McDonald's Says No to GMO & Cold Weather Halts Apple Harvest

McDonald's Says No to GMO & Cold Weather Halts Apple Harvest

McDonald's Says No to GMO & Cold Weather Halts Apple Harvest plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

While the USDA has approved Simplots's new Innate genetically modified potato one of their oldest business partners has said no thanks. The king of fast-food, McDonald's, has said that they do not and will not source any genetically modified potatoes for their golden fries even though the new Simplot potato could create a healthier fry for the Golden Arches. The new potato produces less acrylamide has it is fried and acrylamide is a known human carcinogen. Simplot believes that consumers will be more open to the new potato.

The northwest apple harvest was nearing completion but the cold weather that came roaring into the region has for all intents and purposes, halted the remainder of the harvest. Most varieties were done and in the barn with the exception of some Fuji's and Cripp's Pink also known as Pink Lady apples. Alan Taylor with Pink Lady America says they still did well.

TAYLOR: I've seen number so f 4.2 millions of last week and another total of about a quarter of a million boxes shipped so far including the earlier varieties so I think we're just fine with Pink Lady's except for those few that were not harvested in time.

Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray.

Many of us never think about where all the rainwater runoff from our rooftops, driveways, streets and highways escapes to. But perhaps it's time we do. Each time it rains gallons upon gallons of toxic runoff finds its way into our lakes and rivers, threatening the environment, wildlife, and ultimately us. Research in the Pacific Northwest has shown that rain runoff from some of the busiest highways is deadly to coho salmon and other fish species. For this very reason groups of people across the country have partnered together to create rain gardens, which are designed to capture runoff from roofs and roadways using plants or natural elements to slow and filter rain water runoff; thus allowing pollutants to be filtered out and devoured by organisms in the soil. In Washington state WSU and Stewardship Partners are leading a campaign to install twelve thousand rain gardens in the Seattle/Puget Sound Region by 2016. The vast majority of rain gardens already in place are a success, and proof positive of how green infrastructure can be beautiful and hard working at the same time.

Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.

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