Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2010_02_26/en/index.html

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - update 89
Weekly update

26 February 2010 — As of 21 February 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16226 deaths.

WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of information.
Situation update:

In the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, pandemic influenza virus continues to be detected across many countries, however, overall influenza activity continues to wane in most places. The most active areas of transmission are currently in parts of south and southeast Asia and in limited areas of east and southeastern Europe.

In Southeast Asia, pandemic influenza virus continued to circulate in areas, however, the overall intensity of respiratory diseases activity remained low and unchanged, except in a few countries. In Brunei Darussalam, during February 2009, influenza activity was reported to be geographically widespread and was associated with an increasing trend and high intensity of respiratory diseases. Both Myanmar and Thailand have reported an increasing trend of respiratory diseases associated with geographically regional spread of influenza for the first half of February 2009, however, overall intensity currently remains low in both countries. In Thailand, approximately one third of provinces reported that >5% of medical visits were due to ILI during the most recent reporting week. In East Asia, virologic surveillance data suggest that pandemic influenza and seasonal influenza type B viruses continue to co-circulate. A recent increase in ILI activity in Mongolia may be due to an increase in the circulation of seasonal influenza type B viruses. Overall influenza activity continues to decline and return to baseline levels in both Japan and the Republic of Korea (S. Korea). In Hong Kong SAR (China) and in Chinese Taipei, pandemic influenza virus continues to circulate at low levels and overall ILI activity is substantially lower than what was observed peaks of activity during the fall months. In South Asia, overall influenza activity remained low, however, pandemic influenza virus transmission persists in the western part of India.

In Europe, pandemic influenza virus transmission persists across parts of central and southeastern Europe, but overall intensity remained low, except for Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovakia, the Republic of Moldova, and parts of the Russian Federation which continued to report a moderate intensity respiratory diseases activity. Although an increasing trend of respiratory diseases continued to be reported in Georgia, Slovakia, and parts of the Russian Federation, the increased activity may be due to other circulating respiratory viruses. Among countries testing at least 20 sentinel respiratory specimens during the past reporting week, none reported that more than 20% of specimens had tested positive for influenza.

In North Africa and West Asia, pandemic influenza virus continues to circulate at low levels as rates of illness in most countries in the region continued to decline or return to baseline. In Afghanistan, an increasing trend of respiratory diseases with moderate healthcare impact was report, however, it is unknown if the recent increase is associated with circulation of influenza virus.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, limited data suggest that pandemic influenza virus transmission continued to be sporadic in most areas of the continent. Several countries in West Africa continue to report slight increases in the numbers of confirmed cases of pandemic influenza indicating that community transmission is likely beginning in the area; however, data are very limited.

In the Americas, both in the tropical and northern temperate zones, pandemic influenza virus continues to circulate at low levels but overall pandemic influenza activity continued to decline or remain low in most places. In Central America and Caribbean, pandemic influenza virus transmission persists but overall activity remains low or unchanged in most places.

Pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 virus continues to be the predominant influenza virus circulating worldwide. In addition to the increasing proportion of seasonal influenza type B viruses recently detected in China, low levels of seasonal H3N2 and type B viruses are circulating in parts of Africa, and Asia.

In summary, pandemic influenza virus continues to circulate widely in the tropical regions and is persisting in some areas of in parts of Europe. Respiratory disease activity is increasing in many areas of the world due to increasing transmission of influenza type B and Respiratory Syncitial Virus. Seasonal influenza H3N2 continues to be detected in areas of Asia and east Africa.

The Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) continues monitoring the global circulation of influenza viruses, including pandemic, seasonal and other influenza viruses infecting, or with the potential to infect, humans including seasonal influenza. For more information on virological surveillance and antiviral resistance please see the weekly virology update (Virological surveillance data, below).
Weekly update (Virological surveillance data)

(NEW) Weekly update on oseltamivir resistance to pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 viruses [pdf 17kb]

*Countries in temperate regions are defined as those north of the Tropic of Cancer or south of the Tropic of Capricorn, while countries in tropical regions are defined as those between these two latitudes.

**Abbreviations: influenza-like-illness (ILI), acute respiratory infection (ARI), and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI)
WHO Clinical Management Guidelines for Human infection with Pandemic (H1N1), 2009:

WHO Guidelines for Pharmacological Management of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza and other Influenza Viruses:

(NEW) Map of influenza activity and virus subtypes (Week 6: 07 February-13 February 2010)
Map of influenza activity and virus subtypes [jpg 61kb]
Description: Displayed data reflect the most recent data reported to Flunet (www.who.int/FluNet), WHO regional offices or on Ministry of health websites in the last 2 weeks. The percent of specimens tested positive for influenza includes all specimens tested positive for seasonal or pandemic influenza. The pie charts show the distribution of virus subtypes among all specimens that were tested positive for influenza. The available country data were joined in larger geographical areas with similar influenza transmission patterns to be able to give an overview (http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/transmission_zones/en)
Qualitative indicators (Week 29 to Week 6: 13 July 2009 - 13 February 2010)

The qualitative indicators monitor: the global geographic spread of influenza, trends in acute respiratory diseases, the intensity of respiratory disease activity, and the impact of the pandemic on health-care services.
Human infection with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus: updated interim WHO guidance on global surveillance

The maps below display information on the qualitative indicators reported. Information is available for approximately 60 countries each week. Implementation of this monitoring system is ongoing and completeness of reporting is expected to increase over time.
List of definitions of qualitative indicators
Geographic spread of influenza activity
Map timeline
Trend of respiratory diseases activity compared to the previous week
Map timeline
Intensity of acute respiratory diseases in the population
Map timeline
Impact on health care services
Map timeline
Laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the IHR (2005) as of 14 February 2010
Map of affected countries and deaths

The countries and overseas territories/communities that have newly reported their first pandemic (H1N1) 2009 confirmed cases since the last web update (No. 88): Niger.

The countries and overseas territories/communities that have newly reported their first deaths among pandemic (H1N1) 2009 confirmed cases since the last web update (No. 88): none.

Region

Deaths*

WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO)

167

WHO Regional Office for the Americas (AMRO)

At least 7484

WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)

1018

WHO Regional Office for Europe (EURO)

At least 4266

WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO)

1601

WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO)

1690

Total*

At least 16226

* The reported number of fatal cases is an under representation of the actual numbers as many deaths are never tested or recognized as influenza related.

StatSpin Express 4 Centrifuges Model 510: Class 1 Recall

Audience: Hospital risk managers, laboratory managers

FDA notified healthcare professionals of a Class I recall of the StatSpin Express 4 Centrifuges, Model #510, Serial Numbers 00100 through 001679, manufactured and distributed from November, 2007 through January, 2010. The rotor of the centrifuge may break and separate from the motor, striking a safety microswitch so it fails to shut down the centrifuge. The loose rotor may strike the lid of the centrifuge housing which may cause the lid to open and eject pieces of the rotor. These pieces may cause serious physical injury to bystanders and may expose them to blood-borne infectious micro-organisms.

Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including a link to the FDA recall notice, at:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm202169.htm

.

UNDIAGNOSED POISONING, CANINE - USA (WA)
****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Tue 23 Feb 2010
Source: MSNBC.com [edited]
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35542654/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Meatballs kill dogs; poison suspected

More meatballs thought to have been poisoned were found in a Spokane
neighborhood after at least 3 dogs there died on Friday [19 Feb 2010] upon
eating earlier batches.

Several more batches were found Monday on streets in the South Hill
neighborhood,

snipped........

On Friday [19 Feb 2010], a woman saw her dog eat some meatballs on the
street and then go into convulsions before dying. A man also had 2 of his
dogs die Friday after eating the meatballs.

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a USD 2500 reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible.

snipped....

—
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org

[While the toxin has not yet been identified, it is certainly suspicious. A
possible toxin in the meatballs could be strychnine, since animals
consuming strychnine tend to seizure prior to death. We will be waiting for
the results of the tests.

Cases like this frequently become criminal cases and law enforcement
certainly wants to remove such a person from causing more harm to pets. -
Mod.TG

Spokane, in the Pacific Northwest state of Washington, can be located on
the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the US at
http://healthmap.org/r/018j . - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

.................mhj/tg/mj/sh

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202127.htm

Thumb Oilseed Recalls Soy Grits and Flour Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
Thumb Oilseed Producers’ Cooperative©
2145 Leppek Road, Ubly, MI 48475
Phone (989) 658-2344
Toll-Free (866) 658-2344
Fax (989) 658-2372

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 25, 2010 - Thumb Oilseed Producers’ Cooperative of Ubly, MI. has recalled certain shipments of soybean grits and flour because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled soybean grits and flour were distributed to a limited group of wholesale customers located around the nation. These customers have been contacted by Thumb Oilseed and are reviewing this inventories and production processes and taking the necessary steps to protect consumer health, including, if necessary, sub recalls.

The product is labeled with Soy Beginnings or Nexsoy brands; packaged in 40# paper bags. Feed is packaged in 1500# totes. (Lot numbers include TF121608 through TF012210, TG121608 through TG010510).

The recall resulted from routine sampling programs conducted by the company and its wholesale customers. Thumb Oilseed has suspended production and distribution of the potential affected products and is cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration and Michigan Department of Agriculture in investigating the situation.

The recall does not involve soy oil products produced by Thumb Oilseed.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 989-658-2344 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm EST Monday-Friday.

###

Which is why you keep your dog on a leash and teach them to never eat anything that you don’t put down in front of them in a bowl.

OneTouch SureStep Test Strips (LifeScan): Recall

Audience: Diabetes healthcare professionals, consumers

LifeScan and FDA notified healthcare professionals of a voluntary recall of eight lots of OneTouch SureStep Test Strips, used by people with diabetes to measure their blood glucose levels at home. The test strips are being recalled because they may provide falsely low glucose results when the glucose level is higher than 400 mg/dL.

If patients use the falsely low test results to determine their insulin dose, they may give themselves too little insulin, which could result in poor blood glucose control. High blood glucose must be recognized and treated promptly to avoid serious complications, such as coma and death.

The eight lots of consumer OneTouch SureStep Test Strips being recalled are identified in the firm’s press release. Lot numbers are located on the outer carton and test strip vial. LifeScan estimates approximately fourteen thousand packages (50- and 100-count) of consumer OneTouch SureStep Test Strips were distributed nationwide between August 1, 2009 and January 28, 2010.

It is important that patients with recalled test strips continue to test their blood glucose. Patients with access to a meter that does not use OneTouch SureStep Test Strips should use this other meter to test their blood glucose until replacement product from LifeScan arrives. If an alternate meter is not available, patients may continue to test using the recalled OneTouch SureStep Test Strips. However, if patients obtain results above 400 mg/dL, they should contact their healthcare professional for further instructions because their glucose may be significantly higher.

Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including a link to the firm’s press release, at:

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm202254.htm

Found this great video and article:

http://www.smallhousestyle.com/

The Small House Movement is in the news again. KXAN recently featured a story about “Tiny houses (that) stress reuse and energy efficiency.” Will recession and foreclosures in the news, even the mainstream media is starting to ask: “what if the homeowners had bought small houses instead?”

Granted, they would have had to make do with less space, but their mortgage payments would have been only a fraction of the owners’ current obligations and they would have saved big on energy costs and taxes, as well. If that realization spreads throughout the marketplace, America could be in for a “small revolution.” So say proponents of the something called the “Small House Movement.”

Is it time to go down to the basics? Time to have a house that you can live in until the day you die, instead of having to get kicked out because you can’t pay the taxes, can’t afford the energy bill? Brad Kittel, the King of Texas Tiny Houses still says so. And small is definitely beautiful in his world.
______________________________________________________________________

I have been living in a small solar cabin I designed and built for under $2000 for over 15 years and have never regretted giving up my large home, swimming pool and 3 car garage.

I have no house payments and no monthly utility bills now. I can make a living from a small homestead and I run a small business and work about 5-6 hours a day 9 months a year.

I have the time and money now to enjoy the things in life I was missing working all the time and stressing over bills.

Small home living isn’t for everybody but for single people, young couples and retired folk it is a good way to have a home without a mortgage and have some security for retirement.

LaMar
www.simplesolarhomesteading.com

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hillbillyherbalism/

In light of what is happening in the Pacific Ocean at this hour we recommend you view this video by the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services:

http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/video/tsunami.mp4

—
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/

"Small home living isn’t for everybody but for single people, young couples and retired folk it is a good way to have a home without a mortgage and have some security for retirement."

Another trend I am seeing is folks who own businesses are combining their residence with their place of business.

Sounds strange to us now but years ago that is how most of us small business owners did it. If you had a small store downtown you lived above it in the same building.

We made that move 5 years ago and the costs savings were enormous!

Homeland Security Response Network has a new first time used page for emergencies and is running it for up to the minute on Chile earthquake.

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/intellispace/

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202292.htm

American Pecan Co. Recalls Pecans Because of Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 26, 2010 - American Pecan Co. of Yancey, Texas, is recalling 1 lb. bags of Pecan Pieces, small, medium, and large sizes, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The 1 lb. bags of pecans were sold to walk-up customers at their Yancey,Texas location, as well as to mail order customers in Texas, New York, and Massachusetts. The bagged pecans consist of Ziploc-type bags labeled with “PECAN PIECES (Small, Medium, or Large) Ingredients: Shelled Pecans: Repacked by: American Pecan Co. P.O. Box 151 Yancey, Tx. 78886 Net weight 1-Lb. (16 oz.) 454 g. Might contain Pecan shells..” There are no codes associated with the products. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall was as the result of a routine sampling by the Food and Drug Administration, which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased 1 lb. bags of PECAN PIECES are urged to dispose of the products and contact Mr. Rey Elizondo at American Pecan Co. for further instructions at 1-800-364-9053. Mr. Elizondo will be available 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., CST, Monday thru Friday.

