AgClips
Recent AgClips
Hakim’s Effort to Skewer Biotech Crops in Sunday's NY Times
OFW Law | Posted onNovember 2, 2016 in Agriculture NewsDanny Hakim’s attempt to skewer biotech crops in his recent article on the front page Sunday’s New York Times (Doubts About the Promised Bounty of Genetically Modified Crops) is skewed from beginning to end. His insight – what he says the debate has missed – is that genetic modification has not accelerated increases in crop yields. Well – duh!
The Humane Society's Descent Into Abolitionist Veganism
Weekly Standard | Posted onNovember 2, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe Humane Society of the United States raises gobs of money (annual budgets over $100 million) by portraying itself as an animal rescue and care organization—check out its tear jerk ads—when that is just a tiny part of its work. In truth, HSUS has become a radical organization with an agenda focused on opposing traditional agriculture and banning meat, milk, cheese, eggs, and other animal products. Its leadership is a rogue's gallery of extremists with histories of making outlandish statements, such as eating meat is "murder" and farming is a Holocaust.
Farmers leave HSUS ag councils, say they were 'window dressing'
Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted onNovember 2, 2016 in Agriculture NewsWhen the Humane Society of the United States announced in May it was forming a National Agriculture Advisory Council, after having formed 11 at the state level, the Animal Agriculture Alliance sounded a warning: beware. “While today HSUS may be acting like the ally of the producers on this council, the tides will no doubt turn as the organization moves on to target other production methods — a lesson some brands have learned in trying to appease it,” warned Animal Agriculture Alliance President and CEO Kay Johnson Smith
HSUS cuts workers amid ‘restructuring'
Agri-Pulse | Posted onNovember 2, 2016 in Rural NewsAUdio - An advocacy group critical of the Humane Society of the United States claims HSUS has laid off 55 staffers to cope with a $20 million shortfall. The Center for Consumer Freedom says the problems show the public is turning against the organization. HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle, without confirming details of the cutback, acknowledged in an email to Agri-Pulse that HSUS is restructuring to focus on strategic priorities and eliminating several dozen positions.
Healthy Key deer may be corralled to save herd
Miami Herald | Posted onNovember 1, 2016 in Rural NewsFederal wildlife managers have begun building an enclosure across several acres of the National Key Deer Refuge in Big Pine Key. If the number of deer battling an outbreak of New World screwworm climbs too high, they will begin fencing healthy deer to save the herd
AVMA has variety of resources for food animal production
AVMA | Posted onNovember 1, 2016 in Agriculture NewsAccess to a variety of resources that can help you make a positive difference in the lives of animals that are used for food and fiber.
Alaska gives meat plant survival effort another go
Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted onNovember 1, 2016 in Food NewsAlaska’s Board of Agriculture and Conservation has issued another request for proposals to lease or purchase the long struggling Mt. McKinley Meat and Sausage plant in Palmer after several failed efforts and a looming closure in summer 2017. The meat plant is the only USDA-approved slaughter and processing facility in Southcentral Alaska, which the state has operated since 1986 as an asset of its Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund. State officials said preference will be given to bidders who plan to continue slaughter and processing operations at the property.
For animal ag, cheap grain is good, but might not be enough
Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted onNovember 1, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe monthly average price of corn received by U.S. producers has been less than $4 per bushel for 27 consecutive months and prices below $4 are expected to persist well into 2017, writes University of Illinois professor emeritus Darrel Good. Expected larger South American corn supplies on the world market next year would contribute to keeping U.S. corn prices down. Brazil production is expected to rebound from last year’s drought and Argentina is expected to expand corn area due to reduced export taxes. Meanwhile, U.S. farmers are just finishing harvesting a large corn crop.
Endangered, with climate change to blame
High Country News | Posted onNovember 1, 2016 in Rural NewsA court decision on Oct. 24 was a win for species threatened by climate change. The case centered on National Marine Fisheries Service findings that estimate a Pacific bearded seal subspecies will lose so much sea ice habitat, they will become endangered by 2095. In 2012, the seals had been federally listed as threatened based on climate change predictions, but a lawsuit brought by oil and gas companies, indigenous tribes and the state of Alaska challenged the classification.
Wildlife Services to revisit predator removal effects
High Country News | Posted onNovember 1, 2016 in Rural NewsWildlife Services has long rankled wildlife advocates; in 2014, the federal agency killed 2.7 million animals — golden eagles, barn owls, black-tailed prairie dogs, mountain lions and wolves as well as invasive species. The agency researches but rarely uses nonlethal alternatives, and reform has been stalled in part because half of its budget, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is funded by contracts with state and county municipalities, ranchers and businesses.