Crop Circles & Urging Action

Crop Circles & Urging Action plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

The extensive drought and its impact on American agriculture has Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack pushing even more for a new five year Food, Farm and Jobs Bill to be passed this year. Vilsack responded to producer concerns about the length of time it will take USDA to implement new programs set up by a new farm bill.

VILSACK: Very simply when Congress does their job, we will do our job and it’s important for Congress to do its job now. We will work 24/7. We will work every day of the week to get the work done because we understand how important it is to producers . It shouldn’t be used as an explanation or an excuse or a reason for providing an extension as opposed to doing the work of getting a 5-year bill done, that somehow the USDA is going to need time. We have emergency rule making capacity, we have a lot of smart people who are committed and dedicated here and I will see to it that we basically do our work and do it in a timely fashion so no program is delayed because USDA hasn’t gotten it’s work done.

The idea of aliens around the Pacific Northwest is nothing new and last week the manifestation of that appeared in wheat fields not far from the Grand Coulee Dam. But how do you see the crop circles? Proof of aliens...modern art work created by some unknown persons...or an acre of ruined wheat?

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

This has been a strange year for the garden. First, it was a long cool wet spring. Then when it finally warmed up, it warmed up; leaving us with tomato, cucumber, and pepper plants that, while they have wonderful looking foliage, they just aren’t producing. At first I thought it was just something I was missing in the growing process - not enough water, too much water, not enough fertilizer, too much fertilizer. But finally I decided it wasn’t me, it was Mother Nature. When it gets too hot, no matter how much you water them, garden plants just won’t produce. Reportedly, tomato pollen dies at temperatures over 95 degrees which is probably why our plants aren’t bearing much fruit. Pruning away excess foliage can help the plants use more of their energy to produce fruits. Plus I’ve been told that for the pollination process to go well the plants may need a little movement every now and then. So, if you can’t find me sometime, be sure and check the garden. I’m more than likely out there gently stimulating my tomato plants so they can self-pollinate. Strange, I suddenly feel rather cheap and tawdry.

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