Whatcha Going To Plant & BioMass Jet Fuel

Whatcha Going To Plant & BioMass Jet Fuel plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

It’s a question you normally hear around the table in the local coffee shop but now the USDA is about to conduct a survey that will result in a better idea of what farmers are intending to plant this year. Joe Prusacki with the U.S. Statistics Service explains.

PRUSACKI: We’ll contact nearly 77-thousand farm operations across the United States. We’ll ask farm operators how many acres of – and then you pick the commodity – corn – do you intend to plant this year? Soybeans – do you intend to plant this year? If you think about it, it’s all the spring planted crops.

The survey will begin this Saturday and go through mid-March with a final report expected out on March 31.

Could forest biomass be a viable source of aviation fuel? The Washington State House of Representatives has approved a Department of Natural Resources' request to check it out. House lawmakers yesterday approved a bill calling for a demonstration project on using forest biomass — plant or tree material produced by forest growth — as a renewable energy source. Lawmakers say four biomass projects are already under way. The proposal now moves to the Senate. The prime sponsor Rep. Derek Stanford of Bothell says the bill will help Washington lead the way in aviation biofuel production and will help advance a critical area of technology: renewable energy. He also says that ushering a biomass project will also draw investment in the new technology that could create more jobs.

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

Many items we buy are geared distinctly towards either the male or the female shopper; today’s marketing world has jumped all over the “gender specific” product. And why not? The differences between the two genders are quite obvious and numerous. That’s why what’s good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander. This applies to gardening and farm tools as well.  Most of us tend to think of gardening tools as one size accommodates all, but there are those who have decided the concept of one size fits all when it comes to yard or farm tools is outdated, and downright dangerous. Let’s face it, a five foot five woman will not and cannot wield a shovel, spade, or hoe in the same manner as a six foot two man. And what woman intent on getting the job done wants to wait for someone else to come and help them, resulting in lost work time, not to mention just being downright irksome. The possibility of there being tools out there made with the woman gardener or farmer in mind is pure genius. The fact that women will no longer have to make do with whatever tools are available is an idea whose time has come. I just wish I’d thought of it!

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