Oregon Wolf Update & Quarantine Lifted

Oregon Wolf Update & Quarantine Lifted. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Oregon's Fish & Wildlife Department are looking at the prospect of delisting the gray wolf after recent studies have shown the species has rebounded. Spokesperson Michelle Dennehy says they will be holding a review hearing in April.

DENNEHY: In April we're going to present a status review to the Fish & Wildlife Commission at the Bend meeting and we'll be looking at how they're doing and how they measure up against delisting criteria. We did meet that important benchmark for breeding pairs for three consecutive years but there's a number of other criteria we need to look at and then at that time the commission can say yes, move forward with the delisting process or don't.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has lifted two avian influenza quarantines that had been in place in parts of Okanogan County, weeks after the emergency rules were first adopted to enact them and restrict the movement of eggs, poultry or poultry products in these restricted zones. Veterinarians with the USDA and WSDA also visited numerous locations in the quarantine areas and tested samples from several birds at these sites. All samples tested negative for avian influenza. Avian influenza does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat. As always, both wild and domestic poultry should be properly cooked.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.