f Pennsylvania Launches 2003 West Nile Virus Surveillance Program HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Pennsylvania is launching this year’s effort to detect and control mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus. “It’s that time of the year again time to get your yard back in shape or just get out and enjoy Pennsylvania’s natural wonders,” Acting Secretary Muscalus said. “But don’t forget about the mos quitoes. In 2002, West Nile virus was de tected in 62 Pennsylvanians and contributed to the deaths of nine people. Last year’s experience makes it clear that Pennsylvanians need to do their part to eliminate mosquito breeding areas around their homes.” When transmitted to people, West Nile virus most often causes mild infections like the flu, but on rare occasions the virus can cause West Nile encephalitis, an infection that can cause an inflammation of the brain. Anyone can get the virus, but older adults over 50 years of age are at increased risk of developing severe illness. In addition to transmission through the bite of an infected mosquito, West Nile virus also has recently been shown to be trans mitted through organ donation, blood transfusion, possibly mother to child (breastfeeding and trans placental) and occupational trans mission. However, these other types of transmission account for a very small proportion of cases. West Nile Virus cases occur pri marily in the late summer or early fall, although mosquito season is usually April through October. The Department of Environ mental Protection (DEP) is coordi nating the county-based mosquito surveillance and control portion of the multi-agency effort. “Along with our county part ners, DEP will conduct an aggres sive and proactive mosquito sur veillance and control program again this year,” Acting DEP Sec retary McGinty said. Hershey Chosen Chairman Of State House Ag Committee CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.) The selection of State Represen tative Art Hershey (R-I3) to serve as chairman of the House Agricul ture and Rural Affairs Committee has been applauded by the Pennsyl vania Farm Bureau. Speaker of the House John M. Perzel (R-172) ap pointed Rep. Hershey to the posi tion to succeed Rep. Ray Bunt (R -147), who was chosen to serve as chairman of the House Consumer Affairs Committee. “Rep. Hershey will be an excel- American Sheep Industry Association Conducting 2003 Photo Contest DENVER, Colo. Attention all photographers: It’s time to start thinking about the American Sheep Industry Association’s 2003 Photo Contest. The contest is open to all who wish to enter, which means you don’t have to be involved in the U.S. sheep, lamb, wool, or goat industries to participate. The only rule is that your photograph must include sheep or goats. Entries must be postmarked by August 8. Entries will be judged on clarity, content, composition, and appeal. A total of $l,OOO will be awarded, with awards of $125 going to the grand prize winner in each of the four cat egories listed below; $75 for the first runners-up in each category and a $5O prize for the second runner-up in each of the four categories. (To increase your odds of winning, enter a category other than “Kids and Sheep” ... approximately half of our entries tend to fall into this catego ry) • Action Photographs of activ ities such as shearing, wool classing/skirting/baling, moving/ DEP and county West Nile coor dinators will be looking for imma ture (larvae and pupae) and adult mosquitoes to determine if they are species known to carry the virus. They also will be noting their num bers and geographic distribution. Mosquitoes known to carry West Nile virus that are detected in large numbers will be controlled using a powdered form of naturally occur ring bacteria or a mosquito growth hormone, both of which are harm less to humans and aquatic life. A vaccine is available for horses through veterinarians. Acting Secretary Muscalus is re minding Pennsylvanians to report dead bird sightings. Dead bird sightings will be used to identify potential areas for enhanced sur veillance. This year, Pennsylva nians can report dead birds two ways, online at www.westnile.sta te.pa.us or by calling 1-877-PA-HEALTH. The West Nile surveillance pro gram will collect up to five dead birds a week per county through out the entire West Nile virus sea son. Citizens can call 1-877-PA-HEALTH to find out if their dead bird is appropriate for testing. If it is, they will be asked to deliver the bird to a centralized col lection site. Pennsylvanians can take a few simple steps around their homes to reduce their risk of contracting the West Nile virus. Because mosqui toes breed in standing water, even a small bucket that has stagnant water in it for four days can be come home to many mosquitoes. • Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers that have accumulated on your property. Do not overlook containers that have become overgrown by aquatic vege tation; • Pay special attention to dis carded tires that may have accu mulated on your property; • Drill holes in the bottom of re cycling containers that are left out doors. Drainage holes that are lo- lent chairman. As a farmer, he un derstands both the challenges and opportunities that agriculture pres ents. We know he will keep the concerns of the farm and rural sec tors in the forefront of the General Assembly,” said Guy F. Don aldson, president of the Pennsylva nia Farm Bureau. Hershey and his wife, Joyce, es tablished Ar-Joy Holstein farm in Chester County, in 1959. Today, their son, Duane, operates the 400-acre family farm. trailing sheep, lambing, tagging, showing, feeding, etc. (Note that all pictures featuring youth ages 18 and younger should be entered in the “Kids and Sheep” category.) • Scenic Photographs of sheep/goats outdoors. (Photos en tered in this category cannot in clude people.) • Kids and Sheep Photo graphs containing pictures of youth 18 years of age or younger and sheep/goats. • Open Category Photo graphs of sheep/goats with other farm animals, i.e. cats, dogs, lla mas, donkeys, etc., or sheep/goat pictures without people taken indoors, such as in a bam, shed, etc. If you’re confused about the cat egory into which your photograph would fall, leave the category por tion of your entry blank and ASI will categorize it for you! For contest rules and entry in formation, call Laura Gerhard, ASI Communications Manager, at (303) 771-3500, ext. 30. cated on a container’s sides allow them to