06/06/08 Wash Potato Field Day/ Demos introduce TRADE Act

Farm and Ranch June 6, 2008 Washington State University will be hosting the annual seed lot/potato field day at the Othello research site Friday, June 27th. Andy Jensen who heads up research for the Washington State Potato Commission says it's the biggest potato field day of the year. Jensen: "The growers from across the state submit samples of their seed they bought from seed growers and they are planted out and evaluated by WSU and other people for disease content. So there is an opportunity for attendees of the field day to see that trial." Jensen says there will be other educational events at the field day. Jensen: "The Potato Commission will be talking about our IPM supply give-away program. We will be starting our tuber worm trapping system in July, so we will be discussing that. Some of the new breeding research will be discussed and a new research project on caterpillars that feed on potato plants. And I should hasten to mention there is also a free lunch." The potato field day beings at 8:30 a.m. on June 27th and wraps up with the hosted lunch. The Othello research site is located east of Othello on Booker Road, immediately south of Highway 26. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network. Farm and Ranch June 6, 2008 The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act, or TRADE Act was introduced by a group of U.S. Senate and House Democrats this week. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is chief sponsor of the legislation. Brown: "The TRADE Act sets out criteria for a new negotiating process. One that would move away from the fundamentally flawed "fast track" policy and return power to Congress when considering out nation's trade pacts." And how would it do that? Brown: "This legislation would mandate a review of all existing trade agreements and will require the president to submit renegotiating plans for those agreements before negotiating any new trade agreements." The TRADE Act would also spell out standards for labor and environmental protection and food and product safety that must be included in trade agreements. It would also set requirements for such things as farm policy and investment that have been incorporated in trade agreements. The TRADE Act would require that Congress certify negotiating objectives and vote on deals before the U.S. can sign them. When he was in the House Brown led the opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement but he says we want trade and we want more of it adding that trade done right means new jobs and industry at home and lifting up workers in developing nations. So far tno Republican Senators have signed up to co-sponsor Brown's bill. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.