AgClips
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Trump may not get the 'win' he seeks in NAFTA talks
Politico | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in NewsAs a candidate, Donald Trump constantly called NAFTA the worst trade deal in history and promised “to get a better deal for our workers.” Now that he is president, Trump is about to find out how hard it is to get an agreement that satisfies not only those workers who feel "shafted by NAFTA" but also the powerful business interests currently benefiting from billions of dollars in cross-border sales.
Dow, DuPont Set Aug. 31 for Closing of Historic Chemical Merger
Bloomberg | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Agriculture NewsDow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co., the two largest U.S. chemical makers, have received all the regulatory approvals needed to close their historic merger. The deal will be completed after the stock market closes on Aug. 31, the companies said in a statement Friday. Shares of DowDuPont Inc. will begin trading Sept. 1 under the ticker DWDP. The companies, with a combined market value approaching $150 billion, would surpass BASF SE as the world’s largest chemical company.
White House opioid commission to Trump: ‘Declare a national emergency’ on drug overdoses
The Washington Post | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Federal, Rural NewsThe President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis issued a preliminary report on Monday stating that its “first and most urgent recommendation” is for the president to “declare a national emergency under either the Public Health Service Act or the Stafford Act.” “With approximately 142 Americans dying every day,” the report notes, “America is enduring a death toll equal to September 11th every three weeks.”The commission, led by New Jersey Gov.
Report: Climate Change Is Already Hurting the U.S.
Time | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Agriculture, Energy NewsA draft report produced by 13 federal agencies concludes that the United States is already feeling the negative impacts of climate change, with a stark increase in the frequency of heat waves, heavy rains and other extreme weather over the last four decades. The preliminary report summarizes the current state of the science for the upcoming National Climate Assessment. Trump and his Cabinet have expressed public doubts that the warming is being primarily driven by man-made carbon pollution and will have serious consequences for Americans.
Congress, stop horsing around
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Agriculture, Federal NewsIf Congress permits the resumption of horse slaughter in the United States, it will be a difficult start-up. For one thing, companies will need to make investments in an industry that could be defunded again in a few years.For another, horses aren’t raised for meat. FSIS recognized that horses had the highest level of residue violations of all the slaughter classes. As we were looking at regulatory options, Congress made further considerations unnecessary with the ban. If horse slaughter resumes, expect FSIS to take a stronger regulatory posture than before the ban.So, the abandonment a
Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Why The Term “GMO” Is Misleading
Food and Wine | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Agriculture, Food NewsNeil deGrasse Tyson is a man of many interests. Besides his fascination with how the universe operates, he’s actually quite interested in both food and wine. When it comes to food, though, there is one topic that Tyson is constantly addressing: GMOs. Most recently, he discussed genetically modified organisms with Dr. Pamela Ronald, a plant pathologist, geneticist, and professor at UC Davis, on his StarTalk podcast.
Northwest wildfire outlook turns for the worse
Capital Press | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Rural NewsNorthwest fire officials said Tuesday that record-dry conditions, continued heat and incoming lightning storms threaten to escalate a worsening fire season. Some 17 large fires were burning in Oregon and Washington, with more lightning expected to strike the dried-out region over the next several days. Idaho officials reported a dozen active fires of more than 1,000 acres.“We’re moving from a moderate to a high level of activity across the state,” said Washington Department of Natural Resources wildfire manager Bob Johnson, chairman of the Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group.
Tillamook County enacts new wetland process
Capital Press | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Agriculture NewsWetland restoration projects on farmland will have to clear a new hurdle in Oregon’s Tillamook County to ensure they don’t disrupt agricultural practices.
Fed: Local food movement can spur job growth
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Agriculture, Federal, Rural NewsThe Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has released research examining how the growing popularity of locally sourced food can be harnessed to boost economic opportunities for both rural and urban communities. Regional food systems are a promising avenue for economic growth through creation and enhancement of jobs and businesses, Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard and St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said in a foreword to the research. Those opportunities can advance the financial security of low- and moderate-income households and communities, they said.
Impossible Foods seeks to assure public its vegetarian burger is safe
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onAugust 15, 2017 in Food NewsImpossible Foods, maker of the plant-based Impossible Burger, issued a news release to assure the public of the safety of its product after the New York Times published documents that reveal Food and Drug Administration concerns about a key ingredient, including whether it is an allergen.