xt7ht727dm51 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7ht727dm51/data/mets.xml Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station  Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 2003 journals  English College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station  The Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 116th Annual Report 2003, June 30, 2004 text 2009ua018 The Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 116th Annual Report 2003, June 30, 2004 2003 2003 2022 true xt7ht727dm51 section xt7ht727dm51 AR—116

UKAGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY—COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

The Kentucky
Agricultural Experiment Station

11 th

 

 

Annual Report

2003

UK

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
College of Agriculture

 

University of Kentucky 0 Lexington, Kentucky 40546

 

   

To His Excellency,
The Honorable Ernie Fletcher
Governor of Kentucky

I herewith submit the one hundred and sixteenth annual report of the Kentucky Agricultural Experi—
ment Station for the period ending December 31, 2003. This is done in accordance with an act of
Congress, approved March 2, 1887, titled “An act to establish Agricultural Experiment Stations, in
connection with the Agricultural Colleges established in the severalstates under the provisions of an
act approved July 2, 1862, and under the acts supplementary thereto,” and also the act of the Kentucky
State Legislature, approved February 20, 1888, accepting the provisions of the act of Congress.

Very respectfully,

WWW

M. Scott Smith, Director
Lexington, Kentucky
June 30, 2004

 

   

Contents

 

Purpose of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station ....................................... 7
Statewide Research ..................................................................................................... 7
Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center ......................................................................... 8
Regulatory Servrces ............ 11
Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Projects ............................................... 14
Collegewide Extramural Funding ............................................................................. 17
Intellectual Property ................................................................................................. 22
Publications ............................................................................................................... 23
Graduate Degrees ................................................. 38
Financial Statement .................................................................................................. 40

Staff ........................................................................... - ................................................ 4 l

 

  Purpose of the Kentucky
Agricultural Experiment Station

 

As a land—grant institution, the University of Kentucky
is responsible for sewing the people of the Commonwealth
of Kentucky. The College of Agriculture, with its research,
teaching, and extension activities, has developed astructure
and organization to provide the mandated land—grant services
in agriculture and related areas.

The Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station has been
providing research results to farmers and rural residents
for more than 100 years. The continued advancement of
Kentucky agriculture attests to the benefits of applying new
knowledge and technology. Much of the research leading
to increased quantity and improved quality of Kentucky’s
agricultural output was performed by the Experiment Sta—
tion. College researchers also have successfully addressed
problems of agribusiness, consumers, international trade,
food processing, nutrition, community development, soil and
water resources, and the environment.

Although much Experiment Station research has immedi—
ate application to agricultural and natural resource/related
problems, scientists are also involved in basic research, gena
erating new information to help solve present and potential
problems. The ability of Kentucky producers to be competi—

,tive in domestic and world markets requires an expanded base

of knowledge in emerging areas of research applicable to
agriculture, food, and natural resources.

This annual report lists Experiment Station research
projects and publications completed during 2003. This
publication serves to record all grant funding and refereed
publications for the entire College of Agriculture. A person—
nel list is also provided.

The research programs of the Kentucky Agricultural Ex;
periment Station have benefited Kentucky’s agriculture over
the past century, and the results of present and future research
will continue to serve Kentucky’s primary industry.

Statewide Research

 

Research activities of the Kentucky Agricultural Ex—
periment Station were conducted at Lexington, Princeton,
Quicksand, and Owenton and in counties throughout the
state in 2003. _

Efforts are constantly made to ensure that the research
studies have application to the problems of all Kentucky farm—
ers and other clientele groups. Locations of the experimental
facilities provide conditions representative of most sections
of the state.

Map Position 1

0 Campus: Laboratories and specialized equipment for all
research program areas.

' Coldstream—Maine Chance—Spindletop Famis: Beef
and dairy cattle, poultry, horses, sheep, and swine; forages
and grain crops, tobacco, and turf.

0 South Farm: Fruits and vegetables, omamentals.

' UK Animal Research Center (Woodford County): This
farm was purchased in late 1991 as a location for develop,
ment of state «of'the—arr food animal research programs. The
farm is in Phase I of development as a research facility.

