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Written by: Editor

Published: 27 February 2009

Created: 27 February 2009

Last Updated: 27 February 2009

SACRAMENTO – A 12-year-old mare in California has tested positive for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM), a highly contagious but treatable reproductive disease of horses.

 

The positive mare was bred via artificial insemination using shipped semen collected from a CEM-positive stallion. The mare remains under quarantine while being treated for the disease.

 

The mare is part of a disease investigation involving 45 states to identify horses with CEM. Exposure primarily occurs through natural breeding or artificial insemination by a horse infected with CEM.

 

CEM is a contagious bacterial infection spread between mares and stallions during mating or artificial insemination with infected semen. It can also be transmitted on contaminated breeding equipment.

CEM is not known to infect other livestock or humans. Stallions infected with CEM do not exhibit any clinical symptoms, but infection in the mare can cause fertility problems. The disease is successfully treated with antibiotics.

 

As of Feb. 17, a total of 11 stallions and three mares were confirmed infected in the United States. Three of the stallions are located in Indiana, four are in Kentucky, one is in Texas, and three are in Wisconsin. One mare is in Wisconsin, one in Illinois and one in California.

 

Nationwide, approximately 580 horses have been identified to date that are considered exposed to horses with confirmed infection. Due to the difficulty in detecting active CEM infection, all horses that may have been exposed to the disease are cultured and treated to prevent further spread. The source of the outbreak has not been determined.

 

In California, CDFA veterinarians are working with private practitioners to test 35 mares that have been quarantined due to exposure to an infected stallion. The mares will be released from quarantine following blood tests, cultures and treatment. To date, only one of these 35 mares has been confirmed as CEM positive.

 

CEM is considered a foreign animal disease in the United States. The disease was previously detected in the United States in 1978, 1979 and 2006. In all instances, the limited outbreaks were quickly eradicated.

Additional National CEM Information

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/hot_issues/cem/index.shtml

 

 

Additional California CEM Information

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/Contagious_Equine_Metritis.html

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Written by: Editor

Published: 24 February 2009

Created: 24 February 2009

Last Updated: 24 February 2009

SAN FRANCISCO – Pacific Gas & Electric has issued a report on its 2008 earnings.

PG&E's consolidated net income for the year ended December 31, 2008, reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), was $1.34 billion, or $3.63 per share, compared with $1 billion, or $2.78 per share, in 2007. Per-share earnings on a GAAP basis in 2008 include income from a settlement of 2001-2004 tax audits, totaling $257 million or $0.68 per share.

On a non-GAAP earnings from operations basis, which excludes the benefits of the tax settlement, PG&E Corporation's results in 2008 were $2.95 per share, compared with $2.78 per share in 2007.

For the fourth quarter of 2008, PG&E Corp.'s consolidated net income was $517 million, or $1.37 per share, reflecting the benefits of the tax settlement. This compares with $203 million, or $0.56 per share, in the same quarter of 2007.

On a non-GAAP earnings from operations basis, PG&E Corp.'s results in the fourth quarter of 2008 were $0.70 per share, compared with $0.56 per share in the fourth quarter of 2007.

The year-over-year increase in earnings from operations primarily reflects earnings from higher authorized capital investments in utility infrastructure and energy efficiency incentive revenues, partially offset by higher expenses due to storm-related outages, natural gas system maintenance activities, and the extended outage to replace the steam generators at one unit of the Diablo Canyon nuclear generating facility.

"Our results for 2008 were in line with our commitments to investors and continue to support our longer-term earnings growth targets," said Peter A. Darbee, Chairman, CEO and President of PG&E Corporation. "Looking ahead, we are confident that we are well positioned to continue making the needed investments to strengthen energy reliability and services for our customers."

Earnings guidance

PG&E Corp. reaffirms guidance for 2009 earnings from operations in the $3.15-$3.25 per share range.

Guidance assumes that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. maintains a ratemaking capital structure of 52 percent equity, that it maintains its California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)-authorized return on equity of 11.35 percent and achieves at least a 12 percent return on equity on its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission jurisdictional assets, while growing its asset base in line with its forecast, that it earns sufficient incentive revenues for energy efficiency achievements with an anticipated CPUC decision before the end of 2009, and that the Utility realizes planned operational and cost efficiencies.

Guidance excludes three anticipated items impacting comparability forecast to total between $0.05 and $0.11 per share.

The three items are: expected benefits of a settlement of refund claims for the 1998 and 1999 tax years that are anticipated to be finalized this year; forecasted recovery of hydroelectric divestiture costs incurred by the utility in 2000 and 2001 in connection with the proposed divestiture of its hydroelectric generation facilities; and forecasted costs to accelerate the completion of natural gas system integrity surveys and associated remedial work.

When added to earnings from operations, the net effect of these items impacting comparability results in 2009 GAAP earnings per share guidance of $3.20 to $3.36.

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Written by: Editor

Published: 23 February 2009

Created: 22 February 2009

Last Updated: 27 February 2009

Earlier this month, state officials announced a coordinated effort to prevent and control harmful invasive species infestations throughout the state.

The California Invasive Species Council will assist in minimizing the negative effects of non-native species on the state’s agriculture, lands, natural resources, and waterways in rural and urban environments.

“The Invasive Species Council will protect California’s consumers and our environment from destructive pests, plants and diseases that also threaten our food supply,” said Secretary A.G. Kawamura of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, chairman of the council.

The newly formed council will be chaired by Secretary Kawamura and vice-chaired by Mike Chrisman, secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency.

Also serving on the council will be Secretary Linda Adams of California’s Environmental Protection Agency; Secretary Dale Bonner from the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency; Secretary Kim Belshe from the California Health and Human Services Agency; and Matt Bettenhausen, acting secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency.

“Coordinating California’s resources will maximize our opportunities to protect against harmful non-native species that will destroy our forests, scenic wildlands and waterways,” said Secretary Chrisman.

The council will appoint a California Invasive Species Advisory Committee (CISAC) tasked with making recommendations to prioritize an invasive species rapid response plan.

The committee will take input from local government, tribal governments and federal agencies, as well as environmental organizations, academic and science institutions, affected industry sectors and impacted landowners.

Two of the invasive species currently threatening California are the quagga mussel and the Asian citrus psyllid. Quagga mussels are the size of a fingernail but can colonize on hulls, engines and steering components of boats and threaten municipal water supplies, agricultural irrigation and power plant operations.

An infestation of the zebra mussel in the Great Lakes cost the power industry $3.1 billion from 1993 to 1999.

The Asian citrus psyllid, a small, aphid-like insect, can carry citrus greening disease, which has already killed tens of thousands of acres of trees in Florida and Brazil and wiped out entire citrus industries in China, India, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

More than $11 million in state, federal and grower funds are being used to protect California’s $1.3 billion dollar industry from the psyllid.

For more information on invasive species please visit the CDFA Web site at www.cdfa.ca.gov/invasives/.

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