News Update

News Update
March 13, 2008

NOAA says: Coolest Winter Since 2001 for U.S., Globe

The average temperature across both the contiguous U.S. and the globe during climatological winter (December 2007-February 2008) was the coolest since 2001, according to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. In terms of winter precipitation, Pacific storms, bringing heavy precipitation to large parts of the West, produced high snowpack that will provide welcome runoff this spring.

In the contiguous United States, the average winter temperature was 33.2°F (0.6°C), which was 0.2°F above the 20th century average. It was the 54th coolest winter since national records began in 1895.

Winter temperatures were warmer than average from Texas to the Southeast and along the Eastern Seaboard, while cooler-than-average temperatures stretched from much of the upper Midwest to the West Coast.

With higher-than-average temperatures in the Northeast and South, the contiguous U.S. winter temperature-related energy demand was approximately 1.7% lower than average, based on NOAA’s Residential Energy Demand Temperature Index.

Winter precipitation was much above average from the Midwest to parts of the West, notably Kansas, Colorado and Utah. Mountain snowpack exceeded 150% of average in large parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Oregon at the end of February.

Record February precipitation in the Northeast helped make the winter the fifth wettest on record for the region. Snowfall was above normal in northern New England, where some locations posted all-time record winter snow totals. Concord, N.H., received 100.1 inches (in.), which was 22.1 in. above the previous record set during the winter of 1886-87.

While some areas of the Southeast were wetter than average during the winter, overall precipitation for the region was near average. At the end of February, two-thirds of the Southeast remained in some stage of drought, with more than 25% in extreme-to-exceptional drought.

Drought conditions intensified in Texas, with areas experiencing drought almost doubling from 25% at the end of January to 45% at the end of February.

Global Highlights. The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the 16th warmest on record for the December 2007-February 2008 period (0.58°F above the 20th century mean of 53.8°F). The presence of a moderate-to-strong La Niña contributed to an average temperature that was the coolest since the La Niña episode of 2000-2001.

Unusually high temperatures across much of the mid- and high-latitude areas of the Northern Hemisphere in February began reducing the snow cover, and by the end of February, snow cover extent was below average in many parts of the hemisphere.

While there has been little trend in snow cover extent during the winter season since records began in the late 1960s, spring snow cover extent has been sharply lower in the past two decades as global temperatures have increased.

For more information and a complete analysis is available online, visit www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080313_coolest.html.

— Release provided by NOAA.

Patch Burning: A New Concept In Rangeland Management

A six-year research project is under way in Woodson County, Kan., where Kansas State University (K-State) scientists are working to determine how viable patch-burn grazing is for raising livestock.

Patch-burn grazing is a fairly new concept in rangeland management, but has been occurring naturally for hundreds of years, said Walt Fick, K-State Research and Extension range management specialist.

Historically, Native Americans purposely started prairie fires, and lightning did the same thing naturally. Bison and other native herbivores were attracted to the new growth that comes up after the land burned; consequently, these animals moved from grazing area to grazing area —searching out the most attractive areas of new growth, Fick said.

Some ranchers are mimicking that grazing pattern by sectioning a large pasture into three or more burn areas.

“Every year, one of those sections is prescribed burned, concentrating the grazing pressure in specific areas of the pasture,” he said. “The cattle are free-roaming over the entire pasture, but tend to gravitate toward the one-third area of the pasture that has been burned, because that is where the most attractive new growth has occurred.”

“When burning, producers may create burn boundaries (fire guards), but using natural breaks would be more efficient because of labor expenses,” he added.

The main purpose of patch-burn grazing is ecology-driven; it has a high potential to increase biodiversity and wildlife habitat.

This year will be K-State’s third year with the project, completing one full cycle. So far, there has been no noticeable difference in cattle performance in the patch-burn pastures, according to the range specialist.

“Forage growth has shifted toward annual grasses and forbs, and there has been a decrease in basal cover. Sericea lespedeza plants have decreased in height because of the grazing pressure,” Fick said. “Most importantly for producers, though, is maintaining the long-term health of the pasture; with increased grazing pressures, the pasture may not be able to recover. We have three more years to determine this.”

Cade Rensink, K-State Research and Extension agent in Coffey County and a graduate student in agronomy, has been working with Fick on the research.

— Release provided by K-State Research and Extension.

USDA Seeks Public Comment on S. African FMD Risk

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal (USDA) and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking public comment on a risk analysis related to the importation of ruminants and ruminant products from the Republic of South Africa.

The purpose of the risk analysis is to assess the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) status and related disease risks associated with importing animals and animal products. APHIS will use the risk analysis and the comments it receives to determine whether certain restrictions should be relieved on importation of these products from the Republic of South Africa.

On Nov. 6, 2000, APHIS removed the Republic of South Africa from the list of regions considered to be free of FMD — thereby restricting or prohibiting the importation of ruminants, swine and ruminant and swine products — after the disease was confirmed in two provinces. The Republic of South Africa’s National Department of Agriculture responded immediately to the detection of the disease and initiated measures to eradicate the disease. APHIS now is reassessing the situation, in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) standards.

Consideration will be given to comments received on or before April 15. Send an original and two copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0001, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Rd., Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Comments can be submitted on the Federal eRulemaking portal at www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0001. Click on “Add Comments” to view public comments and related materials available electronically.

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.