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| This Week's Titles: |
| Eating
Poultry And Asian Bird Flu Concerns |
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Keeping Termites From Invading
Your Home |
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| Planning
Out A Controlled Burn |
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| Protecting
Outside Pipes From Freezes |
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| Update
On Asian Bird Flu Risk |
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| Eating
Poultry And Asian Bird Flu Concerns |
1:44 |
Many people wonder if handling
and eating poultry will cause them to get sick with the dreaded
Asian bird flu. |
Every week we see and read
news reports about the deadly and massive consequences of a
Asian bird flu pandemic in the United States. These reports
have many people wondering if it is safe to handle and eat poultry
products, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas around
the corner. Judy Harrison, a foods specialist with the University
of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences says there
are no cases of Asian bird flu in the United States. She adds
there is no evidence to suggest that people have been infected
after they consumed well-cooked poultry meat. "There is no evidence
so far according to the World Health Organization that people
have gotten it from eating contaminated meat." Judy Harrison
with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences., who adds
consumer safety when it comes to handling poultry products has
not changed. These guidelines include washing hands with warm,
running water and soap for twenty seconds, before and after
handling raw and cooked foods. Also, avoid putting cooked meat
back onto a plate or surface with raw juices. Cook poultry meat
thoroughly, to put the heat on viruses present. Pieces of poultry
should be cooked up to 170 degrees fahrenheit, and whole poultry
should reach 180 degrees fahrenheit. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Keeping
Termites From Invading Your Home |
1:36 |
A quick inspection of your
landscape could keep damaging creatures away from your home. |
Script for radio release.
Every year termites move in and feast on homes across the state,
causing a lot of damage. Brian Forschler, a scientist with the
University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences says termites need moisture and food to survive. He
adds one item in a landscape termites love to make meals on
is an old stump that's been sitting around for several years.
"So if you have a stump near your foundation, you should remove
it because what it does is it provides a place for the termites
that are going to be in your yard to hang out and feed for a
while. While they are doing that, they're sending out termites
that are looking for new food resources." Brian Forschler with
the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who
adds termites also need moisture to survive. To reduce moisture
around a home, the university scientist says make sure gutters
and air conditioner drip lines drain away from the home. If
tiny trees are growing in the drain gutter, that's a sign it
needs cleaning out. When watering lawns or shrubs, don't aim
sprinklers toward the house, since this could lead to a moisture
buildup, and invite termites to move in. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Planning
Out A Controlled Burn |
1:41 |
Landowners need to think hard
and plan out a control burn before they strike a match. |
With the weather finally
chilling down, landowners begin thinking about setting a prescribed
fire in timber stands, to allow the flames to clean out unwanted
vegetation, and dead limbs. But a forester with the University
of Georgia's Warnell School of Forest Resources says dry weather
from late August through October has increased the wildfire
threat across the state. So this year it's extremely important
for landowners to have a detailed plan for a controlled burn.
"Your plan should identify the desired objective or outcome
of the burn, the fuel types and conditions on the site, where
to locate your firebreaks, what type of burn will be used, and
the weather conditions needed to accomplish the burn." That
was David Moorhead with the Warnell School of Forest Resources
, who adds dry fall weather makes it even more important to
consult your local state forester before deciding to burn. The
law also requires a landowner to secure a burn permit from a
state forester's office prior to burning. The university forester
goes on to say it's important to consider smoke management,
so thick smoke created by the fire won't settle over a busy
highway, airport, or hospital, and create road and health hazzards.
John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Protecting
Outside Pipes From Freezes |
1:33 |
Don't let old man winter's
icy breath damage your outdoor pipes this year. |
The first strong cold front
this fall moved across Georgia in late October. The chill behind
the front dropped temperatures into mid and upper thirties across
most of the state. This chill should remind everyone that they
need to get those outdoor pipes around the home ready for cold
and freezes. Kerry Harrison, an engineer with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
says if you have a home irrigation system, make sure it's protected,
so you won't have to deal with an expensive headache next spring.
"That's that freezing component because when that pipe burst
and freeze, it doesn't have pressure back on it until next spring
so you never know it until you turn it on springtime to know
that you had winter damage." Kerry Harrison with the College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. If there are any
exposed valves or water pipes around a home, tape them up, or
use an old sack to keep them warm on cold nights. To protect
outdoor water hoses disconnect, drain, and store them someplace
with a constant temperature. This will also add more years of
service to provide water to thirsty plants and shrubs during
dry weather. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Update
On Asian Bird Flu Risk |
1:32 |
Is Asian bird flu a serious
risk to Georgia and the United States? |
It seems we can't get away
from grim warnings about the Asian bird flu virus getting into
the United States, and causing a deadly pandemic. But a poultry
scientist with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences says it currently appears the chances
of large numbers of people contracting Asian bird flu in the
United States is very small. "It is really an animal to animal
type of disease passed from bird to bird, very rare that it's
passed from bird to human and even more rare where it may be
passed from human to human, just in the rarest of cases, which
is very fortunate." That was Mike Lacy with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences, who adds only one-hundred people,
mainly in Thailand and Vietnam have contracted Asian bird flu.
Almost all of those infected had very close contact with diseased
birds. The university scientists goes on to say poultry in the
United States is completely safe from the Asian bird flu virus,
and there are no cases of the disease in the United States.
Imports of poultry products from countries with Asian bird flu
have been stopped, to further insure our supply of poultry products
will be free from the virus. John Harrell, University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting
from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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