AgClips
Recent AgClips
Texas bill limiting pet care will not be voted on
News Channel 6 | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsA Texas house bill that had some advocates and pet owners concerned will now be researched instead of being put up for a vote.House Bill 3806 would have stopped non-profit, low-costs vet clinics from providing certain services to some pet owners based on their income.Monday the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee heard citizens explain how the bill, if passed, would leave many pets untreated. Local Wichita County pet owners and animal advocates echoed their concerns.
Washington beef groups back brand bill, but dairy industry says 'no'
Capital Press | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsMost Washington dairy farmers don’t brand cows and aren’t in the mood to pay more to support a brand program, an industry representative told lawmakers, complicating a last-ditch push to save the program aimed at marketing cattle and deterring rustlers. Other cattle groups endorsed a plan to raise fees to fund inspections by the state Department of Agriculture of cattle changing owners. Washington State Dairy Federation policy director Jay Gordon said recent meetings with members revealed strong opposition.
Washington may pursue nonlethal ways to control wolves
Capital Press | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe state of Washington could spend nearly $1 million over the next two years on nonlethal ways to prevent wolves from killing livestock in the northeastern corner of the state. The bill has already passed the state House, and received approval from a key Senate committee Tuesday. It would direct the Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop different management plans for wolves in different regions of the state, with more support in areas where they are rapidly multiplying.
Federal government offers money to create addiction recovery housing in rural areas
WPSD | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Rural NewsThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Department and the Department of Health and Human Services are partnering to create addiction recovery transitional housing in rural communities.The grant is targeted to create homes for people struggling with opioid addictions. Nonprofit organizations will be able to purchase homes from the USDA and convert them to transitional housing for people recovering from opioid misuse.
Alabama creates new position for rural economic development
Birmningham Business Journal | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Rural, SARL Members and Alumni NewsRural Alabama will soon have a new dedicated specialist to lead the charge on economic development. The Alabama Department of Commerce is gearing up to name a rural development manager in its Business Development Division to help rural communities and counties better prepare for projects.The division includes 10 other staff members, two of whom focus on attracting investments from Europe and Asia.
USDA Launches New Farmers.gov Features to Help with H-2A Applications, Managing Loans
USDA | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Federal NewsAgriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans and navigate the application process for H-2A visas. “Customer service is our top priority at USDA and these new features will help our customers as they manage their farm loans and navigate the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program,” said Secretary Perdue.
Are we on the cusp of another farm crisis?
MPR News | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Agriculture NewsAre we on the brink of another farm crisis? To help us explore that question this hour, guest host Chris Farrell spoke with an academic who shared what happened in the 1980s, when American farmers faced a real economic crisis.And then an economist and a Minnesota farmer explored what's happening now.
History's 'The American Farm' Docuseries Follows the Lives of 5 Family Farms
TV Insider | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Agriculture NewsShot on location across the country, The American Farm is an authentic portrait of the fight to go from seed to stalk, and from farm to fork. The History Channel series presents an up-close look at one full year of family farming, told through an unprecedented year on the ground, capturing breathtaking visuals, private moments and personal interviews.
Here’s why Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma and other investors are pouring billions into clean-tech ventures
CNBC | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Energy NewsInvestors are pouring billions into clean-tech ventures as renewable-energy technology advances. At the same time, more than 100 globally significant financial institutions have restricted investments in carbon-intensive fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency.The $1 billion Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, founded by Gates, Bezos and other philanthropists, has invested in 14 companies involved in everything from battery storage to fusion energy.
Weather Disasters Underscore Need for Adaptive Management Programs
Solutions from the Land | Posted onApril 11, 2019 in Agriculture NewsWeather-induced disasters in multiple points across the nation in recent weeks seem to be occurring at a rate that has run unabated in recent years. Massive flooding in the Missouri River basin has taken lives and caused billions of dollars in agricultural losses in the Midwest. Flooding is continuing throughout this week in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri where a late winter storm – a so-called "bomb cyclone" – has sent river waters soaring above their banks, breaching more than a dozen levees and causing fatalities.