Newsline for Aug. 23, 1999

RealAudio: 28.8K 56k MPEG-3 56K

(TRUELSEN) - THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION PROVIDES FARM AND FOOD-RELATED NEWS WRAPS FOR RADIO STATIONS AND NETWORKS. HELLO I'M STEWART TRUELSEN, OUR REPORT RUNS :55.

HERE IS A SUGGESTED LEAD: THERE'S AT LEAST ONE BRIGHT SPOT IN THE FARM ECONOMY. STEWART TRUELSEN REPORTS.

THE ACTUALITIES ARE WITH BELZONI, MISSISSIPPI CATFISH FARMER BILL GEORGE JANOUS. LAST NAME SPELLED J-A-N-O-U-S. TWO EXTRA CUTS. IN THE FIRST, JANOUS SAYS THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN MAKING STRIDES IN THE PRODUCTION OF CATFISH. SECOND CUT, HE SAYS CATFISH ARE LIKE OTHER LIVESTOCK WITH A NOTABLE EXCEPTION.

STAND BY FOR THE REPORT, IN 3...2...1...

(TRUELSEN) - WHILE MANY FARMERS WORRY ABOUT THE DROUGHT AND LACK OF ANY PROFITS, CATFISH FARMERS ARE ENJOYING A GOOD YEAR.

(JANOUS) - THE WEATHER DOESN'T CONTROL OUR INDUSTRY AS MUCH. OUR PRICES ARE STILL FAVORABLE.

(TRUELSEN) - BELZONI, MISSISSIPPI CATFISH FARMER BILLY GEORGE JANOUS IS PAYING LESS FOR FEED BECAUSE SOYBEAN MEAL PRICES ARE LOW. THAT'S HELPING HIS PROFITS. BUT IT TAKES TWO TO TWO AND A HALF YEARS TO GROW A FISH OUT TO MARKET SIZE, AND A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN THAT TIME.

(JANOUS) - WE HAVE TO MONITOR OUR OXYGEN EVERY NIGHT ALL NIGHT LONG. AND AS OXYGEN GETS DOWN TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, THEN WE START CUTTING OUR AERATION ON.

(TRUELSEN) - DISEASES AND PREDATOR BIRDS ARE ALSO PROBLEMS, BUT CATFISH FARMERS SEE A GOOD FUTURE FOR THEIR INDUSTRY.

(JANOUS) - OUR MARKETS ARE STEADY GROWING AND WE ARE STILL REACHING OUT INTO NEW AREAS AND THE POTENTIAL LOOKS REALLY GOOD.

(TRUELSEN) - THAT KIND OF OUTLOOK IS CERTAINLY NEEDED THROUGHOUT AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. STEWART TRUELSEN REPORTING.

STAND BY FOR THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY, :18 SECONDS, IN 3...2...1...

(JANOUS) - WE ARE A LOT SMARTER IN THE WAY WE HARVEST OUR FISH NOW THAN WE USED TO. WE ARE DOING A BETTER JOB OF MANAGING OUR OPERATIONS THAN WE USED TO WHEN WE STARTED. WE LEARNED A LOT MORE ABOUT WATER QUALITY AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN REALLY STRESS SITUATIONS.

(TRUELSEN) - STAND BY FOR THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY, :14 SECONDS, IN 3...2...1...

(JANOUS) - YOU CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND COUNT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. THEY'RE NOT LIKE THE COWS IN A PASTURE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THEM OUT THERE GROWING. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES. THE FEEDING AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.

(TRUELSEN) - NEWSLINE IS UPDATED MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AT 5 P.M. EASTERN.

This page was last modified Tue Aug 24, 1999 at 01:00 am