Eating Insects and Oklahoma Wildfires

From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**Despite claims about how eating insects might help reduce our carbon footprint, consumers remain less than enthused.

Agweb.com reports a recent story on a UK website Independent.co.uk claims entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, is on the rise.

However, consumers in Oklahoma State University's April Food Demand Survey were skeptical. Asking about things like cricket flour, the survey found only about a third would try cookies made with the product.

Cricket flour is reportedly one of the novel protein sources PepsiCo is testing for use in snack foods like Cheetos and Quaker Granola Bars.

https://www.agweb.com/article/consumers-not-enthused-by-cricket-flour-/

**It seems a little early, but large wildfires in western Oklahoma continue to burn at more than 400,000 acres and growing.

Woodward County Extension Educator, Dana Bay tells agweb.com ranchers who were able to save their cattle are in desperate need of hay.

If you would like to help, contact Extension coordinators or the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation.

Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation, P.O. Box 82395., Oklahoma City, OK 73148. OR, visit www.okcattlemen.org.

https://www.agweb.com/article/hay-urgently-needed-in-oklahoma-5-resources-for-disaster-assistance/

**North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp knows a political gift when she sees one.

President Trump carried her largely rural state by a landslide 36 percent, but his escalating trade dispute with China could be an opportunity for Heitkamp and other Democrats in a region where they've struggled.

According to agriculture.com, Heitkamp, locked in a tight reelection fight with Republican Kevin Cramer, has led Democratic attacks on Trump for ignoring the economic threat to the region's export-dependent farmers.

https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/trumps-looming-trade-war-gives-democrats-an-opening-in-farm-country