Horses Removed & Cider Recall

Horses Removed & Cider Recall plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Over the weekend animal control officers removed some 25 horses from a West Spokane County ranch. The officers were responding to a complaint that the horses were emaciated and malnourished. The horses owner claims to run a horse rescue and rehabilitates the animals but when officers arrived the horse did not have any food. Director of the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service says these animals are at risk and need immediate medical attention and wholesome food. The owner was not charged at the time but could face animal cruelty charges.

An Oregon cider company has voluntarily recalled 2,500 cases of cider due to concerns that cider from the company’s first production run may be re-fermenting in the bottle, which may cause the bottles to burst under certain circumstances and can lead to potential flavor inconsistencies. The recall from Portland’s Square Mile Cider Company included cases of “Square Mile Original Hard Apple Cider” and “Square Mile Spur & Vine Hopped Apple Cider.” If you have any of the product involved you should dispose of the bottles in an outside trash container. For questions contact them through their website, squaremilecider.com.

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

The term agritourism has been bouncing around for quite a while now and is defined as “an enterprise at a working farm or woodland, ranch or agricultural plant conducted for the enjoyment and benefit of visitors that generates supplemental income for the owner.” Agritourism in the United States is starting to become a lucrative business. First started as on-site produce sales, u-picks and hay rides, agritourism has branched out to include farm and ranch tours, wine tasting events, gourmet food shops, horse riding lessons, and cow or goat milking. Of course, opening a farm to the public involves more than just putting up a sign one day and charging admission the next. Public restrooms, refreshment facilities and shaded seating are all necessities. And above all, it needs to offer an experience that people will enjoy. While most of the economy has suffered over the last several years, agriculture has remained strong, and ag economists forecast that agriculture will continue to improve and remain strong in the future; giving agritourism the strong foundation it needs to grow and thrive.

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