Map Position 2

0 At Princeton (Caldwell County), the Research and Educar
tion Center facilities and the West Kentucky Substation
Farm are devoted to research on grain crops, beef cattle,
swine, fruits and vegetables, forages, and tobacco.

 

 

Map Position 3

0 At Quicksand (Breathitt County), the Robinson Station
is the location of research on fruits and vegetables, orna—
mentals, forages, grain crops, tobacco, and wood utilization.
Quicksand is also the headquarters of Robinson Forest,
which spreads over parts of Breathitt, Perry, and Knott
counties and is the site of forestry and watershed manage—
ment research.

Map Position 4

' At the Eden Shale Farm, located in Owen County near
Owenton, experimental and demonstration studies are
conducted on forage crops, tobacco, fruits and vegetables,
and beef management.

 

  

Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center

 

The Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) is
charged with the diagnoses of animal diseases and per
formance of tests that safeguard the health of the animal
population in Kentucky. The LDDC helps identify infectious
diseases, identifies chemical and toxic contaminants that may
harm animals or humans, diagnoses nutritional diseases, iden—
tifies regulatory diseases, provides the means to meet export
sales requirements, and provides an early warning system for
impending epidemics.

The objective of the program is to provide veterinary diag—
nostic laboratory‘based assistance to veterinary practitioners,
farmers and agribusinesses, companion animal owners, wild—
life conservationists, and public programs. Also, laboratory
support is provided to the animal disease control and eradi—
cation programs of the Animal Health Programs, Kentucky
Department of Agriculture. An outcome of handling complex
and difficult cases is consultation and continuing education
for veterinarians in veterinary diagnostic medicine.

The program provides surveillance for emerging diseases
such as West Nile Virus (WNV) infection and for possible
threats to Kentucky agribusiness such as foot and mouth
disease. Also, for more than 16 years, a stringent surveillance
program for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also
known as mad cow disease, has been in place. Results of the
surveillance are reported quarterly to federal authorities. No
suspicious cases have been identified.

Animal owners use the LDDC’s services through their
veterinarians who have expertise in selecting, preparing, ship—
ping, and submitting the proper specimens for testing when
necessary. When reporting its findings, the laboratory will
involve the submitter‘s veterinarian, Since this professional
often is in the best position to recommend and administer
treatment and preventative measures.

Professional and technical staff are specialists in essential
scientific disciplines directly related to animal health. Disease
diagnostic efforts are coordinated and handled by specialists
in the appropriate disciplines. The LDDC is organized into
sections so that specialized workload/activities can be handled
efficiently.

Highlights:

All faculty and staff continue to participate in the Mare
Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) diagnostic and inves—
tigational efforts. The number of equine abortion accessions
of all breeds are posted on a weekly basis for the winter and
spring on the College of Agriculture, Department of Vet;
erinary Science Web site. This weekly posting of abortion
accessions was done to help the equine industry manage
concerns about the perceived longrterm impact of MRLS.
Identifying the cause(s) of equine abortion was a major chal—
lenge throughout 2003. In cooperation with the Kentucky
Department of Public Health and the Kentucky Department

of Agriculture, the LDDC conducted assays for statewide sure
veillance and diagnosis of West Nile Virus (WNV) in birds,
horses, and mosquito pools. The LDDC provided laboratory
support for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and
the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
for surveillance of chronic wasting disease in the wild and
farmed cervid population.

PATHOLOGY
L.R. Harrison

 

The LDDC provides services in necropsy, histopathology,
and surgical biopsy. Pathologists evaluate changes found at
necropsy and correlate them with other laboratory test results,
including light microscopic examination of tissues.

