AgClips
Recent AgClips
Louisiana working on new food safety law
The Voice of Louisiana | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsDuring his report on the Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain said he testified Tuesday before the Louisiana State Senate Agriculture Committee about several bills, including the Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act which is now in effect.
U.S., China Strike Trade Deal On Beef, Poultry And Natural Gas
NPR | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Federal NewsChina and the U.S. struck a trade deal that allows beef and natural gas exports to China. The agreement will allow U.S. companies to sell liquefied natural gas to China, which is likely to be controversial on the West coast. It was pretty much a Herculean accomplishment to get this done. This is more than has been done in the whole history of U.S.-China relations on trade. Under the agreement, China will open its market to U.S. beef importers by mid-July. Ross says American beef producers have been locked out of China's enormous market since a mad cow scare in 2003.
Ontario town of 36,000 partners with Uber to create substitute for public transit
CBC Canada | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Rural NewsInnisfil, Ont., will become the first town in Canada to partner with the controversial ride-hailing service Uber to provide on-demand transit service. The roughly 36,000-population Ontario town, just south of Barrie on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, is officially launching the service at 10 a.m. to help address community concerns about a lack of transit. "To me, it's a savings, and everybody in the community can use it," he said. "If we went with buses, only a certain amount of people can use it.""To me, it's a savings, and everybody in the community can use it," he said.
Grower Comments on Pyrethroids Being Sought by EPA
Growing Produce | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Federal NewsPA reopened the official comment docket regarding the preliminary ecological risk assessment for the pyrethroid class of insecticides today. It will remain open until July 7.
The labels said ‘organic.’ But these massive imports of corn and soybeans weren’t.
The Washington Post | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Agriculture NewsA shipment of 36 million pounds of soybeans sailed late last year from Ukraine to Turkey to California. Along the way, it underwent a remarkable transformation.The cargo began as ordinary soybeans, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post. Like ordinary soybeans, they were fumigated with a pesticide. They were priced like ordinary soybeans, too.But by the time the 600-foot cargo ship carrying them to Stockton, Calif., arrived in December, the soybeans had been labeled “organic,” according to receipts, invoices and other shipping records.
D.C. mayor backs off proposed chicken ban
The Washington Post | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Agriculture NewsBowing to public uproar and deeply skeptical council members, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser has scrapped proposals for a far-reaching set of animal regulations that would have decidedly cramped the style of cats, dogs and chickens in the nation’s capital. Bowser included the rules in legislation attached to her proposal for next year’s budget. But the mayor’s office had not reckoned with the public reaction to measures that included a ban on backyard chickens, a requirement that all cats be licensed and a provision that seemed to outlaw leaving dog feces in a private yard for more than 24 hours.
Judge Sides With Ex-EPA Employee in Monsanto Cancer Suit
Bloomberg | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Agriculture NewsA federal judge rejected an attempt by attorneys to pry more information out of a retired EPA scientist embroiled in a bitter battle between Monsanto Co. and thousands of cancer victims. The judge also criticized lawyers at a recent hearing for mounting a public relations campaign against the agrichemical giant.U.S.
A New Meth Surge Gathers Momentum
Pew Charitable Trust | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Rural NewsThe opioid epidemic has killed tens of thousands over the last two years and driven major reforms in state and local law enforcement and public health policies for people with addiction. But another deadly but popular drug, methamphetamine, also has been surging in many parts of the country. And federal officials say that, based on what they learned as opioids swept the U.S., methamphetamine is likely to spread even further.
DFA to stop marketing independent farms’ milk
Farm and Dairy | Posted onMay 18, 2017 in Agriculture NewsApproximately 225 independent milk producers in the Mideast marketing order have until Nov. 30 to find a new home for their milk. The dairymen received letters from Dairy Farmers of America’s Dairy Marketing Services, dated May 15, informing them that the cooperative will no longer market the independent producers’ milk. The farmers will receive a six-month notice of termination. The farmers will have the option of joining DFA or finding another market by Nov. 30, 2017.
Lessons learned should guide dairy’s future
Madison.com | Posted onMay 16, 2017 in Agriculture NewsOver the past month, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection focused on finding a short-term solution for the dozens of Wisconsin dairy farm families who suddenly lost their milk market. Thankfully on May 1, 99 percent of the milk had found a new home, at least temporarily. While we will continue to assist farmers through the Wisconsin Farm Center, it is now time for us as an industry to keep the conversation going and look long-term.