Author Archives: Laura Hertzfeld

Reaping and sowing

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The economy has put farmers in a tight spot, but there is good news out there, too.

NPR today reported on dairy farmers in California, the top dairy-producing state in the country. And while they may have funny commercials featuring talking cows, farmers like Joey Mendoza aren’t laughing.

“Mendoza says he’s squeezed between competition from mega-dairies, the high cost of feed and the dip in consumer demand. These days, he’s earning only about half of what it costs for him to produce each gallon of milk.”

From PBS NewsHour’s Patchwork Nation, there’s somewhat comforting news in Tractor Country, a key community the project is following. In Sioux City, Iowa, farmers are not feeling quite as despondent as Mendoza after a damp spring. Blogger Donald King wrote about the start of summer in farmland and shared his thoughts about the current climate.

“For areas like this, agriculture is totally wrapped up with the health of the economy. So it is as hard to ignore the state of the economy in Iowa as it is anywhere these days. I can report that at least in traditionally strong agricultural communities like Sioux Center and Orange City, Iowa, we are holding our own. Sure, everyone is behaving cautiously, spending is fairly flat, but no one is panicking, and unemployment is still below the national average.”

There’s also good news for the industry as a whole. This feature from earth-friendly web site Mother Nature Network features 40 Farmers Under 40 – many of whom are experimenting with new techniques of both growing and selling.

Putting lawmakers (and readers!) to the test

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If you’re confused about what’s going on with the economy, you’re not alone. It’s scary to think about the huge amount of information out there and hard to get a handle on what’s really important. And Capitol Hill isn’t faring much better.

While Congressional staffers and aides pore over documents for representatives daily, many legislators are still unclear on some basic financial concepts. Does Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) know what a derivative is? How much influence do lobbyists have over finance issues? Capitol News Connection turned the tables on Congress to see how much lawmakers really understand about the economy, and whether learning these concepts on the fly is sufficient for making decisions that can impact all of us.

Putting lawmakers to the test isn’t a new idea, but it is one that can inspire action. Nonprofit group WhyTuesday.org spent most of 2008 asking American leaders why we go to the polls on Tuesday. Not surprisingly, more than a few legislators were in the dark.

For the answer, watch:

To test your knowledge of the economy, the Federal Reserve of Boston has an in-depth series of quizzes. The topics range from women and the economy (During which year did the labor force participation rate of women peak?) to social security (How many years must a person have worked to qualify for social security benefits? ) to immigration (In the United States, what is the state with the highest share of Hispanic population?).

Schools feel the pinch – and the pinchers

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It may be summer vacation for students, but public schools around the country are in the headlines, as they are usually among the first to feel the impact of budget cuts. Already strapped for cash, some are coming up with new ideas to make the most of what they have, both in terms of staff and resources.

In Oakland, California, budget cuts have bred creativity – as well as several species of creatures. Cultivating their own insects and small animals like crayfish for science projects, rather than buying them from suppliers, has saved the district over $200,000.
Youth Radio reports on this unique approach.

In Seattle, teachers are seeing cutbacks beyond classroom resources as layoffs loom. Teacher seniority is the traditional way that layoffs are conducted in the school system. KPLU reports on a group of teachers that is pushing for a merit-based system that retains the best – rather than those who’ve been there longest. But the idea is facing criticism from both the union and the school system.

It’s not just elementary and high school education that are at risk due to the economic downturn. Students have faced increased costs at universities, among them the University of California system. This week, KQED’s California Report spoke with UC President Mark Yudof.

“The budget leaves us hurting badly…it leaves us somewhat less competitive for faculty and staff.”

Listen to The California Report interview with Yudof.