Necropsy: A postmortem examination is conducted to
identify any injury or change in an organ that has resulted
in impairment or loss of function.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Necropsy Cases 5,804
Avian 108
Canine and feline ‘ 410
Caprine and ovine 531
Bovine 1,501
Equine 3,010
Porcine 66
Other species (exotic—zoo, wildlife) ....................................................... 178

Histopathology: Tissues are prepared for light microscopic
examination to reveal changes in body tissues due to disease.
Tissues of 6,469 cases were processed and examined. A report
has been generated for each case.

Biopsy: Small tissue specimens prepared for light micro—
scopic examination for evidence of neoplasia or other dis'
eases. Tissue samples representing 4,522 cases were processed
and examined. A report was generated for each case.

Cytology: Preparations of cells denuded from tumors or
other type lesions, recovered from secretions and exudates
for microscopic examination. Cytopathologic examinations
were done and a report generated for 564 cases.

BACTERIOLOGY/MYCOLOGY
].M. Donahue

 

The primary mission of the Bacteriology/Mycology Sec;
tion is to detect or isolate and identify pathogenic bacteria
0r fungi present in animals. The section also determines the
antibiotics that might be used for the treatment of specific
bacterial infections. The section is responsible for culture of
bacteria for two federal/state regulatory programs: contagious
equine metritis (CEM) in equine and brucellosis in bovine.

 Highlights:

0 20,236 aerobic cultures were performed on samples sub—
mitted to the LDDC; significant bacterial pathogens were
found in more than 50% of the samples.

0 3,563 milk samples from dairy cows were tested for micro'
organisms that cause mastitis; more than 50% were positive
for pathogenic microorganisms.

0 5,755 different bacterial isolates were tested to determine
the antibiotics that could be used for their treatment in
exposed animals.

0 10,667 samples from horses were cultured for contagious

equine metritis organism (CEMO). All horses tested were

negative for the bacterium, demonstrating that the disease
no longer exists in horses in Kentucky.

The bacterium responsible for most cases of equine nocar—

dioforrn placentitis was characterized and found to be a new

species of bacterium, which we named Crossiella equi.

SEROLOGY
B. J. Smith

 

The Serology Section provides accurate and timely results
for both diagnostic and regulatory testing. This provides
veterinarians and regulatory personnel with data upon which
to base their decisions. These tests also enable Kentucky to
export animals internationally. Testing for 30 animal diseases
was available utilizing various testing techniques. A total of
165,867 tests were performed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights:

Anaplasmosis 504
Avian influenza 5,607
Bovine Leukemia Virus 1,224
Brucellosis 14,048
Contagious Equine Metritis 1,393
Equine Infectious Anemia 50,296
Johne’s disease 2,321
Leptospirosis 3,549
Mycoplasma gallisepticum 34,988
Mycoplasma synoviae 34,988
Salmonella pullorum-typhoid ............................................................... 12,988
MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS

S. Sells

The Molecular Diagnostics Section uses assays designed to
detect and identify the specific nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. This application takes ad—
vantage of technologies in molecular science that have been
developed during the last decade. Nucleic acid«based tests are
now used so that unknown organisms can be identified, closely
related organisms can be differentiated, and small numbers of
pathogens can be detected in complex samples.

Highlights:

This section is responsible for providing the majority
of Kentucky’s arbovirus (mosquito—borne virus) testing
for an environmental risk analysis program with the Ken—

tucky Department for Human Health. More than 16,000
tests were performed for West Nile virus, eastern equine
encephalitis virus, Saint Louis virus, and California/bw
nywemera viruses. Fifty—two of Kentucky’s counties were
detected to have West Nile virus after sampling equines,
dead birds, and mosquito pools.

The section offers specific assays for more than 30 patho—
gens and has been increasingly used to confirm the identity
of isolates cultured in the Bacteriology and Virology sections
of the LDDC and area veterinary clinics. The numbers of the
most requested assays include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Streptococcus equi 42
Equine herpesvirus 337
Moraxella bovis 72
Mycoplasma bovis 62
Lawsonia inrracellularis 60
Clostridium perfringens 60
Campy/abacter fetus 25
Neorickettsia risticii 19

 

In addition, DNA sequencing was used to identify 14 bac—
terial isolates that were cultured in the Bacteriology section

of the LDDC.