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RSS Feed for FDA Recalls Information1 [what’s this?2]

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Links on this page:

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Page Last Updated: 02/26/2010

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202293.htm

Johnny’s Fine Foods Recalls Johnny’s French Dip Powdered Au Jus Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:
William Szybura, President
253-383-4597

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 26, 2010 - Tacoma, WA - Johnny’s Fine Foods of Tacoma, Wash., Johnny’s Fine Foods is recalling French Dip Powdered Au Jus in 6oz bottles and French Dip Powdered Au Jus in 1.1oz foil packets, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

To date no known illnesses have been associated with this product.

Johnny’s French Dip Powdered Au Jus is distributed nationwide and is sold in retail stores.

Johnny’s French Dip Powdered Au Jus 6oz is packaged in a clear plastic bottle with a red, white and blue label. The expiration date for this product is 0332. Johnny’s French Dip Powdered Au Jus 1.1oz is packaged in a red, white and blue foil packet. The expiration date for this product is 02212.

The product was made using hydrolyzed vegetable protein manufactured by Basic Food Flavors, Inc. Las Vegas, Nevada. Basic Food Flavors initiated a recall of the hydrolyzed vegetable protein due to Salmonella contamination.

This product should be destroyed immediately. Consumers with questions may contact Johnny’s Fine Foods at 1-800-962-1462 Monday thru Friday 8am to 3pm Pacific Standard Time.

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Photo: Product Labels1

RSS Feed for FDA Recalls Information2 [what’s this?3]

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Page Last Updated: 02/27/2010

Thank you for the small house link.

I LOVE the small house movement.

I am a packrat so it would be a challenge for me to do it.

It will be a couple days till I have time to look at the links.

= = =
Reminder to self, look at this link.

= = =
PS to all
Here is a good link, health-related.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/05/fungus-causing-cancer-a-novel-approach-to-the-most-common-form-of-death.aspx

THX THX

Index:

http://cns.miis.edu/cbw/agromain.htm

http://cns.miis.edu/cbw/agchron.htm

Agriculture Related CBW Activity
Chronology of Chemical & Biological Incidents Targeting the Food Industry 1946-2006

Agriculture: Home | Chronology of Agricultural Incidents | Chronology of Food System Incidents | State Programs | Resources

This chronology includes confirmed acts of deliberate contamination of products manufactured by the food industry with a chemical or biological agent. We define food industry as that which is comprised of entities that produce, package, and/or distribute foodstuffs and beverages, as well as the related food service industry. Events that are included in this chronology are those that have more than 30 casualties, greater than 2 fatalities, and/or more than $100 million in lost revenue. Attacks targeting unharvested crops are not included.

April 1946 / Nuremburg, Germany
A group named Nakam contaminated bread produced by a bakery supplying an internment camp; approximately 1,000 prisoners died as a result. Nakam members, comprised of European Jews, sought retribution for possible war crimes by the prisoners, most of whom were former Nazi SS. According to some of Nakam’s former members, on Saturday April 13, 1946 several members of the group infiltrated a Nuremburg bakery known to supply the camp. Utilizing a viscous solution containing arsenic, the infiltrators basted ‘more than 2,000 loaves,’ before hiding the arsenic and fleeing from approaching security forces. The group had planned to poison all of the approximately 14,000 loaves destined to be delivered to the camp. Estimates of the number of persons affected by the poison varies from ~4,000 to ~12,000.[1]

September 1984 / The Dalles, Oregon
Members of the Rajneeshee cult based in The Dalles contaminated salad bars in ten different restaurants and one supermarket with the foodborne pathogen S. typhimurium, which resulted in at least 751 cases of salmonellosis. The cult was attempting to determine its ability to influence elections by causing citizens to abstain from voting due to illness. However, the attack planners were unimpressed with the results and therefore canceled a more substantial attack that was scheduled for the first Tuesday in November. The goal of this undertaking was to gain control of several prominent posts in the Wasco county government, which, had previously ruled against the Rajneeshees in several real estate zoning disputes. Public health workers initially classified the outbreak as having had a natural etiology, but approximately one year after its occurrence, Rashneeshees’ leadership publicized that its members had contaminated the salad bars. Several cult members were eventually arrested, convicted, and given jail terms.[2]

March 1989 / Philadelphia, PA, USA
The U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile received a phone call claiming that grapes exported to the United States and Japan were tainted with cyanide. More than 40 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agents were dispatched to the Tioga Fruit Terminal, a major inlet for fruits from Chile, where they examined thousands of crates. In the end, they were able to detect two grapes contaminated with a small quantity of cyanide that posed no threat to human health. A subsequent study found that cyanide degrades rapidly in grapes due to their high acidity. Following the discovery of the contaminated grapes, the U.S., Japan, Germany, Canada, and Denmark either halted and/or greatly expanded inspections of Chilean fruit imports for an extended period. Chile claimed the restrictions resulted in losses of $300 million, while U.S. importers reported related losses in excess of $100 million.[3]

December 31, 1994 / Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Sparkling wine sold at a kiosk near a Russian military installation was deliberately contaminated with cyanide. After having been consumed at a New Year’s celebration, 25 persons, including 13 Russian soldiers, became ill. In the final tally, 10 of the victims died, including 6 soldiers. In view of the kiosk’s location, investigators hypothesized that the perpetrator(s) had targeted Russian servicemen for attack, but this has not been proven since no one was charged with the crime.[4]

June-November 1995 / Guangdong, China
Du Runqiong and her son Tang Youhua were arrested for using rodenticide to poison persons and animals that inhabited Jinli village and its surroundings. According to Guangdong Public Security Bureau Deputy Director Zhu Mingjian, Du and Tang used 80 store-bought bottles of rodenticide to poison at least 163 people (of whom 18 died) and almost 4,000 animals. Investigators claim that a fortune stick inspired the pair. However, according to Agence France Presse, ‘[t]he deaths had previously been blamed on pollution caused by a local metals firm.’ The firm in question was a gold refinery that utilized hydrogen cyanide on a large scale in the processing of gold. Further, South China Sun reported that this refinery was owned and managed by the Guangdong police.[5]

July 1998 / Wakayama, Japan
Masumi Hayashi added arsenic and some cyanide to a large pot of curry prepared for the winter festival in the Sonobe district of Wakayama, Japan. According to police, Hayashi was able to sabotage the curry during the cooks’ lunch break. Of the 68 festival-goers who fell ill after consuming the curry, 4 died. Masumi’s husband Kenji Hayashi worked as a termite exterminator until 1992 and thus she had ready access to the approximately 100 grams of arsenic added to the curry. The Osaka High Court upheld the death sentence for Masumi Hayashi handed down by the circuit court, but her sentence was appealed to Japan’s Supreme Court in 2007.[6]

