Food stamp list stabilizes at 46.5 million people
Food stamp enrollment totaled 46.5 million people, or nearly one in seven Americans, for three months in a row, say USDA data. That's down by 1.2 million recipients, or 2.5 percent, from a year ago.
The black-gold rush
In a series that opened on Sunday, the New York Times describes the oil rush in North Dakota and "its rapid transformation from a tight-knit agricultural society to semi-industrialized oil powerhouse."
“I’d like to cock him one”
Sixty years after the Double T dairy farm went into business in California's Central Valley, owner Tony Azevedo sold his cattle, partly due to unrelenting drought and partly out of frustration over disagreements with his son on transfer of the business to a new generation.
“Land grabs” re-shape global farm ownership map
"China, the U.S., Britain, Germany, Singapore and a small group of other nations account for the majority of global land acquisition" according to research by Sweden's Lund University, says the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Conaway selected as next House Agriculture chairman
House Republican leaders tapped Texas Rep Mike Conaway to become House Agriculture Committee chairman in January, succeeding Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, who has served the six-year maximum allowed by Republican rules. Conaway is a conservative from central Texas and currently is chairman of the House Ethics Committee. House Republicans are expected to meet today to ratify the choice of Conaway and 16 other men as their committee leaders.
Do immigration piecemeal, says incoming Senate chairman
The incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says the Senate ought to take the same approach to immigration reform as the House - do it one piece at a time rather than assemble a comprehensive bill. "A provision dealing with just agriculture would pass Congress easily," Iowa Sen Chuck Grassley told reporters but action on popular items is stalled by advocates of a full-spectrum approach.
ADM sues Syngenta over rejected GE corn cargoes
ADM, the world's largest corn processor, sued Syngenta in state court in Louisiana over cargoes of corn rejected by China because they contained an unapproved Syngenta variety, said Bloomberg.
Algae blooms in Lake Erie put spotlight on agricultural runoff
The algae bloom that shut down Toledo's drinking-water supply for two days this summer has put the spotlight on agricultural runoff, although farmland is not the only source of the pollutants that cause the explosive growth of the cyanobacteria, says...
Skip debate, talk about climate change solutions-Researchers
Farmers are far less likely than scientists to say climate change is occurring and that people are a driving force in it, says a study by Purdue and Iowa State universities.
The story of turkeys – fewer birds, heavier weights
U.S. farmers are forecast to produce 235 million turkeys this year, down 2 percent from last year and down 14 percent since 2008, a peak year, say USDA reports. Turkeys weigh more apiece although there are fewer of them.
Slight decline in farmland prices likely after 10-year rise
A Purdue agricultural economist says land prices are likely to fall under the weight of low crop prices and rising interest rates. "We are looking at about a 5-10 percent correction over each of the next three years," says Michael Langemeier in a Purdue news release.
U.S.-Canada agency studies algae blooms in Lake Erie
The International Joint Commission, the U.S.-Canada group that oversees the Great Lakes, will spend the next few months studying the impact of algae blooms in Lake Erie before issuing a new report on the lake in the spring, says the Associated Press.
Include farm workers in immigration order, Obama is asked
The Congressional Progressive Caucus urged President Barack Obama to "act swiftly and comprehensively" through an executive order that would allow undocumented aliens to stay in the country.
Crop insurance “lacks accountability and transparency”
The federally subsidized crop insurance system, which cost $58.7 billion from 2003-12, "lacks accountability and transparency," says the Land Stewardship Project in a white paper.
Let House go first on immigration reform, says key senator
The incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says he'll let the House move first on immigration reform in the new session of Congress. "That way, we wouldn't be wasting our time," said Sen Chuck Grassley of Iowa. The Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill, including a separate path to citizenship for farm workers, after weeks of divisive debate in 2013.
China and Australia agree to trade pact with ag benefits
China will reduce its tariffs on a range of Australian farm exports including beef and dairy as part of a free trade agreement, said Bloomberg. Australia said the trade agreement will give its products an advantage over competitors such as the United States and Canada.
Green group names “dirty dozen” food additives
The Environmental Working Group said its newly released report, "EWG's Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives," shows the need for better government oversight of the food system.
EPA delays until 2015 the ethanol mandate for this year
With time running out to set the ethanol mandate for this year, EPA said it "is not in a position to finalize the 2014 RFS standards rule before the end of the year. Accordingly, we intend to take action on the 2014 standards rule in 2015 prior to or in conjunction with action on the 2015 standards rule." EPA proposed a relaxation in the 2014 mandate nearly a year ago, saying the gasoline market was nearly saturated with biofuels at the traditional blend rate of 10 percent, partly because fuel usage is lower than expected.
Coalition calls for Congress to pass “tax extenders” package
Some 525 trade and business groups, including farm groups, urged Congress to revive four dozen tax breaks that expired on Jan 1, the so-called "tax extenders" package. In a letter, the groups said the tax incentives should be restored as soon as possible. "We urge all members of Congress to work together to extend seamlessly, enhance, or make permanent these important tax provisions this year to provide a necessary bridge to comprehensive tax reform," said the groups.
Beekeepers to get more than half of $40 million disaster aid
Honeybee keepers will receive more than half of $40 million earmarked for the Emergency Assistance to Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP), said USDA.