09/13/07 Legislative tour

You can't take the country out of the boy but sometimes you have to bring the city boy or girl to the country to learn a little bit about agriculture. That's what happened for three days last week when a group of state legislators went on a tour of Treasure Valley farms. Actually they went to a feedlot, dairy, biodiesel plant, fruit ranch, potato processing plant and lots of fields and orchards, mostly in Canyon County. BOLZ "This one is kind of a special little tour because it's the only one that totally and specifically focuses on agriculture." That's state Representative Darrel Bolz. A former county extension agent Bolz is familiar with most agricultural issues as is Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Tom Gannon. Both men say their urban counterparts really get an education on these legislative tours. GANNON "If I can say remember when we took you to the humpty squat farm or you saw that particular area there and they can relate to it then so they can make a better decision." And yes, even ranchers like Celia Gould, a former legislator and now head of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, take the ag tour. GOULD "I learn a lot every time in go on one of these." More about the tour tomorrow. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott