AgClips
Recent AgClips
Firms that bossed agriculture for a century face new threat: farmers
Wall Street Journal | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Agriculture NewsAcross the U.S. Farm Belt, the balance of power is swinging away from multibillion-dollar agribusinesses.For over a century, companies such as Cargill Inc. held sway over markets for U.S. corn, soybeans and wheat, quoting prices to farmers who trucked their crops to company grain elevators. Cargill and its peers would then market crops to food and beverage makers across the country. Now farmers are increasingly calling the shots.
Brazil's farmers dump sugar for soy as trade war boosts Chinese demand
Reuters | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Agriculture NewsShifting trade flows are redefining the Brazilian landscape, spurring more farmers to align their crops with Chinese appetites. The nation’s soy plantings have expanded by 2 million hectares in two years - an area the size of New Jersey - while land used for cane shrank by nearly 400,000 hectares, according to government data. China’s growing demand for meat has supercharged soy imports for animal feed.
'A complete shock': Economists stunned by USDA's decision to move economic research arm
Politico | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Federal NewsStaff members at USDA’s Economic Research Service were blindsided by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s decision to move the agency out of Washington, and agricultural economists are concerned the department's economic research arm could be weakened by the changes.The news was particularly hard on officials with families who have settled in the Washington area, despite USDA's assurances that staffers will be offered relocation assistance and the same base pay they were earning while in Washington.
Economic Research Service: reliable information's last stand?
The Daily Yonder | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Federal NewsAg Secretary Sonny Perdue announced last week that he will move the USDA Economic Research Service out of Washington, D.C., and place the agency under the management of USDA Office of the Chief Economist. Also involved in the reorganization and relocation is the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, another research agency. The Daily Yonder uses material from the Economic Research Service routinely. We republish ERS research reports or quote from them extensively.
Dairy Farmers Push for Solution To Low Milk Prices
WWNYTV | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Agriculture NewsIt's been 4 years since dairy farmers could say they earned a living wage. "It's not a good picture out there. There's a lot of desperate people. It's sad when the people that feed us can't feed themselves." said Brien Tabolt, general manager at the Lowville Producers Cheese Store.On Monday, hundreds of farmers from across the country were in Albany to put their heads together.The dairy co-op Agri-Mark organized the summit to get ideas on how to get farmers more money for the milk their cows make.You can find a list of the other ideas here.
Massachusetts governor wants public health oversight for raw milk
Food Safety News | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Food, SARL Members and Alumni NewsMassachusetts Gov. Charles D. Baker has vetoed permissive raw milk language in a bill to help coastal areas pay for recent storm damage and instead proposed lawmakers consider stronger regulation of milk that does not undergo pasteurization.
Looking for breakthrough energy policies? Much of the action is in the states, former governor tells region's legislators
CSG Midwest | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Energy NewsFor policymakers interested in getting innovative energy bills signed into law, the nation’s capital is the last place to be, a former U.S. governor told the Midwest’s legislators in July. Instead, he said, go to Springfield, Lansing or the many other state capitals where policy breakthroughs have occurred.“We haven’t had comprehensive federal legislation since 2007, so what do we do?
Midwest's legislators adopt resolution calling for greater mental-health supports for people living in rural areas
CSG Midwest | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Rural, SARL Members and Alumni NewsMyriad signs point to the need for better connecting farmers to services that help them deal with stress, depression and other mental health challenges. First, there is the history of the problem: In a study examining various industries between 1992 and 2010, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that farm operators and workers had the highest suicide rate. Second, many rural U.S.
FDA and FTC need to end anti-GMO deception in organic food advertising
The Hill | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Food NewsFor a long time, American consumers had it pretty good. They could read a food label or product advertisement and trust that the information it contained was reasonably truthful. That’s because ever since their formation over 100 years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) were there actively to enforce laws against false and misleading marketing schemes.Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.
Ben & Jerry's 'Milk With Dignity' Pact With Farmworkers Seems To Be Paying Off
NPR | Posted onAugust 16, 2018 in Food NewsSome Vermont dairy workers say their wages and living conditions have improved, thanks to an agreement reached last year between the workers and Ben & Jerry's, a division of global consumer products company Unilever. Times are tough on dairy farms around the country, with milk prices declining for the fourth year in a row. But 72 farms that supply Ben & Jerry's earn a little more by agreeing to follow labor and housing standards.