AgClips
Recent AgClips
MN Gov. Mark Dayton vetoes bill that gave Enbridge's new pipeline fast-track approval
Minnesota Star Tribune | Posted onMay 22, 2018 in Energy, SARL Members and Alumni NewsAs expected, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed legislation that would have allowed Enbridge to build a controversial new oil pipeline without getting regulatory approval.
US winter wheat forecast down amid drought, surplus
Capital Press | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Agriculture NewsU.S. farmers are expected to harvest their smallest winter wheat crop in more than a decade amid an ongoing drought that has devastated fields across the nation’s breadbasket and a global surplus of the grain that has depressed prices, according to government report. The National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast the size of the nation’s 2018 wheat crop at 1.19 billion bushels. If realized, that would be down 6 percent from the previous year. The last time the nation’s farmers harvested such a small wheat crop was in 2002, when U.S. production fell to 1.137 billion bushels,
A Green Approach to Making Ammonia Could Help Feed the World
University of Central Florida | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Agriculture NewsUCF research team with collaborators at Virginia Tech have developed a new “green” approach to making ammonia that may help make feeding the rising world population more sustainable. “This new approach can facilitate ammonia production using renewable energy, such as electricity generated from solar or wind,” said physics Assistant Professor Xiaofeng Feng.
Americans want more clean energy. Here's what they're actually willing to do to get it
CNBC | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Energy NewsConsumers are growing more concerned about climate change and their carbon footprint, according to an annual survey from Deloitte. The gap between environmental concern and consumer action is poised to shrink as tech-minded millennials make green choices in their daily lives. Interest is growing in home battery systems paired with solar panels and time-of-use rates, but privacy concerns could hold back adoption of smart home devices.
Will Battle Between 'Big Corn' And 'Big Oil' Stall Next Generation Biofuels?
Investors Business Daily | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Energy NewsCurrently, almost every gallon of gasoline contains 10% ethanol made from corn and 90% petroleum gasoline refined from crude oil as a result of the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. (RFS). However, declining gasoline use is intensifying the existing fight between big oil companies and the corn ethanol industry (or Big Corn) over how much of the shrinking transportation fuel pie each gets. The most immediate impact of the RFS wars is to focus attention on corn ethanol and petroleum gasoline at the detriment of second-generation biofuels.
The line between food and medicine is blurrier than ever — and the FDA needs to step up its game
The Verge | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Food NewsIs tea medicine? What about special Collagen Beautèa that promises to support your bones? The Wall Street Journal reported on the growing popularity of foods and beverages enhanced with collagen, an ingredient used in wrinkle cream that hasn’t really been proven to be helpful when you eat it. The line between “food” and “medicine” has always been blurry, and, traditionally, the US Food and Drug Administration only regulates the latter.
Mountain Valley Pipeline cited for environmental violations
Miami Herald | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Energy NewsThe Mountain Valley Pipeline project has been cited for failing to control erosion at two work sites just two months after construction started on the more than 300-mile (483-kilometer) pipeline through Virginia and West Virginia. The Roanoke Times reported Wednesday that an inspection found flaws in erosion and sediment control measures last month at two sites in Wetzel County.
Minnesota's top health, environment officials blast EPA science rule
Minnesota Star Tribune | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in NewsMinnesota’s top health and environmental officials sent a blistering letter Wednesday to the U.S.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich wants to crack down on phosphorus runoff that feeds Lake Erie algal blooms
Cleveland.com | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsGov. John Kasich said he plans to issue an executive order if state lawmakers won't limit fertilizer use in certain parts of the state that contribute to problematic phosphorus and nitrate runoff in Lake Erie. The Ohio General Assembly in 2015 restricted manure and fertilizer application on snow-covered or wet ground in the western basin of Lake Erie with exceptions such as injecting it into the ground or applying it on a cover crop. Another law required large farm owners to obtain a certification in properly applying fertilizer.
Dairy farmers regroup after drop letter
Farm and Dairy | Posted onMay 17, 2018 in NewsIn February, more than 100 dairy farmers were dropped by Dean Foods. Here’s what happened next. Snyder and more than 100 other dairies in Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, received the letter, dated Feb. 26.“I could have given up four years ago and chose not to. I thought to myself, ‘I haven’t given up yet, but what am I going to do now?’”Snyder, who farms in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, lost her husband, Todd, four years ago.