AgClips
Recent AgClips
Consumers may not recognize costs, consequences of demand for ‘clean’ food
Iowa State University | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture, Food, SARL Members and Alumni NewsEating “clean” is all about avoiding foods with additives, preservatives or other chemicals on the label. Considering the numerous studies linking certain foods with health ailments, clean eating makes sense, right? While it may seem well intentioned, Ruth MacDonald and Ruth Litchfield, professors of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University, warn of the consequences in terms of food waste, safety and cost. Clean food advocates suggest avoiding foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce.
MD: Key vote on chicken manure plant delayed until January
WBOC | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture, Energy NewsAfter months of debate, the public was expecting a vote at Wednesday night's Crisfield City Council meeting. But that won't happen now until January 2018. People in Crisfield have been adamant about their rejection to the Carvel Hall project. The city must make a decision to lift the existing ordinance that keeps Clean Bay Renewables from opening a chicken manure energy plant in Crisfield.
USDA delays organic livestock rules for the third time
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture, Federal NewsUSDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is delaying the effective date of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule, published in the Federal Register on Jan. 19, 2017, until May 14, 2018.
Criminal investigation opened into abuse of cows at dairy farm
Sun Sentinel | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsA criminal investigation has been opened into the mistreatment of cows at an Okeechobee dairy that supplies Publix, after an undercover video released Thursday appeared to show workers beating cows with metal rods and engaging in other abuse. Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen said he assigned an investigator to the case after his office received materials showing apparent acts of animal cruelty by workers at Larson Dairy Farm.
Climate-smart agriculture ‘faces severe challenges without #glyphosate’
Euroreporer | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsOne area that is often overlooked is agriculture. In the European Union alone, agricultural activities generated 470.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2012, corresponding to about 10% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Banker Comments from the Third District
Kansas City Fed | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsYields on fall crops in 2017 significantly higher, should result in improved cash flow and liquidity even with current prices. – Southcentral Kansas. With low commodity prices we expect most of our farm customers to lose money or at best breakeven. – Southcentral Nebraska. We have seen consecutive "No-Sale" on land auctions. – Northeast Nebraska. Poor commodity prices and very little moisture are going to lead to another difficult renewal season. – Northeast Colorado. Overall the health of our Ag portfolio is healthy with experienced operators. – Southwest Oklahoma.
Farm Economy Seeks Footing
Kansas City Fed | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsFarm income in the Federal Reserve’s Tenth District decreased in the third quarter, but at a slower rate. For the 13th consecutive quarter, a majority of bankers reported that farm income was lower than a year ago, but that the pace of the decline was less significant than recent quarters (Chart 1). In fact, only 52 percent of bankers reported that farm income had fallen from a year ago, the lowest share in two years. Moreover, slightly less than half of survey respondents expected farm income to decrease in the fourth quarter.
In Canada, animal welfare effort runs afoul of privacy laws
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsEfforts to end abuse of chickens at poultry farms in British Columbia are counter to Canada’s privacy rights laws, the province’s acting information and privacy commissioner, Drew McArthur, said in a report. Employees of chicken-catching contractor Elite Farm Services Ltd. were videotaped earlier this year stomping on live chickens and ripping the birds apart. The company fired the workers on the video and implemented video surveillance in the form of body cameras worn by a supervisor and at least two staff members during working hours.
Oklahoma state beef checkoff referendum fails
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsA proposal to institute a state checkoff fund for Oklahoma’s beef producers was defeated. The vote was 2,506 against, 1,998 for. The campaign to institute the fee was controversial. Oklahoma members of the Organization for Competitive Markets and R-CALF USA had asked the state's Supreme Court to prohibit the department from certifying the Oklahoma beef checkoff program referendum. With the referendum defeated, the lawsuit will have to be withdrawn.
Delaware cites Mountaire Farms for waste treatment violations
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsDelaware has issued a notice of violation to Mountaire Farms for failing to comply with regulations governing its systems for wastewater treatment and land treatment of waste at the company’s poultry processing plant in Millsboro. Mountaire contacted the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on Sept.