Encouraging Exports & Wildfires Continue

Encouraging Exports & Wildfires Continue. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Two of several Foreign Agricultural Service programs have encouraged ag producers to export their goods and in turn raise export levels to new records. Acting Administrator Suzanne Heinen explains.

HEINEN: In fiscal year 2011, we expect U.S. agricultural exports to reach a record $137 billion dollars and support over 1-million American jobs. The economic impact of the MAP and foreign market development programs is striking. A recent cost benefit analysis concluded that for every dollar invested by government and industry, exports increased by $35 dollars.

If you are traveling through the Boise area you may notice the hills on the east side are charred from recent wildfires. Firefighters have been working hard to contain the blaze that started in the foothills above Harris Ranch. Winds have been pushing the fire north and east, fortunately away from homes. Investigators say there is a good chance that the blaze was started by some kind of human involvement. Over 100 firefighters with their engines, tankers and bulldozers responded. In the air, five helicopters from as far away as Twin Falls came to drop water on the flames. Please be careful this summer with fire.

Now here’s today’s Washington Grange report.

(Grange)

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