02/19/07 Cuba & Terror Free Fuel

Paving the way to Cuba & Terror Free Fuel plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. Kansas Congressman Jerry Moran has introduced legislation to increase the ability of U.S. ag producers to market their products to Cuba. The measure - the Agricultural Export Facilitation Act of 2007 - would remove barriers to all present and future sales of ag goods to Cuba under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000. According to Moran - it's the right time to encourage the U.S. to change its trade policies toward Cuba as Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is stepping aside. He says Cuba is an important market for U.S. agriculture. MORAN: For nearly 50 years we have tried to change the government of Fidel Castro by an embargo. It's time to try a new approach. One that not only helps American farmers but also one that hastens the day when the people of Cuba have their freedoms restored. The first "terror-free" gas station was inaugurated this week in Omaha, Nebraska aiming to send a message to Middle Eastern oil producers thought to sponsor terrorism. The station in the central US state greets customers with large "terror-free" signs and the pumps proudly proclaim that the oil being drawn is "terror-free premium" or "terror-free super." Messages plastered inside the station`s convenience store drive home the message that it only sells oil from Canada and the United States and supports the war on terror. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Now I have heard it said that farmers can have tunnel vision when it comes to implementing new technology, yet tunnel vision is preciously what it is needed to be successful with a new style of farming gaining popularity. Looking more like a huge moth cocoon from a sci-fi, tunnel farms are large plastic tunnels that serve as a greenhouse of sorts for row crops like carrots, lettuce and strawberries. Called High Tunnels these devises used to control the elements, are typically 90 feet long and 20 feet wide with wood or aluminum frames. The tunnel affect serves to control temperatures without supplemental heat or cooling and while they take considerable management to get it right, they can extend the growing season for crops like carrots, beets and spinach to nearly year round harvests. Tunnel farming is catching on in a big way so I expect High Tunnels will begin popping up in the Northwest given the fact that the recent workshop sponsored by Ohio State drew farmers from five states. So, it is safe to say that there is no tunnel vision allowed if you want to attempt tunnel farming. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.