We are squarely into the time of year where if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute and it will change! Challenging for weather forecasters, to say the least. NC State Climatologist Ryan Boyles says the weather system moving through the Carolinas today through the early part of next week is certainly no exception:
"There's some disagreement, especially the past couple of days, there was some disagreement from all the different American weather prediction models that are used by weather services to make some short term forecast. Looks like they're coming into some sort of agreement now and it's looking more like a coastal storm is going to develop sometime Friday and Saturday and that could produce a good bit of rain across the area, especially the eastern part of the state. What it's also going to do is really reinforce some of the cool air that's going to be in place and keep that around for a while."
And as to the possibility of the region’s first frost, it might not be a bad idea to protect tender vegetation:
"There's still some uncertainty as to whether or not we're going to have a deep freeze this weekend or if we're just going to have some frost but we are coming up on the time of year when we typically see our first frost."
NC State Climatologist Dr. Ryan Boyles
Consumers Considered Unaware as to Food Contents
Think you know what's in your food… Think again. The Pew Health Group just published a paper looking into what you’re eating and found most people have no idea what's in there. Erik Olson the Director of Food programs for the watchdog group explains why the Food and Drug Administration doesn't have a say with certain ingredients:
"Under this ancient law, companies can just self certify that the chemical is safe. They never even have to tell FDA about it and it can be added to the food supply without FDA review."
Great Dismal Swamp Wildfires Costly
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is discussing possible changes in how it manages the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge due to wildfires in the past three years. Refuge manager Chris Lowie tells the Daily Press that $25 million has been spent fighting fires in the 111,000-acre swamp since 2008.
The wildfire that started Aug. 4, burned nearly 6,400 acres. Some areas continue to smolder, but Lowie says they're contained and aren't considered a public threat.
Possibility for Complete Farm Bill Through the Super Committee
House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas says it’s unique that the Republican and Democratic leadership of both the House and Senate Ag Committees are working together on a plan to provide the Super Committee with details of actual cuts and how they will be achieved in policy.
With this action - Lucas says it’s possible a full farm bill could be delivered to the Super Committee as the policy plan that would bring the 23-billion dollars in savings the Ag Leadership previously promised. But Lucas says the window of opportunity is very tight - so legislative language would need to be set by early November. At this point - he cautions they are not close to a deal. He says it would not be surprising if the 2012 Farm Bill is written under more normal conditions next year.
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