04/09/07 USDA Money & Another Recall

USDA loans and grants & another pet food recall plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. USDA is making available $62.9 million in distance learning and telemedicine loans, $75 million in loan and grant combinations, and $15 million in grants. The additional funds will allow rural educational facilities to expand their access to modern telecommunications technology, and health care institutions to develop technologies needed to enhance local medical care. Mark Simmons is the Oregon State Director for USDA Rural Development. SIMMONS: The distance learning, telemedicine grants and loans provided by USDA Rural Development really provide an opportunity to have a higher quality of life and receive the same kind of services that people in urban and metropolitan areas can receive even though they may be in rural areas of the state. Another wrinkle in the pet food scare was announced late last week when Ferndale, Washington's T.W. Enterprises recalled seven different types of dog chews over concerns with salmonella contamination. The products being recalled are American Bullie A.B. Small Chew, Puppy Chew and 5 sizes of Dog Chews. According to the FDA, the company issued a similar recall in 2005. In addition to causing illness in pets, people who handle the products need to wash their hands thoroughly after coming into contact. Calls to the T.W. Enterprise were not returned. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Until 1860 when an English Chap named James Spratt began selling dog cakes to country gentlemen for their hunting dogs, dogs simply ate leftovers. Doggy diets evolved in 1907 when Milk Bone Dog biscuits paved the way for today's multi-billion dollar pet food industry. Our canine obsession has provided marketers with endless packaging and products options but the recent poisoned pet food could slow this lucrative growth curve. Book stores and Amazon .com are reporting that they can't keep up with the requests for dog food cook books because compassionate owners are now preparing home cooked meals for their canine companions and discovering that cooking for dogs is not much different from healthy humane fare. Dogs are omnivores like us, so some veggies and Hamburger Helper is right up their alley. Problem is most Americans no longer even cook for themselves cook for themselves so for the majority of us a dog food recommendation from a trusted vet is the best safety tactic. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.