May 30, 2000 / Quebec City, Canada
After an unknown perpetrator had added arsenic to a coffee vending machine located at the Lavalis University Animal and Food Sciences department, approximately 30 people presented with symptoms of arsenic poisoning and, of these, four were hospitalized due to treatment related complications. Several of the victims complained of symptoms lasting several weeks, including blurred vision and reduced sensitivity in their extremities. Police found no signs of tampering, but did find salt-like grains of arsenic in the machine’s water reservoir. Reports note that ‘tests have shown there were 150 millilitres of arsenic’ inside the reservoir, which led investigators to surmise the poisoning was not accidental, although the quantity used was unlikely to result in deaths. That the investigators had observed “grains” implies that the arsenic used for sabotage was in its elementary form, which is mostly insoluble in water. However, uncertainties surround this event since the quantity of arsenic and its form remain unclear due to the media having provided confusing information about weight and volumetric measures.[7]

September 14, 2002 / Tangshan, Jiangsu Province China
Chen Zhengping used rodenticide to contaminate a competitor’s food products, thus killing between 42 and 100 persons (estimates vary depending on sources). According to Chinese Police, Chen contaminated both a well used exclusively by the Zhengwu Pastry Bar and batches of dough that he knew would be utilized for creating pastries. According to reportsgathered by New York Times, Chen sought only to cause illness, but fled in panic upon witnessing the violent deaths of several patrons. Authorities apprehended Chen in Zangzhou, which is ~370 miles north of Tangshan. The Higher People’s Court of Jiangsu Province sentenced Chen Zhengping to death; the sentence was carried out on October 14, 2002.[8]

January 2003 / Michigan, USA
Randy J. Bertram, a disgruntled employee at Byron Center Family Fare Supermarket, intentionally contaminated approximately 200 pounds of ground beef with an insecticide called “Black Leaf 40,” whose active ingredient is nicotine. Initially, 18 members of several families in the local community presented with symptoms of nicotine poisoning, but eventually almost 100 persons became ill. A collaborative investigation by the FBI and USDA led to Bertram being identified as the perpetrator, which resulted in him being indicted on charges of intentional poisoning.[9]

September 2003 / Yueyang, China
More than 200 students and staff members became ill after eating a breakfast laced with rodenticide. Although local reports vary widely on the number of casualties, none mentions fatalities. This event, along with a series of smaller, similar incidents, resulted in a tightening of restrictions by the Supreme People’s Court, which increased punishment for the possession of tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (a potent form of tetramine) in excess of 50 grams to a minimum of ten years imprisonment. Tetramine serves as the active ingredient of many older rodenticide formulations in China. The tetramine-based rodenticide formulations are commonly distributed throughout China as ‘Dushuqiang’ or strong rat poison. Tetramine is perhaps the most lethal of the chemicals widely used in pesticidals.[10]

2003-2005 / Italy
In a series of incidents that involved 11 regions of Italy, a perpetrator deemed the ‘aqua-bomber’ injected bleach, acetone, or ammonia into various commercial drink containers. Police believed that the initial series of incidents was caused by one individual, but that later incidents were perpetrated by ‘copycats.’ In many cases, bottles inside of vending machines were injected just below the cap with the contaminant. This easily accomplished method, along with the wide area that was affected by these incidents, led many to believe in the ‘copycat’ theory. The incidents occurred in two waves, with the first spanning November to December 2003, and the second, smaller wave occurring in September 2005. In the final tally, the attacks claimed 33 casualties and resulted in significant economic losses for the Italian bottled water industry.[11]

October 2006 / Numaniyah, Iraq
At least 350 police became ill following a mass poisoning at a cafeteria located outside of Baghdad. While reports vary on the number of fatalities that resulted, an inspector from the Iraqi Environment Ministry reported 11 deaths. The major symptom presented by victims was bleeding from the ears and nose following the meal. Investigators at the scene suspected cyanide as the causative agent. Initial suspicions targeted Sunni insurgents as the perpetrators, due mainly to the stricken officers being mostly Shi’i and their area of responsibility was a section of Baghdad known for attacks by Sunni insurgents.[12]

[Top]

1. Michael Bar-Zohar, trans. Len Ortzen, The Avengers (London: Arthur Barker, 1968): 43-58; Richard A. Falkenrath, et. al., America’s Achilles’ Heel: Nuclear, biological and chemical terrorism and covert attack (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1998): 33-34; Ali S. Khan, et. al., “Precautions against biological and chemical directed at food and water supplies,” Public Health Reports 116 (2001): 3-14.

2. W. Seth Carus, “The Rajneeshees,” ch. 8 in Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons, ed. Jonathan B. Tucker. (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2000): 115-138; W. Seth Carus, Bioterrorism and Biocrimes (Washington D.C., Center for Counter Proliferation Research, 2001): 50-58; Zygmunt F. Dembek, et. al., “Epidemiology of biowarfare and bioterrorism,” ch. 3 in Medical Aspects of Biological Warfare, ed. Martha K. Lenhart, et. al., eds. (Washington D.C.: Borden Institute, 2007): 39-68.

3. Bill Grigg, “The cyanide scare; a tale of two grapes,” U.S. Government Printing Office (1989) web available at: (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1370/is_n6_v23/ai_7755859/print ); Philip J. Hilts, “Don’t eat grapes, FDA warns; cyanide traces found in fruit from Chile after phone threat,” Washington Post (March 14, 1989): A1; “Ban on Chile Fruit exports spreads to Asia and Europe; Santiago blames red terrorists,” Los Angeles Times (March 14, 1989): A1; David Lauter, “Cyanide traces lead U.S. to seize all Chilean fruit,” Los Angeles Times (March 14, 1989): A1; Susan Bennett, “Critics question inspectors’ luck in Chilean grape scare; odds were against quick discovery of tainted fruit,” Orange County Register (July 23, 1989): A14.

4. “Champagne kills 10 in Tadzhikistan,” United Press International (January 2, 1995; “Six Russian servicemen die after drinking Champagne in Tajikistan,” Associated Press (January 2, 1995); Jonathan Rugman, “Tajik struggle is lethal brew for Moscow,” Guardian (February 11, 1995): 12.

5. No Kwai-Yan, “Villager arrested over mass poisoning,” South China Morning Post (December 15, 1995): 12; “China executes mother-son poison team,” United Press International (January 10, 1996); “Chinese police nab mass poisoner,” United Press International (December 15, 1995); “Guangdong court sentences mother, son to death,” British Broadcasting Company (January 16, 1996): summary of Asia-Pacific news; “Mother, son admit S. China poisoning,” United Press International (December 23, 1995); “Mother and son confess poisoning,” South China Morning Post (December 23, 1995): 6; “Mother who poisons 18 sentenced to death,” United Press International (December 28, 1995); “Two suspects held for poisoning case in southern China,” Agence France Presse (December 15, 1995); K. Scott Whitlow, et. al., “Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine: old agent new terror,” Annals of Emergency Medicine 45, no. 6 (June 2005): 609-613; F Barrueto, et. al., “Poisoning by an illegally imported Chinese rodenticide containing tetramethylenedisulfotetramine: New York City, 2002,” MMWR Morbitity & Mortality Weekly 52, No. 10 (March 14, 2003): available online at (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5210a4.htm); Chemical Case 231, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/231.htm).

