05/29/08 Cantwell on Farm Bill & Banding Together

Cantwell On Farm Bill & Banding Together plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. Washington Senator Maria Cantwell spent part of her day back in elementary school to talk about the benefits of the new farm bill. CANTWELL: This bill has been a huge win for Washington farmers, for the Washington economy and for those who care about the health and nutrition of all of those in our society. Having specialty crops recognized in the farm bill was a tremendous effort and a tremendous first for us in Washington State. She says that research dollars built into the bill will help northwest producers realize bigger and better yields in the future. On the heels of new allegations that ethanol blended fuels are causing mechanical problems in engines leaders from the National Corn Growers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Renewable Fuels Association on Wednesday joined together to dispel many of the accusations that have been levied against biofuels and agriculture in recent months. National Corn Growers Association President Ron Litterer said - we are extremely disappointed by the lengths to which the Grocery Manufacturers Association and its allies have gone in their effort to bad-mouth corn farmers and ethanol producers. He called it  an attack on all of agriculture. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. You've heard the old adage, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Well, how about in this case the whale, lizard or beetle, teaching us some new tricks. Whale hearts could very possibly guide us to developing better pacemakers, while the wings of desert beetles could teach us how to improve water conservation, and lizard skins are showing how to reduce friction in electrical appliances. As science works to discover more efficient and cost effective ways to realize these and other potential advances in medical as well as water and energy saving technologies they have begun to use nature's blueprints through a process known as "Biomimicry". Nature has long been an inspiration to mankind, encouraging us to think beyond our own limited boundaries. And nature has also proven time and time again that it will adapt and reinvent itself in order to survive. We as humans are now facing some hefty challenges as our world changes on a daily basis. But as we are discovering "old dogs" can learn some new tricks. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.