06/26/07 Consuming DDG's & Darigold Export

Consuming DDG's & Darigold Export. plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. A by-product of the manufacture of ethanol may be coming to the dinner table in the near future if the folks at USDA's Ag Research have anything to do with it. Distillers grain or DDG's are the left over material that is full of nutrients and is currently being used as feed for livestock but the edible high protein and fiber product may soon be a part of cookies, breads or pastas. One problem has to be overcome first..a bitter off-flavor and odor which is a result of the fermentation process. Cooperatives Working Together has accepted a bid from Darigold of Seattle for the export of 300 tons of butter to Saudi Arabia. Chris Galen with National Milk Producers Federation says it's a way to help increase producers prices. GALEN: What we have been able to verify from an independent study is that in CWT's first 3 years, first 3 full years; '04, '05 and '06 it's increased farm level prices about 42 cents a hundred weight and that's by doing our export assistance program as well as our herd retirement program. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. When it comes to our university system I count myself an expert by virtue of the fact that between my two boys I've sent tuition checks to six different colleges. Don't get me started about the great college rip off. It's not just about text books it's about what our children are learning and how tuition dollars are being spent. Basically it boils down to the fact that we are funding indoctrination rather than education. The latest tuition zapping trend is for colleges to become carbon neutral. Basically what that means for parents with a student at ASU for example is that a portion of each tuition helps to buy free buss passes for every student on campus. Funny when I recently visited the campus I was awed by all the sports cars and SUV's the kids were zipping around in, I don't recall seeing coeds in bus lines. ASU is among the 284 colleges that have pledged to become carbon neutral through the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. Now wouldn't it be something if our universities were just as "committed" about making sure students found good jobs upon graduation! Thanks Susan. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network