More West Nile & Solutions Workshops

More West Nile & Solutions Workshops

More West Nile & Solutions Workshops. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Idaho health officials have confirmed their first case of West Nile virus in a Washington County woman. A horse in Washington County has also tested positive for West Nile. The woman, who is in her 60's, first noticed her symptoms back in June and did not require hospitalization. Mosquitoes infected with the virus have been detected in nine Idaho counties: Adams, Washington, Valley, Gem, Payette, Canyon, Ada, Owyhee, and Bingham. If you are in mosquito prone areas be sure and take the necessary precautions for you and your horses.

A series of six workshops around the state is underway to identify the barriers and potential solutions to ease the burden that many Oregon small and medium-sized companies face in reaching the international marketplace. Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba attended the first of those workshops. She says the hardships really came to a boil last year during a West Coast port slowdown that included Portland.

COBA: Whether it's potatoes, seafood, Christmas trees that were still on the dock in January, I could go on and on and on with examples. But it really became apparent that a broken transportation system is devastating for agriculture. This initiative really is about, first of all, hearing concerns but then secondly– and even maybe more importantly– getting suggestions, some ideas, collective brainstorming on what some potential solutions would be.

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

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