6. “Hayashi’s death sentence upheld in arsenic case,” Asahi Shimbun (June 29, 2005); “3 curry pots contained enough arsenic to kill 500 people,” Japan Economic Newswire (August 12, 1998); “Pure poison used in curry,” Asahi Shimbun (August 10, 1998); “Hayashi court battle ends, ruling hinges on lack of concrete evidence in poisoning case,” Yomiuri Shimbun (December 11, 2002): 3; “Time of arsenic-lacing pinpointed,” Mainichi Daily (December 31, 1998); “Hayashi tells of actions at festival,” Yomiuri Shimbun (June 19, 2004): 2; “Kenji Hayashi tells court: ‘my wife is innocent,’” Yomiuri Shimbun (June 7, 2001): 2; Chemical Case 2109, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/2109.htm).

7. “Poison cure puts four in hospital,” Gazette (June 28, 2000): A4; “Concern lingers among victims of arsenic laced coffee at Quebec university,” Canadian Press Newswire (June 7, 2000); Sandra Porteous, “Stressed workers dangerous: recent workplace poisonings prove anything is possible,” Halifax Daily News (June 6, 2000): 2; “Coffee from vending machine poisons Quebec City students,” Associated Press (June 2, 2000); “Arsenic (As) and water,” Lenntech Water treatment & air purification (http://www.lenntech.com/elements-and-water/arsenic-and-water.htm); N. Lihareva, “Arsenic solubility, mobility and speciation in the deposits from a copper production waste storage,” Microchemical Journal 81, no. 2 (October 2005): 177-183; Chemical Case 894, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/894.htm).

8. “Chinese man to be executed for food-poisoning deaths,” Japan Economic Newswire (September 30, 2002); Stephanie Hoo, “Chinese courts hand down sentences for trading in super-deadly rat poison,” Associated Press (April 28, 2004); “Murderers often use rat poison to kill foes,” Leader Post (November 15, 2003): D13; “Chinese man put to death after killing 42 with rat poison,” Agence France Presse (October 14, 2002); Erik Eckholm, “Man admits poisoning food in rival’s shop, killing 38 in China,” New York Times (September 18, 2002): 5; “China executes snack shop owner who poisoned dozens,” Channel News Asia (October 14, 2002); “China executes mass poisoning culprit,” Xinhua (October 14, 2002).

9. M. Boulton, et. al., “Nicotine poisoning after ingestion of contaminated ground beef,” CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 52, No. 18 (May 9, 2003): pp. 413-416; Press release, Department of Justice Western District of Michigan (May 21, 2003); ‘Ex-grocery worker admits to poisoning beef,’ Associated Press (May 21, 2003); James Pritchard, ‘Ex-grocery worker sentenced to nine years for poisoning beef,’ Associated Press (September 19, 2003).

10. “61 students felled by rat poison in central China,” Xinhua (September 29, 2003); “Crime suspected as 222 Chinese children hospitalized with food poisoning,” Agence France Presse (September 27, 2003); “China threatens death sentence for rat poison makers to stop mass poisonings,” Agence France Presse (October 2, 2003): International news; “School poisoning case under investigation,” China Daily (September 27, 2003); “China: powerful rat poison destroyed in Liaoning,” British Broadcasting Corporation (September 27, 2003); F. Barrueto Jr., “Poisoning by an illegally imported Chinese rodenticide containing tetramethylenedisulfotetramine: New York City, 2002,” Morbidity and Mortality Report Weekly 52, No. 10 (March 14, 2003): available online at (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5210a4.htm); Chemical Case 1679, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/1679.htm) .

11. Barbara McMahon, “Drinks saboteur returns,” Guardian (September 9, 2005): 17; “Panic worsens in Italy as water poisoner strikes again,” Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (December 9, 2003); “Toddler victim of bleach poisoning for second time,” Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (September 12, 2005); Chemical Case 1706, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/1706.htm).

12. Qassim Abdul-Zahra, “Arrest made in Iraq food poisoning case,” Associated Press (October 9, 2006); Qassim Abdul-Zahra, “Hundreds of Iraq police sick from poison,” Associated Press (October 9, 2006); Mark Dunn, “Fighters fall in poison food scare, Herald Sun (October 10, 2006): 10; “Poison suspected as illness spreads; at least 10 Iraqi troops died and 1,200 were sickened,” Grand Rapids Press (October 10, 2006): A3; “Vice-President’s brother killed; poison case probed,” China Daily (October 10, 2006).
Posted 02/2009

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Chronology of CBW Incidents Targeting Agriculture 1915-2008

Agriculture: Home | Chronology of Agricultural Incidents | Chronology of Food System Incidents | State Programs | Resources

This chronology includes allegations, threats, failed attempts, and confirmed incidents, of agro-terrorism and agricultural sabotage that utilized chemical or biological agents to harm or kill economically important crops. Crops include livestock and plants raised for human consumption.

Biological Incidents

1915-1918 / Argentina, France, Romania, U.S., UK
The German secret service mounted a covert biological weapons campaign during WWI. The pathogens used included P. mallei (glanders) and B. anthracis (anthrax), as well as a wheat fungus. While this program mostly targeted horses and other pack animals, German agents also infected cattle and sheep. The program appeared to have pleased the Germans as can be seen from a cable between a command module and a German agent: “[p]lease instruct Arnold [the agent’s codename] to continue his successful activity against cattle. His work against grain is to be suppressed as it promises little success.”[1]

1940-1945 / China
Among a range of agents, Japanese BW units utilized morbillivirus and B. anthracis (anthrax) against (among other animals) cattle, in their conflict with the Soviets in Northern China. In addition, Japanese units released fleas (likely X. cheopis) infected with Y. pestis (plague) over wide areas of China in their efforts to subdue the Chinese population and to test the efficacy of their weapons. While the flea releases appear to have targeted mainly humans, Japanese research projects prior to the releases had experimented with the use of infected fleas to kill cattle.[2]

1943 / Isle of Wight, UK
Richard Ford, a prominent British naturalist, claims that Germany dropped special bombs containing Colorado potato beetles on the UK during WWII, which was the reason for their first appearance in parts of the UK. According to Ford, the bombs were made of cardboard and each contained between 50 and 100 beetles. The alleged attack was, by Ford’s account, kept secret by the British government to avoid raising public alarm. Benjamin Garrett has disputed Ford’s claim, stating that although German scientists did considered employing potato beetles for crop destruction, “there is scant evidence to suggest the Colorado potato beetle ever made it into battle.” Garrett believes that the insect’s mysterious appearance in England resulted from an accidental introduction, probably via imported food stuff from the U.S., where the beetle had been endemic since 1874.[3]

