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| This Week's Titles: |
| Northwest
Georgia Fifth Graders Learn About Agriculture |
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Plenty Of North Georgia
Apples In 2008 |
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| Market
Prices For Timber Down |
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| September
Is Food Safety Education Month |
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| Corn
Market Prices Move Down |
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| Northwest
Georgia Fifth Graders Learn About Agriculture |
1:30 |
A Northwest Georgia county
is bringing the farm into the classroom, so students can learn
the importance of agriculture. |
New Georgia Performance
Standards in science were established in fifth grade classrooms
in 2006. Part of these new requirements included education training
in agriculture. Casey Hobbs, a county extension agent in Walker
County says the training is not confined to growing row crops
and raising cows. "One of them is about microbes that invade
our food and how they are transferred and how things get contaminated,
as well as the importance of washing hands. We also talk about
plant classification, actually looking at a plant and looking
at the shape of the leaves, the arrangement of the leaf on the
plant, to actually classify that plant in a certain species
category." Casey Hobbs with the University of Georgia's College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds teachers
used the AgriScience curriculum that help teach fifth grade
students both science and agriculture. The program reaped positive
results, since eleven percent of Walker County students tested
better than the state average in science. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Plenty
Of North Georgia Apples In 2008 |
1:31 |
There should be plenty of apples
coming off the trees in North Georgia this fall for travelers
to sink their teeth into. |
During the fall many people
travel to the North Georgia mountains to enjoy the cool weather,
and view the colorful display of leaves. Part of their vacation
plans include loading up with fresh North Georgia apples. Eddie
Ayers, a county extension agent in Fannin County says the 2008
apple crop should be one of the best in years. He adds mother
nature has smiled on this year's crop, and provided good weather
for producers. "It was a little bit dry early in the year, and
we were concerned. But we've gotten some recent rains lately
and the apples are starting to size up nicely and color up and
looking real good. We have fortunately avoided any bad weather
and hope to continue to do that." Eddie Ayers with the University
of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
who adds insects and diseases have not caused a lot of problems
for apple growers in 2008. So apple lovers planning a vacation
to the North Georgia mountains this fall should have a fruitful
trip, since they should have no problem finding plenty of apples
to eat and take home. John Harrell, University of Georgia College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Market
Prices For Timber Down |
1:35 |
Landowners thinking about selling
timber will be disappointed in current market prices. |
It seems like a distant
memory when landowners made nice profits on timber sales. But
timber market prices have fallen down in recent years, along
with paychecks. Tom Harris, a professor of forestry at the University
of Georgia says several economic factors have contributed to
these lower prices. "Main reason for that is decline in housing
starts and the resulting impact on the lumber market. That's
carried through to the stumpage and delivered wood markets,
and our prices for pine saw timber are actually at a level that
we haven't seen since second quarter of 1994." That was Tom
Harris with the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry
and Natural Resources, who adds the pulpwood market is a little
stronger for pine and hardwood trees. But despite a stronger
market, prices are still at lower levels. Landowners thinking
about selling timber should keep a close check on the markets
and current prices before deciding whether to cut and sell,
or wait and hope for higher prices. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| September
Is Food Safety Education Month |
1:45 |
Food Safety will be on the
front burner across Georgia and the nation during September.
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Many people are concerned
about food safety in recent months, after several outbreaks
of foodborne illnesses. Judy Harrison, a foods specialist with
the University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences
explains why food safety is emphasized as fall begins. "And
because September is such a busy month, we have kids going back
to school with their lunch boxes, football fans are feasting
in the parking lot, campers and hikers are converging on the
parks with everything from grills to backpacks. And so that
just makes September a perfect time to remind people it's important
to keep their food safe and practice good, safe food handling
practices.' Judy Harrison with the College of Family and Consumer
Sciences, who adds September is National Food Safety Education
Month. Soap and water are two items that can greatly reduce
the chances of a foodborne illness. Wash hands before handling
food. Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards after contact
with raw meats, poultry, seafood, and eggs. And don't forget
to wash your hands before eating. Use warm water and soap and
wash for at least twenty seconds to get rid of bacteria and
microorganisms that can make you sick. John Harrell, University
of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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| Corn
Market Prices Move Down |
1:47 |
Late summer market prices for
corn have shifted and gone in reverse in recent weeks. |
During August farmers in
Georgia begin harvesting their 2008 corn crop. But an agricultural
economist with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences says prices have dropped from a high
around eight dollars a bushel, to around five dollars in recent
weeks. He adds several economic factors have led to this bearish
trend. "The main reasons for the drop in prices were one, we
started to see the value of the dollar strengthen. That has
made our exports more costly when the value of the dollar strengthens
so that was one reason, another reason was oil prices started
to drop, a little bit of a bear movement there, and the other
influence for prices dropping is improved expectations of yields
for corn and soybeans. Crop conditions have improved and the
impact of the Mid-West floods are not as great as once were
thought." That was Nathan Smith with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. The main determining factor will
be corn harvest in the mid-west this fall. If a lot of corn
comes out of the fields, market prices will face a stiff challenge
moving back up. John Harrell, University of Georgia College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton. |
Links to audio files:
(files include a brief quote from the source for your use.)
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