Agriculture News
What Does Trade Mean to Your Bottom Line
Hoosier Ag Today | Posted on December 5, 2017Henderson pointed out that, when ag exports increase, the farm economy does better, thus good trade deals are important to the economic prosperity of U.S. farmers. Yet, a good NAFTA deal is more than just continued tariff-free access to Canada and Mexico for U.S. corn and soybeans, “We are going to have some segments of U.S. agriculture like the poultry and dairy sectors, that are going to have a different perspective on trade with Canada and Mexico that corn and soybean growers.” U.S. dairy and poultry producers say the current NAFTA deal is unfair to their industry.
This Robot Handles The Entire Process Of Growing Lettuce By Itself
Fast Company | Posted on December 5, 2017Inside a warehouse in the middle of the suburban office sprawl of San Carlos, a Silicon Valley town south of San Francisco, hundreds of heads of lettuce and herbs grow next to a mobile robot designed to move the plants as they get bigger. In a lab next door, engineers tweak robots that can handle every part of the growing process, from planting seeds to packaging harvested heads of lettuce for a grocery store.By early 2018, Iron Ox, the startup behind the R&D farm, plans to open an 8,000-square-foot production farm nearby–all fully automated, in a system that the company says can make local, pesticide-free food production as cheap as traditional agriculture in the field.In the company’s system, a robotic arm plants seeds in a tightly-packed tray, where the seeds germinate in nutrient-filled water. As the plants get bigger, the arm can transplant them to a tray with more space, and then transplant them again a couple of weeks later. Moving the plants maximizes the number of plants that can grow in a tight space.The robotic arm also uses a camera to scan each plant and note any problems. “We can actually observe is it the right size, is it the right color, does it have any pest pressure or mildew or anything like that,” he says. Plants with mildew, which can easily spread, can be automatically removed. The robots can use machine learning over time to optimize how the plants are grown.
Pet food, human food trends: what consumers really want?
Pet Food Industry | Posted on December 5, 2017About 40 percent of US and UK consumers have increased their consumption of what they consider healthy foods;70 percent of consumers want to know and understand the ingredients list on food products;Consumers from several countries recorded double-digit responses for “real ingredients” as the factor most influencing their purchasing decisions for food and beverage products. The responses ranged from 12.6 percent in Spain to 17.4 percent in the UK, 18.3 percent in Australia, 21 percent in the US and 23 percent in China.Based on that type of data, it’s no surprise that the share of food and beverage products launched globally with some sort of “better for you” claim increased from 42 percent in 2012 to 49 percent in 2017. Further, global product launches with ethical claims – such as animal welfare, humane raising, environmentally responsible, ethical packaging – rose at a 44 percent compound annual growth rate from 2010 to 2016, Williams said.Williams was quick to point out that while some of these claims lack scientific backing or regulatory definitions, consumers still want them. “Perception is reality: if consumers think it, even if it’s wrong, that’s their perception, and you have to make products that appeal to them.”It found that 73 percent of consumers read the ingredients list and 66 percent read the nutritional panel. In addition, 94 percent said they would be loyal to product manufacturers that adopt “complete transparency,” while 99 percent said they would pay more for transparent products.
Drought-resistant plant genes could accelerate evolution of water-use efficient crops
Science Daily | Posted on December 5, 2017Scientists have identified a common set of genes that enable different drought-resistant plants to survive in semi-arid conditions, which could play a significant role in bioengineering and creating energy crops that are tolerant to water deficits.
Study finds gains in disaster planning for animals
AVMA | Posted on December 5, 2017Most U.S. states and about half of high-population cities and counties have organizational infrastructure for managing animals during a disaster, such as a state or county animal response team. However, only about one in four smaller-population counties had such an organization, even in regions prone to frequent natural disasters.These are findings of the first nationwide assessment of emergency response capabilities for animals, conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and published in the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in an article titled "The National Capabilities for Animal Response in Emergencies (NCARE) Study: An Assessment of US States and Counties" The results of the study were mixed; while much progress has been made, much still remains to be done. While most states and nearly half of high-population cities and counties have the infrastructure to manage animals in a disaster, most reported additional needs for emergency preparedness, such as training, expertise, and equipment.A little more than half of U.S. counties reported having plans for emergency shelters in which pets and people could be housed together, known as "collocated" or "cohabitational" shelters.
12 states ask Supreme Court to block California egg law
CBS | Posted on December 5, 2017A dozen states are banding together to ask the US Supreme Court to block a California law requiring any eggs sold there to come from hens that have space to stretch out in their cages. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley said Monday that he plans to file a lawsuit on behalf of the states alleging California's law has cost consumers nationwide up to $350 million annually because of higher egg prices since it took effect in 2015. The lawsuit, provided to The Associated Press, argues California's requirements violate the U.S. Constitution's interstate commerce clause and are preempted by federal law.A federal appeals court panel rejected similar claims last year in a separate case brought by six states, ruling that they failed to show California's law would affect more than just individual farmers. The latest lawsuit seeks to address that by citing an economic analysis of the California law. It also asks the Supreme Court to take up the case directly instead of requiring that it first move through the lower courts.
Despite lawmakers' warnings, few Iowa farmers face estate tax
Des Moines Register | Posted on December 4, 2017If the tax reform packages that have now passed the U.S. House and Senate become law, at least one thing appears likely: The federal estate tax will be slashed and perhaps eliminated altogether. That will represent a victory for Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation, who have consistently opposed the tax and argued it unfairly lumps in the state’s farmers with some of the country’s richest families.But a review of federal tax data and nonpartisan research on the subject shows that family farmers and small business owners represent a tiny share of estate tax payers, and that the taxes they owe rarely force them to sell land or quit farming.The number of Iowans paying the estate tax actually numbers in the dozens each year, out of roughly 1.4 million who file federal tax returns each year. IRS data from the last five years shows the number of Iowa taxpayers owing estate taxes ranged from 32 in 2012 to 61 in 2015, and that the vast majority of those probably were not farmers or small business owners.
FDA Working to Address Concerns About Regulation of Human Food By-products Used for Animal Food
FDA | Posted on December 4, 2017The FDA is committed to working with industry to address concerns about the regulation of human food by-products used for animal food, and is considering approaches that balance practical and public health considerations. Several sectors of the food industry have expressed concern about having to meet preventive controls requirements under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for certain activities commonly performed to facilitate the storage and transportation of these by-products.
USDA Cutbacks Include Decommissioning Brucellosis Studies
TSLN | Posted on December 4, 2017The U.S. Department of Agriculture's plans to decommission brucellosis field studies is in direct conflict of a recent study that concluded that brucellosis is spreading in wildlife, and more research is needed, not less, in both elk and bison.
Bell and Evans announces new plant, new chicken breed
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted on December 4, 2017Bell and Evans said it broke ground on a 560,000-square-foot chicken-harvesting facility that will allow the Fredericksburg, Pa.-based processor to expand its organic product offerings as it also moves to a slower-growth chicken breed.