Latest news with #USAgricultureDepartment
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Potential agro-terrorism': US charges Chinese couple with fungus smuggling
Washington: The US Justice Department has charged two Chinese researchers accused of trying to smuggle a fungus into America, bringing the case as the government pushes to keep more Chinese students out of the country. The students, Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were in a romantic relationship in July, when US authorities say Liu arrived in the US carrying small bags of the fungus Fusarium graminearum, which causes a disease that can cripple wheat, barley, corn and rice. The disease, head blight, is a familiar problem for American farmers, particularly in northern and eastern states, according to research funded by the US Agriculture Department that has tracked it in 32 states last year. The fungus can be particularly damaging to winter wheat crops. Jian was arrested and booked in the federal courthouse in Detroit; Liu is believed to be in China. The criminal charges come as tensions mount between the US and China over the Trump administration's vow to 'aggressively' revoke student visas for Chinese nationals. Such students, the administration says, could siphon off sensitive technology or trade secrets from American labs for the benefit of their home country. Jerome F. Gorgon jnr, the interim US attorney in Detroit, said the researchers' alleged actions amounted to 'the gravest national security concerns'. He said they had tried to bring 'a potential agro-terrorism weapon' into 'the heartland of America'. For decades, US national security officials have worried about – and sometimes arrested – Chinese academics suspected of stealing scientific data from American universities and businesses. The Trump administration's new push goes further by stripping an unspecified number of students of visas.
The Age
7 days ago
- General
- The Age
‘Potential agro-terrorism': US charges Chinese couple with fungus smuggling
Washington: The US Justice Department has charged two Chinese researchers accused of trying to smuggle a fungus into America, bringing the case as the government pushes to keep more Chinese students out of the country. The students, Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were in a romantic relationship in July, when US authorities say Liu arrived in the US carrying small bags of the fungus Fusarium graminearum, which causes a disease that can cripple wheat, barley, corn and rice. The disease, head blight, is a familiar problem for American farmers, particularly in northern and eastern states, according to research funded by the US Agriculture Department that has tracked it in 32 states last year. The fungus can be particularly damaging to winter wheat crops. Jian was arrested and booked in the federal courthouse in Detroit; Liu is believed to be in China. The criminal charges come as tensions mount between the US and China over the Trump administration's vow to 'aggressively' revoke student visas for Chinese nationals. Such students, the administration says, could siphon off sensitive technology or trade secrets from American labs for the benefit of their home country. Jerome F. Gorgon jnr, the interim US attorney in Detroit, said the researchers' alleged actions amounted to 'the gravest national security concerns'. He said they had tried to bring 'a potential agro-terrorism weapon' into 'the heartland of America'. For decades, US national security officials have worried about – and sometimes arrested – Chinese academics suspected of stealing scientific data from American universities and businesses. The Trump administration's new push goes further by stripping an unspecified number of students of visas.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Potential agroterrorism weapon': US charges Chinese researchers with fungus smuggling
Washington: The US Justice Department has charged two Chinese researchers accused of trying to smuggle a fungus into America, bringing the case as the government pushes to keep more Chinese students out of the country. The students, Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, were in a romantic relationship in July, when US authorities say Liu arrived in the US carrying small bags of the fungus Fusarium graminearum, which causes a disease that can cripple wheat, barley, corn and rice. The disease, head blight, is a familiar problem for American farmers, particularly in northern and eastern states, according to research funded by the US Agriculture Department that has tracked it in 32 states last year. The fungus can be particularly damaging to winter wheat crops. Jian was arrested and booked in the federal courthouse in Detroit; Liu is believed to be in China. The criminal charges come as tensions mount between the US and China over the Trump administration's vow to 'aggressively' revoke student visas for Chinese nationals. Such students, the administration says, could siphon off sensitive technology or trade secrets from American labs for the benefit of their home country. Jerome F. Gorgon jnr, the interim US attorney in Detroit, said the researchers' alleged actions amounted to 'the gravest national security concerns'. He said they had tried to bring 'a potential agro-terrorism weapon' into 'the heartland of America'. For decades, US national security officials have worried about – and sometimes arrested – Chinese academics suspected of stealing scientific data from American universities and businesses. The Trump administration's new push goes further by stripping an unspecified number of students of visas.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Soaring egg prices have US consumers squawking
