Derecho hit 10 million acres of crops in Iowa
Roughly four of every 10 acres of corn and soybeans in Iowa “was impacted” by a fast-moving, intense windstorm, said Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday. Radio Iowa quoted the governor as saying the estimate of 10 million acres affected “is really an early estimate. Some of the photos have just …
New USDA report finds consolidation across crop, livestock sectors
A USDA report released March 20 finds that consolidation is rampant across agricultural sectors, affecting nearly all crops and most livestock.
‘On-off switch’ would allow plants to grow well and tolerate stress
Plants that grow well often fare poorly in heat or drought, while those that seem to shrug off hot or dry weather often grow slowly; neither type is ideal for crops. Now a Purdue plant scientist “has found the switch that creates that antagonism, opening opportunities to develop plants that exhibit both characteristics,” said the university.
Opposite sides of the GMO street
1. Environmental Working Group produces a GMO-free food guide. In a nutshell, it says, buy organic or verified GMO-free foods and steer away from food made with corn, soybeans, sugar and vegetable oils because most of the US supply comes from biotech crops.