Ag Hall of Fame & Rodeo Champ

Ag Hall of Fame & Rodeo Champ plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

The 2011 Mid-Columbia Agriculture Hall of Fame has announced 4 new inductees. Northwest Ag’s Bob Hoff has more:

HOFF: The inductees this year are Ben and Alma Grant, Lana Cline, Jared Balcom & Dr. Richard Cummins. The new inductees are being recognized for their outstanding contributions to agriculture and agribusiness in four categories. This is the 12th year that Hall of Fame honors have been awarded to Mid-Columbia farmers, families and agribusiness leaders in Franklin County and neighboring Mid-Columbia counties. A portion of the money raised through gala sponsorships and the event supports higher-education scholarship opportunities for our local youth entering the agricultural sciences.

The four will be honored at an installation gala at the Pasco Red Lion on Thursday, Jan. 26, sponsored by the chamber and the Port of Pasco.

Shane Proctor, originally from Grand Coulee, Washington has won the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the so-called Super Bowl of rodeos, in Las Vegas. Proctor rode five of ten bulls in the finals, earning himself over $66,000 for the week and over $238,000 in the season. Proctor rode Black Attack during Saturday’s competition. The bull reportedly bucked him off and stomped on the cowboy, breaking his arm but managed to win over defending champion, JW Harris.

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

Charles Dickens wrote in his famous “A Christmas Carol” story, “ this time of year is a time when want is keenly felt and abundance rejoices”. That and most of what Dickens wrote throughout the rest of that endearingly favorite of stories still rings true today. While it is sad that we as a nation and members of the global community still fight hunger on a daily basis it is encouraging that there are numerous groups and organizations worldwide working hard to end world hunger. Farmers and ranchers here in the U.S.are an often unrecognized group of individuals who help fight hunger, often as they themselves are facing hard times. In nearly every state food banks and other relief agencies have received tons of produce and meat products from local farmers and ranchers to help feed the hungry. Thankfully, these fresh food donations go on all throughout the year, not just at holiday time. Farmers and ranchers have always been known to help others in times of need, and will never shy away from helping those who lack access to healthy nutritious food; even if it means they themselves have to make do with less.

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