03/02/05 Lines safe? Lift the ban

Are the Northwest's electric transmission lines and oil pipelines safe from a terrorist attack? "No". That's according to the environmental research group, Northwest Environmental Watch. In their annual report, the group states that while the region is blessed with affordable power through hydro and natural gas, the vast network of lines that transmit oil and electricity over mountains and deserts are highly susceptible to hikers with backpacks full of explosives. The Cascadia Scorecard 2005 also notes that the oil and power systems are interdependent, thus compounding any potential problems. Spokespersons say the report card is not designed to highlight fear, but to increase awareness of energy conservation in the region. The pressure continues to mount on Japan to lift its ban of U.S. beef products in place since the U.S. b.s.e. case of January 2003. U.S. Senators from Oregon and Idaho were among a group of twenty that recently wrote Japan's ambassador to the U.S. threatening trade retaliations if Japan does not lift the ban. In the meantime, U.S. Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice continued similar pressure, minus the threat of retaliation, in talks with her Japanese counterpart this past weekend. Amid all the talk about proposed federal budget cuts for agriculture next year comes word from U.S.D.A. that government payment for farmers should hit a record-high for 2005. The reported estimate of $24 billion dollars is two billion more than the previous record. The why for the projected record payments are expected lower commodity prices. Now with today's "Food Forethought", here's Susan Allen. ALLEN: The past couple of years I have told you about several scientists that are working to develop an edible Hepatitis B Vaccine. Well that process has graduated from the lab to actual human testing and the results are pretty encouraging. In our affluent society we are isolated from diseases like Hepatitis; in fact in the U.S. most of our children receive three Hepatitis B vaccines from birth to 18 months making it difficult for us to understand the value of an edible vaccine when injections are so readily available. It is a different story in third world countries; they lack either the funds or the ability to store the vaccine which requires refrigeration. For these people Hepatitis B becomes a life or death matter, often resulting in liver cancer. So, 42 volunteers who had already been vaccinated against Hepatitis B were fed raw potatoes genetically modified to carry the gene for the Hepatitis antigen. Remarkably 60 percent of the volunteers, showed a strong antibody response. It is exciting to think that a commodity as universal and affordable as a potato will be used by the medical community to save millions of lives worldwide. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought.