CRP Signup & Wolf Kill

There are two items of note with USDA's Conservation Reserve Program - a new continuous sign up and extensions of expiring contracts according to Farm Service Agency Administrator Juan Garcia.

GARCIA: This will give us time this next year to work out all the regulations of the farm bill and hopefully prepare for a sign up next year if the Secretary determines that it's important to hold another general sign up.

A continuous CRP sign up begins today.

GARCIA: This particular sign up is mainly targeted to certain practices such as buffer strips. We have a lot of repairman buffers out there that protect the water quality and stop nutrients from flowing into streams. The requirements are a lot less restrictive than the general sign up.

The wolf, OR-18 was found shot on the east side of the Bitterroot Valley, about 35 miles southeast of Missoula recently. The animal was born into the Snake River pack and was collared by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists last March, then dispersed, looking for new territory and a mate. Last week Oregon wildlife officials called their peers in Montana to say the wolf's collar was sending out a mortality signal. The state allows wolf hunting between Sept. 15 and March 15, and landowners can kill wolves that threaten livestock, people or pets. But the state did not receive any reports of threats or kills, making this one illegal.

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

Last week ushered in the opening of several local Farmers Markets. I look forward each year to that first opening day with the same amount of enthusiasm that a youngster has for Christmas morning. Word has obviously gotten out that the Farmers Market is the one place where you can be rest assured of finding deliciously fresh and tasty produce, as we thought we were getting there early, but in fact we seemed to be the late comers. Our area of over one hundred thousand inhabitants has three farmers markets but could stand to have several more, as the demand for fresh local produce seems to outpace the supply.

As each farmer who manages a stand will tell you it's a lot of hard work but extremely satisfying and well worth it. Thankfully a new generation of young and enthusiastic farmers are stepping in and taking over for the large number of retiring farmers who are happy to pass the torch, confidant that the wonderful tradition of the local farmers market will stay alive.

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