AgClips
Recent AgClips
“Amazing protein diversity” is discovered in corn plant
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory | Posted onJune 29, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe genome of the corn plant – or maize, as it’s called almost everywhere except the US – “is a lot more exciting” than scientists have previously believed. So says the lead scientist in a new effort to analyze and annotate the depth of the plant’s genetic resources. “Our new research establishes the amazing diversity of maize, even beyond what we already knew was there,” says Doreen Ware, Ph.D., of the US Department of Agriculture and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in New York.
Court rejects greens’ challenges to natural gas exports
The Hill | Posted onJune 29, 2016 in Energy NewsA federal appeals court rejected environmentalists’ challenges to two liquefied natural gas export projects. The Sierra Club and its allies faulted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) decisions to approve projects in Texas and Louisiana. They said FERC’s environmental reviews failed to account for the impacts of increased natural gas drilling and the cumulative impacts of multiple natural gas export facilities. But the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit disagreed, saying FERC’s environmental reviews didn’t have to account for those factors.
Vigorous Weeds and Lethargic Regulations: A Wicked Problem for Farmers
Farm Doc Daily | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThere is a troubling discrepancy between the large number of harmful invasive plant species and the number of invasive plant species that are actually regulated.[1] At the federal level, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection service (APHIS) includes 112 plant species on the Federal Noxious Weed List.Scientific estimates, however, put the actual number of introduced invasive species at around 5,000. It is estimated that annual costs attributed to invasive plant species in the U.S. approach $25 billion.
Free Trade is Dead
Washington Monthly | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in NewsRegardless of who wins the presidential election in November, the 2016 campaign has already dramatically undermined a major pillar of post–World War II American economic and foreign policy—free trade. How did we get to this point? The answer is twofold. For seventy years, leaders of both parties have pursued trade deals less to strengthen the American economy than to achieve geostrategic aims, from rewarding political-military allies to fostering development of emerging markets.
Bayer CEO Takes Risk in Bid for Monsanto
http://www.wsj.com/articles/bayer-ceo-takes-risk-in-bid-for-monsanto-1466953704 | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Agriculture NewsBayer AG’s $62 billion offer for Monsanto Co., which would be the largest corporate takeover ever by a German company, is also Chief Executive Werner Baumann’s risky power play after a 28-year ascent.
TransCanada formally seeks NAFTA damages in Keystone XL rejection
Reuters | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Energy NewsTransCanada Corp is formally requesting arbitration over U.S. President Barack Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, seeking $15 billion in damages. TransCanada submitted a notice for an arbitration claim in January and had then tried to negotiate with the U.S. government to "reach an amicable settlement," the company said in files posted on the pipeline's website.
Rhode Island: Renewable energy gets a boost in Assembly session
Providence Journal | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Energy NewsAs the General Assembly session wound down this month, the discussion around state energy issues focused on two controversial proposals. The first — legislation aimed at blocking a plan for a large fossil fuel-burning power plant in Burrillville — was killed by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, but only after it won broad support in the House of Representatives. The second — a provision inserted into the House budget bill that would have shifted some interconnection costs for renewable energy projects from private developers to electric ratepayers — was removed after a group of legislat
Washington Governor Asks Union Pacific To Halt Oil Trains
Oregon Public Broadcasting | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Energy Newsov. Jay Inslee asked the Union Pacific Railroad on Friday to halt oil train shipments through Washington until the company does more walking inspections of its railroad track. Inslee joins Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who has repeatedly called for a moratorium on oil train traffic.
Governor McAuliffe announces two new projects for agriculture in Virginia
WSET | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Agriculture NewsGovernor Terry McAuliffe announced two new projects. One doubles the amount of funding for the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development. Some of the money will be used for a new office and four new staffers. The second is a new program called the Virginia Farmers Development Fund. The fund will give out grants to help farmers grow their businesses domestically and abroad. His initial plan is to put a couple hundred thousand dollars into that grant.
New poll shows how many Americans want to bar all immigration from surprising countries
Business Insider | Posted onJune 28, 2016 in Rural NewsA poll from Morning Consult found that many Americans are in favor of barring immigration from certain parts of the world - even from countries bordering the US.