Centralia ag lab remaining open to test for aflatoxin, nitrates

State officials tell RFD Radio affiliate WJBD in Salem that the grain testing facilities will remain open, but the animal ag section will close as scheduled at the end of August. We have a report from WJBD's Bruce Kropp.

Compiled by staff

Published: Jul 31, 2012

The state’s Centralia Animal Disease Laboratory will continue providing “essential” crop testing “until further notice,” but not animal disease testing, Acting Illinois Agriculture Director Bob Flider alerted FarmWeekNow.

The Centralia lab will stop providing animal disease testing on Aug. 31 and will transfer those services to the Galesburg Animal Disease Laboratory, Flider said.

“The governor indicated he wants to make sure we have the essential crop testing and toxicology work” available because of the drought, Flider said.

Dr. Gene Niles, the Centralia lab director, said the lab will stop accepting samples for animal disease testing on Aug. 15 and distribute those test results by Aug. 31.

After Aug. 31, the lab would maintain its current business hours “until further notice,” Niles said. The lab will continue to test corn samples for nitrate levels and aflatoxin, he said.

The demand for nitrate testing remains high. On Monday, the lab received 60 samples for nitrate testing. In July, the lab has tested 600 samples for nitrate levels, according to Niles.

Overall, about 4 percent of the tested samples have nitrate levels too high to feed to any animals, Niles estimated.

State fiscal challenges, the reason for the lab changes, remain, Flider noted. “We are finding ways to be more efficient,” he said.

Permalink: Click here

Comments

Read comments from others and share your own thoughts.

Please provide the answer to the following question:

=

Search this site:

Read More Stories

Memorial Day holiday closures

Grain markets will be closed Sunday night and Monday for Memorial Day (May 27th) and will re-open Monday night at 7:00pm CDT. Livestock futures will be closed Monday and resume trading Tuesday morning.

Read this story


Prairie Farms to host 75th anniversary events

Prairie Farms will be hosting events free to the public in honor of their 75th anniversary as well as June Dairy Month.

Read this story


NPPC fear COOL rule retaliation

The U.S. pork industry fears possible trade retaliation in two of its major markets, after USDA issued a final rule on country of origin meat labeling. We have a report from RFD Radio's Matt Kaye.

Read this story

Rainy week ahead for Illinois farmers

NPPC fear COOL rule retaliation

Growers reminded to register for Prairie Bounty

Forecast rains may halt planting by Wednesday evening

Revenue committee discusses farmland assessment system

Wet weekend forecast for Illinois

Illinois farmers catch up on corn planting

Senators reject efforts Tuesday to change Senate farm bill

Cash soybean basis levels fall for third day

Ag groups seek to knock down EU barriers

Top 50 Tags