Search Site   
Current News Stories
Solar eclipse, new moon coming April 8
Mystery illness affecting dairy cattle in Texas Panhandle
Teach others to live sustainably
Gun safety begins early
Hard-cooked eggs recipes great for Easter, anytime
Michigan carrot producers to vote on program continuation
Suggestions to celebrate 50th wedding anniversary
USDA finalizes new ‘Product of the USA’ labeling rule 
U.S. weather outlooks currently favoring early planting season
Weaver Popcorn Hybrids expanding and moving to new facility
Role of women in agriculture changing Hoosier dairy farmer says
   
News Articles
Search News  
   
News from around the Farm World - August 23, 2017
 
South Korea lifts ban on U.S. poultry, egg imports
 
CHICAGO, Ill. — South Korea lifted a ban on imports of U.S. poultry and eggs, the USDA said on Thursday, allowing American farmers to resume sales to the Asian country that suffered an egg shortage Caused by its worst-ever bird flu outbreak.

Reuters reported that South Korea was importing more U.S. eggs earlier this year as it fought its own outbreak of bird flu. But in March, the country limited U.S. poultry imports after the first U.S. case of bird flu of the year was detected on a commercial chicken farm in Tennessee.

Prior to that, Americans “were putting table eggs in there like they were going out of style,” said Jim Sumner, president of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council, a trade group. “They are in desperate need still.”

South Korea was hit hard by the deadly H5N8 bird flu strain after the first case was confirmed in November, leading to a record culling of more than 37 million farm birds, more than a fifth of its total poultry population.

South Korea bans U.S. poultry imports when the United States detects any cases of bird flu. The USDA is now working to convince South Korean officials to limit future restrictions on shipments to the geographic regions in which the virus is detected.

In 2014, South Korea purchased $122 million in U.S. poultry products, including eggs, making it the United States’ 10th-largest market, according to the USDA.

Man shocked by power line at Michigan farm, dies

CLARE, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say a 19-year-old Amish man who died while working on a mid-Michigan farm was accidentally electrocuted.

MLive.com reported Alvin James Yoder was trying to clear out an area of a grain bin with a metal pole August 5 when the pole came into contact with an overhead power line. Clare County Undersheriff Dwayne Miedzianowski said Yoder died of his injuries. The accident took place on a farm near Clare, about 130 miles northwest of Detroit.

Downy mildew could affect Illinois pumpkins, cucurbits

URBANA, Ill. — On August 17, University of Illinois pumpkin expert Mohammad Babadoost detected downy mildew in a pumpkin field in St. Anne (Kankakee County), and warns that it could spread quickly.

Babadoost, a plant pathologist in the Department of Crop Sciences, observed heavy sporulation of the pathogen on leaves in the affected field. “With current weather conditions, the pathogen could spread very fast and affect all cucurbit crops,” he said.

Farmers can protect cucurbit crops by applying fungicides. “I suggest the following fungicides for control of cucurbit downy mildew in Illinois: mandipropamid (Revus, FRAC: 40) + chlorothalonil (Bravo Weather Stik, FRAC: M), alternated with oxathiapiprolin + chlorothalonil (Orondis Opti, FRAC: U15 + M) or cyazofamid (Ranman, FRAC: 21) + chlorothalonil (Bravo Weather Stik) or fluazinam (Omega, FRAC: 29),” he said.

For additional information and photos, visit http://go.illinois.edu/downy_mildew

EHD virus found in Eastern Kentucky whitetail deer

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A viral disease is affecting deer in Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed Thursday. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, has been reported among whitetail deer in several Eastern Kentucky counties.

The disease, which is transmitted among deer by the bite of a midge or gnat, cannot be transferred to people or pets, the department said in a news release. “However, we always recommend that hunters avoid eating venison from deer that were obviously sick,” Dr. Iga Stasiak, veterinarian for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, said in the release.

EHD is related to another hemorrhagic disease known as bluetongue virus. Infected deer experience fever and dehydration, and because of that they are often found dead near bodies of water.

They may appear sluggish and unresponsive to people, the department said. So far this year, small outbreaks have been reported in the mountainous areas of Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Anyone who finds a sick deer or a deer that appears to have died of natural causes is asked to call 800-858-1549.

Black Hawk Co. board rejects wind farm moratorium plan

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Black Hawk County supervisors have rejected calls for a temporary ban on wind farms.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported none of the supervisors at the August 15 meeting made a motion to approve the proposed 90-day moratorium. The group Cedar Valley Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy had sought the moratorium so county officials could get more public input on potential changes to the 2011 ordinance governing wind towers.

Several people who live near where a 70-megawatt wind farm south of Waterloo has been proposed have expressed concern the turbines could hurt property values, kill bats and birds and cause health issues due to low-frequency noise and other factors.

Board of Supervisors Chair Frank Magsamen said he thinks the county already has a quality ordinance that wouldn’t benefit from adjustment.

Michigan deadline near for drought working capital loans

ATLANTA, Ga. — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations that Sept. 11 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans in Michigan as a result of the drought May 25-Oct. 25, 2016.

Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster.

With the exception of aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers or ranchers. Nurseries are eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans for losses caused by drought conditions.

The loans are for working capital and can be up to $2 million with interest rates of 4 percent for eligible small businesses and 2.625 percent for nonprofit organizations, and terms up to 30 years. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing).
8/23/2017