AgClips
Recent AgClips
Livestock antibiotics bill dies in Oregon Senate
Capital Press | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsA bill restricting antibiotic usage in Oregon’s livestock industry has died despite objections from critics who claim federal controls insufficiently limit usage of the drugs. The U.S.
Even the Hipster Organic Milk Craze Isn't Enough to End Glut
Bloomberg | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Food NewsIt wasn’t that long ago that U.S. dairy farmers couldn’t keep up with the booming demand for organic milk. While everyone from hipsters to housewives is drinking more of the stuff than ever -- and paying twice as much as conventional milk -- the days of shortages are long gone. Production has surged so fast in the past two years that some of the surplus is being sold at a lower price without an organic label. A few dairies are just dumping what they can’t sell.
New study deems dairy “excellent” source of protein for children
University of Illinois | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Food NewsStein and his team determined standardized ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids in eight sources of animal and plant protein: whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, skimmed milk powder, pea protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, soy flour, and whole-grain wheat. They derived DIAAS scores from those ileal digestibility values. They also calculated PDCAAS-like scores by applying the total tract digestibility of crude protein in the ingredients to all amino acids.
Antibiotic resistance a problem but economics dictate use
The Western Producer | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Agriculture NewsAntimicrobial resistance is a global issue affecting public, animal and plant health. Before the 1960s, antibiotics were expensive and were not widely used in livestock production, said Wondwossen Gebreyes, executive director of Global One Health Initiative at Ohio State University. However, there are economic benefits to using antibiotics in livestock production. A study from the University of Kentucky found the total benefit per pig was $3.98. “There is huge incentive to use antibiotics and when you withdraw them there are huge consequences,” he said.
HPAI like fighting a war in Tennessee
Ohio's Country Journal | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Agriculture NewsDr. Charles Hatcher, the Tennessee State Veterinarian, was at the center of the recent flurry of activity with avian influenza when the H7 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was discovered in a commercial facility in the state. “The state of Tennessee benefitted from the previous states going through the outbreak in 2015. The lessons learned there were critical for what we did,” Hatcher said at yesterday’s National Institute for Animal Agriculture meeting in Columbus.
Farm Babe: The internet’s biggest culprits of fake news in agriculture
Ag Daily | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Agriculture NewsHere are the worst sites on the internet about agriculture in no particular order:
Broadband vouchers won't help rural America connect; so what will?
Daily Yonder | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Rural NewsRecent events have put rural America and our country’s ability to bring broadband to rural locations in the spotlight. As part of this broader conversation about rebuilding rural America, one question keeps rising to the top: how best can those in charge of telecom policy address connectivity needs that will only grow in the coming years? We should be looking—as the FCC has been looking—to build upon the successes of the current universal service support mechanisms.
White House advisor erroneously calls ag the primary driver of rural economy
Daily Yonder | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Rural NewsIn fact, agriculture is not the “number one driver” of the rural economy, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Agriculture (including forestry, fisheries, and hunting) ranks fifth in earnings out of seven rural economic sectors tracked by the BEA. Agriculture ranks sixth out of seven sectors in the number of jobs it provides in rural America.
Coal-fired power plant closures in 2017 will reduce coal demand
Digital Journal | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Energy NewsIn a report issued by the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis, 46 coal-burning units at 25 power plants across 16 states will close or greatly reduce production by 2018, resulting in a 30 million-ton decrease in demand for coal.
Consumer animal welfare concerns increase
Meat + Poultry | Posted onApril 28, 2017 in Food NewsAnimal welfare has become a concern for a growing number of consumers, according to Packaged Facts, which found 58 percent of shoppers may be seeking products with such claims as free-range, cage-free or humanely raised. “Consumer concern over animal welfare issues has reached critical mass in the meat and poultry industries, creating a new generation of challenges and opportunities,” said David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts. Demand for humanely raised meat and poultry products is part of changing consumer perceptions of healthy eating.