Thursday September 15, 2016 Vol. 4, No. 28
The Weekly Post
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Government can help with job recovery By BILL KNIGHT
Small-town and rural America added jobs to local economies this summer, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but the numbers here trail progress in urban and metro areas. Jobs in rural counties like Fulton, Knox and Peoria nationwide increased by 4.8 percent in the past year, but job growth in metropolitan counties was 13.3 percent – more than twice the gain rural areas showed. U.S. unemployment rates improved nationally, but they remain higher in rural areas. For example, looking at July data, the national jobless rate was 5.1 percent, but more than half the country’s rural counties had higher unemployment. In Fulton, July’s jobless rate was 7.8 percent; in Knox it was 5.7 percent; and in Peoria – which is skewed some by the city of Peoria – it was still 6.6 percent. Although local governments focus on For The Weekly Post
Harvest time Production heats up at LG Seeds By JEFF LAMPE
ELMWOOD – Harvest is just starting to heat up in much of central Illinois. Not so at LG Seeds northeast of Elmwood, where many bins at the 38-acre production facility are already full and bags of seed corn are occupying more and more space in the temperature-controlled warehouses. Since mid-August, trucks loaded with ears of corn have arrived daily at the Shissler Road facility, dumping their payload carefully and setting into motion a labor-intensive process that ensures seed for next spring. Weekly Post Staff Writer
A division of the nation’s third-largest seed corn company, LG Seeds is one of eight brands under the umbrella of AgReliant Genetics – an independent company that is not publicly traded. AgReliant’s other regional seed brands are AgriGold, Great Lakes Hybrids, Eu-
reka, Wensman, Producers, Pride Seeds and Golden Acres. LG has been in central Illinois since 1988, when Groupe Limagrain purchased Shissler Seed Co. to enter the North American market. A cooperative of French farmers, Groupe Limagrain merged with German-owned KWS SAAT Ag in 2000 to form AgReliant Genetics. Being independent allows AgReliant and LG Seeds to focus more on research, according to Kristy Johns, a marketing specialist with LG. “We are proud of our commitment to research,” Johns said. Continued on Page 8
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Quilters bring joy to veterans By JEFF LAMPE
ELMWOOD – Quilt makers face a problem as they become more proficient and passionate about their hobby. What to do with all these wonderful quilts? There are only so many beds in any home. And while some sell their wares, a group of local quilters have found another use for their artworks – a use that will help keep 15 Elmwood veterans and several babies warmer this winter. Last Saturday, the Prairie Quilters of Central Illinois held a show at Elmwood’s First Presbyterian Church during the anWeekly Post Staff Writer
TOP: While huge combines are the rule in most farm fields, seed corn is harvested with a picker, as in this Mason County field near Manito. ABOVE: After ears of corn are sorted and husks are removed, ears are carefully conveyed into huge drying bins kept at 95-105 degrees. The ears above are dry and ready for shelling. MIDDLE: LG Seeds has a new logo designed to resemble a kernel of corn with rows in the foreground. Photos by Jeff Lampe.
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