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Agriculture News

Voter support of marijuana reaches new high

AP | Posted on November 9, 2016

Voter support for marijuana legalization reached a new high as California, Massachusetts and Nevada approved recreational pot, joining four other states and Washington, D.C., with similar laws.  Voters in Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas passed medical marijuana measures, pushing the number of states with such laws past two dozen.  The California vote makes the use and sale of recreational cannabis legal along the entire West Coast and gives legalization advocates powerful momentum. Massachusetts is the first state east of the Mississippi to allow recreational use.


Oklahoma Right to Farm Fails

KOCO | Posted on November 9, 2016

The state question, known as the Right to Farm bill, would have established a constitutional right for farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices, it failed 58-41.


Kansas City Federal Reserve 2016 Symposium Materials are available

Kansas CIty Fed | Posted on November 8, 2016

Agriculture’s water economy has demonstrated growing signs of strain. Recent and persistent extreme weather-related events have highlighted the vulnerability of food and agricultural production to substantial variations in water availability. Consistent water availability is critical to agricultural production everywhere, and intensifying scarcity presents global agriculture with a formidable long-term challenge. Agricultural production has evolved, to a significant extent, on the basis of available water resources, both surface water and groundwater. However, there are growing concerns about the long-term trajectories of water availability and the potential implications for global agriculture.

The 2016 Agricultural Symposium, “Agriculture’s Water Economy” explored the dynamic link between agriculture and water, the role of markets and institutions, and the path forward. The first day of the symposium discussed how the outlook for agriculture depends on long-term water availability, and how the challenges of water scarcity might extend beyond the farm gate. The second day of the symposium discussed how the agricultural sector might adapt through investment, and the role of markets and institutions in addressing issues of long-term water scarcity.

All resources from the 2016 Agricultural Symposium are now available, including special issue of the Economic Review featuring a foreword from Bank President Esther George and papers from the symposium speakers, a summary article from TEN Magazine, and session transcripts.


Canadian Agriculture quarantines 30 ranches for bovine TB

Meat + Poultry | Posted on November 8, 2016

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is investigating an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in Southeast Alberta, Canada.  The investigation began after inspectors with the US Dept. of Agriculture identified a case of bovine TB in a cow from Alberta that was exported and slaughtered in the United States. USDA notified CFIA about the detection in late September. At least 30 ranches in the province of Alberta have been quarantined as a result.  “Tracing work is currently underway to identify animals that may have been exposed to Bovine TB at individual premises and/or the Buffalo-Atlee and Suffield Block community pastures,” CFIA said in a notice to beef producers.


First Neb. beef heads to Israel since ban; expansion planned

Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted on November 8, 2016

Nebraska officials helped load the first shipment of U.S. beef destined for Israel since a 13-year-old ban was lifted. WR Reserve of Hastings, Neb., is currently the only Israeli-approved kosher beef facility in the United States and plans a $4.5 million expansion, adding 100 jobs, as it prepares to serve that market, Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley announced. 


Financial aid sought for flood-stricken poultry farmers

Watt Ag Net | Posted on November 8, 2016

While the USDA indemnity programs may help compensate North Carolina poultry farmers for the birds they lost in flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew in October, those programs will not cover property damages.  Bob Etheridge, North Carolina state director for the USDA Farm Service Agency, noted that some farmers may not have had insurance on buildings and equipment damaged or lost to flooding, which adds to their difficulties. There are also significant expenses involved in storm clean-up and decontamination procedures. Presently, the USDA does not have any programs available for such losses, but Etheridge said he hopes that will change soon. “We’re working on it. Hopefully we’ll find some way, because if we don’t some of these people are going to have a real tough time making it,” Etheridge said in a USDA Radio News interview. Officials are still trying to assess the losses the North Carolina poultry industry suffered, but Etheridge said on November 2 that he knows a minimum of 2 million birds drowned in the flooding. That number is up from the 1.9 million birds confirmed dead on October 19, but there has been speculation that as many as 5 million birds had been lost.


Des Moines Water Works lawsuit: Nitrate facts for farmers

Farm Futures | Posted on November 8, 2016

armers, start arming your selves with the facts regarding nitrates. Right now agriculture is losing the battle on the issue of the impact of nitrates and their impact on the public.  For example, on May 1 the Des Moines Water Works advised Iowa citizens that it is "…tapping reserve storage wells to lower nitrate levels in the water it supplies to central Iowa customers." DMWW said it had readings of 14-16.25 parts per liter which translates to 14-16.25 parts per million (ppm) of nitrates in the water. Scary stuff!


Congressional Committee bombshell: Report attacks EPA on water rule

Farm Futures | Posted on November 8, 2016

Another blockbuster for agriculture was the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform report on “Politicization of the Waters of the United States Rulemaking.”  It, unlike Mr. Comey’s  letter, is supported by an investigation and facts.  The report claims EPA director Gina McCarthy and EPA have not been telling the truth as to the impact the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule would have on agriculture. A subsequent quote proves EPA and Ms. McCarthy simply have lied to farmers. EPA’s final rule stated: ”In this final rule, the agencies clarify the scope of ‘waters of the United States’ that are protected under the Clean Water Act based on the text of the statute, Supreme Court decisions, the best available peer-reviewed science, public input, and the agencies’ technical expertise in implement [sic] the statute.”  The Committee states specifically that ”None of this was true.” The Report states, “Documents and testimony obtained by the committee show the rulemaking process, and the outcome it produced, were deeply flawed because of numerous shortcuts and process violations. Chief among those complaints was that the process was politicized, and not driven by science or economics.”


Governor Wolf Signs House Bill 2303, Reinstating Breeding Fund Payments

Growing Pennsylvania | Posted on November 8, 2016

More than 300 thoroughbred horse breeders who have been awaiting award payments since February will soon see those payments restored after Governor Tom Wolf signed reforms to the state’s Breeding Fund, according to Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.  Among other things, House Bill 2303, now Act 115, which was sponsored by state Representative Martin Causer, fixes an unintended consequence of the equine racing industry reforms enacted in February 2016 that changed the criteria for payments under the state Breeding Fund award program.


Farm Taxes: Special Use Valuation in Texas

Texas Agriculture Law Blog | Posted on November 8, 2016

Most Texas landowners are aware of the special use valuation methods available to agricultural landowners that allow property taxes to be calculated based on productive agricultural value, as opposed to market value of the land.  Importantly, this is not a “tax exemption,” for agricultural landowners, but instead is an alternative way to calculate property taxes owed. This blog series will address the basic concept of special use valuation, and will then walk through the three valuation methods available to agricultural landowners: agricultural use valuation; open space valuation; and wildlife valuation.


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