No More Monkeying Around: Getting Real About Animal Welfare

October 2, 2018

If you have a pet or are just a self-proclaimed animal lover who purposefully takes the route past the dog park (you know who you are), you know how important it is that we make the world a better place for all animals. That’s where World Animal Day comes in. Celebrated annually on October 4, this recognition day is meant “to raise the status of animals in order to improve welfare standards around the globe.” No more monkeying around! It’s time to get real about animal welfare.

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was passed by Congress in 1966. It sets general standards for humane care and treatment that must be provided for certain animals that are bred for commercial sale, sold sight unseen (on the Internet), exhibited to the public, used in biomedical research, or transported commercially.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has published the Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations, also known as the “Blue Book,” as a tool to improve compliance among those responsible for the care and handling of animals, including farmers, and to enhance the consistency of inspections by field inspectors. The Blue Book consolidates the AWA and applicable regulations and standards into one source.

The book walks readers through specifications for the human handling, care, treatment and transportation of any animal you may be working with – dogs, cats, guinea pigs and hamsters, marine mammals, rabbits and more. Exact details for heating, cooling, sanitation, ventilation, lighting and space required for animals are all included. Just like us, animals need exercise! The law calls for dealers, exhibitors, and research facilities to develop, document, and follow an appropriate plan for animals to exercise. The AWA also requires adequate veterinary care. You may particularly be interested in the laws for research facilities, including personnel qualifications, and mandated recordkeeping and annual reports. These are all laid out in the book.

Animals offer so much joy to our lives as humans. Just the violent wag of a dog’s tail can put a smile on my face. Seeing a dolphin’s fin bob above the waves makes my heart leap with excitement. And hearing birds chirp in the morning is music to my ears. It’s vital that we keep the animals we love so much healthy, happy and safe. So check out this publication today at the GPO Bookstore. And whether you’re running the trails or cuddling on the couch, do it with your favorite furry friend this World Animal Day!

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Cat Goergen is the PR Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Fish and Wildlife Service | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Three Cheers for Trees

May 15, 2018

It may look like the trees you see every day are just standing around, blowing in the wind and soaking up the sun. But don’t judge a tree by its cover … these amazing perennial plants are a hard-working bunch. Two mature trees can supply enough oxygen annually to support a family of four, and trees absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over the course of their lives. Not to mention, their shade and wind buffering reduces annual heating and cooling costs by $2.1 billion. We could go on and on, but here’s our point. It’s time to thank our trees! Luckily there’s a day for that.

National Love a Tree Day, celebrated annually on May 16, recognizes trees and all they do for us. You know, like give us the air we breathe … no big deal!

So this National Love a Tree Day, help us say three cheers for trees. GPO has lots of different ideas for you to spread the love, including reading some of our favorite publications from the GPO bookstore:

  • Cozy up to your favorite shaded tree and read a good book. (Keep reading for suggestions).
  • Calculate the age of a tree.
  • Climb a tree … just play safely!
  • Plant or water a tree.
  • Take a nature walk in your nearby park or woods.
  • Teach the kid in your life what their state tree is.
  • Have your kids write a hand-written “thank you” note to our trees. Get creative. They can color pictures of trees. Even better, save a tree and create a card digitally!
  • Practice tree pose. Namaste.
  • Take a trip to see some of the oldest trees in the world at Redwood National Park.
  • Read Why Would Anyone Cut a Tree Down from GPO’s bookstore with a little one. This book details the life cycle of trees and explains how trees work as a renewable resource.
  • Learn about tree species and which species grow near you in the National Individual Tree Species Atlas from GPO’s bookstore.
  • Help restore trees to good health when they need it with How To Recognize Hazard Defects in Trees from GPO’s bookstore.

So go on. Take three deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Ahhhh. And appreciate that precious oxygen a little more this Wednesday, May 16. We salute you, trees.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN RESOURCES MENTIONED ABOVE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Cat Goergen is the PR Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Garden like a Pro

May 10, 2018

Take one look through your Instagram feed and you’re bound to become green with envy (no pun intended) at all the elegant homes decorated with plants … hanging plants, floor plants, plants on bookshelves, plants in the bathroom. It’s official. If your home isn’t flooded with greenery by now, it’s time you get to work in the garden.

But having an Insta-worthy home isn’t all a garden is good for. Hosting an upcoming dinner party? Impress guests with dishes that incorporate fresh herbs like basil or thyme and home-grown tomatoes or green beans. Delicious and nutritious is the name of your garden game. And we can’t fail to mention, nothing completes a dinner party like a dreamy bunch of flowers picked from your own backyard.

Now that spring has finally sprung, there’s no better time to grow your plant or vegetable of choice. But admittedly, not everyone was born with a green thumb. We certainly can’t say we were. Luckily, the GPO bookstore offers the Container Tree Nursery Manual, V. 7: Seedling Processing, Storage and Outplanting so you can learn the techniques of farmers themselves and transform your very own home into a greenhouse … okay you might not want to take it that far, but you get the picture.

Published by the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service, this publication addresses plant quality, harvesting, plant storage and more. You’ll learn more than you knew possible about appropriate soil temperature, root growth and best predictors of plant quality. Hint: the latter has to do with the stem of the plant, but you’re going to have to listen to get the full explanation.

While this publication is technical in nature, it’s easy and fun to listen to on a plane or train or on your way into work. Before you know it, you’ll be educating your friends about the ratio of container depth to stem diameter with ease.

