AgClips
Recent AgClips
EPA nominee promises to stick to RFS
The Progressive Farmer | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Energy NewsA Scott Pruitt-led U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would place an emphasis on following the letter of the law including the Renewable Fuel Standard and providing clarity on a federal definition of navigable waters, in what the nominee told a Senate committee Wednesday would be a return to cooperative federalism with the states.
To win Trump's deal backing, Bayer made a new $8B-plus pledge. But how new is it?
Fierce Pharma | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Agriculture NewsBayer’s $66 billion Monsanto takeover has plenty of critics. But thanks to an $8 billion R&D pledge, it has one key backer: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Bayer and Monsanto said that their respective CEOs—Werner Baumann and Hugh Grant—had a “very productive” meeting with Trump and his team, resulting in a pledge to promise $16 billion or more in agriculture R&D over the next six years, with at least half of that coming in the U.S.
'Raw' milk trend blamed for one of UK's worst food poisoning outbreaks as 65 fall ill
Mirror.co.uk | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Food NewsLow Sizergh Barn Farm, in Kendal, Cumbria, has previously won tourism and National Trust awards for copying a US dairy trend and selling 'ready-to-drink', untreated milk. With their slogan 'From Moo To You', their fresh-from-the-udder milk is sold from special dispensers at their trendy Lake District farm shop. But now South Lakeland District Council has confirmed that last month alone 12 customers fell ill with campylobacter bacteria, with another 53 suspected cases recorded also in December - taking the total to 65 people laid low by the contaminated batch of raw milk.
Manitoba announces historic investment in food processing
Manitoba News release | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Agriculture NewsThe Manitoba government and Roquette today announced a historic investment in the province’s food-processing industry, confirming the France-based company’s plans to build a new, $400-million pea-processing facility near Portage la Prairie. Premier Brian Pallister and Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler were joined by Edouard Roquette, Roquette’s chairman and Jean-Marc Gilson, Roquette’s CEO, as well as many industry partners for the announcement made at the Legislative Building on Global Pulse Day.
Organic livestock handling rule goes into effect
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Federal NewsNew rules regarding humane handling of organic livestock will go into effect Thursday, Jan. 19, when they are published in the Federal Register. Last week, the final rule, which amends the Organic Food Production Act of 1990, was cleared by the federal Office of Management and Budget, where it had languished since last summer. The imminent implementation of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices Rule drew praise from animal protection and rights groups and was met with criticism from meat industry associations.
Tom Vilsack to Take Helm of U.S. Dairy Export Council
US Dairy Export Council | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Federal NewsThe U.S. Dairy Export Council announced that former U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will join the organization as president and CEO, effective Feb. 1, 2017. USDEC is a non-profit, independent organization that seeks to enhance the global demand for U.S. dairy products and ingredients. - See more at: http://www.usdec.org/newsroom/news-releases/news-releases/news-release-0...
Donald Trump Taps Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture
NBC | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Federal NewsPresident-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to lead the Department of Agriculture, senior transition officials tell NBC News. Perdue served on Trump's agricultural advisory committee during his presidential campaign. orn and raised in Georgia, the 70-year-old veterinarian served as a state senator for 10 years beginning in 1991.
EPA Releases Four Neonicotinoid Risk Assessments for Public Comment
EPA | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Federal NewsThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published preliminary pollinator-only risk assessments for the neonicotinoid insecticides clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran and also an update to its preliminary risk assessment for imidacloprid, which we published in January 2016.
Rural Mainstreet Index Highest in Six Months:
Creighton University Economic Outlook | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Agriculture NewsSurvey Results at a Glance: For a 16th straight month, the Rural Mainstreet Index remained below growth neutral though the index advanced to its highest level since June 2016. Farmland prices declined for the 37th straight month. Bank CEOs expect loan defaults to rise by 5.6 percent over the next 12 months. This estimate is up slightly from 5.4 percent recorded in July of this year. Bankers expect holiday sales for Rural Mainstreet retailers to expand by a scant 0.4 percent over 2015 levels.
Mass: ‘Everything is on the table’ in sweeping review of state alcohol rules
Boston Globe | Posted onJanuary 19, 2017 in Food NewsMassachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg is throwing open the doors to the most extensive rethinking of how the state regulates alcohol since the end of Prohibition, directing a new task force to create a more cohesive set of rules that “deals with the 21st century.” With no limits from Goldberg on which issues it may consider, the group of seven legal and political figures — with input from the public and bars, brewers, distributors, and other companies — will have broad authority to set its own agenda when it meets for the first time later in January. Among the issues that officials and