Hop Prices & West Nile Virus

Hop Prices & West Nile Virus

Hop Prices & West Nile Virus plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

If you are a craft brewer and like using some specific varieties of hops you may see an increase in price according to Ann George with the Hop Growers of America.

GEORGE: There are a couple of varieties like Amarillo which is privately owned and carefully controlled as to what kind of volumes are available and yes the demand has out paced the ability to get new acreage established there but you’re only talking a variety that there’s a hundred acres total out of 30-thousand. So that’s not really indicative of the whole industry.

So for you domestic beer drinkers out there...don’t look for any increase in prices.

Several counties in Idaho are reporting mosquitoes with the West Nile virus. One county in Oregon has reported a finding but there have been no cases reported of humans contracting the virus. Officials urge people to take precautions and measures to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Any standing water on your property can be a breeding ground so be sure to empty and remove those sources as well as using a repellent with an effective ingredient. Remember mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk and be sure to dress appropriately in long sleeves and pants when outdoors where mosquitoes are present.

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

Looks like the USDA has a “closet anti-animal ag activist” in its midst. Last week a message inviting USDA staff to enjoy “Meatless Monday” in its cafeteria was included in the USDA interoffice newsletter published on its website. You might think, “okay, well that’s not so bad is it, lots of cafeterias and restaurants are offering vegetarian options on Mondays now”. But this message went beyond the usual focus on vegetarian health alternatives and literally attacked the animal agriculture industry by spouting anti-animal ag propaganda about greenhouse gases, climate change, wasting natural resources and pesticides. Needless to say, angry Facebook and Twitter posts from livestock producers and even members of Congress were flying fast and furious by that afternoon. Of course, a USDA spokesperson did issue a statement that “the USDA does not endorse “Meatless Monday” and that the statement found on the USDA website was posted without proper clearance”. Maybe the USDA could go one step further. Our boss here at the Ag Network suggested that perhaps we should start a “Two for Tuesdays” campaign, where you have two helpings of beef on Tuesdays since you had to suffer without beef on Monday.

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

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