Farmer's Markets & Minimum Wage Defeat

Farmer's Markets & Minimum Wage Defeat plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

It is a bit early in the season but we are beginning to hear about a few local farmer's markets that are getting underway. A quick look around the northwest are showing a surprising number of markets opening this weekend. Of course as the season progresses there will be more and more fresh varieties to choose from. If you have a local farmer's market opening soon, why not make it a family outing.

COONS: The Yea's are 54 and the Nay's are 42. Three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn not having voted in the affirmative, the motion is not agreed to.

That was how it went on Capital Hill yesterday as the Senate failed to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10. Senate Republicans effectively blocked the vote that had been a priority for the Obama administration. The current minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Senate Democrats said that raising the minimum wage would have many positive effects including increased productivity and lower turnover. Senate Repubs rebutted that a hike could slow job growth. The President fired back quote, "If your member of Congress doesn't support raising the minimum wage, you got to let them know they are out of step, and if they keep putting politics ahead of working Americans, you'll put them out of office."

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

The majority of gardeners are more than happy to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening with others, leading to a whole new crop of home gardens, school gardens and community gardens. Just this past week the First Lady of our state celebrated with a group of volunteers and expert gardeners the replanting of the public garden at the Governors Executive Residence. The garden was built by dozens of volunteers who continue to care for it and support it throughout the growing season. Food from the garden is used at the Governor's residence as well as being donated to local food banks. There are numerous food bank garden projects around the country where low income people are learning to grow their own food in small, raised-bed gardens. In fact, gardening advocates have reported that more and more people from all walks of life are showing a strong interest in growing their own food. That's where those "happy to share" gardening experts I spoke of earlier come in. This time of year they're busy conducting garden workshops and master gardener classes to help the beginning gardener become an expert gardener.

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