Early Weather Woes & USDA Specialty Crop Grants

Early Weather Woes & USDA Specialty Crop Grants plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. The USDA is doling out more money for specialty crop research. Oregon State University received 2 grants worth over $3 million dollars to study organic blackberry production and help address the need for more small farmers. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan. MERRIGAN: This administration is trying to highlight the need for all Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables and we need to provide producers with the tools they need to produce in way that's going to mean a good economic bottom line for them. Washington and Oregon are going to see continued strong weather patterns including heavy rain and gusty winds. A coastal flood warning was in effect for central Washington. Temperatures dropped and snow levels plummeted to 4000 feet. Winter storm warnings were issued for the Central and Northern Cascades. One location around Mount Hood reported whiteout conditions. Showers are expected to continue though the day today and another wet system is expected to move in on Thursday. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. Jon Marvel is the ostentatious talking head and creator behind, in front of, and on all sides of the Western Watersheds Project. The WWP, which proclaims a mission for the "protection and restoration of western watersheds and wildlife" would perhaps be more aptly identified as a litigation front for one man's personal vendetta against ranchers, and was started decades ago over something as simple as a single rancher cutting across Marvel's private land to deliver a salt block. Marvel's seemingly insatiable appetite for revenge has led him to where he is today, tying up the judicial system with one lawsuit after another, completely ignoring and in fact many times impeding the very environmental projects he claims support of; all for the advancement of what appears to be his primary goal, putting western ranchers out of business. Is this to say that all those who work with the WWP have a hidden personal agenda? No, I'm sure many of them are focusing on what they consider valid concerns. Marvel on the other hand has made no bones about his dislike for all things associated with ranchers, cows, cowboys, and western culture; a culture he calls "the myth of the West". Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.