Wet spring expected to trim size of corn and soybean harvest
The rainy spring that snarled soybean planting and flooded corn fields will trim slightly the size of this year's corn and soybean crops, according to traders who were polled ahead of projections to be released by the USDA today.
Ontario sets limits on use of “neonic”-coated seeds
The provincial government of Ontario "is moving to take the sting out of pesticides that are killing bees," says the Toronto Star. On July 1, Ontario will be first jurisdiction in North America to limit plantings of corn and soybean seeds coated with neonicotinoid pesticides, says The Star...
U.S. and Japan agree on agricultural market openings
WHO agency says 2,4-D weedkiller is “possibly carcinogenic”
The weedkiller 2,4-D is "possibly carcinogenic to humans," says the International Agency for Research of Cancer, the same WHO agency that classified glyphosate, the most widely used weedkiller in the world, as probably carcinogenic.
Senate tax package would boost investment, biofuels
The $1 a gallon biodiesel tax credit would be revived along with other incentives for renewable energy in a Senate Finance Committee package of tax "extenders." The committee is scheduled to discuss, and probably vote on, the package on Tuesday.
In bird-flu boomerang, chicken to cost less
The avian influenza epidemic hit egg-laying poultry flocks and spared the growers who produce broiler chickens used for meat. But many nations restricted or altogether banned U.S. poultry products because of the flu. The result is a rapidly increasing supply of chicken, says the monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. And when supplies go up, prices come down.
Farm subsidy convergence among rich and developing world
In the four dozen major agricultural countries of the world, government support accounted for 18 percent of gross farm receipts, or an average $736 billion from 2012-14, says the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Water districts sue over California cutbacks
Five water districts sued California's State Water Resources Board over its decision to ban senior water rights holders from drawing water out of rivers and streams in the Sacramento and San Joaquin watersheds, said the Sacramento Bee.
“Are Inspections Enough?”
The United States imported $19 billion worth of seafood last year, more than nine times the value of the domestic catch that is consumed at home, writes Deborah Zabarenko in a story at Medium. Only 1-2 percent is inspected by FDA and the rejection rate was 0.33 percent in 2012. According to the seafood industry and government officials, the inspection net falls much wider, covering as much as 40 percent of imports.
Bird-flu results: Fewer eggs and a 25-percent price increase
Egg prices will run an average 25 percent higher this year than expected two months ago - and at record high prices - because of the worst avian influenza epidemic ever to hit U.S. poultry farms, says the government. In its monthly WASDE report, the USDA estimated that the bird flu, which has affected 47.1 million fowl, would reduce egg production by 5 percent this year and by 4.5 percent in 2016.
GOP leader plans House vote on California drought bill
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told fellow Republicans to expect a floor vote this month on a bill to release more water from federal projects to farmers and communities in the West by reducing the amounts guaranteed for wildlife.
Plant breeders aim for more flavorful strawberry
"On the agronomical trip to market, strawberries have lost some of their flavor," says Wired, noting the adjustments made over the decades to produce a bright-colored, slick-skinned, large-sized berry that is easy to pick and stays in condition.
New grocery store in “food desert” would sell locally grown food
In central Illinois, the Green Top Grocery, scheduled to open in a "food desert," would improve the diets of shoppers and the incomes of nearby farmers, says Iowa Farmer Today.
Soda consumption in Mexico down 6 percent after tax
Mexicans reduced their purchases of sugary beverages by 6 percent following implementation of a one-peso-per-liter tax on sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, according to a study by the Mexican National Institute of Public Health and the University of North Carolina.
Waterfowl population plunges in California drought
A state survey shows a 30-percent drop in the population of breeding waterfowl in California in one year due to drought and poor habitat, says the Sacramento Bee.
Fewer cattle in feedlots will keep beef supply tight
Cattle producers are keeping their stock on pasture, a signal that beef supplies will remain tight this year.
USDA revamps supplemental food program
USDA published a final rule, effective in 30 days, in the Federal Register to "phase out the participation of women, infants, and children in CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program) and transition it to a low-income, elderly-only program," as required by the 2014 farm policy law. Women and children will be served by WIC in coming years. A small portion of CSFP enrollment is women and children. They will remain in the program until the children exceed the age of eligibility.
Senate panel approves bill to override clean-water rule
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved a bill to obviate the recently issued "waters of the United States" rule that defines the upstream reach of the Clean Water Act.
Rural poor suffer in drought; tech wizards offer water apps
"For many Californians, the state’s long drought has meant small inconveniences such as shorter showers and restrictions on watering lawns.
U.S. farmers increasingly specialize in corn and soybeans
Corn and soybeans are the two most widely grown crops in the nation, forecast at 174 million acres this year, or slightly more than half of the land devoted to the two dozen "principal" crops of the United States.