Russia pilfers grain — Blinken: There are “credible reports” that Russia is pilfering Ukrainian grain to sell as its own, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, following published reports that the United States had warned 14 countries about stolen grain. (AFP)
California mulls water buyout: Democrats in the state Senate have proposed spending $1.5 billion to buy senior water rights from farmers as a way to reduce demand for water and cope with long-running drought. (Associated Press)
HPAI hits duck farm: After four months of outbreaks, 37.95 million birds in domestic flocks have died of highly pathogenic avian influenza or cullings of infected flocks. The most recent large outbreak came last Thursday on a duck farm in southeastern Pennsylvania with 30,100 birds. (USDA)
Rural hospital risks persist: A wave of pandemic funding may make rural hospitals appear more financially stable than they actually are, meaning that hundreds of hospitals may face closure when the aid money runs out. (North Carolina Health News)
Lawmakers argue for preemption: The senior Republicans on the House and Senate Agriculture committees said federal pesticide-label law preempts a California state law calling for a cancer warning on glyphosate, a key issue in lawsuits against the most widely used weed killer on earth. (Senate Agriculture)
Small-time farmers face down SGMA: California’s landmark groundwater law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), could marginalize small farmers and farmers of color who are already grappling with drought, according to a new report. (Civil Eats)