Oil Tumbles & Expanding Public Lands

Oil Tumbles & Expanding Public Lands plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

From the files of “I’ll Believe It When I See it.” Oil prices fell dramatically yesterday below the $50 a barrel mark as unease about the economy — from Asia to Wall Street — raised doubts about the global appetite for energy. Gasoline futures plunged more than a dime a gallon. Oil prices have been moving up on some economic good news but could not hold on to gains. Natural gas prices have fallen to levels last seen nearly seven years ago as industries cut costs and slow factory production. Now, will prices at the pump follow suit?

President Obama has signed a law that, among other things, will expand the nation's designated and protected wilderness areas.

OBAMA: It designated more than 2 million acres across 9 states as wilderness, creates thousands of mile of new scenic, historic and recreational trails. It safeguards more than a thousand miles of our rivers, protects watersheds and cleans up polluted groundwater.

Those new public lands include parts of Idaho’s Owyhee canyons and Oregon’s Mt. Hood. Opponents, mostly Republicans, had called the legislation a "land grab" that would block energy development on vast swaths of federal land.

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

It’s really hard to believe in global warming when I’m sitting here still bundled in three layers of clothing at the end of March! It has been several weeks since I first had the itch, (reminiscent of a severe case of poison ivy); to start my spring planting and yard clean up. Mother Nature obviously has other ideas though as it still resembles late winter rather than spring outdoors. I’m not the only one bemoaning the longer than usual cold weather conditions. I rely on spring planting just for my sanity, but those who rely on warmer weather conditions for their very livelihood are also praying for sunshine. Orchard owners report that most of their trees haven’t even budded out yet and potato growers are still waiting for soil temperatures to warm up. Even early bloomers like daffodils and tulips may be late in putting in an appearance. The local weather man has moved to the top of my black list as his forecasts continue to spout of unseasonably cold, wet conditions on into April; and though I know he isn’t personably responsible for the weather, one can’t help but want to shoot the messenger. Please Mother Nature, relent!

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