12/30/05 Top N.W. ag stories of 2005, Finale

So when recapping what might be considered the top ag and rural based related stories in the Northwest in 2005, what would such a review be without stories about the weather, health, safety, and energy. The most personal item for Northwest producers was drought like conditions going into growing season, thanks to the rapid melt of what little mountain snow pack was available in the late winter  early spring months. It led to progressive actions in much of the Northwest, including orchardists in the Yakima Basin cutting tops of trees to conserve water, to a drought emergency declaration in parts of the region. Fortunately, late spring rains aided in preventing significant damages for most Northwest crops. The weather of a different region of the country would also have an impact on Northwest ag indirectly. Hurricane Katrina's damage to the sugar cane industry of the Gulf Coast provided a boost to our region's sugar beet industry, scores of Northwest ag related industries were among those providing aid of different levels to survivors of the Katrina, and other Gulf Coast hurricanes. But even with the Gulf weather's impacts to oil and gas production going into the fall months, fuel prices and correlating prices for diesel for truck fuel and fertilizer production from natural gas reached record highs and stayed high throughout the year. And it led many ag producers to tell lawmakers do something before they went out of business. That led to finally passage of an Energy Bill in Congress with emphasized increase production of renewable fuels, but little short term relief so far. Health wise, the Northwest top story could be again the impacts b.s.e. and related export bans have had on our region's and our nation's cattle industry. Or it could have been the continued spread of West Nile virus. But it might be noted that West Nile was replaced in the interest meter by another virus developing an ocean way. What's interesting is Avian flu bird is yet to arrive on American soil & at the least the deadly strain of bird flu that has led to dozens of deaths in Asia. But just the threat of the virus prompted U.S. officials to announce an all-hands on deck approach towards prevention and education efforts. Safety issues related to ag in 2005 took many forms. There was the debate over immigration reform and strengthening our nation's borders against the risk of terrorist threat, which connected to ag with various attempts in Congress to include an improved guest worker program. Such efforts will continue in 2006 as the region's specialty crop producers hope to convince Congress that such a reliable guest worker program is needed for their industries and their local economies.