Inversion Troubles & Vilsack Keeps Pushing

Inversion Troubles & Vilsack Keeps Pushing plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

People that suffer from respiratory issues may want to take a vacation now as a weather phenomenon known as an inversion continues over the northwest bringing stagnant air quality to the region. An inversion holds cold air at the surface with warmer up above it and tend to have very little air movement. Air stagnation warnings have been posted in a number of areas through the end of the week.

You have heard that Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is staying on during Obama’s second term in office. He says he plans to keep pushing for a farm bill. But there are challenges.

VILSACK: Poverty in rural areas and deeply concerned about the population loss we’ve seen in rural areas and I think that has translated into less political power, if you will, from rural America and that compromises our ability to get things like a farm bill through the process. So it’s all very, very important. It’s all connected and we’re going to continue to be aggressive and continue to be creative and innovative at USDA given that we’re dealing with very stressful budget circumstances. First thing we want to get a Food, Farms and Jobs bill, farm bill through the process because that will basically provide some of the tools that were available that are no longer available.

Now animal traceability. Susan Carter has more.

(USDA Report)

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