At about 2 P.M. EST, he estimates, Steve was listening to WNYC and there
e was a person from the Wall Street Journal who was giving info on the
pet industry for or from something called "Herd from the Street" (They
got into the spelling so it wasn't "heard".)  The pet industry in the
U.S. is over 32 billion dollars per year.  The Wall Street Journal expert
said that ferret spending in the U.S. (for the animals, supplies and
care) is AT LEAST TWO BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.  If there are 5 million
that is about $400 per year per animal which is more than believable as
a number.
 
Here's what I found:
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/upcoming/lopate.html
 
and at
http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/events/conferences/narrative2003/bios.html
 
I found write-ups on a number of journalists including the one who
MIGHT be the individual who was talking:
>... Barry Newman began working at The Wall Street Journal in 1970...
 
and see:
http://www.mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a997.asp
 
One very useful approach to take in California is to compare it to well
known companies or groups.  The recording music industry is now about
10 or 11 Billion a year , so the chances are that there are number of
subsets which are smaller or similar in size the money which goes into
ferrets and that gives people something to compare.  Using their ability
to be astounded can only work in ferrets' favor.  All on-line music was
about 40 million last year and think of the press it got.  If the ferret
economy is 50 times LARGER it deserves more press and more respect.
 
It would be useful for advocates to seek out the source and use it.
Please, when you find more, PLEASE, PLEASE, post it to the FML so that
others can also use what you learn to the benefit of ferrets.
[Posted in FML issue 4395]