01/26/09 Implementing the Farm Bill & Energy Recommendations

Implementing the Farm Bill & Energy Recommendations plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. The National 25x'25 Steering Committee and a wide variety of its endorsing partners are working to bring to the attention of policymakers a series of recent recommendations that advocates believe will not only reverse the economic downturn, but insure a clean energy future. 25 x'25 policy committee chairmen Barth Ruth says, - the recommendations target programs that accelerate markets for the wind energy, solar power, biomass, geothermal energy, hydropower and biofuels industries. An examination of the types of projects targeted by the recommendations are estimated at 4.14 billion dollars but show a wide range of initiatives, from small farmer-owned wind turbines to the development of large renewable energy markets promoted by some of America's largest corporations. Implementation of the 2009 Farm Bill is expected to be high priority for Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. As will trade and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it's an important issue for everyone. GRASSLEY: This issue of trade has as much to do with stimulating our economy than anything. And there's some bad clouds on the horizon there not only for the United States but for the world. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. Not since the British rock invasion has a beetle made such an impact. The beetle I'm speaking of is the mountain pine beetle which has chewed its way through literally millions of trees in forests across America. Colorado alone is facing enormous devastation from this pest no bigger than the size of your fingertip. Sadly there is no stopping this beetle once she has started; scientists say all they can do is let nature run its course. The finger of blame however is not only pointed at the mountain pine beetle but at the fact that forest management practices put into effect over the last several years have left the forests highly susceptible to just such a catastrophe. Decades of logging restrictions and fire suppression left the forests jam packed with the beetle's favorite food, century old lodgepole pines. With the very best of intentions we have ended up hurting the very thing we were trying to protect. Now we will just have to let Mother Nature repair the damage, and she will; she's a resilient old girl. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.