Category: Science

Northey Highlights Avian Influenza Preparations Following Confirmation of the Disease in the U.S.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has highlighted the continued biosecurity efforts by Iowa turkey, egg and broiler farmers and the preparations undertaken on the state and federal level following the confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Tennessee and low pathogenicity avian influenza in Tennessee and Wisconsin in the past week. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to domestic poultry, and can spread rapidly from flock-to-flock.

World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee warns ‘fake news’ clickbait can spread ‘like wildfire’

Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and founder of the World Wide Web Foundation, says it is “too easy” for misinformation to spread on the Internet. In a letter posted online Saturday, marking 28 years since Berners-Lee submitted his proposal that would lead to the creation of the world wide web, he outlined three trends that he finds concerning, including the spread of “fake news.”

USDA clears Pitt research labs after animal complaint

The care and treatment of animals in research laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh is in full compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, the university said this week. Pitt issued a news release Thursday on the results of an unannounced USDA inspection from Feb. 28 through March 3 that was in response to a 17-page complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Strict standards needed for contaminants in drinking water

Two U.S. senators from New York have introduced legislation that would require federal environmental regulators to clamp down on potentially harmful chemicals in drinking water. The bill, cosponsored by democrats Kristin Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, would require the Environmental Protection Agency to set “strong and enforceable safety standards” for chemicals like PFOA in public water systems.

Strawberries and these other foods have the most pesticides

Strawberries and these other foods have the most pesticides Eating pesticide-free may mean a diet with fewer strawberries, or at least eating their organic versions. Check out this story on thestarpress.com: http://usat.ly/2maTrdR Strawberries topped the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with the most pesticides.

EPA chief unconvinced on CO2 link to global warming

The Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt to run the Environmental Protection Agency over the objections of Democrats and environmentalists worried he will gut the agency, as the administration readies executive orders to ease regulation on drillers and miners. Photo: Reuters/Carlos Barria The new head of the Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday he is not convinced that carbon dioxide from human activity is the main driver of climate change and said he wants Congress to weigh in on whether CO2 is a harmful pollutant that should be regulated.

The 2017 Dirty Dozen: Strawberries, Spinach Top EWG’s List of Pesticides in Produce

Strawberries remain at the top of the Dirty Dozena list of the EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Producea , with spinach jumping to second place in the annual ranking of conventionally grown produce with the most pesticide residues. EWG’s analysis of tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that nearly 70 percent of samples of 48 types of conventional produce were contaminated with residues of one or more pesticides.

Global Warming is Killing Environmentalism

I have written many times that someday we will look back on the early 21st century and decide that the obsessive focus on Co2 and global warming gutted the environmental movements effectiveness for a generation. While we focus on overblown fears of global warming, warming that may be more expensive to stop than it actually hurts us, r eal environmental problems we know how to solve go neglected .

WikiLeaks CIA Files: Are They Real and Are They a Risk?

A supporter of WikiLeaks founder julian Assange holds a copy of The WikiLeaks Files outside the Ecuadorian embassy in central London, Britain Feb. 5, 2016. WikiLeaks has published thousands of documents that the anti-secrecy organization said were classified files revealing scores of secrets about CIA hacking tools used to break into targeted computers, cellphones and even smart TVs.

Why Google once claimed that Obama was staging a coup

Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events Google’s reputation is built on its algorithms, which are increasingly being used to give answers out of the search engine’s index of results. But what used to be a list – the first page of results – has become simpler over the past couple of years: Sometimes, Google extracts one result that it thinks will best answer whatever it is you’re asking, and puts that answer in a featured section right at the top of your results.

Grants available to help promote speciality crops

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is reminding Iowans that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is accepting applications for grant funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The grants are available to support projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Iowa.

Bird flu found at Tyson Foods chicken supplier

Tens of thousands of chickens have been destroyed at a Tennessee chicken farm due to a bird flu outbreak and 30 other farms within a six-mile radius have been quarantined. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said 73,500 chickens were destroyed at the facility and will not enter the food system.

Bird flu found at commercial chicken farm in Tennessee, USDA says

A strain of bird flu has been found in a commercial chicken farm in Tennessee, the US Department of Agriculture and state government agencies said Sunday. The H7 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, was found in a flock of 73,500 chickens in Lincoln County, in the central part of the state on the border with Alabama, the USDA said.

U.S. confirms avian influenza in Tennessee chicken flock

FILE PHOTO: The Avian influenza virus is harvested from a chicken egg as part of a diagnostic process in this undated U.S. Department of Agriculture handout image. Erica Spackman/USDA/Handout/File Photo via FILE PHOTO: A Centers for Disease Control scientist measures the amount of H7N9 avian flu virus which was grown and harvested in an unnamed CDC laboratory in 2013.

Climate, other programs get deep cuts in EPA budget proposal

The Trump administration would slash programs aimed at slowing climate change and improving water safety and air quality, while eliminating thousands of jobs, according to a draft of the Environmental Protection Agency budget proposal obtained by The Associated Press. Under the tentative plan from the Office of Management and Budget, the agency’s funding would be reduced by roughly 25 percent and about 3,000 jobs would be cut, about 19 percent of the agency’s staff.