collect enough water for mosquitoes to breed; • Clean clogged roof gutters on an annual basis, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees have a tendency to plug up the drains. Roof gutters are easily over looked but can produce millions of mosquitoes each season; • Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use. A wading pool becomes a mosquito producer if it is not used on a regular basis; • Turn over wheelbarrows, and do not allow water to stagnate in birdbaths for more than four days. Both provide breeding habitat for domestic mosquitoes; • Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish. Water gar dens are fashionable but become major mosquito producers if they are allowed to stagnate; • Clean and chlorinate swim ming pools that are not being used. Be aware that mosquitoes may even breed in water that collects on swimming pool covers; and • Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property. Mosquitoes will de velop in any puddle that lasts for more than four days. Last year, the West Nile virus was identified in 63 Pennsylvania counties. The only counties that did not have positive test results for 2002 were Elk, Cameron, Ful ton and Carbon counties. The West Nile virus was identified in 1,737 birds, 674 mosquito groups, 97 horses, 43 sentinel chickens and 62 people, with nine human deaths. A special website has been es tablished to provide citizens with background information and regu lar updates about the West Nile virus and is available through the PA Power Port at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: “DEP West Nile ” or at www.westnile.state.pa.us. Visitors to the website can sign up to automatically receive news re leases and other updates via e mail. 4.90 Long Distance Service 4.90 per minute, first minute, every minute, in your state, and in all 48 states. 6 second billing Call JDS Telecom 1-888-315-1179 Have You Ever Wauled lo Form a Co-op? Learn How W A Hands-On Workshop for Organizing and Starting Farmer-Owned and Community-Based Cooperatives When: June 3, 2003 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Where: The Country Cupboard Lewisburg, PA Cost: $35.00* • (Si holjrships dunldbli' Pit dse i ontdi t krWmu Dm lopinem (enter) For a brochure or more information, please contact: • Keystone Development Center c/o Adams Electric Cooperative 200 Trinity Rd. York, PA 17404 1-800-792-2163 Co-sponsored by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture The Keystone Development Center is an equal opportunity provider and employer. State Farmers Can File For Fuel Tax Refunds HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) State Treasurer Barbara Hafer has announced that Penn sylvania farmers may file claims for liquid fuels tax refunds be tween July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2003. Hafer, who chairs the Board of Finance and Revenue, said claim forms must be returned post marked not later than September 30 to the Board of Finance and Revenue, Motor Fuels Section, 1101 S. Front St., Suite 410, Harrisburg, PA 17104-2540. “Any person who uses liquid fuels in the actual production of agricultural products is eligible for refunds,” Hafer said. Last year, board staff paid 8,524 claims for $3,237,960 in refunds. The average claim paid was $3BO. The refund rates are 26.6 cents per gallon for gasoline purchased from July 1, 2002 to December 31,2002 and 25.9 cents per gallon for purchases between January 1, 2003 and June 30, 2003. The re fund rate is 31.8 cents per gallon for kerosene and diesel fuel pur- tre.state.pa.us. Ralstonia Outbreak In State Over HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) officials an nounced last week that the Ral stonia Outbreak is over in Penn sylvania, and all quarantines will be lifted within the next few weeks. The announcement comes just over two months since the original outbreak occurred. Pennsylvania had the highest number of suspected cases in the nation, making PDA’s job that much more difficult. PDA fol lowed the lead of the U.S. De partment of Agriculture but also had some flexibility in making decisions that were in the best in- chased between July 1, 2002 and December 31, 2002 and 30.8 cents per gallon for purchases be tween January 1, 2003 and June 30,2003. Each claim must include cop ies of paid receipts or a statement from the fuel dealer that shows the number of gallons purchased, purchase dates, and verification that the state taxes (liquid fuels and fuel use) were paid. “Since changes in the rates took effect in the middle of the claim period, claims filed this year will be for a split tax peri od,” Hafer said. “Claimants need to make sure receipts are sepa rated by date to reflect the differ ent tax rates. They should check any statements from fuel dealers to make certain the tax charged is properly reflected.” Claim forms are available from the Board of Finance and Reve nue at the above address. Ques tions may be answered by calling (717) 787-6534 or e-mailing difet ters terest of Pennsylvania. For exam ple, some media outlets have re cently reported that all plants associated with samples confirm ed positive for Raistonia solana cearum race 3 biovar 2 would have to be destroyed, not just those found positive. PDA took a less stringent ap proach by ordering destruction on a case-by-case basis as con dtions at individual establish ments warranted. In the end, only 8 positive samples were found and only one facility was required to destroy a large amount of its greenhouse products. Attention Farmers in Northern Lebanon County, PA: Please remember to Vote Primary Election Tuesday, May 20 Re-elect and Retain District Justice Michael D. Smith Serving Cleona and the Townships of Annville, East Hanover, North Annville, Union and Cold Springs since 1998. Sometimes it take a real farmer to under stand the real concerns of the farming com munity in court. District Justice Smith does understand - he and his wife own a farm in East Hanover Township, Lebanon County. He will give your farm-related concerns an unbi ased and fair hearing. Please vote to re-elect and retain District Justice Michael D. Smith in the Primary Election on Tuesday, May 20. You’ll find his name on both the Republican and Democratic Ballots. Your vote on May 20 is appreciated! iSJjL “Let’s keep a good judge.” Paid for by the Friends of District Justice Michael D. Smith, P.O. Box 273, Annville, PA 117003. www.goodjudge.com
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