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FDA Researchers Develop Hydrologic Model to Assess Leafy Greens' Exposure to Livestock Runoff

FDA Researchers Develop Hydrologic Model to Assess Leafy Greens' Exposure to Livestock Runoff

Researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have created a new hydrologic modeling framework designed to identify leafy greens farms at risk of contamination from upstream livestock operations during rainfall events. This model, detailed in a study accepted for publication in the Journal of Food Protection, focuses on California’s Salinas Valley, a significant region for leafy greens production that has been linked to multiple outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The framework combines rainfall-derived runoff estimates with mapped surface-water drainage networks to connect livestock operations with downstream produce farms. It incorporates characteristics such as estimated cattle capacity and the distance runoff travels along drainage pathways. The study analyzed 48 rainfall events between 2018 and 2021 across a 1,239-square-kilometer area of the Salinas Valley, identifying 1,818 hydrologic connections between 58 livestock pastures and 277 downstream farms. The findi...

Animal Manure Offers Economic and Environmental Benefits for U.S. Agriculture

Animal Manure Offers Economic and Environmental Benefits for U.S. Agriculture

U.S. agricultural practices are increasingly recognizing the economic and environmental advantages of using animal manure as a substitute for synthetic fertilizers. Manufacturing chemical fertilizers is an energy-intensive process heavily reliant on natural gas. By recycling livestock manure, farms can localize the nutrient loop, significantly reducing input costs and lowering the overall carbon footprint of agricultural production. Manure is not merely a waste byproduct; it is a valuable resource that enhances soil health by enriching its chemical nutrient profile, fortifying its physical structure against erosion, and boosting its biological microbiome. This approach helps address soil degradation, a critical challenge for agriculture facing the dual demands of feeding a growing population and combating environmental issues like nutrient runoff and climate change. Proper management of manure application is crucial to maximize its benefits and prevent environmental hazards.

Washington State University Extension to Host Forest Health Seminar in Dayton

Washington State University Extension to Host Forest Health Seminar in Dayton

Washington State University (WSU) Extension, in collaboration with the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the USDA, is organizing a seminar in Dayton focused on forest health and maintenance. The event, scheduled for Saturday, aims to equip private woodlot owners, forest landowners, and professionals with the necessary tools to improve overall forest health in Eastern Washington. WSU Extension Forester Andy Perleberg noted that forests in the region are generally in poor health. The workshop will help participants identify forest health conditions, recognize insects, pests, diseases, and abiotic factors like wildfire and drought that impact the sustainability of lowland family forests. The goal is to enable landowners to make informed decisions that enhance forest resilience and long-term sustainability, ensuring the continued benefits of forested watersheds such as clean drinking water and wildlife habitat.

Battelle-Managed NEON Program Updates Soil Water Content and Salinity Data Processing

Battelle-Managed NEON Program Updates Soil Water Content and Salinity Data Processing

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) program, managed by Battelle and funded by the National Science Foundation, is migrating its soil water content and water salinity data (DP1.00094.001) to a new instrument processing pipeline. This update, effective November 9, 2026, involves changing the averaging intervals for provisional data from 1-minute to 5-minute and 30-minute, replacing the previous 1-minute and 30-minute intervals. This decision was made based on feedback from NEON's Soil Sensor Technical Working Group and external researchers who found the 1-minute data volume too large and noted that soil moisture does not significantly change minute-to-minute. The migration also addresses longstanding data problems, including more accurate reporting of sensor measurement depth and adjustments to automated QA/QC flagging thresholds. All soil water content and water salinity data, both provisional and previously released, will be reprocessed to the new 5-minute and 30-minute averaging intervals ...

National Park Foundation Grant Funds Aerial Technology for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Protection

National Park Foundation Grant Funds Aerial Technology for Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park Protection

A federal grant from the National Park Foundation is set to fund a two-year project aimed at protecting Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park's native ecosystems through advanced aerial technology. The Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (FHVNP), in partnership with Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, is the recipient of this innovation grant. The project will utilize thermal imaging on uncrewed aircraft systems and helicopter-based LiDAR to detect invasive non-native ungulates, such as pigs and sheep, and identify breaches in fencing across the park's challenging volcanic terrain. This initiative comes after Hurricane Lala caused extensive damage to protective fencing, allowing invasive animals to enter protected areas and endanger native ecosystems. The FHVNP emphasized the need for more efficient methods to assess fence conditions and detect invasive animals across the park's rugged and remote landscape.

SSE Completes First Phase of £80 Million Hydropower Station Refurbishment in Scotland

SSE Completes First Phase of £80 Million Hydropower Station Refurbishment in Scotland

SSE has successfully installed and returned to commercial operation the first of two new turbine generating units at its Lochay Hydropower Station in Perthshire, Scotland. This marks a significant milestone in an £80 million refurbishment program aimed at improving the station's efficiency, output, and extending its operational life by at least 40 years. The 45 MW station, originally commissioned in 1958, saw its Unit 1 taken out of service in April 2025 for refurbishment, with the new turbine and generator now fully commissioned and generating electricity since late September. The equipment replaced had been in place since the station's initial commissioning almost 70 years ago. Both Unit 1 and Unit 2 will operate commercially through the winter, with Unit 2 scheduled for its refurbishment phase, including the installation of its new turbine generating unit, in spring 2027. The entire refurbishment program is projected to conclude in 2028, coinciding with Lochay's 70th anniversary.

Edinburgh Zoo Capybara Triplets Named After Scottish Delicacies Following Public Vote

Edinburgh Zoo Capybara Triplets Named After Scottish Delicacies Following Public Vote

Edinburgh Zoo Capybara Triplets Named After Scottish Delicacies Following Public Vote

FIFA releases evaluation reports for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cup

FIFA releases evaluation reports for the 2031 and 2035 Women's World Cup

The joint bids for both the 2031 and the 2035 Women’s World Cup tournaments meet the hosting requirements and will be put up for a vote by FIFA’s members later this month

Italy's Meloni says cyberthreats are intended to spread fear after schools hit by bomb threat

Italy's Meloni says cyberthreats are intended to spread fear after schools hit by bomb threat

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni says law enforcement found no concrete threat after thousands of school buildings were evacuated due to an emailed bomb threat

Highlights! BKFC fighter leaves opponent stiff with terrifying 40-second knockout

Highlights! BKFC fighter leaves opponent stiff with terrifying 40-second knockout

Sheesh. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) touched down in Scotland for the first time this past weekend (Sat., Nov. 7, 2026), staging BKFC 96 inside the sold-out OVO Hydro in Glasgow. In the main event, Sean Weir captured the vacant BKFC U.K. Light Heavyweight championship by stopping Leigh Cohoon in the first round (watch highlights […]

Italy evacuates over 300 schools due to bomb alert, with threats in Scotland and Ireland

Italy evacuates over 300 schools due to bomb alert, with threats in Scotland and Ireland

Italian authorities evacuated more than schools after an emailed bomb threat

Weyerhaeuser Company Funds GHG Protocol's Land Sector and Removals Standard Development

Weyerhaeuser Company Funds GHG Protocol's Land Sector and Removals Standard Development

Weyerhaeuser Company Funds GHG Protocol's Land Sector and Removals Standard Development