AgClips
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Massachusetts Governor supports Administration Supports Urban Agriculture Projects Across State
Mass.gov | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe Baker-Polito Administration today announced $343,079 in grants for eight urban agriculture projects across the state. The funding continues the Administration’s support for an emerging urban agriculture sector and a commitment to ensure city residents have access to fresh food. The announcement was made by Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux during an event at UMass Lowell.
Massachusetts Governor Supports Agricultural Buy Local Organizations
Mass.gov | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe Baker-Polito Administration today announced $297,000 in grants to the Commonwealth’s regional Buy Local agricultural organizations for projects that will enhance efforts in western, central, northeastern and southeastern Massachusetts. These organizations work to generate consumer awareness and demand for locally grown food products while improving logistical access to these important food sources.
‘Ponce’s Law’ bill allows animal abusers to be barred from having pets
The Daytona Beach News Journal | Posted onNovember 14, 2017 in Rural, SARL Members and Alumni NewsA bill called “Ponce’s Law” would put more bite into Florida’s animal cruelty cases by allowing judges to prohibit people convicted of abusing animals from owning pets and giving prosecutors more leverage in the cases, said state Rep. Tom Leek, who introduced the bill. The bill is named in honor of Ponce, a Labrador retriever puppy found beaten to death in the Ponce Inlet backyard of Travis Archer earlier this year. The bill is a positive note to an otherwise grim event, said Leek, an Ormond Beach Republican.
Saputo closing Fond du Lac cheese plant with 126 jobs
WBAY | Posted onNovember 10, 2017 in Agriculture, Food NewsA Fond du Lac cheese plant with 126 employees will be closed in seven months. Saputo, based on Montreal, announced Thursday it's closing the cheese manufacturing facility on East Scott Street next May.Saputo says it will save more than $5.5 million a year by moving the operations to a newly-built blue cheese factory in Almena in western Wisconsin, about 265 miles away.Employees will receive severance. Some will be offered a chance to work at other Saputo facilities, the company said.
Chobani grows in ‘Silicon Valley of food’ despite turmoil
AP | Posted onNovember 10, 2017 in Agriculture, Food NewsThe founder and CEO of Chobani has no regrets about moving his Greek yogurt company to south-central Idaho, a region embroiled in the national debate over refugee resettlement that spread to company boycotts by far-right bloggers and conspiracy theorists. “I hear the conversations here and there, but it’s a peaceful community that we all love,” said Hamdi Ulukaya, a Turkish immigrant.
Larson Dairy responds to abuse allegations
WPTV | Posted onNovember 10, 2017 in Agriculture NewsThe owners of Larson Dairy are defending themselves after the release of a disturbing video showing employees pushing and even kicking cows. Jacob Larson is in charge. "This is what we do," as he points to about 2,000 cows."Very disappointing to me," said Larson.He fired one employee shown in the video, two others have been suspended.Larson says this is the first time he's ever heard of an employee treating a cow this way. "We take good care of our cows.
Nestlé’s Switch to Cage-Fee Eggs Demonstrates Why Companies Can’t Ignore Millennials
Triple Pundit | Posted onNovember 9, 2017 in Food NewsNestlé announced that it will commit to sourcing only cage-free eggs across its entire global supply chain by 2025. This pledge comes almost two years after its U.S. division said it would switch to cage-free eggs for its food brands by 2020.It’s a big commitment. The Humane Society of the United States has noted that cage-free hens have a relatively better life than those condemned to painful confinement in a battery cage. Nevertheless, to many animal rights activists, cage-free is still a pretty dire existence.
Icahn Subpoenaed US Attorney Wants Information on Energy Investor's Involvement With RFS
DTN | Posted onNovember 9, 2017 in Energy, Federal NewsThough no longer an adviser to President Donald Trump, billionaire energy investor Carl Icahn may now be the subject of a federal investigation related to his involvement with the Renewable Fuel Standard. The U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York has subpoenaed Icahn's company, Icahn Enterprises LP, for information on Icahn's work with the president on the RFS, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission on Nov. 3."The U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York recently contacted Icahn Enterprises L.P.
Wisconsin passes AB 353 on Cooperatives
Wisconsin State Farmer | Posted onNovember 9, 2017 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsCooperative Network applauds the bipartisan support delivered yesterday in both the Wisconsin State Assembly and Senate in the approval of Assembly Bill 353. The leadership of Representative Gary Tauchen (R – Bonduel) and Senator Patrick Testin (R – Stevens Point) was crucial in the success of this legislation.
California accepting proposals for Healthy Soils Program
Lake County News | Posted onNovember 9, 2017 in Agriculture, SARL Members and Alumni NewsThe California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation, or OEFI, in coordination with the agency’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel, is now accepting new proposals for soil carbon sequestration management practices for inclusion in its Healthy Soils Program, or HSP. As part of program development, CDFA identified specific soil management practices eligible for initial funding through the HSP. Some of these practices include no or reduced tillage, planting cover crops and compost application.