April 29, 2020 Issue, Page 5 of 8

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Agriculture Wednes: , April 29, 2020 (a The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Page 5 Be wary of fraudulent COVID-19 supplement claims From the Beckham foods, as well as products FDA is working with manu- receive FDA approval be- claims on the products are Consumers who have a se- County Extension Office claiming to be tests, drugs, facturers, and several possi- fore they can be marketed. false and misleading. rious event with an FDA- While many people are medical devices or vaccines. bilities are being studied inThe products claiming to Dietary ingredients in- doing their part by social Don’t fall for these claims. clinical trials. cure or prevent COVID-19 clude vitamins, minerals, regulated product can file a distancing in an effort to re- The FDA has been monitor- Unfortunately, some com- have not been evaluated by amino acids, and herbs or complaint with the FDA’s main healthy and protect the ing social media and inter- panies are trying to profit the FDA for safety and effec- botanicals, as well as other Consumer Complaint Coor- community, there are oth- net sites to find fraudulent from this pandemic by sell- tiveness and may be danger- substances that can be used ers looking to make a quick COVID-19 products and ing fraudulent products, ous to you and your family. to supplement the diet. Di- dinators. buck. Those fraudulent mar- remove them from the mar- which ultimately could be The FDA does not have the etary supplements are not For additional informa- keters are popping up and ketplace. dangerous to you and your authority to review dietary intended to treat, diagnose, tion, contact Kristy Spald- promoting various products As of mid-April, there was family. It is important to supplements for safety and cure or alleviate the effects that claim to help prevent or not a FDA-approved vac- realize the FDA regulates effectiveness before they are of diseases. ing, Beckham and Washita treat COVID-19. cine to prevent COVID-19 dietary supplements under marketed. The FDA does, If you have a question Counties’ FCS Extension Fraudulent © COVID-19 or drugs to treat the dis- a different set of regulations however, have the authority about a product claiming educator, at 580-660-0592 products can come in many than those covering drugs. to take dietary supplements to treat or cure COVID-19, ease, and experts said it will varieties, including dietary likely take many months to New drugs must be proven off the market if they are check with your health care or kristy.spalding @ okstate. supplements and __ other produce such products. The to be safe and effective and found to be unsafe or if the provider before buying it. edu. Small flock production provides benefits, but good management remains a must to provide research-based weeks before intermingling advice about a flock opera- with the rest of an existing tor’s management and treat- flock, and it’s equally vital ment options, experts said. to always tend to the quar- “OSU Extension county offices are an easy-to-access antined birds after the cur- local connection to proven, rent flock so as to reduce trustworthy information and the chance of spreading po- resources not just specific tential problems,” said Brad to Oklahoma but to specific Secraw, Cleveland County areas of the state,” said Josh Extension agricultural edu- Campbell of the Oklahoma cator. “These are biosecurity County Extension Office. “If needed, we can draw upon issues that can have devas- the expertise of specialists tating effects on a flock if throughout the OSU Exten- ignored.” sion system and provide key Secraw, Campbell and insights for people inspired Zook said a backyard poul- to start their own flock or try operator must be an in- expand the number of birds they have currently.” formed producer the same as Consider, for example, those who run much larger health management. Some agricultural operations. The OSU calendar lists upcom- chicks purchased now will Be aware of local community ordinances when raising backyard chicken flocks. Photo by not come into production ing Extension educational Todd Johnson, Oklahoma State University Agricultural Communications Services. for five or six months. That programs and events, many could lead many people to of which are offered on- By Donald Stotts chickens already appreciate “As chickens are affected and eyes, and near the vent buy older birds. While even line, allowing Oklahomans STILLWATER —- Back- that they have easy access to by daylength, flock op- area. chicks can display illnesses yard poultry producers may a healthy, protein-tich food erators need to ensure their For confined chickens, that do not show up for sev- to learn what they need to find themselves able to off- source that can be used in a birds are in tip-top shape for make sure their fencing and eral days, older birds often know while following man- set increased prices for eggs wide range of dishes. Lately late-spring and summer,” run are in good condition to come with greater risk. Ex- dated social distancing rules. as Oklahoma and the nation they have also been able to Zook said. “Egg production tension experts raised sev- OSU Extension is one of keep out predators. The run deal with COVID-19 con- help with social distancing