Rural electric conundrum: Rural electric cooperatives, a legacy of the New Deal, serve 42 million Americans. Because they are powered by costly, highly polluting coal power plants they will need massive refinancing to transition to greener energy. (InsideClimate News)
Heavy-metal food: Contamination of food by heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead, “is relatively common across the food supply” and the FDA has yet to take action despite three years of studying the issue. (Politico)
Northeast malt barley: Farmers in the Northeast are finding a market among craft brewers for their locally grown barley malt, evidenced by the Northeast Grainshed Alliance. (Modern Farmer)
Campbell rejoins CBA: In 2017, in a dispute over the labeling of GMO foods, Campbell Soup was the first major food company to leave the Grocery Manufacturers Association; it has now rejoined the trade group, which has renamed itself the Consumer Brands Association. (Food Dive)
Texas crop losses: Agricultural losses are estimated in the millions of dollars from the snow, ice and freezing cold weather of February in Texas, where citrus losses are pegged at more than $300 million. (Washington Post)