1950 / East Germany
In a Ministry of Forestry report dated June 15, 1950, the government of the German Democratic Republic accused the United States of disseminating Colorado potato beetles over its potato crops in May and June of 1950.[4]

1952 / Kenya
The Mau Mau, a nationalist liberation movement, poisoned 33 cattle at a British mission station using what is believed to have been a local toxic plant known as African milk bush (S. compactum).[5]

1962-1996 / Cuba
Between 1962 and 1997, the Cuban government accused the U.S. of having attacked its human, animal, and plant populations with biological weapons on at least 21 occasions. According to Raymond Zilinskas, the Cubans have alleged that the U.S. biological attacks caused ailments such as Newcastle disease among poultry (1962), African swine fever among pigs (1971, 1979-80), tobacco blue mold disease (1979-80), sugarcane rust disease (1978), dengue hemorrhagic fever among humans (1980), and an infestation of the thrips insect in 1996 (see separate discussion below). According to Zilinskas, the most likely explanations for the outbreaks and the infestation are that they were accidentally imported in the course of normal commerce or were carried to the island by natural forces.[6]

1983-1987 / Sri Lanka
Sometime between 1983 and 1987, the Tamil militant group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam released a communiqué, threatening use of biological agents against Sri Lanka’s major ethnic group, the Sinhalese, and its agriculture. In regards to agriculture, the threat warned of the destruction of tea plants and rubber trees.[7]

1984 / Queensland, Australia
Queensland’s State Premier received a letter threatening that unless the government implemented prison reforms within twelve weeks, wild pigs would be infected with foot-and-mouth disease. Ultimately, this incident proved to be a hoax, as the perpetrator turned out to be a 37-year-old murderer serving a life sentence in a local prison. Queensland’s State Premier received a second similar letter from an unidentified source later that same year, which probably was sent by the same culprit.[8]

1989 / Los Angeles County
In late 1989, the Breeders, a previously unknown group (or individual), sent letters to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and various newspapers, including the Fresno Bee and Los Angeles Times, claiming that in protest of the State’s ongoing pesticide use to combat Medfly infestation, it was breeding Medflies (C. capitata) and planned to release them throughout Southern California. The Breeders claimed that by doing so, the existing “Medfly problem would become ‘unmanageable.’” During the fall and winter of 1989-1990, the Medfly infestation of Southern California did in fact display several unusual characteristics, which entomologists could not explain, such as the abnormally low ratio of Medfly larvae to adults. The identity of the letters’ author(s) remains unknown to this day.[9]

1996-1997 / Cuba
Cuba alleged that the U.S. had deliberately released melon thrips (T. palmi) over the island that came to severely damage its agriculture during autumn 1996. According to the Cubans, an aircraft operated by the U.S. Department of State released thrips over Cuba on October 21, 1996, while in transit to Colombia. After the U.S. denied the allegation, Cuba requested that a consultative meeting be held to investigate its allegation as provided for under Article 5 of the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC). Accordingly, a consultative meeting of the BWC States Party took place August 25-27, 1997, to consider the Cuban allegation. Of the national representatives who took part in this meeting, 10 wrote opinions holding that there was no link between the U.S. aircraft’s overflight and the infestation; two stated that there was insufficient evidence to make a conclusive finding, and one, North Korea, believed that the U.S. was responsible for the infestation.[6]

June 1, 2000 / West Bank
Palestinian news sources reported that Israelis from the Efrat settlement in the West Bank, deliberately released sewer water onto agricultural fields owned by Palestinian farmers in Khadder village, near Bethlehem. According to the farmers, the release of wastewater was a recurring action designed to force them to abandon their land, which would allow Israeli settlers to annex the areas. Farmers estimated their losses to have been approximately 5,000 dollars.[10]

September 2001 / Dublin, Ireland
During an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in the U.K., field-sports enthusiasts claimed animal rights activists threatened to reintroduce the causative virus into areas recently cleared of the outbreak. The purported reason for the threatened action was to block the resumption of foxhunting, which the UK government had temporarily stopped to prevent the virus from being spread by humans to unaffected animal populations (humans are not vulnerable to foot-and-mouth disease). Garda (the Irish police) officers questioned some activists in late September and the Irish Department of Agriculture carried out an investigation of a subsequent outbreak of the disease, but found no evidence of intentional spread.[11]

May 9, 2005 / New Zealand
The New Zealand Prime Minister’s office received a letter on May 10, 2005, claiming the author had released foot-and-mouth disease virus on a small adjacent island the previous day. The letter threatened additional releases if the government failed to accede to the author’s extortive demands, which included undertaking certain tax reform measures. Six days later, the Dominion Post received a letter, which authorities believed came from the same author, claiming the prior letter was a hoax. Authorities found no evidence of foot-and-mouth virus during the time period.[12]

Chemical Incidents

1952 / Korea
U.S. forces used herbicides on a limited scale during the last year of the Korean War.[13]

1962-1970 / Vietnam
In its fight against North Vietnamese regulars and its guerilla clients in South Vietnam, the U.S. military used four types of air-sprayed herbicides, including Agent Orange, for the purposes of jungle canopy defoliation and crop destruction. The U.S. military did this in order to deprive its enemy of cover and food.[14]

March 9, 1970 / Ashville, Alabama USA
The poisoning of the water supply of a 1,000-acre farm owned and operated by a group of Black Muslims resulted in the death of 30 cattle. According to the farm’s manager, the poison, which a local veterinarian identified as cyanide, appeared as a pinkish-white material found on and around rocks in the stream. Reports alleged that a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan (a white supremacist group) had been responsible for the contamination.[15]

May 1970 / Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau
On July 21, 1970, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) issued a statement accusing Portugal of having employed herbicides and napalm to kill crops in eastern Angola. According to the MPLA, two-thirds of crops under its control had been destroyed. A New York Times article reported that U.S. diplomats found traces of chemical anti-plant agents that might have been used by the Portuguese against crops. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 14, 1970, that called on Portugal to desist from using chemical or biological weapons against Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea Bissau.[16]

1976-1980s / Laos, Kampuchea (Cambodia)
Beginning in 1976, communist forces, supported by Soviet technical and logistical personnel, were alleged to have utilized chemical agents against resistance forces and their supporters in Laos and South Vietnam. Reports alleged that this usage expanded in 1978 as chemicals were also used against the democratic resistance in Kampuchea. The communist forces allegedly used sprayers mounted on aircraft, mortars, grenade launchers, rockets, and landmines to disseminate chemical weapons agents (and possibly toxins) over H’mong (Laos) and Khmer (Kampuchea) villages. A 1982 U.S. intelligence report claims that “…vegetation samples showed the presence of mycotoxins…” which is believed to be an active ingredient in the agent referred to as ‘yellow rain,’ so named for its distinctive hue. Although the majority of attacks seems to have been undertaken for the purpose of injuring humans directly, allegedly some of the chemicals destroyed crops.[17]