ramps up as hours of day- eral questions for producers two state agencies admin- area also should be built up cerns. measures by cutting down light increase.” to ensure adequate drainage. to ask: Were they bought istered by the university’s “Eggs in many stores have on trips to the grocery store. Another timely exercise The worst environment for from an operation the back- been going for about $3 per However, backyard poul- is to clean the coop. Be sure chickens is one that is wet yard poultry producer knows Division of Agricultural Sci- dozen, and in some places try operators still need to to check cracks and crevices and muddy. well? Did their previous ences and Natural Resources concerns about the corona- practice best management in the building for parasites, Backyard poultry produc- owner practice best manage- and is a key part of OSU’s virus pandemic have led to a protocols to ensure their which often become more ers who notice anything out ment protocols? Did they state and federally mandated run on eggs resulting in bare flocks are healthy and re- apparent during spring. Ex- of the ordinary with their spend a significant amount teaching, research and Ex- shelves,” said Dana Zook, main productive. Spring is ternal parasites can silently birds or coop may want to of time at a sale intermingled tension land-grant mission. Oklahoma State University the perfect time to evalu- erode the production of egg- contact the local OSU Ex- with birds from other flocks, Donald Stotts works in Ag- Extension area __ livestock ate birds and coops. Hens laying hens. Examine the tension county office for as- perhaps picking up illnesses specialist for northwestern typically molt when daylight birds, especially areas prone sistance. With pictures and a in the process? ricultural Communications Oklahoma. hours are shorter during the to external parasites. Look good description, agricultur- “It’s critical that new birds Services for Oklahoma State People who raise their own winter months. under wings, around beaks al educators should be able be quarantined at least three University. Union official: Action needed to prevent more plant closures By Jill Whalen, Standard- a plant closes, it has a direct pork to feed our families, it and isolating workers with The local Cargill plant re- nervous and go through anx- Speaker, Hazleton, Pa. impact on our food supply.” is, for these workers, about symptoms or positive CO- iety because of the work we opened Monday after shut- The spread of the COV- During a news conference life and death,” Perrone VID-19 test results. ting down two weeks ago do and the number of people ID-19 virus has resulted in call Thursday, Perrone urged said. “The message is this: The requests are similar when 164 of its 900 employ- we are around every day.” the closure of 12 union-rep- the White House Coronavi- unless immediate changes to guidelines announced last ees tested positive for the Margarita Heredia said resented meatpacking plants tus Task Force to take five are made, America’s food week by the Pennsylvania virus. Workers have their across the United States and immediate actions to protect processing and meatpacking Department of Agriculture. her employer, JBS in Ot- temperatures checked upon one in Canada. essential meatpacking and workers are in danger and so “Tf workers in these plants entrance and after lunch, tumwa, Iowa, has ramped Those plants, including food processing workers. is America’s food supply.” are as essential as our elected and are provided with face up its cleaning process and the Cargill Meat Solutions To date, he said, 13 union UFCW is the largest meat- leaders say, then it’s about provides hand sanitizer to masks. plant in the Humboldt In- workers died from the coro- packing and food processing time that our elected leaders employees. Workers on Thursday’s dustrial Park, are responsi- navirus, 5,000 became sick union and processes more provide them with the essen- Achut Deng, who works at call shared their concerns. ble for 10% of the nation’s or were exposed to it, and than 70% of the country’s tial protections they need. Rhonda Trevino, who a Smithfield facility in Sioux beef production and 25% of 24,500 were impacted by beef and 60% of its pork. Make no mistake, without its pork production. plant closures. He hinted Ina letter to Vice President national safety standards to works at a Cargill facility Falls, South Dakota, caught “Unless we do something, that non-union workers at Mike Pence, the union called protect these workers from in Texas, said the company and recovered from corona- more plants will close,” other facilities have also for increased worker test- the coronavirus - more lives installed partitions in its virus. warned Marc Perrone, presi- been impacted. ing, priority access to per- will be lost, more workers lunchroom and curtains be- “Tt was too hard to (so- dent of the United Food and “This issue is not just sonal protective equipment, will be exposed and our food tween workers. cial distance) because at my Commercial Workers Inter- about whether we have halting line speed waivers, supply will face jeopardy,” “We are on the front lines,” place people work shoulder national Union. “Every time enough beef. chicken or mandating social distancing Perrone said. she said. “Evervone of us is to shoulder.” she said.