10/03/06 Congress Fails to Act & Low-Path AI

Congress fails to act & Low path AI detected. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. Despite the call of a broad coalition of farm organizations and widespread support in Congress for emergency natural disaster assistance - Congress adjourned for the November elections without even considering disaster aid for the nation's farmers and ranchers. National Farmers Union President Tom Buis says Congress let rural America down by failing to act on a disaster package for American agriculture before adjourning for the mid-term elections. BUIS: It is really disappointing that Congress adjourned for the election season without addressing emergency natural disaster assistance for our nation's farmers and ranchers. This has been an on-going issue for 2 years. They've had plenty of time to deal with it. They have all the time in the world to deal with a lot of other issues that aren't near as high priority to the people that line in rural America. Again, I hope people remind them of it when they see them back home. USDA and the Department of the Interior have announced that tests on samples collected from wild, migratory Green-winged Teals in Illinois indicated the presence of H5 and N1 avian influenza subtypes. Test results to this point - according to USDA - suggest the strain is low pathogenic bird flu - and therefore poses no threat to human health. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. The latest Adventure Vacation. For those who can afford it adventure vacations are the rage. Some people will pay beaucoup bucks for the opportunity to out run a bull, others would rather run white water or hang precariously from a cliff. All are searching for the coveted rush of adrenaline. But the latest adventure vacation available only in Mexico pushes all the limits, and then some. Apparently wealthy Mexicans are getting their adrenaline pumping by becoming "mock illegal immigrants." They are forking over big bucks to be taken to a nature park actually miles from the US border in the central state of Hildago where for six hours tour groups are rushed through a desert with a guide and little nourishment pretending to be outwitting the border patrol. The ultimate goal of the reality border crossing tour, is of course to make it without being caught but more importantly the vacation is designed to build compassion in the Mexican upper class for the plight of the illegal immigrant. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.