March 1977 / Uganda
The Ugandan People’s Passive Resistance Front threatened to destroy Uganda’s coffee and tea crops in order to deny the government revenue. The Front claimed that income from coffee sales was “…used to buy arms for genocidal purposes.” They also issued a combination appeal and threat, which stated, “[w]e ask the world not to touch Ugandan goods or else face the consequences.”[18]

1979-1984 / Afghanistan
During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and perhaps even prior to it, Soviet forces allegedly employed a variety of chemical, and some biological, agents against the mujahideen. The specific agents that were used have not been identified with certainty due to the inability of investigators to collect samples quickly enough to prevent their degradation. However, from indirect evidence it appears that the agents used by the Soviets were phosgene, phosgene oxime, diphosgene, lewisite, sarin, soman, sulfur mustard, and possibly others. Further, the Soviets may also have utilized trichothecene mycotoxins, thought to be a component of ‘yellow rain.’ Most of the chemical attacks affected the inhabitants of villages and the crops they were raising. In one instance a Soviet chemical officer told a U.S. journalist, “…his mission was to examine villages after a chemical attack to determine whether it was safe to enter…” In 1982, a U.S. scientific team assessing the situation received samples of contaminated wheat. The Soviet defector Ken Alibek alleges that Soviet forces also utilized biological agents, including P. mallei (glanders). Glanders is an enzootic disease that affects many animals important to agriculture and also causes disease among humans.[19]

January 1996-May 1998 / China
Sometime between early 1996 and May 1998, a Chinese farmer used rat poison to kill four of his neighbors and 12 water buffaloes. The farmer was apparently jealous of his neighbors because they were “better-off.” Locals at first mistook the poisonings for an outbreak of mad-cow disease, which caused a brief panic outbreak.[20]

December 1996-May 1997 / Berlin, Wisconsin, USA
The police chief of Berlin, Wisconsin, received an anonymous letter in late December 1996, claiming that feed products at National By-Products Incorporated had been tainted with a pesticide and that the police should expect “large scale animal mortality.” National By-Products is a supplier for the Purina Mills animal feed plant in Fond du Lac, WI. Purina feed was tested and found to contain low levels of contamination (one or two parts per million) on January 2, 1997. The following day, Purina stopped a shipment of 300 tons of feed bound for Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Michigan. Officials from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection announced that tallow stored at National By-Products Inc. had been deliberately contaminated with chlordane, an extremely toxic and persistent insecticide that was widely used in the U.S. between 1947 and the late 1980s. On September 14, 1999, Brian “Skip” Lea was indicted for product tampering after a police investigation found that he had twice contaminated the tallow. Lea owned a rival animal food processing facility, as well as dead livestock removal company.[21]

October 22, 1997 / Bethlehem, West Bank
Palestinian news sources reported that Israeli settlers from Gosh Etzion sprayed a chemical on Arab grape farms proximal to the Ertas and Khader villages south of Bethlehem. Allegedly, the Israelis ruined hundreds of grapevine trees and up to 17,000 metric tons of grapes.[22]

[Top]

1. Martin Hugh-Jones, “Wickham Steed and German biological warfare research,” Intelligence and National Security, 7:4 (1992): 381-383; W. Reginald Hall and Amos J. Peaslee, Three Wars with Germany (NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1944): 85-87, quote from p. 86, the authors note that over 40 cables dealt with disease cultures; Henry Landau, The Enemy Within: The Inside Story of German Sabotage in America (NY: G.P. Putnam’s sons, 1937): 167-171.

2. Sheldon H. Harris, Factories of Death: Japanese Biological Warfare 1932-45 and the American Cover up (New York: Routledge, 1994): 79-80, 96; Calum G. Turvey et al., “Economics, hysteresis and agroterrorism,” Paper presented at Canadian Agricultural Economics Society 2003 Annual Meeting at Rutgers University, pp. 21; Friedrich Frischknecht, “The history of biological warfare,” Science & Society 4, no. Special Issue (2003): S47-S52.

3. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, The Problem of Chemical and Biological Warfare, Vol. I (NY: Humanities Press, 1971), 223; Benjamin C. Garrett, “The Colorado Potato Beetle goes to war,” The Monitor: Nonproliferation, Demilitarization, and Arms Control (Sept. 1996), 2-3.

4. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, The Problem of Chemical and Biological Warfare, Vol. I (NY: Humanities Press, 1971), 224.

5. P.W. Thorold, “Suspected malicious poisoning,” Journal of the South African Veterinary Medical Association, 24 (December 1953), 215-217; Zygmunt F. Dembek and Edwin L. Anderson, “Food, waterborne, and agricultural diseases,” in Medical Aspects of Biological Warfare, ed. Martha K. Lenhart, Dave E. Lounsbury, and James W. Martin (Fort Sam, Houston, Texas: Borden Institute, 2007), 21-38, according to the authors, Mau-Mau is a Swahili acronym for “let the white man go back abroad so the African can get his independence.” (p. 27).

6. Raymond Zilinskas, “Cuban allegations of biological warfare by the United States: assessing the evidence,” Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 25:3 (1999), 173-227.

7. M.R. Narayan Swamy, Tigers of Lanka, From Boys to Guerrillas, (Delhi: Konark Publishers, 1994); Dagmar Hellmann-Rajanayagam, The Tamil Tigers: Armed Struggle for Identity, (Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1994); Edgar O’Balance, The Cyanide War: Tamil Insurrection in Sri Lanka 1973-88, (Washington: Brassey’s U.K., 1989); Rohan Gunaratna, War and Peace in Sri Lanka, (Sri Lanka: Institute of Fundamental Studies, 1987), 51-52; Citations above obtained from W. Seth Carus, Bioterrorism and Biocrimes: The Illicit Use of Biological Agents in the 20th Century, Working Paper (Center for Counterproliferation Research, National Defense University, August 1998/July 1999 revision), 174-175.

8. Tony Duboudin, “Australian livestock threatened,” The Times (London), January 21, 1984, 5; Tony Duboudin, “Murderer in court over virus threat,” The Times (London), February 22, 1984, 5. Citation above obtained from W. Seth Carus, Bioterrorism and Biocrimes: The Illicit Use of Biological Agents in the 20th Century, Working Paper (Center for Counterproliferation Research, National Defense University, August 1998/July 1999 revision), 171-172.

9. John Johnson, “Female Medfly found in Sun Valley close to area targeted earlier,” Los Angeles Times (4 January 1990): B3; Ashley Dunn, “Officials advertise to contact mystery group claiming Medfly releases,” Los Angeles Times (10 February 1990):B3; Stephanie Chavez and Richard Simon, “Mystery letter puts a strange twist on latest Medfly crisis,” Los Angeles Times (3 December 1988): B1 (Orange County Edition); Robert S. Root-Bernstein, “Infectious terrorism,” Atlantic Monthly (May 1991): 44-50; John Johnson, “Invasion of pesky Medfly defies logic, scientists say,” Los Angeles Times (30 December 1989): B6; Chris Baker, “Farms targets for terror?; Livestock illness seen as weapons,” Washington Times (8 May 2001): B8; See also: Wayne King, “Evidence of tampering found in fruit fly traps,” New York Times (28 November 1981) section 1 p 8; Content derived from Biological Case 117, CBRN Incident and Response Database, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, June 13, 2006 (http://cns.miis.edu/db/ird/responses/117.htm); Jordan Bonfante, “Medfly madness,” Time (January 8, 1990).

