Lame Attempt & Huckleberry Troubles

Lame Attempt & Huckleberry Troubles plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

On Thursday the House passed the disaster aid bill on a 223 to 197. The disaster assistance is only authorized for 2012 and provides for payments totaling 383-million dollars. The bill is not likely to become law however - because it provides less disaster assistance than the five-year farm bill the Senate passed. On top of that - Congress left for the August recess Friday. Representative Collin Peterson made the case for passage of a comprehensive five year Food, Farm and Jobs bill.

PETERSON: We need to get this bill conferenced. We need to get it moved. We need to get it done so we can get it into place by September 30th so producers can get what they really need out of this bill and that is a long term policy that they know they can count on.

Huckleberries are prized for their sweet taste and can fetch a premium price but officials in Nez Perce-Clearwater national forests have received reports of pickers cutting and hauling away huckleberry brush. Removing huckleberry bushes from national forests lands is illegal, and violators can face up to six months in jail and fines totaling up to $5,000. Plants that are damaged do not grow back and it may take several years before another huckleberry plant takes its place. Unfortunately there has not been enough information gathered for law enforcement officials to make a case and catch violators.

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

The drought this year has caused major problems for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. That means consumers will be seeing the effect of the drought as well. Most of us are already bracing ourselves for those inevitable higher grocery bills. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is saying that overall food prices will probably rise three to four percent next year. So what should consumers stock up on now in order to help save money down the road? With the corn, wheat and soybean crops all taking a major hit from the drought in the Midwest experts suggest stocking up on flour, cereals, breads, cornmeal, cornstarch, and other storable products containing corn, soy and wheat would probably be a very good idea. If you are fortunate enough to have a chest freezer in addition to your regular kitchen freezer, stocking up on meat, dairy, and frozen fruits and vegetables wouldn’t be a bad idea either, since the drought has affected these producers as well. But don’t let the Y2K mentality take over either. While there will be increases in food prices, a dramatic spike in food prices that causes panic and rationing at the grocery store is not in the near future.

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