AgClips
Recent AgClips
Invest in soil to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The Sacramento Bee | Posted onJune 20, 2016 in Agriculture NewsGov. Jerry Brown’s proposed Healthy Soils Initiative, which is part of the cap-and-trade spending package, is a landmark program aimed at increasing the soil’s organic matter in California’s agricultural lands. This will help with water retention, soil stability and nutrient use efficiency – all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Healthy Soils is one component in the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which if adopted by the Legislature could invest nearly $3 billion to projects to advance the state’s path to a low-carbon future.
Moving to Arizona Soon? You Might Need a License
New York Times | Posted onJune 20, 2016 in Rural NewsAnimal masseuses are hardly alone. Over the years, states across the country have added licensing requirements for a bewildering variety of jobs, requiring months or years of expensive education, along with assessing costly fees.
A record year for maple syrup production
Burlington Free Press | Posted onJune 17, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe United States and Canada produced record amounts of maple syrup this year, thanks to the weather and more people getting into the business or expanding their operations. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics released this month show the U.S. produced 4.2 million gallons, the greatest amount since record-keeping began in 1916. Vermont is by far the country’s largest producer of maple syrup.
Bill aimed at improving rural health-care access sent to Obama
Agri-Pulse | Posted onJune 17, 2016 in NewsPublic and private skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) should soon be able to provide more and better telemedical services after the Senate gave final congressional approval to the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., amends the federal Communications Act to permit those facilities to apply for support from the FCC-managed Universal Service Fund (USF). A USF program, the Rural Health Care Program (RHCP), provides funding for telecommunications and broadband services used to provide health care in rural communities.
USDA extends comment period for organic livestock rule
meatingplace.com | Posted onJune 17, 2016 in NewsUSDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has extended the public comment period for a proposed rule that calls for changes in animal welfare practices for organic livestock and poultry production. Major provisions of the proposed rule include: Clarifying how producers and handlers must treat livestock and poultry to ensure their health and wellbeing throughout life, including transport and slaughter. Specifying which physical alterations are allowed and prohibited in organic livestock and poultry production. Establishing minimum indoor and outdoor space requirements for poultry.
Texas Loses Fight to Keep Syrian Refugees Out
Texas Tribune | Posted onJune 17, 2016 in Rural NewsTexas on Thursday lost its fight against the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state, ending a monthslong battle during which refugees from the war-torn country continued to arrive. Dealing the final blow to Gov. Abbott's effort to keep Syrian refugees out of the state, a federal judge dismissed Texas’ lawsuit against the federal government and a refugee resettlement agency over the resettlement of the refugees. In an order dated Wednesday and released Thursday, Dallas-based U.S.
New England governors say fighting stigma key to opioid battle
Central Maine | Posted onJune 17, 2016 in Rural Newsll six New England governors attending the conference said fighting the social stigma associated with addiction is the key to battling the opioid crisis raging across the region, claiming thousands of lives.
Minneapolis Governor vetos tax relief bill
CBS | Posted onJune 17, 2016 in Rural NewsGovernor Mark Dayton today made good on a promise to veto a major tax relief bill because it included a 101-million dollar error. The veto set off a flurry of fingerpointing, and new calls for a special session. The tax bill came out of a rushed and chaotic end to the legislative session. It included a one-word mistake that cut by $101 million a fund that pays for the new Vikings stadium. After the veto came a blunt rebuke from the governor. “My message to legislators today: Come back and finish your work,” Dayton said.
Utah’s lawsuit over federal lands nearly ready, expenses questioned
The Salt Lake Tribune | Posted onJune 16, 2016 in Federal NewsA draft of Utah's lawsuit demanding the federal government turn over 30 million acres to the state is expected to be complete by next week, but Democrats on the commission overseeing the project still want to know more about how $1 million in taxpayer dollars have been spent. Rep. Keven Stratton, R-Orem, co-chairman of the Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands, said he plans to have a finished draft of the state's potential lawsuit to present to lawmakers when they hold their monthly meetings June 15. It would be up to Attorney General Sean Reyes and Gov.
The land transfer movement’s great public-lands hoax
High Country News | Posted onJune 16, 2016 in Federal NewsThe disturbing thing about scams is that all too often they work. Some are easy to spot, like the foreign cousin you didn’t know you had who calls and needs cash wired immediately. Here in Idaho, the scam of the moment involves politicians trying hard to convince us that states should take control of public lands now managed by the federal government. Like good used car salesmen, the legislators hawking this free-the-public-lands scam want you to believe that the deal is too good to walk away from. But a look under the hood reveals that the salesmen aren’t telling the whole story.