05/17/07 Encouraging Production & Higher Food Prices

Three Senators have introduced legislation that would reward ag producers for growing crops to be used for cellulosic ethanol production. The Farm to Fuel Investment Act would provide three years of assistance for those farmers producing dedicated energy crops in an area 50 miles around a biorefinery that produces fuels like cellulosic ethanol. Once the market has developed and the crops have matured - the transition assistance would phase out. A trip to the grocery store is taking a bigger bite out of the family budget these days due to something called "agflation." That's higher prices due to things like the rising price of corn and other farm products. According to USDA economist Ephraim Leibtag were are seeing higher prices for fresh fruits and vegetables this year. LEIBTAG: We saw declines in fruit and vegetable prices month to month April versus March, however the year over years are still quite a bit above our expected area. For fresh fruit prices year over year they're still 6.1% above April 2006 for fresh fruits; fresh vegetable prices are currently a little bit above that 8.1% above the 2006 level and again this is year over year, April 07 as compared to April 06. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. Americans' appetite for imported foods has grown right along with her waste line. From 2003 until 06 the amount of FDA regulated imported foods doubled and is expected to break the 9 million mark in food import product lines falling under FDA jurisdiction this year. The fact that that less than one percent of all imports ever gets inspected should have us all painstaking picking through those tiny country of origin labels in the produce section, yet the majority of us remain unconcerned about what country grew the tomato's as long as we can buy them year round for a reasonable price. Chinas' "inability of accountability" brought to light the perils of policing this new global food economy. Some factions of government are demanding more inspectors while others believe funds should be earmarked for high risk sector of the food supply venerable to terrorists. The fact we have two government entities, the FDA watchdog of 80 percent of our food supply including fresh produce and seafood and the Department of AG guarding the additional 20; meat, poultry and eggs practically ensures that the Tsunami of imported foods won't subside anytime soon. Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.