Hesitation in EPA Regulations & Farm Safety and Health Week

Hesitation in EPA Regulations & Farm Safety and Health Week plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Senate energy top Republican Lisa Murkowski is considering a move to shut down for a year, any EPA regulation of greenhouse gases, while Congress takes more time to work on climate change legislation. Murkowski is considering an amendment to the interior spending bill that would give Congress another year to work on a climate bill, before EPA moves on greenhouse gas rules that would raise fuel, fertilizer and electricity prices.
Spokesman Robert Dillon

DILLON: So what she’s saying is before you go ahead and put out regulations on stationary emissions, give Congress time to act. Congress is involved in the discussion, the House has moved a bill.

President Barack Obama has proclaimed September 20 through September 26, as National Farm Safety and Health Week. In doing so the President called upon the people of the United States to join him in celebrating the vital contributions of farmers and ranchers to our Nation and in reflecting upon the importance of farm safety and health in communities across America.

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

It appears the nursery business is going high tech. Robin Cross, economist at Oregon State University has created a computer program that will help growers determine the right time for shipping plants to their various retail buyers through weather forecasting.

This will allow stores to have the right stock on hand when they need it to meet high demand times while reducing any waste or buy backs for the growers which result from overstocking during low demand.  While it may sound like a glorified “Farmers Almanac” the program also makes shipping date determinations through the retail stores inventories, historical sales and advertising in conjunction with the weather forecasts. It appears to be a win/win situation for everyone involved; nursery producers are able to increase their sales and avoid over shipping, the retailers are able to meet demand and increase their revenues, and the customers are able to go their local nurseries and find what they want when they want it. Everybody is happy and the nursery business keeps growing strong.   

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