10. “Settlers pump sewerage water into Palestinian groves,” Palestine Information Network, June 21, 2000; Occurrence of settler Annexation in other cases discussed in report by Michael Ambrosino, “Journey to the occupied lands,” Frontline, produced by the Public Broadcasting Company (January, 1993).

11. Sean MacConnell, “Gardai question men with links to animal rights movement,” Irish Times (September 27, 2001): 2. See also, Biological Case 1210, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project, (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/1210.htm)

12. “Foot-and-mouth alert launched,” Northern Territory News (May 11, 2005); Martin Kay, “Foot-and-mouth damage control,” Christchurch Press Company (May 11, 2005); “NZ finds no signs of foot-and-mouth as deadline passes,” Australian Associated Press (13 May 2005); Haydon Dewes, “Foot-and-mouth: it’s a hoax new letter to Dominion Post,” Dominion Post (May 17, 2005); “NZ foot-and-mouth scare confirmed hoax,” Xinhua (May 24, 2005); Jon Morgan, “Trace cost ‘worth it’,” Christchurch Press Company? (May 30, 2005); see also, Biological Case 1806, Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism Database, Monterey Terrorism Research & Education Project, (http://cns.miis.edu/db/wmdt/incidents/1806.htm); for more information on foot-and-mouth disease see (http://www.livestocktrail.uiuc.edu/dairynet/paperDisplay.cfm?ContentID=603).

13. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, The Problem of Chemical and Biological Warfare, Vol. I (NY: Humanities Press, 1971), 163 (footnote 27).

14. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, The Problem of Chemical and Biological Warfare, Vol. I (NY: Humanities Press, 1971), 162-85; National Institute for Science Education, “Agent Orange revisited,” Why Files (http://whyfiles.news.wisc.edu/025chem_weap/dioxin.html); “Chemical and biological warfare in Southeast Asia: environmental damage from herbicidal warfare in Vietnam,” Calif. Polytechnic San Luis Obispo CBW Page (http://web.archive.org/web/19990203065342/http://www.calpoly.edu/~drjones/Vietnam2.html).

15. “Poison is suspected in death of 30 cows on a Muslim farm,” New York Times, March 16, 1970, p. 30; James Wooton, “Black Muslims would sell farm to Klan,” New York Times, March 17, 1970, p. 32; “Wallace seeking more policemen,” New York Times, December 12, 1971, p. 50.

16. “Question of territory under Portuguese authority,” UN General Assembly Resolution 2707, 9 (December 14, 1970) web available at: (http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/25/ares25.htm); Wolf Roder, “Effects of guerilla war in Angola and Mozambique,” Antipode 5, no. 2 (May 1973): 14-21; Robert M. Smith, “US suspects Lisbon of using herbicides in Angola,” New York Times, December 9, 1970, p. 24.

17. National Foreign Intelligence Board, “Use of toxins and other lethal chemicals in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan,” Central Intelligence Agency, Washington D.C. (February 2, 1982): 3-18. Cambodia was renamed Kampuchia in 1976 by the Khmer Rouge government but returned to the name Cambodia in 1989.

18. “Focus,” Associated Press (March 26, 1977): AM cycle.

19. National Foreign Intelligence Board, “Use of toxins and other lethal chemicals in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan,” Central Intelligence Agency, Washington D.C. (February 2, 1982): 22-24, 30, as well as Annex A p. A2, declassified in 2006, this report outlines primarily evidence of CW use by Soviet forces and possibly their clients beginning as early as May of 1979; Kenneth Alibek with Stephen Handelman, Biohazard (NY: Random House, 1999), 268-269; Kenneth Alibek, “The Soviet Union’s anti-agricultural biological weapons,” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 894 (1999), 18-19; see also, Jonathan Tucker, “Conflicting evidence revives ‘yellow rain’ controversy,” CNS Research Story of the Week (August 5, 2002) web available at (http://cns.miis.edu/stories/020805.htm).

20. “The poisoned world-1998,” Universiti Sains Malaysia (1998) (http://www.prn.usm.my/diary/diary98.html).

21. Richard P. Jones, “Product recalled in four states; animal feed tainted in act of sabotage,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 4, 1997, p. 1; “MDA investigates possible feed contamination,” PR Newswire, January 6, 1997; Nicholas J. Neher, “Food terrorism: the need for a coordinated response—the Wisconsin experience,” Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Gretchen Schuldt, “Man indicted on charges of tainting animal feed Berlin plant contaminated with toxic pesticide in 1996,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 15, 1999, p. 1.

22. Shabatai Zvi (translator), “Israeli settlers destroy 17,000 tons of grapes,” Al-Ayyam, October 23, 1997 (http://web.archive.org/web/20010428224018/http://www.hebron.com/article04-10-23-97.html).

Updated 03/2009

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http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm202575.htm

Heartland Foods, Inc. voluntarily recalls Coarse Ground Black Pepper because of possible Salmonella Contamination
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:31:00 -0600

March 1, 2010 – Indianapolis, IN – Heartland Foods, Inc. of Indianapolis is voluntarily recalling all sizes/containers of COARSE GROUND BLACK PEPPER shipped from their facility at 6815 E. 34th Street, Indianapolis IN. Potential distribution took place on or after October 19th, 2009 to February 17th, 2010. These products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly, and other with weakened immune systems.

Scuppernongs are amazingly good for you, and a beloved treat around here. The mother vine, as it’s called, is over 400 years old, in Elizabeth City, IIRC.<<<

Sounds good, but will they grow long branches to offer shade?

Nothing wrong with a few to taste, while working in the greenhouse.......

Which is why you keep your dog on a leash and teach them to never eat anything that you don’t put down in front of them in a bowl.<<<

Sounds like a good idea, for just keeping them in a fenced yard will not keep the insane person from throwing the poison over the fence.

Another trend I am seeing is folks who own businesses are combining their residence with their place of business.<<<

Welcome to the thread, we are glad that you found us.

Yes, on the home business, but not for all of them, as an ex real estate broker, who spent many hours talking to folks, who wanted free information, it would have been a disaster if they could have trapped me at home.

It was bad enough getting calls at 1 am, to answer a non-clients real estate questions, because the number was in my ad.

Friends had a car repair shop in the garage for 30 years and it worked well for him, he was good and honest, so had all the work he could do.

I gave up the fancy home in 1970, moved to Arizona and have had more fun and satisfaction, living small and building greenhouses and goat pens that were large.