Vilsack on Mexico & Compost Expansion

Vilsack on Mexico & Compost Expansion plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. A commercial composting business may expand and move even though they have received some complaints about odor. Cedar Grove Composting, which converts food and yard waste into compost, expects to process more than three times more organic waste than it currently does. Company officials said they only want to build an electricity plant now at their Smith Island facility and have no plans to expand their capacity to process compost. Cedar Grove contracts with local governments to receive compostable organic waste, such as grass, yard trimmings and food waste. It grinds and cures the material and sells the finished product as compost for gardens. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Mexico tariff issue is being worked on by Transportation Secretary LaHood. VILSACK: This is an issue that he is personally dealing with on a daily basis. Secretary LaHood continues to negotiate and discuss if you will with his Mexican counterpart how we might be able to ensure that the equipment being used in Mexican trucks is safe, how we can ensure that Mexican drivers are not driving a disproportionate number of hours so they create some hazards. My view is that this is going to get worked out. I'd like to tell you it's going to get worked out next week – I don't know that that's the case. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray. Cows won't eat it, sheep won't eat it, even goats won't eat it. If a goat won't eat it, you know something's wrong. I'm talking about smut-grass, a stubborn and invasive perennial bunch grass originating from tropical Asia that has found its way into pastures across the United States. Smut-grass didn't appear over night, farmers and ranchers have been fighting the troublesome "weed" for nearly fifty years, and this invasive species has plenty of other company. It seems obvious why farmers and ranchers should be concerned about invasive plants, or weeds; invasive plant species crowd out native and desirable plants while robbing the area of fertilizer and water. But these invaders aren't just a farming problem. For anyone that enjoys the great outdoors, whether biking, hiking, camping, or fishing, invasive plants not indigenous to the area can make these activities highly unpleasant by taking over campsites, causing severe dermatitis, a possibility of poisoning, or just making it darned hard to navigate around. Even with my great love of plants I recognize that not all plants are pleasing or desirable, in fact, some of them can be downright dangerous. Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.