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Invasive Insect Elm Zigzag Sawfly found for first time
in Minnesota
Residents are asked to report any suspected finds
St. Paul, MN: The elm zigzag sawfly, an invasive insect new to Minnesota, was recently discovered. The elm zigzag sawfly was reported by a citizen on iNaturalist, and later spotted on the platform by an out-of-state college student working on the insect.
Minnesota state officials were notified of the discovery, which was on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Officials collected larvae and the identification was confirmed by the Smithsonian Institute Museum of Natural History.
The elm zigzag sawfly is an invasive insect that feeds on the leaves of elm trees. The young larvae create a distinctive zigzag pattern through the elm leaves while feeding. The larvae are green with a black band on their head. They have T-shaped brown or black markings on the top of their second and third pair of legs.
Larvae of the elm zigzag sawfly create a distinctive zigzag pattern through the elm leaves while feeding.
The easiest way to identify elm zigzag sawfly is by the distinct zigzag pattern that the larvae create in elm leaves while feeding. Photo by Nathan W. Siegert United States Forest Service.
Native to East Asia, elm zigzag sawfly was first confirmed in the United States in 2021. It has been confirmed in several eastern states and now Minnesota.
The potential impacts of the elm zigzag sawfly are unknown because of the short period of time it has been present in the US. Although the insect causes defoliation of elm trees, most defoliated trees can recover from a defoliation event.
Best management practices are also unknown. However, since most trees can recover, management may not be necessary. Currently, there is research being done at North Carolina State on insecticide applications.
More information on the elm zigzag sawfly is available on the North Carolina State website.
Since the elm zigzag sawfly is newly discovered in Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) would like to better understand where this insect may be in the state.
Residents can report suspected sightings of the insect to the MDA’s Report a Pest line or call 1-888-545-6684. Please include clear photos when submitting a report online.
Honey bee colonies
'stable'
Public News Service
Honey bees are critically vital to the food supply, pollinating more than 100 different crops including vegetables, berries and nuts.
CONCORD, NH (PNS)—Parasites and extreme weather led to the loss of nearly half of the America's managed honey bee colonies over the past year, according to a new survey. However, researchers' preliminary findings reveal that despite colonies experiencing the second highest death rate on record, the overall population remains "relatively stable."
Heather Achilles of the New Hampshire Beekeepers Association said while the Northeast is currently experiencing high rainfall, years of severe drought can also impact the bees' food supply.
"If the flowers are stressed they still may blossom but they may not put out pollen or they may not put out nectar, or if they do it may not be as nutritious so that affects the bees," she explained.
Honey bees are vital to our food supply, pollinating more than 100 different crops including vegetables, berries and nuts. Achilles added both commercial and backyard beekeepers are learning to better manage their colonies with the assumption that a certain percentage will be lost.
Pesticides and a parasite known as the varroa mite are also wreaking havoc on the nation's bee colonies, making them more susceptible to viruses and disease. People can help by not spraying chemicals on their yards, keeping a variety of blossoming plants - including dandelions, and some water in the yard, Achilles said.
"Bees like water that's a little dirty," she explained. "It has different minerals in it so leaving a source of water can also be helpful for the bees."
Research shows that bees with a diverse diet of flowers are better able to survive exposure to pesticides and disease. Achilles said leaving old wood or bricks around the yard can also provide helpful spots for bees to build nests.
Tatum Lewis of Black Roots Farm in Clark County said he is working to help raise awareness about the Farms to Food Banks program among the state's farmers of color.
Kentucky farmers work to reduce barriers to food programs
LEXINGTON, KY (PNS)—Farmers in Kentucky say they have benefited from participating in Farms to Food Banks, an agricultural program funneling leftover produce from local farms to regional food pantries, and into the hands of Kentucky families in need.
Tatum Lewis of Black Roots Farm in Clark County said he is working to help raise awareness about the program among the state's farmers of color. Lewis views the program as an opportunity for farmers to generate cash from what they might otherwise plow under.
"I wanted to spread that message to minority farmers that there's another income source that you probably haven't noticed or used, or even known about," Lewis explained. "And it's a great opportunity to help supple- ment your income."
Lexington-based Complexion Community Development and the Community Farm Alliance in Berea recently partnered with Feeding Kentucky on grants to help increase diversity among participants in the Farms to Food Banks program. According to the nonprofit Feeding Kentucky, more than three million pounds of Kentucky-grown produce were distributed to people in need though the program.
Lewis noted a lack of physical representation means many Black farmers are left out of opportunities, and has been working on a project to map out where Black farmers are positioned across the state, with the goal of helping producers boost marketing strategies and access resources for farm projects.
"Being able to show them a physical representation during the Black Farmers Conference in March," Lewis outlined. "Where these black farmers are, where our voices are, where our products are, how we how they can do their transportation and distribution lines."
Lewis added cooperatives are one tool farmers of color can use to grow their businesses.
"Joining a co-op helps you get your voice out there and start moving things, and gaining that knowledge that you need," Lewis emphasized. "And they can also help kick-start your distribution lines."
According to federal data, the number of Black farm operators has plummeted over the last century. Only about 1 percent of the nation's farmers are Black, making up only 0.5% of total U.S. farm sales.
Interested Kentucky farmers can contact Feeding Kentucky at 859-986-7422 or online at produce@ feedingky.org.
