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☆ We Are Blowing the Fight to Contain Bird Flu - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Zeynep Tufekci | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza among U.S. dairy cows, first reported on March 25, has now spread to at least 33 herds in eight states. Federal authorities say the milk supply is safe, but this latest development raises troubling questions about how widespread the outbreak really is. Rick Bright, an expert on the H5N1 virus who served on President Biden’s coronavirus advisory board, told me this is the crucial moment. That’s when I told him what I’d heard from Sid Miller, the Texas commissioner for agriculture. The commissioner speculated that back then, as much as 40 percent of the herds in the Texas panhandle may have been infected.

Persons: Rick Bright, Biden’s, ”, it’s, I’d, Sid Miller, Bright, I’m, what’s Locations: Texas

☆ Egg prices are rising again. An outbreak of bird flu could make things worse
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Egg prices have now been steadily rising for months, and your omelette could become even more expensive as poultry farms around the country deal with an outbreak of bird flu. While egg prices are down from a record $4.82 in January 2023 — after a widespread bird flu outbreak ravaged farms in the prior year — they’re now at the highest level since April 2023. Cal-Maine did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment on what the bird flu outbreak means for its egg prices. Bird flu has been detected at other farms across the country. Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced Tuesday that it found evidence of bird flu at a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County.

Persons: — they’re, Sid Miller, they’ve, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Maine Foods, Cal, Michigan’s Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Companies, “ Cal Locations: Cal, Texas, Maine, Sunny, Ionia County, Texas , Kansas, Minnesota

☆ Texas wildfires: Firefighters battling ‘monster’ blaze contend with winds and heat as residents grapple with lost homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Dalia Faheid | Camila Bernal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The biggest inferno in Texas history is being fueled by winds and high temperatures as it rages Sunday, threatening to incinerate more buildings, cattle and livelihoods across the Texas Panhandle while residents sift through ashes of what used to be homes. The fire, which is just one of five blazes currently scorching the Texas Panhandle, has already killed two people and destroyed over 500 structures, state officials said Saturday. Texas A&M Forest Service spokesperson Jason Nedlo told CNN Saturday that the blaze could grow over the weekend due to the weather conditions. Because the Texas Panhandle had higher-than-average rainfall this winter, there is more grass – fuel – to burn. A “red flag” warning, which indicates critical fire weather conditions, remains in effect for Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle through midnight Sunday.

Persons: Jason Nedlo, Crews, Nedlo, Cindy Owen, Jennifer Mitchell, Owen’s, Joyce Blankenship, “, ”, Nathan Blankenship, could’ve, GoFundMe, Lokman Vural, Susan, Ronnie Johnson’s, ” Ronnie, “ We’ve, ” Susan, Greg Abbott, ” Abbott, it’s, Scott Olson, Sid Miller, It’s, ” Miller, CNN’s Omar Jimenez, We’ve, ” “, Miller Organizations: CNN, Texas Panhandle, National Weather Service, M Forest, Texas, M, Service, Texans, Connect, Services, Getty, Texas Gov, Agriculture Locations: Texas, Oklahoma, Moore County, Gray County, Oldham County, Hutchinson County, Pampa , Texas, Hemphill County, Fritch, Stinnett , Texas, Anadolu, Fritch , Texas

CNN —The wildfire in Texas has already killed two people, demolished hundreds of structures and obliterated thousands of cattle as it became the biggest blaze in the state’s history. Some 8 million people across the Central Plains are under “red flag” warnings and temperatures are above normal in the Texas Panhandle. So far, the Smokehouse Creek Fire has spread across more than 1 million acres and has become the biggest Texas wildfire on record. And the fire is just one of five blazes currently scorching the Texas Panhandle, destroying as many as 500 structures. Sunday’s fire weather threat will be greatest for the Texas Panhandle and western Texas, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Persons: Cindy Owen, Jennifer Mitchell, Owen’s, Joyce Blankenship, “, ”, Nathan Blankenship, could’ve, Sid Miller, GoFundMe, Greg Abbott, he’d, Sammy Schafer, Leah Millis, ” Abbott, it’s, there’s, Miller, Shane Pennington, Pennington, “ It’s, they’re, ” Pennington, he’s, “ We’ve, ” Miller, We’ve, ” CNN’s Gene Norman, Rebekah Riess, Sara Tonks, Eric Zerkel, Sarah Davis Organizations: CNN, Texas Panhandle, Storm Prediction Center, Storm Prediction, Texas, M, Service, Texans, Connect, Services, Texas Panhandle Gov, Reuters Locations: Texas, Plains, South Dakota, Denver, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Lubbock, Amarillo, Oklahoma, Central, Amarillo , Midland, Odessa, Moore County, Gray County, Oldham County, Hutchinson County, Pampa , Texas, Hemphill County, Fritch, Canadian , Texas

