04/03/07 Dairy industry turnaround & Korean Trade

The dairy industry is coming off a poor year price-wise nationwide. Some dairy producers have been running in the red due to the high input prices like gasoline and corn for feed. Chris Galen with the National Milk Producers Federation says it looks like things are turning around. GALEN: The good news from the farmers' standpoint is it looks like prices are turning around. We're back at about an average price level right now but it looks like 2007 will end up being an above average price year. Galen says the consumer prices across the northwest should remain fairly steady with some minor increases expected. GALEN: People might notice another dime or two per gallon of milk  another dime or two in the price of cheese. Nothing major. I mean it's nothing like when we see big run ups in the cost of lettuce or orange juice or gasoline which are much more volatile in terms of their pricing. On Sunday, the U.S. and Korean governments finalized negotiations that should provide farmers and ranchers in addition to manufacturers and service providers exciting new market opportunities. The KORUS-FTA opens up new export opportunities for Ag producers by eliminating and phasing out tariffs and quotas on a broad range of products but that won't happen over night. It may take as long as 10 years to eliminate some of those restrictions. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Take a look around at all of us; do you really think it will work? The big cheese CEO of the restaurant conglomerate that owns TGI Fridays announced he does. He is putting his money where his mouth is, being a fitness fanatic and avid runner he has reduced portion sizes at Fridays restaurants convinced customers want to eat healthier. Other aren't so sure, Ruby Tuesday's attempt at cutting portion sizes failed miserably because consumers associate the amount of food on their plate with dollar value. Trend analysts will be watching with "bated breath" to see if TGI Friday's new "Right size" smaller portions will go over big with a society that has found itself "super sized". Portions at many fast food chains are now five times larger than was served up in the 1950's and the average American today consumes 12 percent more calories then they did 20 years ago . In an era where Burger King and McDonalds have taught us the mantra of "supersize me" the jury is still out whether an icon in the restaurant industry, TGI Fridays can now educate a generation to request the "right size." Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.