Environmental programs face deep cuts under budget proposal

The Trump administration would slash programs aimed at slowing climate change and improving water safety and air quality, while eliminating thousands of jobs, according to a draft of the Environmental Protection Agency budget proposal obtained by The Associated Press. Under the tentative plan from the Office of Management and Budget, the agency’s funding would be reduced by roughly 25 percent and about 3,000 jobs would be cut, about 19 percent of the agency’s staff.

Ex-VP Al Gore drives resurgent climate activism in Denver as Trump…

Former vice president and climate change specialist Al Gore speaks to an audience of almost 1,000 people during his Climate Reality Leadership Corps training at the Colorado Convention Center March 2, 2017 in Denver. T A pushback against President Donald Trump’s attacks on rules to protect the environment gained momentum in Denver Thursday as former vice president and climate-change sentinel Al Gore launched a three-day mobilization of activists.

6 weeks later, senators question delay on agriculture pick

In this Feb. 1, 2017, file photo, Agriculture Secretary-designate, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue attends a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump tapped Perdue to be his agriculture secretary six weeks ago, but the administration still hasn’t formally provided the Senate with the paperwork for the nomination.

Editorial: Immigrants needed

Chances are you didn’t suffer terribly from the recent Day Without Immigrants, a nationwide strike meant to demonstrate the economic impact of foreign-born workers. Energized by President Donald Trump’s promise to deport millions who live here without permission, immigrants took the day off to march and rally.

Six weeks later, senators question delay on Agriculture pick

In this Feb. 1, 2017, file photo, Agriculture Secretary-designate, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue attends a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump tapped Perdue to be his agriculture secretary six weeks ago, but the administration still hasn’t formally provided the Senate with the paperwork for the nomination.

Fully cooked breaded chicken bites shipped to Food Lion stores being recalled

Wayne Farms, LLC of Alabama is recalling approximately 12,610 pounds of ready-to-eat chicken products that may be contaminated with bacterial pathogens due to a potential processing defect, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service . The USDA said cases of 2 clear plastic 5-pound bags of “Waffle Breaded Bites: Fully Cooked Breaded White Meat Chicken Bites” that were packaged on Dec. 1, 13 and 30, 2016 are being recalled.

Thursday, March 2, 2017: Marijuana oversight, Trump’s immigration…

The Feb. 22 Washington Post article that appeared in the BDN online about the discovery of seven Earth-like planets circling Trappist-1 made me think that we’re looking for life in all the wrong places. Indeed, the discovery of planetary systems is wonderful news, yet the one God and creator – Jesus Christ – stooped to our planet to seek us.

US approves 3 types of genetically engineered potatoes

An eye implant that takes about 10 minutes to put in place is the newest in a list of surgical repairs for the blurry close-up vision that is a bane of middle age. Federal officials say three types of potatoes genetically engineered to resist the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine are safe for the environment and safe to eat.

Could Pres Trump’s Deportations Drive Up Ag Wages?

COULD PRES TRUMP’S DEPORTATIONS DRIVE UP AG WAGES? Feb. 28, 2017 Bloomberg reports: Across America’s orchards and crop fields, a shrinking supply of migrants has already driven pay up faster than in the broader workforce. President Donald Trump’s immigration policy may turbocharge that trend.

Business news in brief

The glut of corn that’s been driving down prices is finally starting to ease, and hedge funds are betting that will help spark a rally for the commodity. U.S. corn inventories are expected to drop before the 2018 harvest as farmers curb plantings and demand stays robust, the Department of Agriculture said Friday.

Why Liberals and Conservatives Think So Differently

During the last presidential campaign, a major and striking difference between candidates Secretary Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was their view of present-day America. President Trump drew a virtually apocalyptic picture of our times, invoking economic collapse, rampant carnage, and the country’s very demise.

Chinese Soybean Demand To Go Up

China already buys about two-thirds of the soybeans traded on the planet. Over the next decade, the USDA expects global soybean trade to increase by 25 percent, of that about 85 percent will be because of Chinese purchases.

Will the ConAgra 100% natural case end up in the Supreme Court?

POM v Coke got there, but will another high-profile food litigation case – this time over GMOs and 100% natural labels on cooking oil – also end up in the Supreme Court? ConAgra Brands certainly hopes so, and has just asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to stay its recent mandate in the case so it can file a petition to the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari . The case in question* consolidates lawsuits in multiple states alleging ConAgra falsely advertised Wesson-branded cooking oils as ‘100% natural’ when they were made from GM crops, and has not gone well for ConAgra, with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently agreeing with a decision by a lower court to certify the consumer class in the case.

Farming & Ranching for the Bottom Line

After focusing successfully on crop production for the past two years, the 2017 edition of “Farming and Ranching for the Bottom Line” will put more attention on beef cattle topics. The unique event, scheduled for February 28 at Bismarck State College, is a joint effort of the Area 4 Soil Conservation Districts, USDA’s ARS and NRCS, NDSU’s Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station, and BSC.

AmeriCorps program seeking service site locations

The Vermont Environmental Careers and Opportunities AmeriCorps program is seeking partners interested in hosting a talented AmeriCorps member this coming 2017-2018 service year. Towns and organizations with identified environmental project and outreach needs are encouraged to apply.