Farm Income Forecast & Fast Food Strike plus Preparing for Disaster

Farm Income Forecast & Fast Food Strike plus Preparing for Disaster

Farm Income Forecast & Fast Food Strike plus Preparing for Disaster. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. If you are a fan of fast-food you might have had some trouble getting it yesterday as thousands of fast-food workers staged walkouts as part of a push to get chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's to pay workers higher wages. The walkouts follow a series of strikes that began last November in New York City, then spread to cities including Chicago, Detroit and Seattle. Workers say they want $15 an hour more than double the federal minimum wage, which many fast food workers make, of $7.25 an hour. USDA has forecast net farm income at 120.6-billion dollars in 2013. That's up six-percent from 2012's estimate of 113.8-billion. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says that is good news. VILSACK: Good news and we obviously want to continue that momentum. This weeks forecast of a $6.8 billion dollar increase in net farm income is a great statement about the resilience and productivity of U.S. farmers and ranchers and I think it's a further sign of the positive momentum that has been achieved over the past 5 years. It gives me confidence that our farmers and ranchers continue to show the determination and innovation that's been the hallmark of American agriculture and productivity of American agriculture for generations. Now preparing for disaster. Rod Bain reports. (USDA Report) Thanks Rod. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.
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