Minn. anthrax spread NOT a terrorist act
Cattle ranchers in Minnesota are coping with their worst outbreak of anthrax in 63 years, but officials say they've determined that the outbreak is not due to any criminal action.
Minnesota Board of Animal Health assistant Director Kristine Petrini said natural occurrences account for the spread of anthrax bacteria that has caused the deaths of 95 beef cattle, two horses and two wild deer.
"It's been kind of a bad year in terms of the number of cases but it's a coincidence. It has nothing to do with bioterrorism," Petrini said, noting the spores causing the anthrax outbreak in four northwest Minnesota counties could have been dormant in the soil for decades.
The livestock deaths come at a time as fears of anthrax have spread across the country in the wake of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
Officials said they doubted terrorists would attack livestock with anthrax, because the disease spreads too slowly from animal to animal for an attack to be efficient.
"Terrorists would get few results by giving it to the cattle," extension educator Curt Nyegaard told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
But some farmers in other parts of the United States are concerned about the threat of biterrorism.
Farmers in one South Dakota county are trying to raise money to buy U.S. bonds.
Brown County farmers have created the Rural American Patriot Fund and proceeds from percentages or portions of the sale of grains and cattle donated by individual participating farmers and ranchers will be used to buy the bonds, as a way of providing the U.S. government with additional revenue.
"We decided that rather than providing financial support for a specific charity, we would do it simply for the country," said Paul Dennert, the fund's chairman.
Cattlemen want trade act approved
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association wants Congress to support the Trade Promotion Act, saying it will benefit U.S. ranchers by expanding the market for beef.
The act is pending before the House and association members are urging lawmakers to vote for it. The measure allows the president to negotiate trade agreements without having to submit them to Congress for approval.
Supporters say the additional power will allow the president to make deals with nations that might be reluctant to deal with the United States currently out of fear Congress will try to change the terms of any agreement.
Critics say it gives too much authority to the president although supporters note Congress would be kept informed while deals were being negotiated, and other countries would be required to maintain protections for labor and the environment.
Feds honor 16 Ag executives
Sixteen executive employees of the Agriculture Department were honored for their work.
Presidential Rank Awards were given to the staffers who had provided quality work over an extended period of time. Winners receive a bonus that can be as high as 35 percent of their base pay.
"These individuals have demonstrated exemplary leadership and commitment to public service," Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said. "Their dedication allows for the successful delivery of programs and services to the people of this great nation."
The awards are an annual event that are given to no more than 5 percent of career senior executives within the Agriculture Department.
Academics working to get people to eat soy products
Scientists have been trying with little success to get Americans to eat more food containing soy products.
There seem to be a number of reasons for that consumer reluctance -- one of them being they contain sugars many people find difficult to digest and which cause intestinal gas.
Larry Johnson, director of the Center for Crops Utilization Research at Iowa State University, has found a way to improve the production of soy protein concentrate from soybeans that were developed to contain less of those sugars, known as oligosaccharides.
"Foods produced from these soybeans would help expand the market to people who might be avoiding soy foods to prevent intestinal gas," Johnson said. "The protein concentrate contains higher levels of isoflavines, compounds that are beneficial to health; and it can be used in more foods because it is not exposed to harsh chemicals that other processes use."
The Food and Drug Administration has approved labels on soy-based products to indicate that 25 grams of soy protein daily, combined with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help prevent heart disease.
(by E.W. Kieckhefer)
Harvest nears completion
The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 48 percent of the corn crop has been harvested, compared to 37 percent last week, 77 percent at this time last year and 59 percent average for the past five years.
For soybeans, 70 percent of the crop was harvested, compared to 57 percent last week, 83 percent last year and 78 percent the last five years.
For winter wheat, 85 percent of the crop was planted, compared to 80 percent last week, 74 percent last year and 81 percent for the last five years. Of that, 67 percent is emerged, compared to 55 percent last week, 39 percent last year and 58 percent the last five years.
For cotton, 48 percent of the crop was harvested, compared to 37 percent last week, 59 percent last year and 51 percent the last five years.
For sorghum, 78 percent of the crop was harvested, compared to 68 percent last week, 90 percent last year and 69 percent the last five years.
For sugarbeets, 79 percent of the crop was harvested, compared to 64 percent last week, 77 percent last year and 72 percent the last five years.
For sunflowers, 52 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 32 percent last week and 65 percent last year.
For peanuts, 73 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 60 percent last week, 70 percent last year and 68 percent the last five years.
Grains down on CBOT
Corn and soybean futures were down at the close Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Soybean futures fell due to technical weaknesses and hedge-related selling by traders, although the size of the price drops was eased by notions the market was oversold and by strong weekly export inspection figures.
Corn futures were down due to harvest-related weaknesses that caused traders to act defensively, and a lack of fresh information that would otherwise have caused traders to act more boldly.
Wheat futures fell due to uncertainty surrounding rumored export sales from last week, along with lower-than-expected inspection figures from the Agriculture Department.
Oats futures experienced gains, recovering from recent losses.
The prices:
Soybeans: Nov 4.20 3/4 off 4, Jan 4.26 3/4 off 2 3/4, Mar 4.32 1/2 off 2 1/4, May 4.37 1/4 off 1 1/2.
Corn: Dec 2.04 1/4 off 1 1/4, Mar 2.17 off 1, May 2.24 3/4 off 1 1/4, Jul 2.30 1/4 off 1.
Wheat: 2.82 off 5, Mar 2.89 off 4 3/4, May 2.90 3/4 off 2 1/2, Jul 2.92 3/4 off 1 3/4.
Oats: Dec 1.86 1/4 up 6, Mar 1.74 1/4 up 4 1/4, May 1.64 1/4 up 3, Jul 1.53 1/2 up 5.
