreme assault on property rights in the history of the United States and an affront to the Constitution.

"That is dead and Sen. Lincoln is adamantly opposed to it," Wells said.

Wells took the names of a few people with promises to get back with them on their aquaculture-related questions, a new federal law making it illegal to own Muscovy ducks, and funds to rebuild the exhibition barn at the Drew County Fairgrounds.

Jim Hall, a local 4-H Poultry Club leader, said he recently learned that he was violating federal laws by raising Muscovy ducks. "They passed a law and didn't notify the industry," he said, adding that the law is silly and it "all boils down to people in Florida don't want Muscovy ducks pooping on their golf course."

Hall, who is also a member of the Drew County Fair Board, asked that Wells check into the availability of funds to replace the exhibition barn at the Drew County Fairgrounds that was destroyed by a tornado last year.

"We need to rebuild that barn," Hall said. "These kids deserve to have a show barn."

I will be voting for John Boozeman to replace Senator Blanch Lincoln. After months of request, she still has done nothing to help us. Her head is in the clouds. Mr Wells said that someone had contacted their office about Muscovy ducks but was not sure who. HELLO!!!!!!!! Is anyone listening in Lincoln's office? At least I tried.​

 

[keeperofthehearth]

I just found this: Dr. Allen replies down at the bottom of blog updated 9/20/10. O.K. everyone.... lets keep track of this so it doesn't get away fm us... the changes should be published pretty soon.

http://hsoiblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/19/muscovy-duck-ban/

Has anyone here heard back fm Dr. Allen?