Hurricane Helene wallops Georgia cotton crop
Three out of every 10 acres of cotton in Georgia, the No. 2 cotton-growing state in the country, was in poor or very poor condition following Hurricane Helene, said the USDA on Monday. Before the hurricane, just one in 10 acres fell into those categories in the weekly Crop Progress report and 59 percent were in good or excellent condition, compared to 34 percent now.
Michael threatens Southeast’s crops and livestock
As Hurricane Michael made landfall Wednesday, farmers in the Southeast were still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Florence just weeks ago.
The Alabama runoff election could affect 2018 farm bill
The newest member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Luther Strange of Alabama, is also the first to face the voters. The outcome of today's runoff election between Strange, cast as the establishment candidate, and Roy Moore, the Bible-quoting, conservative outsider, for the Republican nomination for the Senate could influence the course of the 2018 farm bill.
Record exports won’t cure U.S. peanut surplus
U.S. farmers are growing peanuts faster than the nation, or the world, can consume them, say USDA economists, who estimate the peanut supply will be a record 9.5 billion pounds following this year's harvest. Thanks to rising demand, led by China and Vietnam, exports are forecast for a record 1.5 billion pounds — one-fourth of this year's crop — but the U.S. peanut surplus could continue to grow.
Peanut residue in flour spurs snack recalls
Foodmakers pulled cookies, energy bars and pretzels from grocery shelves in a food recall prompted by the discovery of peanut residue in Grain Craft flour, the largest independent wheat miller in the U.S.
The heavyweight in the world peanut butter market
"The United States has always been a major player in global peanut butter trade and continues to be the world's largest exporter," says USDA.
Big peanut crop may bring big U.S. subsidy costs
With a 19-percent spurt in production, peanut growers are harvesting the second-largest crop ever and "threatening to hand American taxpayers a near $2 billion bailout bill over the next three years and leaving the government with a big chunk of the crop on its books," reports Reuters.
Peanut exec sentenced to 28 years for salmonella outbreak
A federal judge sentenced Stewart Parnell, owner of the now-defunct Peanut Corp. of America, to 28 years in prison in connection with a salmonella outbreak that killed nine people and sickened hundreds, said the Associated Press.
New peanut variety adds heart-healthy oleic acid
A new peanut variety, developed by the USDA and Oklahoma State U, offers longer shelf life and increased disease resistance compared to other varieties, and packs "high amounts of a heart-healthy fatty acid called oleic acid," says the American Society of Agronomy.
Life sentence urged in salmonella outbreak in peanut butter
The U.S. Probation Office, in a pre-sentencing report, recommended life in prison for Stewart Parnell, the former chief executive of Peanut Corporation of America, says Food Safety News.
Peanut processor convicted of felony in salmonella outbreak
A federal court jury convicted Stewart Parnell, former owner of Peanut Corp of America, of conspiracy, fraud and other charges 'in a groundbreaking case stemming from a salmonella outbreak," said CNN. "The guilty verdict marks the first federal felony conviction for a company executive in a food safety case." Parnell and his brother, Michael, a food broker, were accused of shipping salmonella-infected products. Michael Parnell also was found guilty on multiple counts, said CNN. The plant quality control manager was convicted of obstruction of justice.