Passing a climate change bill this year would involve some "heavy lifting" on the part of the U.S. Senate according to Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat who is the new chair of the Senate Ag Committee. She cited other legislative priorities - health care and financial regulatory reform, in particular - that are certain to dominate much of the Senate's  work in this session.

     And she's skeptical of cap-and-trade initiatives that present challenges for farmers, particularly those in the South. In an interview with Reuters News Service reporter Charles Abbot, she said American farmers are sure to face higher fuel, fertilizer and pesticide prices because of efforts to control greenhouse emissions. But Southern growers would not have the opportunity to earn money for practices like no-till planting that lock carbon in the soil.

     Lincoln is the daughter of a seven-generation farm family, and is a "great champion of the American farmer," according to the American Farm Bureau. She was elected to the House in 1992, and to the Senate in 1998.

     The full Reuters report is here:  

http://in.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idINTRE58874S20090910?sp=true

       
     There were 430 Oliver tractors in Williams Grove, Pa., Labor Day weekend for the annual gathering of Hart-Parr/Oliver Collector's Association. We don't know if this guy makes it 431 or just 430-and-half. The Oliver lovers were part of the annual Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Association show. There's a story about the show in the issue due in your mailbox tomorrow.

   
     We've heard of double yolks, but...  http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1920643