Secretary of Agriculture is stepping down from his cabinet position

[Steve]

"On the verge of politicians agreeing on a new Farm Bill, the United States Secretary of Agriculture is stepping down from his cabinet position.

Ag Secretary Mike Johanns is making a run at a Nebraska Senate seat, and Johnson says three years of invested time has been lost with Johanns decision.

Johnson himself doesn`t believe a new Farm Bill will be delayed and expects one to be done by the end of the year. It has passed the US House and is now in the Senate."

This weeks extra credit question is: Name the top three contributors to the Senate campaign of Johanns. Like we don't know.

[Jan Flora]

Would that be Cargill, ADM and Monsanto?

I talked to Johanns last Monday about opening the Alaska/ Canada border for live cattle imports. (He spoke to the delegates at the National Farmers Union Legislative Fly-In. I was one of the delegates.)

Johanns didn't say anything about stepping down. Chuck Conners also spoke. He's going to be the acting Sec/Ag.

The Farm Bill is going to be a huge fight in the Senate.

Jan in Alaska

[Ann]

Steve expounded:

Jan already gave the correct answer, I'm sure.

I'm finally reading the Omnivore's Dilemma. Fascinating read, I had no idea corn was as pervasive in our food and industrial system as it is. What a web that needs to be untangled - I fear for our food supply. Buy and eat local if at all possible! From

"Maine farmers led New England in 2006 with cash receipts generated by farm marketing totaling $593 million, a 9 percent increase over the previous year."

Many of the successful Maine farms have many crops, operate CSA's, or fill a niche market on fewer acres than farms in other states. Massachusetts has also shown an uptick in the number of successful small family run farms. Maybe there is hope yet.

[Steve]

Steven King could not make that story more frightening, eh?

[Ann]

Steve expounded:

Funny you should mention him, he was standing in line in front of us up at the Common Ground Fair this past Saturday. And you're right, he couldn't!