AgClips
Recent AgClips
United States Challenges Canadian Trade Measures That Discriminate Against U.S. Wine
Office of the US Trade Representative | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Federal NewsUnited States Trade Representative Michael Froman announced today that the Obama Administration has launched a new trade enforcement action against Canada at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Today’s action challenges British Columbia’s (BC) regulations that discriminate against the sale of U.S. wine in grocery stores. These regulations appear to breach Canada’s WTO commitments and have adversely impacted U.S. wine producers. Today’s action marks the 26th trade enforcement challenge the Obama Administration has launched at the WTO.
Recombinetics, Semex form alliance to produce polled dairy cattle
Feedstuffs | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Agriculture NewsRecombinetics announced that it has formed an alliance with Semex, a farmer-owned cattle genetics organization based in Canada, to implement a precision breeding program that improves animal health and well-being through hornless dairy cattle genetics. According to the announcement, the dehorning of calves is a routine procedure designed to prevent injuries both to other animals and to handlers. This procedure is uncomfortable for animals and is an unpleasant task for farm personnel.
Pruitt spent $3.5 million on security during first year as EPA head
The Hill | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Energy NewsScott Pruitt spent nearly $3.5 million on security during his first year as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to an agency breakdown. Pruitt's round the clock security detail racked up the high costs through both travel and payroll expenses — costing taxpayers more than $760,000 in travel and more than $2.7 million in pay during the administrator's first year.
The 60-Year Downfall of Nuclear Power in the U.S. Has Left a Huge Mess
The Atlantic | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Energy NewsThe demand for atomic energy is in decline. But before the country can abandon its plants, there's six decades of waste to deal with. It was just another day in the life of the defunct Hanford nuclear site, a remote part of Washington State that made most of the plutonium in America’s Cold War arsenal. On the morning of May 9, 2017, alarms sounded. Around 2,000 site workers were told to take cover indoors, and aircraft were banned from flying over the site for several hours.
Ex-Perry adviser lobbies for energy firm bailout
AP | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Energy NewsAt a West Virginia rally on tax cuts, President Donald Trump veered off on a subject that likely puzzled most of his audience. “Nine of your people just came up to me outside. ’Could you talk about 202?’” he said. “We’ll be looking at that 202. You know what a 202 is? We’re trying.”One person who undoubtedly knew what Trump was talking about last month was Jeff Miller, an energy lobbyist with whom the president had dined the night before. Miller had been hired by FirstEnergy Solutions, a bankrupt power company that relies on coal and nuclear energy to produce electricity.
Emails Show Collaboration Among EPA, Climate-Change Deniers
NBC | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Energy, Federal NewsNewly released emails show senior Environmental Protection Agency officials collaborating with a conservative group that dismisses climate change to rally like-minded people for public hearings on science and global warming, counter negative news coverage and tout Administrator Scott Pruitt's stewardship of the agency.
China Considers More U.S. Coal Imports to Cut Deficit
Bloomberg | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Energy NewsChina is considering a plan to buy more American coal as part of an effort to narrow its trade deficit with the U.S., according to people with knowledge of the matter. Chinese officials are currently looking at boosting purchases from West Virginia in particular, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak publicly. They didn’t say whether Beijing is looking at buying more supplies from other states. A final decision hasn’t been made, they said.
Program Makes Students Aware of Local Careers
The Agurban | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Rural NewsBusinesses and schools in two Illinois counties want to make sure students know about career opportunities in their own back yard and get the skills needed to fill the positions.The ECCEL Academy, pronounced “Ex-cel” and standing for Edgar Clark Career Exploration and Leadership, will initially focus on high school students, but organizers also want to later include fifth- through eighth-graders. “Everybody’s looking for skilled workers,” said Terry Elston, a member of the Paris Economic Development Corp. board.
Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs Harder to Find, More Expensive in High-Poverty Neighborhoods
Green Tech Media | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Rural NewsA Detroit area study finds that energy-efficient CFLs and LEDs are more expensive and less readily available in high-poverty urban neighborhoods. One of the easiest ways for a household to save energy and money is to install energy-efficient light bulbs in as many sockets as possible.
The Economics of Clean Energy Portfolios
Rocky Mountain Institute | Posted onMay 30, 2018 in Energy NewsThe US power system is one of the largest, most complicated, and most expensive machines in the world, but the grid’s core infrastructure is old and is not aging gracefully. Nearly 500 gigawatts (GW), or about half of the existing thermal generator fleet (i.e., coal-, nuclear-, and gas-fired power plants) is likely to retire by 2030, leading to a gap in capacity that will need to be addressed with new investment.