LOCAL
Wetlands reduce nitrogen pollution
A study from the University of Minnesota has found that wetlands provide a significant water quality benefit by keeping nitrates from crop fertilizer out of rivers.
The study claims that wetlands are five times more efficient per unit area at reducing riverine nitrate concentration than the most effective land-based nitrogen mitigation strategies.
High nitrate levels are harmful to ecosystems like in the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico and human health when contaminating drinking water.
NATIONAL
Possible new rules for hog slaughter
Federal government regulators have proposed changes in the way hogs slaughtered for meat in the United States are processed, in a series of new rules that officials say would improve industry practices but critics say could imperil food safety.
Discussion around the possible risks and benefits around the new rules is quite animated, with letters written to Food Safety News, lengthy statements from the UFCW and COSH and comments from the FSIS and National Pork Board.
The bacon of the day is not just whether or not the rules would improve industry practices, but what effect they would have to food safety and worker health and safety.
GLOBAL
Influenza is deadlier than we thought
The current influenza outbreak is increasingly bad, and in the US already worst since the 2009 swine pandemic, with 37 reported pediatric deaths so far.
Flu has also been found to be deadlier than previously thought by a recent joint study done by the CDC and global health partner. The study updated the global estimate of worldwide flu deaths to be between 291,000 and 646,000 people compared to the earlier estimate of 250,000 to 500,000 people.
The CDC still recommends you to get vaccinated, as there are still weeks of flu activity to come.
Heidi Vesterinen
Heidi is a Finnish Public Health veterinarian who has previously worked with creatures great and small in Finland, the United Kingdom, India and Nepal. She graduated from the University of Helsinki in 2013 and is also a Veterinary Leadership Program Alumni from Cornell University. Heidi has a background in meat inspection, NGO work and lobbying and she enjoys analysing complex system and problem solving. Outside of work she loves yoga, photography and her cats.