LOCAL

Expensive cleanup needed in Minnesota River 

A new Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) report says Minnesota must cut the sediment levels in the Minnesota River by half, a 25-year undertaking with an an estimated $360 million cost to stakeholders. The high sediment levels are suffocating fish, killing vegetation, and are the bulk of the sediment pollution flowing into the Mississippi. These reports follow additional reports last winter of E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria in the Minnesota River mainly from failing septic systems and livestock manure.

Some recent improvements in overall sediment concentration have been offset by greater flow volumes caused by Minnesota’s changing climate, fewer wetlands and natural areas to retain rainfall, and farming practices that increase the flow of water running off the land. About 80% of the river basin is agricultural land. Wayne Cords, regional manager for the MPCA in Mankato, says improving the health of surrounding soils will be one of the primary cleanup strategies, which includes reducing tillage, planting cover crops and adding perennial crops that hold the soil in place.

Unfortunately, markets for perennial crops aren’t developed enough yet for switching to them to be economically viable. Trevor Russell, water program director for Friends of the Mississippi River, said the public, policymakers, farmers and industry need to come together to build the markets and supply chains. “Our hope is in maybe 10 to 15 years, if we can establish robust markets, we could start to see these crops on the landscape at scale.”

Star Tribune
MPCA

NATIONAL

Novel form of entertainment in Georgia takes dangerous turn

Village Gallery and Art Studio in Macon, Georgia, held a “Racoon or Kitten?” event on August 3rd which allowed attendees to interact with a young racoon, at the time owned by a private citizen. The racoon was later given to a wildlife rehabilitation center where it died. Subsequent tests revealed that it had rabies.

North Central Health District Spokesman Michael Hokanson said in an update that the racoon wasn’t showing signs of rabies at the event and didn’t bite or scratch anyone. Nevertheless, at least 33 people were recommended post-exposure treatment. The health department is not covering the costs.

Rabies is a viral disease carried by mammals and transmitted through an infected animal’s saliva through a bite or scratch. In rare cases, the virus can spread from infectious material coming in contact with a mucus membrane like eyes or nose, or an open wound. Rabies is a fatal disease without post exposure treatment, which generally includes a series of vaccinations.

AP
North Central Health District

INTERNATIONAL

Classical swine fever outbreak continues in Japan

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries reported last week the fifth farm infected with Classical swine fever (CSF) this August. Since the first detection of the virus on a swine farm in September of last year, the rate of new cases of affected farms continues to increase with 39 farms infected to date, in addition to wild boar populations.

Classical swine fever is a contagious viral disease of swine shed in the saliva, nasal secretions, urine, and feces of infected animals. The virus spreads to other animals through contaminated vehicles, pens, feed, or clothing, in addition to direct contact. It can persist in refrigerated pork and processed products for months and frozen products for years. CSF is a reportable disease to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

Wild boars are being given oral vaccination in the affected areas to assist in control efforts. Some, following the outbreak, view it as a drill for the potential introduction of African swine fever (ASF) into the country, most likely by contaminated pork products in which that virus persists as well. A current ASF outbreak is spreading across mainland Asia.

ProMED
OIE