BEEF PRODUCTION:

GOOD MORNING I'M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. WHILE BEEF PRODUCERS STRUGGLE WITH PRODUCTION COSTS, IT COULD OPEN THE DOOR FOR PORK TO MAKE SOLID GAINS WITH CONSUMERS.

IMMIGRATION REFORM:

ONE ISSUE GETTING PUSHED TO THE FRONT BURNER IS IMMIGRATION REFORM. FROM DAIRY PRODUCERS TO FRUIT GROWERS, IT'S A VITAL TOPIC. OVER THE WEEKEND FLORIDA SENATOR MARCO RUBIO UNVEILED - BUT HAS NOT FORMALLY INTRODUCED - LEGISLATION THAT WOULD TAKE ON THAT HOT ISSUE.

CALIFORNIA CITRUS:

AN UNUSUAL COLD SNAP IS GRIPPING THE WEST COAST. CALIFORNIA CITRUS GROWERS ARE SEEING CROP DAMAGE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AFTER FIVE NIGHTS OF SUB-32-DEGREE TEMPERATURES. THEY CAN GET TWO-TO-THREE DEGREE ADVANTAGE BY USING THEIR WIND TURBINES TO FORCE WARMER AIR TOWARDS THE GROUND.

CROP WATCH:

THERE ARE SOME PRETTY ROUGH CONDITIONS OUT THERE. CINDI CLAWSON HAS DETAILS IN CROPWATCH.

ILLINOIS NEW CROP:

NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF FARMERS IN THE U-S ARE 55 OR OLDER. THAT'S WHY FINDING YOUNG, PROSPEROUS FARMERS IS NO EASY TASK. OVER THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS WE'LL FEATURE YOUNG FARMERS IN A SERIES CALLED 'THE NEW CROP.' THEY ARE POSSIBLY THE NEXT GENERATION OF AG LEADERS. TO KICK-OFF THE SERIES, NATIONAL REPORTER TYNE MORGAN TAKES US TO NORTHERN ILLINOIS WHERE ONE FARMER'S TRADE IS PRODUCING A NEW SPARK IN HIS OPERATION. AND IT'S KEEPING THE FARM A NOTCH ABOVE THE REST.

ANALYSIS:

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