VIROLOGY
M .L. Vickers

 

The Virology Section of the LDDC provides diagnostic
virology support to the laboratory pathologists, veterinarians,
regulatory officials, and the State and Federal Veterinarians.

Highlights:

This section provides 65 different tests, including 35 fluo—
rescent antibody tests to detect antigens of viruses in tissues,
13 serology tests to detect antibodies of viruses, virus isolation
for cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, goats, cats, dogs, birds, reptiles,
etc., as well as electron microscopy and various tests kits for
detection of viral antigens. In addition, this section maintains
12 tissue culture cell lines that are used routinely.

The section performed 25,883 tests during this year. Of
this total, 10,224 were virus neutralization serology tests done
to meet regulatory requirements.

This is the fourth year of funding from the Kentucky Der
partment of Public Health by the Centers for Disease Control
for West Nile virus (WNV) testing. The purpose of this grant
is for surveillance/monitoring of WNV in wild birds, horses,
and mosquitoes. West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes.
Mosquito trapping was carried out, and the pools of these in-
sects were submitted to the laboratory for identification and
testing for this virus. Birds are the most important sentinel
species to provide information on the earliest activity of the
virus in a given locality. The public was encouraged to report
dead birds and to submit them to the local health department
for shipment to the laboratory. Testing of birds and mosquitoes
for WNV was done as a cooperative effort of this section and
Molecular Diagnostics. WNV was first detected in the Com—
monwealth of Kentucky in the fall of 2001.

 

 TOXICOLOGY

VETERINARY EXTENSION/EPIDEMIOLOGY

 

LR. Harrison

A variety of assays are done routinely that identify poisone
ous substances in tissues taken at necropsy such as metals,
certain elements, pesticides, plant toxins, and a variety'of
other toxins. Also, blood, serum, and urine from live animals
are assayed for mineral/element deficiencies and toxins. These
assays are done when a potential toxicological problem exists
and when a pathologist identifies changes in tissues/organs
that are consistent with specific toxic agents.

Highlights:
The numbers refer to the number of cases, not the number of animals
involved. On some premises, numerous animals were involved.

Acidosis
Acorn poisoning
Amylobarbitone poisoning
Antifreeze poisoning
Arsenic poisoning
Black locust poisoning
Brodifacoum toxicosis
Buckeye poisoning
Carbofuran poisoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U1_n_-_..g§m_n_n_a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deficient copper levels 20
Elevated copper levels 11
DDT poisoning 1
Endrin poisoning 1
Horse nettle (Solarium carolinense) toxicosis ............................................. 1
Lead poisoning 3
Nitrate at dangerous levels 14
Taxus poisoning 7

Tumex (B-quinolinol) toxicosis (this compound is a fungicide) ............. 1
Elevated vomitoxin levels 10

P. B. Scharko

A ruminant extension veterinarian located at the Live—
stock Disease Diagnostic Center is available to assist vet—
erinarians in the investigation of serious or unusual disease
problems.

Highlights:
° This professional is involved with the Extension Disaster
Educational Network (EDEN) as a core committee mem—

ber.

0 Information on the Internet is provided to all citizens of

10

 

 

Kentucky on methods to mitigate disaster problems, includ
ing drought with livestock.

Regular radio sessions are given to improve the health of
Kentucky livestock, including cattle, sheep and goats.

A videotape “Beef Procedures” was developed to dem—
onstrate proper procedures to produce a quality product.
Copies of the video were sent to each county in Kentucky
and to the other 47 Beef Quality Assurance participating
states.

° As a result of attending Iowa State University’s Center for
Food Security and Public Health seminar, several presentav
tions were made to organizations about bioterrorism and
livestock health, including a radio session.

A clinical trial with stocker cattle was performed to inves—
tigate protocols to improve health and decrease morbidity
and mortality rates. Information gained from this study will
aid in future decisions on arrival treatments.