So if you love fresh veggies, herbs and plants (and who doesn’t), take a couple minutes to download this eBook. It will be worth it when your garden is thriving, your home comes to life and your guests are wowed by your undeniable gardening skills.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Cat Goergen is the PR Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

How is the Agricultural Sector Doing? The Latest Vital Statistics

April 12, 2018

There’s no more critical economic sector supporting a thriving and growing American economy than the great work of the nation’s farmers, livestock, and fisheries operators. A healthy agri-sector not only makes for a healthy American family, but also is of great importance as a reliable export contributor.

The Department of Agriculture’s yearly report, “Agricultural Cooperative Statistics”, is published annually to provide information on the position and trends among the America’s farmer, rancher, and fishery cooperatives. The latest report with 2016 data was just released.

These statistics are used for cooperative benchmarking, research, technical assistance, education, planning, and public policy. The collection, analysis, and dissemination of cooperative statistics are managed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Consumers, Department of Agriculture | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

National Ag Day – March 20

March 20, 2018

National Ag Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by America’s agricultural community. Every year producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies, and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

What Is Ag Day All About?
Ag Day recognizes – and celebrates – the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

  • Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
  • Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
  • Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

Your family can celebrate and acknowledge the importance of agriculture in our daily lives easily and enjoyably by engaging your children in creating recipes that you also can suggest to your local school cafeteria leaders. Here’s an easy way to get involved; by obtaining this easy-to-prepare set of fun and nutritional recipes.

Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook for Schools from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This cookbook presents a variety of recipes, with full color photographs of the finished meals, for children (and adults!).  The recipes have fun names and are tasty to both kids and adults, and include nutritional ingredients like dark green and orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, and whole grains.  The recipes are low in fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium.

This is a cookbook with recipes that kids and adults will want to prepare and eat, and have fun while doing so, while benefitting by great nutrition!  The cookbook features a collection of recipes from the “Recipes for Healthy Kids Competition,” where children, school nutritionists, chefs, parents, and other interested members of the community submitted their own recipes for fun, healthy foods.

Get on board a more nutritional lifestyle for your family and have fun doing it.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

2 Comments | Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Celebrate Arbor Day

April 27, 2017

Arbor Day celebrates the value of trees in our daily lives.  It is a special time set aside for tree planting.

For this Arbor Day, April 28, here are a few tips on how to honor those stately trees in your local parks and suburban landscapes by coming together and enjoy those quiet giant oaks, and even a still growing scruffy pine.

  • Hold an Arbor Day ceremony to honor the good stewards in your community.
  • Organize a Largest or Oldest Tree search across your community.
  • Plant a tree. Host a reception to honor Park or Tree Board members in the community.
  • Create a story, produce a play, or present a skit about trees.
  • Choose a public park or downtown area to clean up.
  • Sponsor a craft show featuring artists engaged in crafts with natural materials.
  • Schedule classes on tree pruning, tree selection, identification and planting.
  • Hold a Children’s Read-In at the library.

Best of all…. read a book at home about trees – with your children.

The U.S. Government Bookstore offers publications covering some of the above subjects plus a wide range of “tree hugging” topics depending on your interests. Here a just few examples.

Why Would Anyone Cut a Tree Down?

This delightful book shows children the life cycle of trees, showing that trees are a renewable resource as their seeds can be planted to make new trees grow. It also discusses the need to remove sick, flammable, and other dangerous trees as well as the various uses for wood from cut trees.

National Individual Tree Species Atlas

This reference covers each tree species in the United States and precisely where each species is likely to grow or not grow. Written primarily for horticulturists, the contents are also a wonderful resource for anyone studying America’s tree population: from Boy and Girl Scouts, to landscapers, to forestry professors and guides.

How To Prune Trees

This handy pamphlet provides helpful information on how, when, and why to prune. By following the few simple principles outlined in this publication, you will learn how to produce strong, healthy, attractive plants.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Consumers, Department of Agriculture, Environment, Family | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Agriculture Day: It’s about more than how America’s Farmers serve our Nation’s Need for Food

March 21, 2017

National Ag Day is a day to celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture across the United States.  American agriculture plays a critical economic and food security role in our country. To give the general public a chance to see how their food, clothing, and other products get from the farm, America’s Farm co-ops, universities, 4-H clubs, agricultural associations, FFA clubs, and organizations at the city, county and state levels celebrate with a variety of events.

National Ag Day encourages every American to:

  • Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
  • Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
  • Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
  • Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.

Remember, these essential services are provided by the 1 in 11 Americans across the agriculture community that provide American consumers with more than 80% of the food we consume.

The Government Publishing Office online bookstore features a wide array of publications that inform the agriculture industry and the American public about important issues that impact every aspect of plant and animal cultivation and processing.

Land management and the complex process of growing and delivering agricultural products demands an understanding of subjects beyond the obvious. Consider how the introduction of foreign animals and plants to our eco-system can have a major detrimental effect on the wellbeing of the plants and animals we depend upon for our daily sustenance. A great example is the publication authored by the Agriculture Department’s Forest Service entitled:

 A Management Guide for Invasive Plants in Southern Forests

Invasions of nonnative plants into forests and landscapes of the Southern United States continue to spread and include new species, increasingly eroding forest productivity, hindering forest use and management activities, and degrading diversity and wildlife habitat. This book provides the latest information on how to organize and enact prevention programs, build strategies, implement integrated procedures for management, and proceed towards site rehabilitation and restoration.

If you work or are engaged in any phase of the “cycle of life” you might consider this title.

The theme for National Ag Day 2017 is “Agriculture: Food for Life.” Take part in celebrating and learning more about this essential industry by visiting https://bookstore.gpo.gov/ to find out more about the land you live in and depend upon.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Consumers, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

« Previous Entries
%d bloggers like this: