Sea Lions Euthanized & Cold Snap

Sea Lions Euthanized & Cold Snap

Sea Lions Euthanized & Cold Snap plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

The weather here in the northwest has been a bit on the unsettled side as of late and of course there are concerns about frost damage in some areas when it comes to the fruit crop but according to meteorologist Brad Rippey, the other big fruit growing area of the U.S. may be in trouble.

RIPPEY: Probably the most formidable cool air mass will be descending on the Great Lakes and northeastern states. I think the biggest concern would be for fruit crops that are running some 3 to 4 weeks ahead of their normal pace and that has left some of the early bloomers like peaches and cherries and even some of the later bloomers like apples in jeopardy of freeze damage.

Two salmon-eating sea lions have been caught and euthanized at Bonneville Dam. The killings are limited to California sea lions documented as targeting spring chinook or steelhead near Bonneville which is the first dam the returning fish encounter on their run up the Columbia River. The sea lions also must return to the dam despite nonlethal hazing and be spotted nearby for at least five days, though the days can accumulate over several years. A suit has been filed by the Humane Society to put a permanent end to the killings.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

That mustard seed just keeps on proving that amazing things can come from very small beginnings. Mention mustard seed to anyone and nine times out of ten they’ll be reminded of the Bible parable in which the mustard seed represents an instrument by which enormous spiritual growth can be advanced. Now, the mustard seed is once again in the limelight as low value mustard seed waste offers the promise of bigger and better things when it comes to natural food preservatives. Canadian researchers have found another use for mustard seed meal, a waste product that has little value to the industry. A compound extracted from mustard seeds may actually be able to protect against food spoilage. This compound shows antibacterial effects against such strains as Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Listeria monocytogenes, all of which can cause grave illness and death in humans. Currently, the left over product after the seed is pressed for its oil is basically useless, but this finding could definitely change that. The tiny mustard seed is once again proving itself to be a mighty symbol of hope and possibilities.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network. 

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