Food & Farm News
Real Audio» October 14, 2005 «
Old Farmers Almanac predicts warm dry winter
Warm and dry is the Old Farmers Almanac's weather prediction for 2006 for much of California. Representatives of the almanac claim their forecasts are 80 percent correct, although they admit they missed last year. The Colorado River Basin will also have below average precipitation. They say a shift in a Pacific Ocean current that has occurred, usually causes drier than average weather for the Southwestern states. Above average solar activity may cause wild weather swings worldwide this year.
Kobe beef a treat for some
Some affluent Americans enjoy Kobe style beef, which sells for more than $175 a pound. But, some of the beef they are enjoying now is raised in California and marketed by Snake River Farms in Idaho. Japan, where Kobe-style beef originated, cannot export beef to the U.S. and bans American beef from Japan. Organizations representing beef ranchers have asked the U.S. government to continue the restriction at least until the Japanese ease their restriction on U.S. beef imports.
Super bee species discovered
Varroa mites have destroyed thousands of beehives and are considered that farm sector's greatest threat. But bee researchers have found and studied a species of honeybees that clean out the hive before the mites are able to gain a foothold. The genetically superior bees have been dubbed SMR because they suppress mite reproduction. The researchers have now released their species to bee breeders who are making them available to beekeepers. But it will take time to populate the millions of beehives that exist.
Almond Board plans ahead
The Almond Board of California is planning for the future. At the board's annual conference in December they plan to outline plans to deal with increasing production. The board estimates that the annual harvest will reach 1.5 billion pounds by 2010. Farmers continue to plant almond trees with the economic incentive of high prices for the past several seasons. Experts will detail how they plan to market the ever-increasing supply of almonds.
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