White House scrambles on ethanol (Reuters): President Trump, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, and EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler are considering a range of proposals to boost ethanol demand, including rescinding waivers that exempt some refineries from complying with U.S. biofuel mandates.
Weed seems to defy dicamba (UTcrops): Weed specialist Larry Steckel says he has visited several soybean fields in Tennessee where Palmer amaranth appears to have survived doses of the weedkiller dicamba, which has been in use for only a few years.
Dangerous insecticide at marijuana sites (Los Angeles Times): Drug traffickers are using the highly toxic insecticide carbofuran at remote marijuana operations in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, said law enforcement officials.
New course for USDA animal welfare (Washington Post): The Trump administration has accelerated a shift in USDA animal welfare enforcement that regards breeders, zoos, and research labs more as partners than as potential offenders.
EPA considering pesticide use on hemp (EPA): A 30-day comment period is open on whether to expand the use of 10 pesticides to include industrial hemp. The agency expects to rule on the applications by the end of the year, well before the 2020 growing season.