A resurgence of avian flu, which first struck the United States in 2022, is hitting chicken farms hard, sending egg prices soaring and rattling consumers accustomed to buying this dietary staple for only a few dollars. In Washington and its suburbs, supermarket egg shelves are now often empty, or sparsely stocked. Some stores limit the number of cartons each client may buy. And everywhere, consumers are shocked by the high prices. "They're getting expensive," 26-year-old student Samantha Lopez told AFP as she shopped in a supermarket in the US capital. "It's kind of difficult... My budget for food is already very tight." The situation is much the same in the southern state of Florida. "Eggs are important (and) so nutritious," said Miami resident Blanche De Jesus, "but you can hardly buy them because they are so expensive. It is a shame." Responding to irate consumers, a Washington supermarket posted this explanation: "You may notice a price increase on eggs at this time due to the recent avian influenza outbreak in the Midwest," the country's agricultural heartland. More than 21 million egg-laying hens have been euthanized this year because of the disease, according to data published Friday by the US Agriculture Department. Most of them were in the states of Ohio, North Carolina and Missouri. The department reported the "depopulation" of a further 13.2 million in December. Higher prices were the inevitable result, experts say. "If there's no birds to lay eggs... then we have a supply shortage, and that leads to higher prices because of supply and demand dynamics," said Jada Thompson, a poultry specialist at the University of Arkansas. - 'Near-record highs' - Some grocers are "holding prices at record or near-record highs to dampen demand," the Agriculture Department said. The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs was 65 percent higher in December compared to a year before -- rising from $2.50 to $4.15, according to official data. Supermarkets are not the only ones feeling the pain. Waffle House, a popular restaurant chain known for its all-day breakfast menu, made headlines when it moved to charge customers an extra 50 cents per egg. "The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (bird flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices," Waffle House said in a statement to CNN. "Customers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions." In the United States, the virus is being found not only in poultry but also in dairy cows. Sixty-seven cases have been detected in humans since the beginning of last year, nearly all of them proving benign and linked to known contacts with infected animals. Americans are among the world's biggest egg lovers, particularly at breakfast time, consuming on average 277 eggs a year, according to the United Egg Producers, an agricultural cooperative. bur-ni/myl/bbk/aha
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Soaring egg prices have US consumers squawking
A resurgence of avian flu, which first struck the United States in 2022, is hitting chicken farms hard, sending egg prices soaring and rattling consumers accustomed to buying this dietary staple for only a few dollars. In Washington and its suburbs, supermarket egg shelves are now often empty, or sparsely stocked. Some stores limit the number of cartons each client may buy. And everywhere, consumers are shocked by the high prices. "They're getting expensive," 26-year-old student Samantha Lopez told AFP as she shopped in a supermarket in the US capital. "It's kind of difficult... My budget for food is already very tight." The situation is much the same in the southern state of Florida. "Eggs are important (and) so nutritious," said Miami resident Blanche De Jesus, "but you can hardly buy them because they are so expensive. It is a shame." Responding to irate consumers, a Washington supermarket posted this explanation: "You may notice a price increase on eggs at this time due to the recent avian influenza outbreak in the Midwest," the country's agricultural heartland. More than 21 million egg-laying hens have been euthanized this year because of the disease, according to data published Friday by the US Agriculture Department. Most of them were in the states of Ohio, North Carolina and Missouri. The department reported the "depopulation" of a further 13.2 million in December. Higher prices were the inevitable result, experts say. "If there's no birds to lay eggs... then we have a supply shortage, and that leads to higher prices because of supply and demand dynamics," said Jada Thompson, a poultry specialist at the University of Arkansas. - 'Near-record highs' - Some grocers are "holding prices at record or near-record highs to dampen demand," the Agriculture Department said. The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs was 65 percent higher in December compared to a year before -- rising from $2.50 to $4.15, according to official data. Supermarkets are not the only ones feeling the pain. Waffle House, a popular restaurant chain known for its all-day breakfast menu, made headlines when it moved to charge customers an extra 50 cents per egg. "The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (bird flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices," Waffle House said in a statement to CNN. "Customers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions." In the United States, the virus is being found not only in poultry but also in dairy cows. Sixty-seven cases have been detected in humans since the beginning of last year, nearly all of them proving benign and linked to known contacts with infected animals. Americans are among the world's biggest egg lovers, particularly at breakfast time, consuming on average 277 eggs a year, according to the United Egg Producers, an agricultural cooperative. bur-ni/myl/bbk/aha Sign in to access your portfolio
