Nutria — they’re big, buck-toothed and chew up California wetlands. Now feds add money to fight them [San Francisco Chronicle]
…The large rodent is chewing up rivers and wetlands and threatening to mow down farmland and infrastructure, and the state is struggling to contain it. The animal’s dizzying rate of reproduction doesn’t help: A single female has been known to give rise to 100 offspring in a year. Relief may be on the way. On Friday, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill that offers a financial boost for California’s fledgling effort to stop the invasion. And the assistance couldn’t have come soon enough. State wildlife teams are at a critical juncture in their battle to keep the burrowing nutria from undermining roads, canals and water supplies at several spots in the Central Valley, including the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
Cows make climate change worse. Could seaweed help? [Wall Street Journal]
Scientists have spent years coaxing a fussy red seaweed called asparagopsis into cultivation. Their plan: to feed the underwater plant to cows and sheep in an effort to make the animals less environmentally destructive. The belching and flatulence of livestock release large quantities of methane and make up around 4% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, according to data from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. That’s equivalent to the amount contributed by Japan and Germany combined. Seaweed alters bovine digestion, reducing the methane an animal produces by 80% or more, according to scientists at the University of California, Davis, and Australia’s national science agency. It is one of the plants and chemicals that meat and dairy businesses are experimenting with to reduce their contribution to global warming.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cows-make-climate-change-worse-could-seaweed-help-11604152802
Scaled-back Thanksgiving plans leave turkey farmers in limbo [The Associated Press and Nexstar Media Wire]
Millions of Americans are expected to have scaled-down celebrations amid the pandemic, heeding official warnings against travel and large indoor gatherings. That leaves anxious turkey farmers and grocers scrambling to predict what people will want on their holiday tables. Kroger — the nation’s largest grocery chain — said its research shows 43% of shoppers plan to celebrate Thanksgiving only with those in their immediate household. It has purchased more turkeys than usual — in all sizes — but it’s also predicting an increase in demand for alternatives, including ham, pork roast and seafood. Kroger also expects to see more demand for plant-based meats, like a vegan roast stuffed with mushrooms and squash.
https://fox40.com/news/business/scaled-back-thanksgiving-plans-leave-turkey-farmers-in-limbo/
About 40 burros dead from equine flu in Riverside County [Riverside Press-Enterprise]
Nearly 40 burros, or wild donkeys, have died from an equine influenza outbreak in Riverside County, the county’s Department of Animal Services said Friday, Oct. 30. The deaths, first seen in mid-October, occurred mostly in the Reche Canyon area, near Moreno Valley and Colton. About six deaths occurred in Moreno Valley, in the foothills along Pigeon Pass Road, Heacock Street/Reche Vista Drive and Redlands Boulevard, a county news release states. Most of the deaths are young burros, said John Welsh, spokesman for the Department of Animal Services. The burros are more susceptible to illnesses such as influenza because they are not vaccinated, Welsh said.
https://www.pe.com/2020/10/30/about-40-burros-dead-from-equine-flu-in-riverside-county/
Opinion: Spike in pest detections threatens Kern County’s citrus; residents and growers must gear up for the fight [Bakersfield Californian]
…A recent surge of nearly 75 Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) detections in Kern County has growers and residents concerned about the threat of a fatal plant disease, Huanglongbing (HLB), that can be spread by the invasive pest. While the disease has not yet been found in the county, a detection of the incurable disease could signal a major battleground shift in the fight against HLB. The majority of the detections — found in both residential and commercial settings in areas of Bakersfield, Arvin, Lamont, Mettler and Maricopa — have occurred in the last two months after a relatively quiet year. We’ve seen seasonal activity like this before and been successful in knocking down populations of ACP by responding quickly and encouraging homeowners to inspect for the pest on their trees. It’s this urgency and collaboration that will determine whether we’re successful in preserving citrus in Central Valley for generations to come. Citrus is the third highest grossing commodity in Kern County, with a value of more than $990 million, according to the 2019 Kern County Agricultural Crop Report. Over 1 million tons of citrus fruit were harvested in 2019, increasing nearly 20 percent from the year prior. However, over the past two months, Kern County has seen one of the sharpest increases of ACP detections in its history, threatening the continued growth of this coveted crop.
Washington to manage wolves within borders after fed action [Associated Press]
…“The department’s management of wolves in Washington makes it seem as though its mission is to preserve the livestock industry rather than conserving native wildlife,″ said Amaroq Weiss of the Center for Biological Diversity. “The state’s relentless killing of wolves in eastern Washington for conflicts with livestock is a totally ineffective method of conflict prevention, and runs counter to sound science,″ Weiss said. “Now, with the removal of federal protections from the remainder of the state, we fear the department’s misguided approach will simply expand.” Agriculture interests are pleased. “This is great news for Washington state where our wolf population has reached recoverable levels,” Mike LaPlant, president of the Washington Farm Bureau, said of the Trump administration decision. Numerous environmental groups say they plan to sue the government over the delisting.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/article246894219.html
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