09/13/06 Drought & Impact Grants

Drought not as bad & Impact Grants. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. There may be crop reduction in some parts of the country due to drought. However, overall it is a different story. Keith Collins is the USDA's Chief Economist. COLLINS: What we are showing today is no change in wheat production from the August report. For corn, yield up, the second highest yield, the second highest production for corn so we raised our production estimate about 1% nearly 140 million bushels and soybeans was probably the biggest increase of anything. Soybean production is estimated to be 6% from last month mainly due to a 6% increase in yield from last month. The yield per acre is up 2.2 bushels to 41.8 bushels per acre. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced the award of $16,506,190 in Economic Impact Grants to improve public safety, health care and educational services in 30 states and the Western Pacific. The funds are provided through USDA Rural Development`s Community Facilities Program. Many of the grants announced today fund equipment or facilities for providers of emergency services. In the five years since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Bush Administration, through USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program, has invested over $1.3 billion and funded 3,556 individual projects or equipment purchases for first responders. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Some of you can recall where you were the day John Lennon died. Years from my two sons, twenty and twenty-four will retain with that same poignancy, the memory of where they were labor Day weekend 2006 when Australian naturalist Steve Irwin was killed by a sting ray. You see, they grew up with the "Crocodile Hunter." Steve taught them to get down on the level with wildlife, look it in the eye, yet respect it. From Irwin antics Austin and Tommy learned to seek, and adore adventure; roll that rock over, peer under the log or climb the tree. Of course snake handling was a skill I never fully appreciated yet I respected the fact that thanks to Steve, rattle snakes don't rattle my sons. The boys also gave high marks to Steve's best mate and wife Terrie, Oh they got a kick out of her pluck. Better yet she was from Oregon, proving that there were actually gals worth their salt in the Northwest. We will miss the Crocodile hunter who despite an era of electronics; game boys, computers and ipods proved that the natural world could still be utterly captivating. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.