Job Opportunities & Farm Bill Now

Job Opportunities & Farm Bill Now

Job Opportunities & Farm Bill Now plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

If you are looking for a job or to change a job the ag industry has plenty of openings. Cate Sprout of CHS Inc explains some of the many agribusiness jobs that are experiencing a current shortage of talent, and what to look for to fill those positions.

SPROUT: Just simply think of the industry. It could be ag education teachers. It could be individuals that are going to work in the ag sector at a Co-op, at a green terminal on the river or an export facility. Individuals that would be working at crop nutrient facilities and so individuals that are in operations, logistics, operations management. And then the ag industry a little bit broader. Refineries and processing facilities, engineering, chem engineering, manufacturing engineering, process and project management engineering. It would be working at a co-op and going out selling the product to the producer; the diesel, the propane

With the farm bill still in limbo - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says farmers and ranchers need to work to increase the understanding of agriculture. Vilsack says passage of a farm bill is long overdue and characterizes it as the number one issue affecting American agriculture today. He says the lack of congressional action on the farm bill should concern every American. He says we need a farm bill - and need it now.

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

Pretty much everyone, and I mean everyone is getting tired of hearing about Congress needing to pass a new farm bill. You would think that Congress would get the message. It is the subject matter for many ag industry annual gathering main speakers, such as American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman who spoke at that group's recent gathering in San Antonio. The passing of a new farm bill is number one on a list of three big chores the Farm Bureau wants to see done, immigration reform and reliable water transportation were numbers two and three respectively. In speaking to the group gathered in San Antonio Stallman spoke about how Farm Bureau members from around the country who attend such conventions are a prime example of working together for the common good. Despite differences in farming methods, crops, and geographical locations they convene once a year to determine and adopt common policies that will guide the organization. The point being that if other groups can do this on a regular basis why can't Congress bridge their differences and work towards the common good. All in all though, Stallman says he remains optimistic that Congress will pass a Farm Bill this month. I guess that's really the best we can do.

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

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