Tracking the Contamination & Climate Legislation

Tracking the Contamination & Climate Legislation plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. An expert says when investigators tracking the current lettuce contamination case find the original farm or processing plant where the lettuce was contaminated, they will then have to find the source of the bacteria. Microbiologist, Dr. Jeff LeJeune. LeJUNE: Whether that would be from intentional fertilization or wildlife intrusion we look at water quality because we think pathogens can be spread through irrigation water. We look at worker hygiene. Sometimes it could be an individual doing the harvesting that is contaminating the product and finally the last thing we look (at) is the equipment used for collecting, packaging and processing. Friday, Senator Lindsey Graham said it has become – impossible – to pass climate and energy legislation, adding a caveat of – at the moment. Graham is seen as being the one Republican who can serve as a bridge to the GOP on the climate bill. He has not abandoned the bill altogether. Graham points to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and immigration push as reasons to halt any immediate expansion of offshore oil drilling, hampering any chance of reaching a bipartisan deal. Still, come tomorrow, Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman are expected to unveil a long-awaited climate change bill. The bill faces an uphill battle. It would need at least a handful of Republican backers in order to achieve 60 votes. No Republicans seem to be interested in showing support. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. One thing is certain, whether you agree or disagree with the passing of Arizona's new immigration law, you can't deny the fact that it has forced the issue of immigration reform into the forefront; a place that legislators were not wanting it to be after this past year's struggles and squabbles over health care reform. In cities across the U.S. protesters have been marching down busy thoroughfares singing, chanting and shouting out their frustrations at the Obama administration for what many see as a failure to deliver on one of his most important campaign promises; immigration reform within his first year in office. Most of the marches were peaceful, some however turned ugly when a few protesters smashed windows and defaced storefronts. The message is loud and clear, the American people want immigration reform to be dealt with now, not in the unforeseeable future. The tone on both sides of the issue is reaching a fever pitch, with fear being the number one driving force; fear of a country being overrun by illegal immigrants and the fear of losing a large majority of the agriculture workforce to deportation. Legislators need to buck up and face this one head on before it careens out of control and runs over them. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.