 Regulatory Services

 

The Division of Regulatory Services is charged with
administering four state laws pertaining to the manufactur—
ing, processing, labeling, and marketing of commercial feed,
fertilizer, seed, and raw milk. The Division’s primary objec—
tives are to protect farmers and other consumers from poor
quality, mislabeled, or misrepresented products and to protect
agricultural and other businesses from unfair competition.

Feed, fertilizer, and seed are monitored through manu‘
facturing and retail channels for compliance with state
laws. Label review, product, and facility inspections as well
as product sampling and analysis are important parts of this
process. Raw milk is monitored during marketing to ensure
an accurate and equitable exchange between dairy producers
and processors and to ensure the integrity of milk from farm
to processor.

Ten regulatory inspectors and one auditor cover the state
collecting samples, inspecting facilities, and auditing records.
A specialty product inspector is dedicated to monitoring and
sampling small-package and specialty pet food, fertilizer, and
seed products throughout the state. This reflects the Division’s
commitment to provide consumer protection to the purchaser
of non—agricultural products such as lawn seed, fertilizer, and
dog and cat food. Another inspector is dedicated to the milk
regulatory program, auditing records and monitoring activities
of sampler—weighers, handlers, testers, and lab facilities.

In addition to regulatory programs of the Division, service
testing is provided through the seed, soil, and milk laborato—
ries. These and other activities in the Division are performed
by a dedicated and professional staff who perform laboratory
analyses, provide computer support, and process and compile
reports in addition to performing various duties necessary to
carry out and administer effective programs.

AUDITING PROGRAM
H.S. Spencer

 

Audits of sales and fee payments were made on 203 of
422 feed, fertilizer, seed, and milk firms in Kentucky to
verify inspection fees. Fees are assessed to help defray costs
of inspecting, sampling, and analyzing commodities in ac—
cordance with state laws. Fees are indicated below. Cash
receivables were substantiated on 2,250 fertilizer reports,
3,048 feed reports, 747 seed reports, and 81 milk reports.
Reports were checked for accuracy and compared to field
audits of the submitting firms.

11

2003 inspection fees for industries regulated by the Division
of Regulatory Services.

 

 

 

Industry Fee Assessed per Unit
Feed 25 cents/ton
Fertilizer 90 cents/ton
Milk (handlers and producers) ........................................... 0.5 cents/100 lb.
Seed tags 4-24 cents/unit

 

Division of Regulatory Services 2003 income from fees,
licenses, and testing services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Industry 2003 Income
Feed €866,307
Fertilizer 476,841
Milk 200,716
Seed tags, licenses, and service testing .......................................... 403,384
Soil service testing 179,170
Total $2,126,418
FEED REGULATORY PROGRAM

3. Traylor

The feed regulatory program provides consumer protection
for purchasers of livestock feed and pet food products as well
as monitoring a marketplace environment that promotes fair
and equitable competition. The Kentucky Commercial Feed
Law outlines standards of quality, safety, and efficacy of coma
mercial livestock feed and pet food industries through specific
labeling requirements. Labels should identify the purpose, a
guaranteed composition, ingredient list, and directions as well
as warning or caution statements required for proper use. A
statewide inspection, sampling, and testing program monitors
feed products for accurate labeling.

The feed program is also involved in ensuring safety and
suitability of animal products used for human consumption
and participates in a nationwide effort by state and federal
agencies to ensure food safety and to promote consumer
confidence in our food supply. The feed program and the
FDA are cooperatively working together to inspect facili-
ties for compliance with the ruminant—to-ruminant feeding
ban, which was promulgated to prevent establishment and
amplification of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or
“mad cow disease").

2003 Highlights:

° Administered actions on 3,825 official and 362 unofficial
samples of commercial feed involving 22,806 tests to monia
tor about 3 million tons of commercial mixed feed and feed
ingredients distributed in Kentucky. ‘

0 Administered a cooperative program with the FDA to in—
spect 15 feed mills that mix restricted drugs in feed and to
inspect these mills for compliance with FDA’s national BSE
Rule. An additional 85 ESE inspections were contracted
with FDA for mills not required to be licensed with FDA.

