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| This Week's Titles: |
| Oilseed
Cooperataive Takes Another Positive Step |
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2004 Georgia Farm Outlook
Positive |
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| Beef
Cattle Outlook For Georgia Good |
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| Interesting
Discovery Made In Plants |
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| Consolidating
Bills Increase Money Problems |
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| Oilseed
Cooperative Takes Another Positive Step |
1:27 |
Georgia's proposed Oilseed
Cooperative recently took another step forward. |
Last year the board of
directors of the Oilseed Cooperative decided to locate their
crushing facility near Claxton in Evans County. George Shumaker,
an agricultural economist with the University of Georgia Extension
Service says several weeks ago, the cooperative started selling
stock to farmers across the state. He adds this is a significant
step. "Yes, this is going to be the ultimate test as to whether
or not this cooperative is going to succeed, and that is whether
or not they'll be able to convince farmers of the state of Georgia
to support this enterprise." George Shumaker with the College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds farmers
will have until the fall of 2004 to purchase stock in the Oilseed
Cooperative. If stock sales are successful, construction of
the crushing facility could begin late this year, or early in
2005, and be in operation by the fall of 2005. 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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| 2004
Georgia Farm Outlook Positive |
1:39 |
The early outlook for the 2004
farm year in Georgia is bright. |
The 2003 farm year was
the best farmers experienced in a long time. Timely rains fell,
and market prices for most row crops increased. Don Shurley,
an agricultural economist with the University of Georgia's College
of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences says early signs
point to a continued increase in farm income in 2004. He adds
higher foreign demands for U.S. exports are helping market prices
move up. "You know the world supply situation is very tight
right now for most of these crops. Also the dollar, over the
past couple of years, from it's high a couple of years ago,
the dollar has weakened some. That has made our exports cheaper
to other countries so a lot of things coming together here at
the same time." Don Shurley with the College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences. One problem farmers could face this
year is rising prices for gasoline and diesel. When fuel prices
go up, farmers also must pay more for chemicals and pesticides,
which makes it a challenge to make a profit, even with improved
market 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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| Beef
Cattle Outlook For Georgia Good |
1:34 |
Despite mad cow disease concerns,
Georgia's beef cattle outlook is bright for 2004. |
When a single case of mad
cow disease was confirmed last December in Washington state,
there were fears the nations's beef industry would take a big
hit. But the forecasts of doom and gloom did not occur, and
an agricultural economist with the University of Georgia Extension
Service believe's the beef industry in Georgia will have a good
year in 2004. "No that really hasn't materialized, as a matter
of fact U.S. consumers have really responded by maintaining
their level of consumption of beef. And so demand has really
held up well. Also we're in a position to where we have short
cattle supplies anyway. So those two factors have combined to
keep feeder and fed cattle prices up." That was Curt Lacy with
the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who
predicts market prices for beef cattle will change little from
those cattle farmers received in 2003. 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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| Interesting
Discovery Made In Plants |
1:34 |
College scientists have discovered
some interesting chromosomes in a plant. |
Through the years it was
thought sex chromosomes were extremely rare in plants. But a
scientist with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences helped discover sex chromosomes in
papaya shrubs and trees. He adds this is a significant discovery.
"What the selective forces are that nature uses to propagate
sex chromosomes. Because these occurred pretty recently it's
an opportunity to better understand the early steps and the
process of forming a sex chromosome." That was Andrew Paterson
with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
When further testing was done, scientists discovered that papaya
sex chromosomes have virtually all the features that human sex
chromosomes have, that determine the sex of the plant. A lot
more research is planned for the future in hopes of discovering
rare sex chromosomes in other plants. 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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| Consolidating
Bills Increase Money Problems |
1:27 |
Consolidating your bills could
increase your money problems. |
We see and hear advertisements
encouraging people with bad credit to consolidate their debt.
But a financial management specialist with the University of
Georgia Extension Service cautions each of these agencies is
providing a service to make a profit, not to help get people
out of debt. He adds many people are shocked when they discover
the negative side of a consolidation loan. "Most of the time
and when you get a consolidation loan it's going to end up increasing
your costs in the long term of repaying that debt. There are
exceptions so you do need to check it out and see what it's
going to be but in general the interest rates that you're able
go get on consolidation loans make them too expensive to be
worth it." That was Michael Rupured with the College of Family
and Consumer Sciences, who adds if you truly want to get out
of debt, it's probably best to stay away from debt consolidation
loans. If borrowing is your problem, borrowing more is not the
solution. 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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