Agriculture News
Indiana’s AG weighs in to help agriculture in Supreme Court
Farm Futures | Posted on April 16, 2018Indiana farmers must choose between ignoring Massachusetts’ regulations or complying with them to sell product in that state.Curtis Hill, Attorney General for Indiana, is requesting the United States Supreme Court block the implementation of the Massachusetts’ Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act (Animal Law).The Republican Indiana official on March 16, 2018, filed a Reply Brief in the Supreme Court to support an original Bill of Complaint. He argues “The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction of all controversies between two or more states.”
Bayer Granted Changes in Monsanto Deal
DTN | Posted on April 13, 2018The makeover at Bayer continues as the company attempts to purchase Monsanto. This time the German-based firm was granted concessions on proposed spinoffs. Bayer announced Wednesday that the European Commission has approved two modifications to its original approval of the takeover bid. Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Justice was reported to have given its nod to the deal, conditional on the sale of further assets to gain antitrust approvals.The company now will sell some of its own seed-treatment assets to BASF, rather than the original plan to divest Monsanto's NemaStrike, a broad- spectrum nematicide.
Double Up Food Bucks program gives extra funding for produce
ABC News | Posted on April 13, 2018Have you heard of Double Up Food Bucks Arizona? It has been around since 2015, but program organizers said not enough people are using it. If you or someone you know is receiving SNAP benefits, which were formally known as food stamps, they can use Double Up Food Bucks Arizona to get more healthy fruits and vegetables directly from Arizona farmers. SB 1245 is making its way through the state legislature with broad bipartisan support right now and it would allocate more money to the program. Participants can go to farmers market locationsand spend up to $20 on SNAP-eligible items. Their money is matched dollar for dollar and they can spend that matched money specifically on fruits and vegetables at these locations. So, in a sense - they are getting $20 worth of food for free.
High-fiber, gene-edited wheat cleared for commercialization
Capital Press | Posted on April 12, 2018The USDA has determined a wheat cultivar that’s gene-edited for higher fiber content doesn’t need to undergo the deregulatory process for GMOs because it’s not a potential plant pest.
97 people arrested in immigration raid at meat plant
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted on April 12, 2018U.S. immigration officials executed a criminal search warrant at the Southeastern Provision meatpacking plant in Grainger County, Tenn., leading to the arrest of 97 individuals who are subject to removal from the United States.
Mountaire gets the go-ahead on wastewater treatment plan
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted on April 12, 2018The state of Delaware said it has granted permission to Mountaire Farms to store sludge at its Millsboro poultry complex, as the next step in a multi-year plan to improve the facility’s wastewater treatment process. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control issued a permit that allows Mountaire to transfer excess sludge to a previously abandoned lagoon at the facility that the company intends to retrofit for short-term storage. The process will speed up removal of excess sludge from two other lagoons, the state said in its order, published online this week. The sludge then will be prepared for off-site disposal.
Shippers concerned about rail service problems
National Grain and Feed Association | Posted on April 11, 2018The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) wishes to apprise the Surface Transportation Board (Board) of major concerns it has received regarding severe rail service problems and excessive charges involving Class I railroads that are being experienced by shippers and receivers of grains, oilseeds and processed grain products. There is a fundamental concern among rail customers that the underlying root cause of these service and accessorial charge-related issues is Class I railroads’ aggressive effort to reduce their operating ratios to impress Wall Street investors and shareholders. This, in turn, has resulted in the systemic shedding of resources by Class I carriers, including locomotives and crews, that has degraded service to unacceptable levels, and resulted in virtually non-existent surge capacity to meet rail customers’ needs. Conditions have failed to improve for several months, resulting in grain and grain product companies shifting their supply chains to just-in-time deliveries and increasing their reliance on costlier truck transportation just to get agricultural products moving. Automobile manufacturers are encountering similar issues.
Canada unveils $3 billion ag growth initiative
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted on April 10, 2018The Canadian government recently announced the launch of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a C$3 billion commitment that will help chart the course for government investments in the sector over the next five years. The partnership aims to help the sector grow trade, advance innovation and strengthen public confidence in the food system, the government said. In addition, business risk management programs will continue to help producers manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farms and are beyond their capacity to manage.
Changes to West Virginia agriculture rules to take effect
The Register Herald | Posted on April 10, 2018The West Virginia Legislature approved seven rule changes related to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, most of which will go into effect April 29. House Bill 4079 adopted several rule changes involving animal disease control, state apiary law, fruit inspection, auctioneers, noxious weeds, inspection of meat and poultry, and inspection of nontraditional/domesticated animals.“Technology innovations and federal guidelines change on a yearly basis,” Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said in a Monday news release. “This requires the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to update rules and regulations to modern standards. The department is here to help farmers and producers understand these changes."For animal disease control, the change allows people who own sheep and goats to submit certifications online or by mail. Certified flocks or herds can be approved for entry to fairs or festivals by the commissioner or through a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.
Immigrant labor in rural Midwest is on the decline: study
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted on April 10, 2018A declining flow of immigrants into the U.S. and aging population of immigrants already in the country is exacerbating challenges in the pork industry’s labor market, according to a study conducted by Iowa State University. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) commissioned the study, which it is using to support the organization’s argument for immigration reform that will provide them a larger labor pool.But the study states that immigration policy is only one of many factors that are changing the landscape in the rural Midwest, particularly in the hog industry.