Snow doesn’t stick: Snow is increasingly melting from mountains in the U.S. West during winter, a trend that could imperil water supplies for cities and farmers during the dry, warm months. (University of Colorado Boulder)
SNAP rises during pandemic: With USDA’s decision to expand eligibility for emergency allotments, the average SNAP benefit has increased by three-fourths since the start of the pandemic. (New York Times)
Cattle and trout: Iowa state regulators approved Supreme Beef’s proposal to establish a feedlot with 10,600 head of cattle in hilly northeastern Iowa; environmentalists said manure from the feedlot might pollute trout streams in the area. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Crackdown on palm oil: In a surprise, Sri Lanka banned imports of palm oil, barred plantings of new palm plantations and said existing plantations must be phased out. (Reuters)
Palmer amaranth test: Researchers at the University of Minnesota developed an easier-to-use genetic test to identify the invasive Palmer amaranth in seed shipments, which could reduce accidental spread of the weed. (Eurekalert)