AgClips
Recent AgClips
N.C. hog nuisance bill moves to governor’s desk
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsA controversial measure that would make it more difficult to sue hog producers for allegedly being a nuisance and dragging down neighbors’ property rights has been finalized by the state’s lawmakers, according to media reports. Versions of the bill, Farm Act Senate Bill 711, were approved by the state’s Senate and House earlier this week. On Thursday the Senate approved the House’s proposed changes. The final version of the bill moves to the desk of Gov. Roy Cooper, who could sign it, veto it, or allow it to become state law without his signature.
China announces equal penalties to retaliate for U.S. tariffs
Capital Press | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Federal NewsA $50 billion list of possible U.S. trade targets announced in April included soybeans, light aircraft, orange juice, whiskey and beef. China’s government responded quickly to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff hike on Chinese goods by announcing Friday it will immediately impose penalties of “equal strength” on U.S. products. The Commerce Ministry said it also was scrapping deals to buy more American farm goods and other exports as part of efforts to defuse a sprawling dispute over its trade surplus and technology policy.
Florida lawmakers wrongly diverted money meant for conservation, judge rules
Orlando Sentinel | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Rural, SARL Members and Alumni NewsState lawmakers failed to comply with a voter-approved constitutional amendment to buy and preserve environmentally sensitive lands, a judge ruled. Leon Circuit Judge Charles Dodson sided with environmental groups in the lawsuit centered on whether lawmakers defied the 2014 Florida Water and Land Conservation Initiative by improperly diverting portions of the money to such expenses as staffing. Legislative leaders have repeatedly disputed such allegations as they continued to make such budget allocations. Attorney David Guest — representing the Florida Wildlife Federation, the St.
Nearly 41,000 homes in Louisiana could be at risk of chronic flooding by 2045
The Acadiana Advocate | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Rural NewsBy 2045, nearly 41,000 homes in Louisiana could be at risk of chronic disruptive flooding caused by sea level rise. The report says nearly 99,000 people could be affected by floods that would happen 26 times a year or more. The value of the homes affected by the flooding is pegged at nearly $4.3 billion, contributing $36 million in property taxes. Louisiana faces an additional problem: the number of poor people who live in homes at risk of flooding.
Climate change has fish moving faster than regulations can keep up
Science Daily | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe world's system for allocating fish stocks is being outpaced by the movement of fish species in response to climate change, according to a study undertaken by an international team of marine ecologists, fisheries and social scientists, and lawyers.
Humboldt man charged with felony after 250 dead cows, some stacked 10-ft-high, discovered on ranch
San Francisco Chronicle | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Agriculture NewsAuthorities leveled multiple felony and misdemeanor charges on a Humboldt County man after investigators discovered hundreds of dead livestock on his ranch. Raymond Christie was charged with 35 counts, including seven misdemeanor charges and 28 counts for placing dead animal carcasses within 150 feet of state waters, according to a letter from Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming. Local, state and federal officials had discovered up to 300 deceased cows, some stacked in 10-foot-high piles or heaped in and near waterways, on four properties owned by Christie.
Salmonella outbreak in 31 states is linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal, CDC says
CNN | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Food NewsA salmonella outbreak that has caused illness in 73 people across 31 states is linked to Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.Just before the agency announced the outbreak,the Kellogg Co. announced a recall of 15.3-ounce and 23-ounce packages of the cereal with a "best if used by" date from June 14, 2018, through June 14, 2019, according to a statement.Twenty-four of the sick patients have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, according to the CDC.
Natalie Portman documentary "Eating Animals" explores rise of so-called factory farming
CBS | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Agriculture Newscademy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman has graced the silver screen for the majority of her life, entertaining audiences at the age of 12 in her first film "Léon: The Professional" and continuing to make her mark on Hollywood through "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," "Black Swan" and "Jackie." Portman is also a longtime animal rights and environmental activist. Her new documentary explores the rise of so-called factory farming in America and some of the potential alternatives to meat.
Dairy farms struggle even as Walmart milk plant opens
Ft Wayne Business Weekly | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Agriculture NewsRecent years have not been easy for the dairy industry, and Indiana’s milk producers welcome any help they will see from the processing plant Walmart just opened in Fort Wayne. More than 100 farmers across much of the country, including at least 25 in Indiana, were notified earlier this year that due to an oversupply of milk, their contracts with Dean Foods would not be renewed. They had until May 31 to find a new market for their milk. In Indiana, “they were scattered throughout the state,” said Doug Leman, executive director for Indiana Dairy Producers.
The FDA regulates food. USDA regulates meat. So who gets to regulate lab-grown meat?
The New Food Economy | Posted onJune 20, 2018 in Federal, Food NewsLast week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intent to regulate lab-grown meat—a declaration that provides some clues about how the federal government will treat a new technology that upends some notions about food and agriculture. In some ways, it’s unremarkable that lab-grown meat would fall under FDA’s purview. It’s the federal agency that’s already in charge of ensuring the safety of most foods, from Hot Pockets to baby carrots and coconut water. What is surprising, though, is FDA’s signaling that it wants domain over a meat product.