Agribusiness Update for Thursday 02/06/14

Yesterday agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of the first ever Regional Hubs for Risk Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change at seven locations around the country. "Climate Hubs" will address increasing risks such as fires, invasive pests, devastating floods, and crippling droughts on a regional basis, aiming to translate science and research into information to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners on ways to adapt and adjust their resource management. Vilsack's announcement included the Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service in Corvallis.

Chinese scientists sounded the alarm yesterday after a new bird flu virus, H10N8, killed an elderly woman in December and infected another individual last month. The fifth novel influenza strain to emerge in 17 years, the virus has a worrying genetic profile and should be closely monitored. The woman who dies was from Nanchang, in southeastern Jiangxi province. A second case has been reported in Nanchang. Officials say the pandemic potential of this novel virus should not be underestimated.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.