AgClips
Recent AgClips
Michigan regulators clamp down on utility’s political spending
Energy News Network | Posted onFebruary 4, 2019 in Energy NewsIn an unprecedented move, the Michigan Public Service Commission has prohibited a major utility from using corporate dollars to fund nonprofit political advocacy groups.The deal with Consumers Energy follows a contentious election involving outsized spending from energy-focused nonprofit groups supporting regulated utilities. Sources say it was the commission’s attempt to rein in the practice following complaints about one group’s political spending in the 2018 election.
Massive Wisconsin solar proposal splits farmers and clean energy fans
The Cap Times | Posted onFebruary 4, 2019 in Energy NewsSoon, the family will stop raising dairy cows because the industry is in trouble. In 2018, Wisconsin lost 638 dairy farms because of falling milk prices. And the Bishops, who farm in Iowa County, still carry debt from when hog prices tanked in the 1990s. Yet a rare opportunity has come the Bishops’ way.
In Kansas and Missouri, why are rural lawmakers interfering in cities’ affairs?
Kansas City Star | Posted onFebruary 4, 2019 in Rural, SARL Members and Alumni NewsKansas Gov. Laura Kelly made rural redevelopment a central part of her first speech to lawmakers.“The majority of our 105 counties lost population last year, and for many years prior to that,” she said. “Whether it’s roads, broadband, housing, or agriculture, they need our support.”Maybe they’ll get it. The Kansas House has a new committee aimed at revitalizing rural areas. Across the state line in Missouri, Gov. Mike Parson wants $5 million to expand broadband internet.
PG&E says judge’s wildfire safety plan would cost $75 billion, lead to huge rate hike
The Sacramento Bee | Posted onJanuary 31, 2019 in Energy NewsPG&E on Wednesday blasted a federal judge’s plan for wildfire safety as unrealistic, saying his proposal for the utility to inspect every inch of its electrical grid and remove dangerous trees would cost $75 billion to $150 billion and lead to staggering rate hikes.The embattled utility, which plans to file for bankruptcy because of wildfire claims, said it “does not have the ability to raise those funds” and would have to turn to ratepayers for more money.
After the Shutdown, a Deluge of Major USDA Reports
Successful Farming | Posted onJanuary 29, 2019 in Federal NewsWith the shutdown behind it, the USDA will begin today to clear out a month’s worth of backlogged data, including major reports that could jolt commodity markets and color farmers’ decisions on crops to plant this spring. Chief Economist Robert Johansson said there will be one exception — the globe-spanning WASDE Report that serves as a monthly crop report for the world.
Nebraska housing program helps rural workers
Sioux City Journal | Posted onJanuary 29, 2019 in Rural NewsA couple in northeast Nebraska is the first to find housing through the state's rural housing program, which aims to help rural communities increase housing opportunities to better retain workers.The state's $7 million Rural Workforce Housing Fund gives nonprofit development organizations matching grants to construct or rehabilitate housing in rural parts of the state. The goal is to create housing options for middle-income workers who don't qualify for other housing assistance programs but don't have enough for a down payment.
We’ll Always Eat Meat. But More of It Will Be ‘Meat’
Bloomberg | Posted onJanuary 29, 2019 in Food NewsMore and more people are choosing to eat less and less meat. The trend is spawning a rapidly expanding industry for meat substitutes, both plant-based and a new high tech generation grown from animal cells in laboratories. From Bill Gates to Leonardo DiCaprio, investors are betting hundreds of millions of dollars that the appetite for meat alternatives will mushroom.Overall meat consumption continues to increase on a global scale, buoyed by rising affluence in developing economies such as China and Brazil.
Survey shows plant-based food label confusion
Voice of milk | Posted onJanuary 29, 2019 in Food NewsIn a marketplace increasingly crowded by plant-based imitation dairy products, the results of a new survey show that customers are confused about whether those products are indeed dairy foods and whether they carry the same nutritional value. The research evaluated three plant-based foods that mimic dairy cheese to understand if the packaging and descriptions are confusing. The survey, conducted by Ravel, was commissioned by Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, based in Wisconsin.
Washington:New bill would create rural development investment funds
Columbia Basin Herald | Posted onJanuary 29, 2019 in Rural, SARL Members and Alumni NewsProposed Senate legislation would create rural development and opportunity zone funds and extend tax reductions to certain timber activities. Private investment companies could apply to join these funds that would provide capital for businesses in qualifying areas. The prime sponsor of Senate Bill 5423, District 1 Sen. Guy Palumbo, D-Maltby, reworked the measure from what he proposed last year, noting it won’t cost the state any money. SB 5423 would create a tax incentive for Rural and Small Business Investment Companies (RBICs) and Small Business Investment Companies (SMBICs).
Oregon adopts strict rules for solar panel farms on high-value farm soil
Statesman Journal | Posted onJanuary 29, 2019 in Energy, SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission didn’t shut the door on new solar farms being built on high-value farmland Friday, but it did allow counties to choose if they could be built under significant restrictions.