AgClips
Recent AgClips
In a first, Alaska divorce courts will now treat pets more like children
The Washington Post | Posted onJanuary 25, 2017 in Rural NewsWho gets the house? Who gets the couch? Who gets the dog? If one of those items seems different to you, that’s probably because you, like many Americans, consider pets to be more like family members than furniture. But courts do not. In the eyes of the law, animals are property. So although pet custody battles are often passionate and sometimes truly wacky, courts think of them more prosaically: as part of the “property distribution” in a divorce. That’s why an amendment to Alaska’s divorce statutes, which took effect last week, is making waves in the world of animal law.
A2 milk will be expanding nationwide
Yahoo.com | Posted onJanuary 25, 2017 in Food NewsLeading Australian dairy brand, a2 Milk®, today announced the beginning of the national launch of its full line of 100 percent pure, natural cows' milk that is easy to digest. A natural alternative for people with sensitivities to conventional dairy milk - which typically contains the A1 beta-casein, a protein often associated with indigestion and discomfort - a2 Milk® offers consumers with perceived lactose sensitivities the opportunity to enjoy the taste and nutritional benefits of real and natural dairy milk.
Vegetarian diet increases risk of preterm births
UPI | Posted onJanuary 25, 2017 in Food NewsResearchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found women who lacked vitamin B12 in their diets were more likely to have a preterm birth. The study of 11,216 pregnancies in 11 countries showed that low levels of vitamin B12, commonly found in animal products, were linked to increased risks of having preterm births. Vitamin B12 is vital for the production of red blood cells and cellular metabolic energy. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can lead to anemia and damage to the nervous system.
At eye of GMO storm, a non-browning apple
The Washington Post | Posted onJanuary 25, 2017 in Food NewsFruit, which industry hopes is a breakthrough, may hit some stores soon. After years of development, protest and regulatory red tape, the first genetically modified, non-browning apples will soon go on sale in the United States. The fruit, sold sliced and marketed under the brand Arctic Apple, could hit a cluster of Midwestern grocery stores as early as Feb. 1. The limited release is an early test run for the controversial apple, which has been genetically modified to eliminate the browning that occurs when an apple is left out in the open air.
Bob Evans Farms to sell restaurant business unit
Meat + Poultry | Posted onJanuary 25, 2017 in Food NewsBob Evans Farms, Inc. is now a pure play food company. On Jan. 24, the company announced the sale of its Bob Evans Restaurants business unit to the private equity company Golden Gate Capital for $565 million plus the assumption of certain liabilities. Net proceeds from the sale to Bob Evans Farms are expected to be between $475 million to $485 million. On the same day, Bob Evans Farms entered into an agreement to acquire the Pineland Farms Potato Co. (PFPC), Mars Hill, Maine, for $115 million. Pineland Farms is a value-added potato processor serving the retail and food service markets.
USDA lifts gag order
The Hill | Posted onJanuary 25, 2017 in Federal NewsThe Department of Agriculture has reportedly lifted an order that called for scientists and employees of its research arm not to release any of its work to the public. After a report that the agency had told staff to stop releasing any "news releases, photos, fact sheets, news feeds, and social media content,” another memo was sent Tuesday night from a top official for the department’s Agricultural Research Service that the original order should not have been issued and “is hereby rescinded.” Prior to the memo, the agency disavowed the gag order, calling it “flawed” and indicating that new
It had help, but the animal rights movement won again
Watt Ag Net | Posted onJanuary 24, 2017 in Agriculture NewsThe animal rights movement celebrated a victory recently, when Feld Entertainment, owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, announced that the circus was no longer financially viable to operate, and would soon cease to exist. The timing of it all just really struck me. Just a few weeks ago, my wife and I got to talking about how much fun we had when we took our oldest kids to the circus, back before our youngest was born. I also told her (again) about how much I loved it when my parents took my sister and I to see the circus when we were little.
A Look Forward: Ag Law in 2017
agrilife.org | Posted onJanuary 24, 2017 in Agriculture NewsIt appears that 2017 could be an important year for a number of agricultural law issues. From the Clean Water Act, to “Ag Gag” legislation, to the Endangered Species Act, there are a number of pending cases that could have major impacts on the agricultural industry in the coming year. Here is a brief look at four of the biggest cases to watch this year.
This Technology Is About To Smash Through Every Factory Farm’s Closed Doors
Huffington Post | Posted onJanuary 24, 2017 in NewsThis week, at the Sundance Film Festival, everything will change. With the debut of the virtual reality (VR) investigation Operation Aspen, ordinary people donning VR headsets will be able to walk with activists as we infiltrate Sunrise Farms, a major Whole Foods egg supplier in Northern California. Alongside my fellow activists at Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), I entered Sunrise with a prototype VR camera small enough to carry in one hand and stable enough to capture footage as we moved. The result is breathtaking: a 360 degree experience walking through a “humane” egg farm.
Ever wondered about animals with unusual jobs?
The Washington Post | Posted onJanuary 24, 2017 in Agriculture NewsWhen people think about working animals, what often comes to mind are dogs that herd sheep, horses that work on farms and animals that perform in movies. But there are lots of other jobs animals have had over the years. Dogs are much more sensitive to smell than humans. This made dogs the traditional hunting companion, enabling their owners to track foxes and other game. Police departments have taken advantage of this skill to help find missing people and escaped convicts.