 

 

  

' Conducted 7,500 label reviews and maintained product reg-
istration for about 15,000 products from 900 companies.

' Participated in FDA’s Medicated Licensed Mill inspection
training.

FERTILIZER REGULATORY PROGRAM

ingredients to be analyzed. Previously, pure ingredients have
required manual chemical methods because the software and
hardware could not handle the wide range of nutrients found
in various fertilizer materials.

INSPECTION PROGRAM

 

D.L. Terry

The Kentucky Fertilizer Law ensures that fertilizers sold in
Kentucky are clearly and accurately labeled so that consum—
ers can make informed purchases of fertilizer and be assured
of its quality. The law also protects the legitimate fertilizer
industry from unfair competition.

2003 Highlights:

0 Administered actions on 3,091 official and 220 unofficial
samples of fertilizer involving 9,425 tests of the approxi—
mately 922,930 tons of fertilizer distributed in Kentucky.

0 Reviewed labels and registered 3,734 products from 518
firms, including 205 who manufactured custom blends of
fertilizers.

FEED AND FERTILIZER LABORATORY
M. Bryant

 

The laboratory provided analytical support for the feed,
fertilizer, and soil programs. Accurate and timely analyses of
these materials were provided for the fertilizer and feed regulaa
tory programs and for the support of agriculture in Kentucky.
In 2003, the lab analyzed 3,314 fertilizer samples and 4,468
feed samples. In addition, 44,652 agriculture—related samples
were analyzed in the spectroscopy laboratory, i.e., soil, ma,
nure, litter, and research samples. The laboratory analyzed
many materials from check sample programs and special
sample requests. Heavy metals, Cu and Zn, acid detergent
fiber, crude fat, protein, nitrogen, and other analyses support
was provided for research and other regulatory laboratories.
Laboratory special projects were also conducted for method
development and evaluation of laboratory method perfor'
mance.

Check sample materials were analyzed from regional,
national, and international programs: AAFCO, Magruder®,
mycotoxins, UAN, AFPC phosphate rock, mineral, and other
sample types. The lab routinely provides program support us—
ing approximately 75 different analytical methods. Samples
are also submitted to and analyzed by commercial and other
regulatory programs to provide additional analytical method
support and to ensure the quality of laboratory results. The lab
participates in a monthly aflatoxin share sample program.

Improvements in sample and data processing efficiency
were achieved. Excel® spreadsheets were developed for 12
analytical methods that allow for importation of sample
identification and guarantees, automated collection of sample
weights, and exportation of final calculated sample results.
New software for the automated flow spectrophotometer ana—
lyzer increased the measurement range to allow pure fertilizer

12

S. McMurry

The inspection program strives to promote industry
compliance with consumer protection laws administered by
the Division. Inspectors strategically located throughout the
state carry out this responsibility in respective assigned areas.
Their primary duty is to visit manufacturing plants, processing
facilities, storage warehouses, and retail sites to collect official
samples of feed, pet food, fertilizer, milk, and seed. While
visiting these firms, inspectors also review records and offer
assistance in improving operations to achieve compliance
with the laws.

2003 Highlights:

0 11 inspectors completed more than 4,200 feed, fertilizer,
and seed inspections of processing, manufacturing, and
marketing firms in the state.

' Emphasis in the feed area included feed mill inspections
for compliance with FDA’s BSE regulations.

0 Two inspectors ,visited and sampled small package specialty
feed, fertilizer, and seed products in urban markets.

0 Five inspectors made 270 visits to determine compliance
with Kentucky’s Farm Milk Handler Law.

0 Inspectors collected the following official samples for
laboratory verification of appropriate constituents and

quality:

 

 

 

Feed 4,184
Fertilizer 3,157
Seed 2,550
Milk 5,785

 

MILK REGULATORY PROGRAM
C. Thompson

 

The mission of the milk regulatory program is to ensure raw
farm milk produced and marketed in Kentucky is bought and
sold using accurate weights and tests. T he program’s primary
function is to monitor milk handling systems from the time a
producer’s milk is sampled and weighed, through delivery and
laboratory testing, until producer payments are calculated.
The program provides support to the producers and processors
of Kentucky’s $209 million per year dairy industry. Industry
participants are trained, licensed, and subsequently monitored
to maintain compliance with the law.