Georgia voting rights advocates are looking to state corporate interests to pressure legislators from turning back the clock on voting rights gains earned by Black Americans during the 1960s. Courtesy Social Welfare History Project of Virginia
Top election officials stand against legislation suppressing voting rights
By KAYLA GOGGIN, Contributing Writer
ATLANTA (CN)—Georgia voting rights advocates outlined their strategy to fight the state’s overhaul of its election laws April 5, calling on corporations to come out against legislation that they believe threatens access to the ballot box.
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The passage of Senate Bill 202, an expansive measure signed into law last month which places new restric- trictions on voting, has led activists to demand that corporations use their political clout to support voting rights in Georgia and in other states attempting to push through similar laws.
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The law expands in-person early voting in most elections but places new limits on ballot drop boxes, adds ID requirements for absentee ballots, restricts absentee ballot application mailings, and shortens the deadline to request absentee ballots.
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The new law also allows for unlimited challenges to voter eligibility and bans people from passing out food and water to voters waiting in line.
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Fair Fight Action CEO Lauren Groh-Wargo said corporations need to put their money behind voting rights groups instead of “conspiracy theorists and Republicans who are forwarding the voter fraud lie.”
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After initially offering only vague statements about voting rights as Georgia’s Legislature fast-tracked the new omnibus bill to Republican Governor Brian Kemp’s desk, the CEOs of Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines called the new law "unacceptable."
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Their rebuke was followed up by Major League Baseball’s decision Friday to move the 2021 All-Star Game
out of Atlanta.
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“We have been clear that corporate actors need to speak up against these bills,” Groh-Wargo said. “We’re really grateful that Delta and Coke got in the game—though they got in late—but that coming and bringing their voice to the fight is having an impact in Arizona and Michigan.”
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Lawmakers in Arizona, Florida, and Texas are currently considering proposals for similar controversial voting changes including restrictions on ballot drop boxes and additional ID requirements.
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“We’re not calling for boycotts. What we’re calling for is for our corporate community to stand with the people and demand that democracy be preserved because the reality is this: whenever there are partisan ideals that take precedent over the franchise of the voting process is when democracy begins to fail,” Georgia NAACP President James Woodall said.
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Woodall called the new law “an assault against democracy itself.”
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Republicans have hit back by insisting that the law is being misrepresented. GOP Governor Brian Kemp said Saturday that MLB "caved to the fears and lies of liberal activists."
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During a press conference that day, Georgia Atty. General Chris Carr said that “anybody who actually reads this bill” would see that it "strengthens, expands access, and improves transparency in Georgia’s elections."
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Carr called the comparisons evoking Jim Crow "preposterous, irresponsible, and fundamentally wrong."
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There are currently four pending lawsuits contesting the law filed by the NAACP, the African Methodist Epis- copal Church, the New Georgia Project, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, and other organizations.
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The lawsuits all argue the same essential point: that the law will make it harder for minority voters, especially Black voters, to cast their ballots.
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"For some Georgians, this inconvenience may be manageable. But for voters of color and other historically disenfranchised communities—who already suffer through disproportionately longer lines than white voters— it could be dramatic," a 91-page lawsuit filed last week by the African Methodist Episcopal Church states. "This burden is not an accident. Nor is it legal."
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Republican defendants in the lawsuits, including Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, have remained steadfast in their arguments that the new law will boost voter confidence that they allege suffered after former President Donald Trump falsely claimed he won the 2020 election.
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Election officials have repeatedly said there is no evidence of widespread fraud in Georgia’s elections. Three separate ballot counts verified the results of the election.
Courthouse News.
Study: Food insecurity major hurdle for Utah college students
Forty percent of Utah college students say food insecurity is affecting their academic performance.
Public News Service
OGDEN, Utah—There may be some truth to the expression about the "starving college student" struggling to earn a degree.
A survey of students enrolled in Utah colleges and universities found that for many, chronic food insecurity is a major issue.
The survey, commissioned by Utahns Against Hunger, asked students at several Utah campuses if they regularly have access to enough affordable, nutritious food. Almost two out of five students responded that they struggle to put food on their table.
Yescenia Quintana is a Weber State University evaluation and community research supervisor, and co-author of the report. She said poor nutrition can affect more than a student's grades.
"Students that were hungry had lower GPAs," said Quintana. "They were much more likely to report that they had a long-term health issue, that they had poor health, that they were struggling to pay rent or their mort- gage, or that they were struggling with utilities or getting clothing or any other basic needs. So it's not just limited to food."
Quintana said the statistics found for Utah students closely tracked national studies of hunger on campus. The Utah survey found that food insecurity disproportionately impacts women, first-generation students, students of color and rural students.
Quintana said students with nutritional needs often turn to relatives, free events, food pantries or government assistance programs to find sufficient food. She said as a result, those students also often face medical or emotional challenges.
"Students who are food insecure are much more likely to be socially isolated," said Quintana, "which is not helpful for them as far as getting the support they need."
Quintana said she hopes the study will provide a roadmap for Utah colleges and social-services agencies to develop programs to help students meet their nutritional needs and their academic goals.
"Utah's Against Hunger do have recommendations," said Quintana, "and they have presented on those rec- ommendations, every single one of them, what they could be doing nationally to locally, to what they could be doing on their own campus."
The study was conducted over a six-week period in late 2021 and surveyed more than 5,700 students from a variety of colleges and universities around the state.
Disclosure: Utahns Against Hunger contributes to our fund for reporting on Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Livable Wages/Working Families, Poverty Issues, Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.