DTN
Bird flu confirmed on northwestern Arkansas turkey farm
The first case of H5N2 avian influenza in the U.S. South this year was confirmed on a turkey farm in northwestern Arkansas. A flock of 40,020 turkeys in Boone County, about 140 miles north-northwest of Little Rock, was hit.
Expect ethanol, clean-water rules this spring, says EPA chief
EPA administrator Gina McCarthy says the agency will issue rules this spring that set the ethanol mandate and define the upstream reach of clean-water laws, according to DTN, but she did not offer a specific date for the announcement.
Soy farmers back voluntary non-GMO label
The American Soybean Association "wants to change the dialogue on GMO labeling by supporting a voluntary certified non-GMO label through USDA," says DTN.
Assessing when quality standards turn into protectionism
A team at the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development surveyed the literature on quality standards in an attempt to better characterize when the measures become a form of protectionism.
A three-year process to get a $2 beef checkoff
A cattle industry leader spelled out a three-year timeline that ends with a doubling of the current $1-per-head beef checkoff. Scott George, past president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, provided the timeline during a session at the...
Sticker shock in southern Plains, mid-South for SCO
Growers in the southern Plains and the mid-South express sticker shock at the price of the new Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), created by the 2014 farm law to allow growers to boost their level of revenue protection, says DTN.
Grocery stores, the economic barometer of rural towns
The local grocery store is often the "anchor business" of a rural community, acting as a meeting place as well as a food vendor, says a Kansas State University expert quoted by DTN.
Senate vote unlikely on amendment against ethanol mandate
A co-sponsor of a Senate amendment to eliminate annual targets for ethanol consumption says the amendment will not be called for a vote as part of debate on the Keystone pipeline.
New idea for beef checkoff update – a vote on $2 fee
Under a new attempt for harmony over the beef checkoff program, the proposed $2 per head fee would be put to a nationwide referendum among cattle producers, says DTN.
Lawmakers press USDA for tighter rules on farm subsidies
Six lawmakers wrote USDA in support of strong rules on who qualifies for farm subsidies on the grounds of being "actively engaged" in farming.
EPA to issue Waters of United States rule despite controversy
EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said the agency will complete its Waters of the United States rule and is "still looking at spring" as the likely release date, says DTN.
Grassland prices on the rise, cropland to plateau
With cattle prices at record highs, grassland prices are a good bet to rise in the coming year, the head of a farm management company tells DTN.
Omnibus bill relaxes whole grain, salt rules for school food
Congress would relax rules that call for schools to use more whole grains and to reduce salt in meals provided to students, according to provisions of a government-wide funding bill. Unveiled on Tuesday night, the bill also calls for USDA to study the nutritional content of vegetables available in the so-called WIC program before removing any of them from the program - a response to complaints that white potatoes were being singled out unfairly.
USDA drops idea of new, separate beef checkoff
USDA won't proceed with its proposal for a new and separate beef checkoff program, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in DTN interview, acceding to congressional opposition.
House bill to revive tax incentives heads for a vote
The House Rules Committee cleared for a floor vote a bill to revive five dozen tax incentives that expired at the start of this year. The House is scheduled to vote today.
Algae blooms in Lake Erie put spotlight on agricultural runoff
The algae bloom that shut down Toledo's drinking-water supply for two days this summer has put the spotlight on agricultural runoff, although farmland is not the only source of the pollutants that cause the explosive growth of the cyanobacteria, says...
More lawsuits over Syngenta corn barred by China
Seed company Syngenta faces lawsuits by at least 130 farmers in 13 states over its MIR 162 strain of genetically engineered corn, says DTN. A judicial panel in Charleston, SC, is to decide on Dec 4 if the cases should be transferred to a single federal court...
Monsanto, Dow consider legal action against Maui GE ban
Agribusiness giants Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences are looking at legal options in the wake of passage of a moratorium on genetically engineered crops by voters in Maui County, Hawaii, says DTN.
Ag information company DTN passes into Swiss ownership
Swiss investment holding company TBG AG has taken ownership on Midwest-based Telvent DTN, the agricultural information company best known for the DTN news site and Progressive Farmer magazine. The $900-million transaction was announced in April and took effect at the start of June.