News Update
March 19, 2009

Be Prepared for Flooding in Rural Areas

The North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension Service has information to help protect rural residents, livestock and crops from flooding. Melting snow is causing flooding in several rural areas. Here is some advice from the NDSU Extension Service on how to protect rural residences and other structures, livestock and crops from flooding:

Protecting Your Home and Other Structures

• Test your sump pump to make sure it is operating properly.
  
• Move snow away from building foundations.
  
• Build small ditches to divert water away from your property.
  
• Get downspouts in place so that as snow melts, they will carry the water away from your house.
  
• Build a dike around your home or other structure. See NDSU Extension publication AE-626, “Sandbagging for Flood Protection,” for information on the correct way to build a dike. It’s available online at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ageng/safety/ae626w.htm.
  
• Put appliances such as washers, dryers and freezers up on wood or cement blocks to keep the motors above water level. Also put furniture on blocks or move it to a higher location.
  
• Shut off power to flood-threatened electrical appliances at the fuse box or breaker panel. Also shut off power to parts of the home or other structure that might flood.
  
• Move valuables, such as irreplaceable family photos, high school yearbooks, tax records, insurance policies and household inventories, and hazardous material, such as agricultural chemicals, paint, oil and cleaning supplies, to higher locations.
  
• Unbolt toilets from the floor and plug the outlet pipe using the same procedure as for plugging floor drains. Also plug shower drains and washing machine and basement sink drain connections the same way.
  
• Have an emergency power source, such as a standby generator.
  
• Assemble supplies, such as water, food that doesn’t require refrigeration or cooking, a nonelectric can opener, battery-powered flashlight and radio and extra batteries, in case your electricity goes off.

Protecting Your Livestock and Crops:

• Be sure cattle are properly immunized in case they are exposed to floodwater.
  
• Move machinery, feed and grain to a higher elevation. The upper level in a two-story barn makes a good storage area.
  
• Move livestock to higher ground.
  
• If you have dairy cattle, develop plans for moving your cows to temporary milking facilities and learn about emergency milk pick-up services available in your area.

For more information on preparing for a flood, visit the NDSU Extension Service’s flood information web site at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/disaster/flood.html.

— Release adapted from NDSU Extension.

K-State to Sponsor Canola Field Tour

Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension will sponsor a Canola Field Tour April 23.

The tour will begin at 9 a.m. at the Clark Woodworth Farm near Sterling, Kan., and after three presentations there, at 10 a.m. will move to the Redd Foundation Field near Partridge, Kan.

“This is an opportunity for producers who are growing canola, or who are considering trying it, to learn more about this important crop and current K-State and Oklahoma State University research aimed at increasing our ability to produce it profitably in the central Great Plains,” said Vic Martin, K-State Research and Extension agronomist.

A canola question and answer period will follow the program. More information is available by contacting Martin at 620-921-0786 or vmartin@ksu.edu.

— Release adapted from K-State Research and Extension.

Get Your Fats Straight

Fats contribute a large proportion of the calories in our diet so it’s not surprising they get a lot of attention — especially considering the increasing problem of obesity in our country — when we think of eating right. However, along with calories, fats provide essential fatty acids and help with the body’s absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Both good fats and bad fats can be found in the American diet, and it can be confusing to sort them out.

Since March is National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme is “Eat Right,” it’s a good time to review how fats gets a bum rap and discuss how they can and should be included in a healthy diet.

Four out of five people believe that all fats are unhealthy. That’s not true; some fats are healthier than others. Choose foods low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol more of the time for good heart health. Saturated and trans fats raise total cholesterol and the “bad” cholesterol, called LDL. In addition, trans fats can decrease the “good” cholesterol, called HDL. Both saturated fats and trans fats increase the risk of heart disease.

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. Foods that fall into this category include all animal foods — meat, poultry and dairy, including butter, milk and cheese. Dietary sources of cholesterol are only found in animal products.

Trans fats, though naturally present in meat and dairy products, are not a concern from these sources. The majority of trans fats in our food are created during a manufacturing process that converts liquid oils into solid fats. Trans fats act like saturated fats in the body with all the same negative consequences. In fact, there is no level of trans fats recommended in the dietary guidelines because they are not essential to the body.

Certainly the recommendation is not to eliminate animal foods from your diet, but rather to choose leaner options more of the time for optimal heart health.

To balance your diet with fats that are healthier, choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats more often.

Olive oil contains the greatest amount of monounsaturated fats. Other good sources of oil high in monounsaturated fats that also contain low levels of saturated fats are canola, safflower, flaxseed, sunflower, corn, soybean and peanut oil.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in fish and certain plant foods and supply both omega-3 and omega-6 fats. These polyunsaturated fats are essential and can only be supplied by food. They lower triglycerides and total cholesterol and may increase HDL, all of which lowers the risk of heart disease.

There is some evidence they may also decrease the risk of hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and even reduce the risk of depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

There are three kinds of omega-3 fats: eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, and alpha-linolenic acid or ALA.

EPA and DHA are most plentiful in fish — especially fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and tuna. The American Heart Association recommends that adults eat fish at least twice a week. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also eat fish twice a week, but they should avoid certain fish high in mercury. These women or anyone concerned with mercury in fish should check with their physician for specific recommendations.

ALA comes only from plant sources such as flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, tofu and dark green leafy greens such as kale. ALA must first be converted to EPA and DHA for the body to use it. However, the conversion process is inefficient so you would need to eat more of these foods to reap the health benefits.

Linoleic acid, called LA, and arachidonic acid are omega-6 fatty acids. They are found in liquid vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. Eggs, dairy products and meat also contribute omega-6s. There is some evidence that omega-6s may lower HDL, the good cholesterol.

Is omega-6 a “good” or a “bad” fat? The bottom line is to include more unsaturated fats and fewer saturated fats instead of worrying about the proportion of omega-6s and omega-3s in your diet.

— written by Shirley Perryman, provided by Colorado State University.

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.