Fighting for a climate plan in the Plains (AP): Some Nebraska lawmakers and advocates want the state to pass a climate change plan, but past attempts have been stopped cold by politicking and climate change denial.
No Sweethearts for your Valentine (Wall Street Journal): Candy heart fans are heartbroken that, for the first time in a hundred years, the conversation hearts won’t be hitting the store shelves this week. Their maker, Necco, went out of business last year.
‘It’s hard to value Lincoln land’ (JG-TC): Thirty acres of farmland once owned by President Lincoln in east-central Illinois are to be auctioned today, Lincoln’s birthday, as part of 590 acres offered in a quitting-farming sale in Charleston.
Green groups sue EPA over biofuels (National Wildlife Federation): The EPA failed to consult with wildlife agencies before increasing the Renewable Fuel Standard and did not protect wildlife habitat, water quality or air purity from larger production of corn and soybeans, the feedstocks for the biofuels, says a lawsuit filed by the National Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club and the Gulf Restoration Network.
Montana legislator seeks stricter meat labels (Food Safety News): The Montana state Senate Agriculture Committee scheduled a hearing for today on a bill to mandate country-of-origin placards for meat and poultry sold in the state and to prevent common terms such as “hamburger,” “steak,” “wings” or “ribs” being used in labels or advertisements for cell-culture meat.
Sixth year of smaller winter wheat seedings (USDA): Due to cold and wet planting weather, growers sowed the smallest amount of land, 31.29 million acres, to winter wheat since 1909; plantings have declined every year since 2013.