Bird flu testing: In the first round of weekly surveillance testing for highly pathogenic avian influenza, no cases were found at any of the 18 poultry farms within 10 kilometers of an infected turkey flock in southern Indiana. (Indiana Board of Animal Health)
Bankruptcies plunge: Federal court filings for Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies plummeted by 50 percent in 2021 to the smallest number, 276, in the past decade. (American Farm Bureau Federation)
Free childcare: Low-income households in Texas are eligible for free childcare for up to one year if a parent works in the service industry, which includes grocery stores and restaurants. (Eater)
Protecting gray wolves: A U.S. district judge in Northern California restored federal protections to the gray wolf in the continental United States, excluding the northern Rocky Mountain states, reversing a Trump administration decision to remove the wolf from the endangered species list. (Washington Post)
Suit over chlorpyrifos: Agricultural trade groups filed suit in federal court in St. Louis to overturn an EPA decision, due to take effect on Feb. 28, that bans the agricultural use of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide. (DTN/Progressive Farmer)