Forest Service Photo Flap & RMA Funding Opportunity

Forest Service Photo Flap & RMA Funding Opportunity plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

The Western Extension Risk Management Education Center has announced a funding opportunity for projects that help farm and ranch families succeed through targeted risk management strategies. Associate Director of the Western Center for Risk Management Education, Jo Ann Warner:

WARNER: This is an extension Risk Management Education and competitive grants program and we are looking for applications from organizations that work primarily with farmers and ranchers and we're looking at projects that can deal with the business or economic side of risk. We cover five areas of risk.

Every once in a while an idea is talked about that is so absurd you wonder who would even consider pushing it. The U.S. Forest Service is backing away quietly from a proposal where it would require a $1500 permit to take photos in any of the nations parks including any of the parks, forests and mountains. Interestingly, they offered a fee free weekend this past weekend to try and drive more people to visit the parks. Meanwhile the outcry over the photo permit was so loud that the service quietly let the idea die. The exception is, and always was for commercial filming where permits are still required.

Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray.

In 2012 Purdue University's Department of Agricultural Economics and Department of Animal Sciences conducted a survey to gauge consumer perceptions of livestock production. The 798 participants selected for the survey represented a diverse sample of the nation's consumers. One question asked of participants was when was the last time, if ever, they had visited a farm that raised animals for milk, egg, or meat production. Nearly a third had never visited a farm at all, and only 31% had been on a farm within the five years prior to the survey. Neutrality was the most common response to questions on specific animal production practices. When asked where they received most of their information on animal welfare their responses were split nearly in half with 56% saying they didn't have a source and the other 44% saying they relied on the HSUS or PETA for their information. Since that survey was done the agricultural community has worked hard to better connect with consumers and provide them with the information they need; bridging the gap between ag producers and consumers with open and honest dialogue.

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