03/26/07 Rat Poison & Delisting the Grizzly

Rat Poison & Delisting the Grizzly plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. Rat poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of at least 16 cats and dogs, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Agriculture and Markets said Friday. The Food and Drug Administration has said the investigation was focusing on wheat gluten in the food. Wheat gluten itself would not cause kidney failure, but the common ingredient could have been contaminated by heavy metals or mold toxins, the FDA said. After nearly disappearing three decades ago, grizzly bears are thriving in the Yellowstone ecosystem and no longer need the protection of the Endangered Species Act, Deputy Interior Secretary Lynn Scarlett announced today. Wyoming's Senator Mike Enzi is pleased. ENZI: Finally, decades passed, the bears increased in number. Today that's finally changing. Grizzly management will shift to the state where it should be. I'm confident the ability of the Wyoming Game & Fish to manage the bear  both for the benefit of the Wyoming people and the grizzly. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is removing the Yellowstone population of grizzly bears from its status as "threatened" on the U.S. list of threatened and endangered species. Four other grizzly populations in the lower 48 states have not yet recovered and will continue to be protected as threatened species under the Act. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Organic yet biotech would seem to be oxymoron of sorts but when the demand for an organic herb virtually outstrips the ability to gather it and distribute it what's a country to do? That is precisely the dilemma Malaysia finds itself in. It seems the herb tongkat ali is on it's way to being the ultimate organic substitute for Viagra and because of it's purported "sexual" qualities the once profiencet plant that can reach up to 33 feet tall has been uprooted from nearly everywhere in the country but the deepest rainforests and now has a protected status. While scientists have found it can help hormone production the jury is out on whether it truly increases libido despite the fact generations of Malaysian men have sworn by the herb. Maybe we should be asking the women! Scientist are utilizing biotechnology to research the full aphrodisiac and medicinal qualities of Tongkat in order to be able to distribute as a drug. Meanwhile the Malaysia government is so sure it has the next best thing to Viagra they are investing $7 million to clone it. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.