Today’s quick hits, April 29, 2024

Long-running water heist: Prosecutors accuse the former general manager of the Panoche Water District of stealing $25 million worth of water from a federal canal and selling it to farmers and water districts for two decades. (Los Angeles Times)

‘Placeholder’ GREET model: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the GREET provisions expected from the Treasury Department on Tuesday will be a placeholder for the 40B credit for fuel being produced this year. (Brownfield)

Most carbon dioxide escapes: The carbon capture utilization and storage equipment at an ADM ethanol plant in Decatur, Illinois, captured 10-12 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from the plant over the past decade; the rest escaped into the atmosphere. (Oil and Gas Watch)

Electronic ID rule: To enhance traceability in case of disease, a new USDA rule requires visually and electronically readable eartags for dairy cattle, sexually intact cattle and bison over 18 months old, and cattle and bison used in rodeos and livestock shows; free tags are available from USDA. (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)

Solar grows on Midwest farms: The boom in solar farms worries some Midwestern farmers, landowners, and economists about the loss of productive cropland, although the amount of land involved is small. (Reuters)