Postage Going Up & New Record for Corn

Postage Going Up & New Record for Corn plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

When was the last time you sent an actual letter through the mail. Email and texting have created quite a nightmare for the U.S. Postal Service. They have defaulted on several loan payments and it is doubtful that they will ever really recover but the are still plugging away. In fact as of the January 27, 2013 you will be paying a penny more for the “Forever” stamp. It goes to 46 cents. A new global "forever" stamp will allow customers to mail first-class letters anywhere in the world for one set price of $1.10. Rates for postcards and other service will go up as well.

USDA says corn prices have hit a new record after another drop in monthly yield and production estimates. World Ag Outlook Board Chair Gerald Bange says USDA increased its harvested corn acreage forecast - but that was more than offset by a reduced yield estimate.

BANGE: They reduced the bushels per acre by 8/10th of a bushel so they’re down 122 bushels per acre and if you take the area harvested being up and the yield being down a little really results in a production change which is very, very small.

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

Earlier this month HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle announced he was running for a seat on the board of directors of Tyson Foods. Tyson Foods is one of the last major food companies to holdout to HSUS pressure in its animal rights campaign to stop the use of gestation crates for sows. Tyson competitors Hormel and Smithfield Foods have already caved to HSUS pressure. Pacelle says he will be a “fresh voice” on the Tyson board and his input will be good for the company. Representatives for Tyson Foods said they were handling the nomination according to the law and the company’s by-laws, and that Tyson is “committed to humane animal treatment and expects the same from the family farmers who supply them with hogs, chickens, and cattle”. Perhaps turnabout is fair play. Is it time for a family farmer or two to run for a seat on the HSUS board of directors and bring an experienced voice of animal agriculture to the HSUS business model? This person could help fellow HSUS directors decide what is real and what is political hype, prejudice, or just plain ignorance when it comes to animal ag practices. I’m liking it. Volunteers, anyone?

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