January 24, 2003 News Releases
Released 1/23/03
POULTRY
AND BIOSECURITY
LOGAN — Much of the news surrounding biosecurity deals
with war and weapons, so we forget that biosecurity includes
a safe and secure food supply.
A breach of the biosecurity can be financially devastating to
business and a threat to the food supply. Recent disease outbreaks
in the poultry industry have brought attention to this issue.
According to Utah State University Extension poultry specialist
David Frame, the recent outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease
is a good example of how quickly a disease can affect an entire
industry. Since the outbreak in California Oct. 1, the Utah
Department of Agriculture has placed a ban on poultry and pet
birds that may be passing through the infected areas. This includes
eggs, game birds, hatching eggs and pet birds such as parrots,
cockatiels and lovebirds from the infected areas of southern
California and Nevada. The Utah Fancy Poultry Association has
also canceled its spring show because of biosecurity issues
and severe importation embargos that have been implemented.
This points to the need for better daily practice of sanitation,
Frame said. Biosecurity is an ongoing effort. It is mainly a
matter of following general sanitary principles. He suggests
these measures for risk reduction:
-Learn how diseases are spread and propagated.
-Don't visit neighbor's flocks and hatcheries unless absolutely
necessary.
-Consider all poultry as potential disease carriers. Keep birds
in a
comfortable environment.
-Provide adequate ventilation, heating and clean bedding.
-Never take a bird to a show that you would not be willing
to sacrifice.
-Never bring home a bird from a show and put it directly back
into the
flock; quarantine it for 2-3 weeks.
-Never purchase a bird from an unknown or unreliable source.
-Never purchase or sell a bird if you are unsure of its health
status.
January 23, 2003
Writer: Dennis Hinkamp 435-797-1392
Contact: David Frame 435-283-7586 [davidf@ext.usu.edu]
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT
Martin Luther King Jr. was for people, regardless of color,
said guest speaker Darnel Haney at the candlelight vigil Tuesday
night hosted by the Utah State University Black Student Union
(BSU).
“He gave me my pride back,” said Haney. “He
gave pride to all Americans. It’s not just about blacks
or whites.”
Haney, who attended Utah State during the 1960s, said there
is still prejudice on college campuses today. Even though there
have been many advances in this country since then, students
continue to experience varying degrees of prejudice and stereotyping,
he said.
“Think of the pain black people go through as they try
to prove themselves to others who are scared of them,”
Haney said. “I can see their pain.”
Haney not only sees their pain; he feels it as he has experienced
much of it throughout his lifetime. While he attended Utah State,
blacks were not allowed to make hotel reservations or eat in
local restaurants. He was expected to attend classes, go to
basketball and football practice and then return to his dorm
without any questions asked.
Safiyyah Ballard, president of BSU, also expressed her concern
for current and future Utah State students.
“We have to lay a foundation and set the standard,”
she said. “We must celebrate diversity.”
Looking toward the future, Haney said the paths this country
will take are still uncertain.
“Once we cross the bridge of indifference, there are diamonds
waiting in the rough,” he said. “I cry a lot these
days because of what I see for myself, my children and my grandchildren
in the future. Sometimes I laugh to keep from
crying.”
Gabe Carter, BSU vice president, believes that in order for
the country to keep advancing, it must undergo a true revolution
of values.
“We cannot hope to build a better world without starting
with the individual,” he said.
“This is a great nation. Love it and change it,”
Haney said. “It’s my country. I will die for it.
Won’t you?”
For more information about the vigil and other events, visit
the Multicultural Student Services website at www.multicultural.usu.edu.
Date: January 22, 2003
Writer: Shalee Sucher, Shalee@cc.usu.edu, 797-1350
Contact: Christine Christensen, chrismss@cc.usu.edu, 797-2326
Safiyyah Ballard, safaba@cc.usu.edu, 797-5934
WANT TO IMPRESS A LOVED ONE? TRY AMARYLLIS
Amaryllis are often associated with the Christmas season, but
can be grown to bloom throughout the winter. Blossoming in January
and February, their color is welcome at a time when we need
our spirits lifted, says Jerry Goodspeed, Utah State University
Extension horticulturist. Amaryllis brighten cold winter days
as their color livens up an otherwise drab room. They are one
of the most attractive flowers grown indoors.
"At one time I was dating a beautiful woman," Goodspeed
recalls. "I thought the stunning flower could win her heart,
since I was kind of failing in that department at the time.
I bought the flower and presented it to her. Indeed, she did
fall in love . . . with the flower. The way I look at it, I
converted another gardener."
Amaryllis are bulbs native to the tropical climates of South
America, so the tender plants must be kept from freezing. The
colors of this showy bulb range from a deep red to pink and
white. There are also some mottled and striped flowers that
are truly striking, he notes.
"For anyone who is reluctant to produce the flower from
a bulb, some plants are sold in bloom, ready to impress a loved
one," Goodspeed says. "Those who are more adventurous
can purchase large bulbs from most local nurseries or through
a catalog."
When purchasing a bulb, select one that is firm and large. Some
can exceed eight inches in diameter, he notes. Fill the bottom
of a six or eight-inch pot with a light potting soil, then place
the bulb in the soil with at least one inch of the bulb above
the rim and soil. Make sure the pot has drainage holes in the
bottom.
After planting, water the bulb thoroughly and place it in a
warm, well-lit area at a temperature between 70 and 75 degrees
F. Water it about once a week, allowing the soil to dry between
watering, Goodspeed says.
"Fertilize the plant with an all-purpose water-soluble
fertilizer every two or three weeks once it begins to grow.
A slow-release fertilizer can also be added to the soil at planting
to eliminate the need for further fertilization. Within about
six weeks a beautiful flower will fill the room with color,"
he says.
Each stalk produces between two and six large blossoms. As the
flowers begin to fade, remove them with scissors. When the last
flower is gone, cut off the entire stalk, just above the bulb.
Leaves will soon emerge, and the plant will continue to grow.
Place it in a well-lit room with other house plants and water
it as before, but reduce the amount of fertilizer, Goodspeed
says.
You can keep it indoors when summer comes, or plant the entire
pot in the ground outside, he notes. About the first of September,
dig the pot out and bring it indoors. Reduce the water, and
place it in a cool location. Remove the leaves when they turn
yellow. Store the bulb, (pot and all) in a cool location (below
55 degrees F, but above freezing). Once the bulb has been stored
for at least eight weeks, it is ready to begin the process again.
"If the bulb is healthy it will repeatedly produce year
after year," Goodspeed says. "This can be an advantage
to those who love Amaryllis and still use them to impress the
person of their dreams. And, in case you are wondering, that
beautiful girl did marry me, though the flower didn't have anything
to do with it . . . I don't think.
Jan. 21, 2003
Writer Julene Reese, 435-752-1945
Contact Jerry Goodspeed, 801-399-8201
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