☆ Trump's early organizing across the South is paying off as he faces off against Nikki Haley
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Trump campaign shrewdly worked to gain the backing of top Republicans early in the 2024 race. Former South Carolina Gov. AP Photo/Matt KelleyBy courting Republicans early, Trump essentially created a sense of inevitably around his campaign among many GOP voters, a significant impediment for Haley. DeSantis was once seen as a major threat to Trump's hold over the South, but the Florida governor didn't even make it to the South Carolina primary. Trump now leads Haley among potential GOP primary voters 81%-18%, according to the latest Morning Consult tracking poll.

Persons: shrewdly, Trump, Nikki Haley, —, Donald Trump, Henry McMaster, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Ron DeSantis, Graham, Haley, It's, Gov, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton, Wesley Hunt, Sid Miller, Greg Abbott, Joe Biden's, Trump's, Matt Kelley, DeSantis, didn't, House . Alabama Sen, Tommy Tuberville, He's, They're Organizations: Trump, Service, South Carolina State House, GOP, Gov, Florida Gov, Former South Carolina Gov, McMaster, Texas ., Texas . Texas Republicans, Republican, AP, South, Alabama Republicans, House . Alabama Locations: Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Texas, Texas . Texas, California, South Carolina, Alabama , Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi

Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesUnder so-called linked-deposit programs, states deposit money in banks at below-market interest rates. Banks then leverage those funds to provide short-term, low-interest loans to particular borrowers, often in agriculture or small business. The programs can save thousands of dollars for borrowers by reducing their interest rates by an average 2-3 percentage points. Illinois has nearly $950 million of deposits linked to low-interest loans for farmers, businesses and individuals. In 2015, Frerichs said, the state's agricultural investment program had just two low-interest loans.

Persons: Vivek Malek, Malek, ” Malek, Banks, Michael Frerichs, Frerichs, Rafael Salaberrios, ” Salaberrios, Brian Zimmerschied, Doug Fish, Jason Bernard, ” Bernard, Mike Hopkins, “, Hopkins, Jordan Harvey, Sid Miller, hadn't, Miller, ” Organizations: JEFFERSON CITY, Federal Reserve, National Association of State, State Development, “, OakStar Bank, FCS, FCS Financial, BTC Bank, Montana Board of Investments, Republican, AP Locations: Mo, Missouri, New York, Illinois, Montana, “, National Association of State Treasurers . Illinois, Bethany , Missouri, Bethany, Iowa , Kansas, Ohio, Kansas, In Ohio, Texas

☆ About 18,000 Cattle Are Killed in Fire at Dairy Farm in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Livia Albeck-Ripka | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The 911 calls came in rapid succession, with reports of an explosion and fire on Monday that officials would later say had trapped one female employee and thousands of cattle inside a milking parlor at a dairy farm in Dimmitt, Texas. As emergency responders approached after 7 p.m., they witnessed the thick plume of smoke, mushrooming over the plains. “While devastating, I’m grateful that there were no further injuries,” Sid Miller, the Texas agricultural commissioner, said in a statement. As for the cattle, he noted, around 18,000 had died. “This was the deadliest barn fire for cattle in Texas history,” Mr. Miller added.

☆ Stephen Miller led-group emerges as top legal foe of Biden initiatives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Chandelis Duster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A conservative legal group led by former top Trump aide Stephen Miller has emerged as a frequent opponent to several Biden administration initiatives by mounting court challenges, succeeding in blocking policies they say are examples of reverse discrimination. Miller touts America First Legal as “the long-awaited answer to the (American Civil Liberties Union),” and his group has garnered several legal victories against the Biden administration in the past few weeks and months, most notably on issues of racial discrimination. The lawsuits led to an injunction that blocked the debt relief payments. Several Black farmers and social justice advocates have said Miller’s actions are harmful. “I want to set the record straight – no one is against White farmers in this country,” John Boyd Jr., 57, a fourth-generation farmer who is founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, told CNN.

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