In addition to regulatory functions, the milk program
cooperates with other agencies in educational projects to
provide a variety of services to Kentucky dairy producers and
processors. The milk program also operates a laboratory that
is available for Kentucky producer, processor, and handler
service testing.

 2003 Highlights:

0 Reviewed and issued licenses to five transfer stations, 22
milk handlers, 21 laboratories, 71 testers, and 352 sampler—
weighers.

' Analyzed and administered action on 5,785 official
samples.

0 Distributed 3,024 samples to licensed laboratories for
comparison purposes.

0 Conducted 17 pay—record and 18 raw milk receiving mani—
fest audits.

0 Conducted 35 milk laboratory inspections.

0 Collaborated with Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services
Milk Safety Branch to train sampler—weighers.

0 Trained and examined 26 new samplervweighers and eight
new testers.

0 Conducted 18 inspections of raw milk transfer stations.

O Conducted 651 sampler—weigher inspections.

SEED REGULATORY PROGRAM
D.T. Buckingham

 

The seed regulatory program ensures Kentucky farmers
and urban consumers of quality seed while promoting fair
and equitable competition among seed dealers and seedsmen
through inspection and analysis of products found in the
marketplace. The Division, which administers and imple—
ments the Kentucky Seed Law, promotes compliance through
facility inspections, sampling, and analysis of seed offered for
sale. The law requires proper labeling of seed which includes
kind, variety, and lot designation, purity percentages, noxious
weeds, origin, test date and a germination guarantee. The
Division is also responsible for maintaining registration of
seed labelers and dealers in the state.

2003 Highlights:

0 Performed 1,865 inspections and sampled agricultural,
lawn, turf, and garden seeds at more than 600 wholesale
and retail locations.

' Collected and tested 2,550 official seed samples.

0 Issued stop—sale orders on 390 official seed samples and
661 violative seed lots at seed dealer and seed processor
locations.

0 Cooperated with the USDA—Seed Branch regarding shipv
ments of seed into the state that were in violation of the
Federal Seed Act.

' Reviewed and issued 207 agricultural permits and 45 veg—
etable and flower permits to label seed.

0 Registered 375 seed dealers and 28 non—certified custom
conditioners.

0 Provided training to firms on labeling requirements, mixing
procedures, and batching records.

SEED TESTING LABORATORY
C. Finneseth

 

The Division maintains the only seed testing facility in
Kentucky. This laboratory conducts all official testing in
the state and provides service testing for producers, dealers,
retailers, researchers, and homeowners. Laboratory capabilir
ties include purity testing, weed and crop seed identification,
seed counts, accelerated aging, test weight, fluorescence
testing for ryegrass, moisture content, tetrazolium, herbicide
tolerance, endophyte, and germination as well as many
other tests. Laboratory analysts participated in regional and
national referee testing through the Association of Official
Seed Analysts to ensure inter—laboratory and intra—laboratory
quality of test results. More than 19,500 different tests were
performed by laboratory personnel in 2003, a 23% increase
from the previous year.

2003 Highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Type 2003 Completed Samples
Official samples 2,550
Service samples 6,126
Tobacco 1,660
Other certified crops 234
Total samples 2,676

 

SOIL TESTING LABORATORY

F]. Sikora and D. Reid (Lexington)
Paula Howe (UK Research and Education Center, Princeton)

 

Soil testing provides farmers, homeowners, greenhouse
operators, and others with scientific information about the
fertility status of their soils. In partnership with the Coop—
erative Extension Service, it also provides them with lime
and fertilizer recommendations based on soil test results. We
also offer analyses of animal wastes, water, an