Renewable Fuels Standard & Wildfires

Renewable Fuels Standard & Wildfires plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

E15 has just become available for consumer purchase but now as corn crop prospects decline, some are wondering if the government will temporarily reduce the ethanol production mandate under the Renewable Fuels Standard. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack.

VILSACK: At this point we have no plan to adjust the renewable fuels standard. Certainly the renewable fuel program is an extraordinarily important aspect of our efforts to rebuild and revitalize the rural economy. The reality is we are still looking at the third largest corn crop on record because of the addition planted acres.

There are a number of large wildfires burning across the northwest. Five large fires appear on the Northwest Coordination Centers website and are actively being worked by firefighters totaling over 693-thousand acres. The Long Draw and the Miller Homestead are the two largest in southern Oregon. Officials are urging people to exercise extreme caution when planning outdoor activities and to avoid the areas where firefighters are actively working these large fires.

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

I’m quickly approaching what’s often called the “golden years”. But the view from where I’m standing seems anything but golden. Between the threats of a Social Security implosion and drastic health care cuts while the cost of health care skyrockets there’s the constant barrage of new and ingenious scams targeting seniors. The newest one involves callers posing as government officials attempting to collect your health information as part of the new Affordable Care Act. One victim of this scam was deceived when the caller, in an attempt to come across as legitimate, referenced the woman’s daughter, who, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, was easily traced through a public records search on the internet. Protect yourself and your friends and loved ones by being aware of the common red flags of scammers. If someone calls asking you to wire them money, rest assured it’s a scam. Also, scammers are nothing of not tenacious and pushy, but don’t be intimidated. Forget about being rude, it’s your phone, just hang up. And this cannot be emphasized enough, never ever give out personal details such as birth dates, license numbers, social security numbers, or account numbers over the phone. They may not necessarily be golden years, but they don’t have to be the tarnished years either.

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