01/19/06 Fighting for emergency energy aid

Washington Ag January 19, 2006 The president of the McGregor Company, Alex McGregor, told the Pacific Northwest Farm Forum in Spokane this week there will be opportunities in the next several weeks to again raise the issue of emergency federal assistance to farmers for high fuel and fertilizer costs. McGregor: "We'll have more growers from more regions come on board as those in spring cropping districts focus on the big energy bills they will be facing at fertilizing and seeding time. If farm families from the inland northwest will keep writing legislators and telling in their own words of this crisis and what it means on their farms, it will do immeasurable good in keeping this issue front and center." And McGregor made an impassioned plea for people to get politically involved on the issue. McGregor: "When I think of the farm families we all, you, me, all of us know who have had to quit, who have said they might try it for one more year, or who are running out of hope, I believe we have to go after it with all the gusto we've got and get'er done. Please join me in the fray once more." I'm Bob Hoff.