Darigold Illness & Military Use of Biofuels

Darigold Illness & Military Use of Biofuels plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Last week a truck crashed at the Darigold plant in southeast Portland causing a release of a dangerous mix of chemicals. Afterwards, at least nine people reported feeling sick. Investigators said the truck was making a delivery to the plant when it got into the accident and a tank containing a chemical broke open, causing two chemicals to mix and create a type of chlorine gas. The employees complained of respiratory irritation and were decontaminated on site, then transported to an area hospital for checkups.

There are efforts underway here in the U.S. to cancel programs to provide biofuels to the military. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says they are not in the best interests of U.S. defense and of rural America.

VILSACK: Obviously I’m troubled by it and I think it was a mistake, a big mistake as far as rural America is concerned. We’re going to continue to move forward. We think this is the right policy for the country, it’s certainly the right policy for rural America and we will work in a collaborative way to make this fuel cost competitive so some of the concerns that were expressed by the committee I think may not fully understand the scope of what we are doing here. It is just astounding that people don’t understand that.

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

Could it be the front porch is making a comeback? This outdoor space, which used to be a fixture on virtually every home, disappeared with the onslaught of suburbia, and families focusing more on backyard hideaways rather than neighbor friendly front porches. But times they are a changin’ yet again. Front porches are popping up on new housing designs and being refurbished on existing homes. Whether this “porch movement” has been brought about thanks to New Urbanist architects or just peoples’ need to reconnect with community it’s hard to say. I for one am glad porches are once again in favor. Our home has a medium to small front deck where we have a fifties style glider and numerous potted plants. The large weeping birch and cherry trees off to each side makes it the perfect place to sit sipping tea while chatting with the occasional passing neighbor. Although we’ve never been fortunate enough to have a wrap-a-round front porch on any of the homes we’ve owned through the years, I would be lost without at least a small front porch. The revival of the front porch is definitely a step in the right direction for American families. We are after all “a front porch kind of people”.

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