Gas Tax Cut & Animals Keep Out

Gas Tax Cut & Animals Keep Out plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. It has been a year since the Oregon Department of Agriculture unleashed a public education campaign aimed at keeping the wrong kind of domestic animals out of grocery stores. So far, the results are encouraging according to the ODA's Vance Bybee. BYBEE: We were the leader in this issue. We were the first state to take this on openly, publicly. We did receive calls from other states wanting information- kind of sticking their toe in the water waiting to see what would happen in Oregon. The law allows service animals such as guide dogs access to grocery stores, but animals that don't perform a service as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act are not supposed to be permitted in stores. Idaho is getting some mixed signals regarding a gas tax. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred aims to cut Idaho's gas tax by 3 cents and says Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's push to raise more money for roads is misguided. Allred would cut the tax to 22 cents per gallon, from 25 cents per gallon now, to save drivers $19.2 million annually. Otter, a Republican, and Allred will square off in November's general election. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. Farmer's markets across the nation have been in full swing now for a couple of months and nothing is quite as pleasurable as shopping at the local farmer's market. With the popularity of the "eat local" movement growing by leaps and bounds there are now more than five thousand farmer's markets operating successfully around the country at any given time. Most are seasonal but there are a few that are open year round. A friend of mine who enjoys going to our local farmer's market has confided that she sometimes finds herself feeling less than knowledgeable when it comes to some of the produce she finds there; and she's not alone. Try this the next time you find yourself in the same predicament; instead of walking away scratching your head and wondering what that unusual vegetable might be ask the farmer minding the stand, "What is this, and how should I use it?". They will be more than happy to share their wealth of knowledge with you on how to enjoy their fresh produce to its full potential. In fact, you will probably walk away with useful tips on how to grow the food in question, cook and serve it, and preserve it for enjoying long after the growing season has ended. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.