Northwest Gas Prices & Former Ag Secretary on Farm Bill

Northwest Gas Prices & Former Ag Secretary on Farm Bill plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

The 2012 Farm Bill will be upon us before you know it and it really is anybody’s guess as to how it will shake out. Former Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter said budget deficits will play a large role in the coming debates on the new farm bill.

YEUTTER: Clearly agriculture will want to preserve a safety net. I don’t see any strong demand for total removal of a safety net but I doubt the U,S, Congress if going to eliminate a safety net. What they may do is redefine it to some degree and I suspect that will happen and there will be more emphasis if you will on risk management. We’ve long argued that American agriculture ought to be using these markets much more effectively to hedge their risks than they have in the past.

The northwest is seeing some of the highest gasoline prices in the nation. Oregon has the 8th highest gas prices in the nation. Washington is number nine.  And indications are prices at the pump will continue to go up before they come down. Gas prices are running a good 65 to 70 cents a gallon more than they were this time last year .The national average soared 20 cents a gallon last week. The average is $3.37, up 28 cents from last month and according to the experts could reach $4 a gallon while some believe that at $3.75 people will start to pull back on other spending.

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

A long time ago in my reckless youth I received a speeding ticket for going five miles an hour over the speed limit. When I voiced my concerns over the small difference between the actual speed limit and the speed I was going, the judge simply asked me if I was only a “little bit guilty”. His question took me aback and made me think hard about my faulty argument. I was reminded of this when I recently read of the proposed immigration law in Texas, a bill that would make the hiring of an illegal alien a crime with a hefty fine and possible prison time; that is unless those illegals were hired to do your house or yard work. Come again. The reason given for the loophole in this proposed legislation is that the majority of groundskeepers and housekeepers hired in Texas are quoted as being undocumented. This type of “do as I say, not as I do” exemption legislation is destined for the trash bin. It should never have been introduced in the first place. Instead of “salad bar” laws, where people pick and choose what bits they want to adhere to, states need immigration laws that are united in their enforcement language and integrity.

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