In Germany, heat wave takes a toll (Reuters): German farmers are calling for over $1 billion in aid after a heat wave caused over $1.5 billion of damage to grain crops this year.
Consolidation in food distribution (Chicago Tribune): US Foods will buy a group of five Arizona distributors for $1.8 billion. The company is the second-largest food distributor in the country.
Koch sits out three Senate Ag races (Washington Post): The Koch network of big-bucks conservative donors is on the sidelines in races involving three Democratic members of the Senate Agriculture Committee—Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.
‘Can we talk?’ (Raleigh News and Observer): The corporate hog farmer being sued in North Carolina for creating a nuisance has appealed a court order that bars both sides in the cases from talking to reporters.
GMO rice against HIV (Labiotech): Spanish researchers developed a transgenic variety of rice that produces HIV-neutralizing proteins and could be a low-cost way to produce medicines for HIV prevention.
Court will hear ethanol-waiver case (DTN/Progressive Farmer): The U.S. appeals court in Denver said it will hear an ethanol industry challenge of EPA’s power to exempt small-volume refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Trying to be green while eating meat (Undark): China consumes 28 percent of the meat in the world and its appetite for pork, beef and poultry may collide with the government’s pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.