The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is currently participating in Ag on the Mall in Washington, D.C., themed around the Future of Food and Farming. The NAAA will showcase a Bell Jet Ranger Helicopter equipped with a liquid spray system for applying crop protection materials at the event. In response to outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cattle, the U.S. government is collecting ground beef samples from retail stores in affected states. While both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have stated that the overall public health risk is low, it is higher for those who have been exposed to infected animals. Despite this, the government remains confident in the safety of the meat supply.
U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse has released a statement regarding the “Trust the Science Act,” which directs the Department of the Interior to remove Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf. Newhouse stated that while gray wolf populations have recovered by all metrics, they continue to be targeted by private landowners due to ongoing legal battles over their status under federal law. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.