AgClips
Recent AgClips
Red Delicious prices dropping with two-thirds still unsold
http://www.capitalpress.com/Washington/20170213/red-delicious-prices-dropping-with-two-thirds-still-unsold?utm_source=Capital+Press&utm_campaign=c897b05e6e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_02_13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3bfe2c1612-c897b05e6e-234519877 | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Food NewsAs sales of the 2016 Washington apple crop approach the midway point, the price of Red Delicious is dropping significantly. The average asking price of extra fancy (standard) grade, medium size (80 to 88 apples per 40-pound box) in Wenatchee and Yakima dropped $3 on the low end and $2 on the high end in one month, according to USDA tracking. The prices were $13 to $16.90 on Feb. 8, down from $16 to $18.90 on Jan. 9. All of those prices are below grower costs, said Desmond O’Rourke, world apple market analyst and retired Washington State University ag economist in Pullman.
Hard winter tests Western Washington dairies
Capital Press | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsWashington dairy farmers near the British Columbia border are rediscovering the hardships of feeding, milking and protecting cows in freezing temperatures, icy winds and snowdrifts. “You kind of forget about it after a few mild years,” Sumas dairy farmer Dan Heeringa said. “It’s been at least 10 years, probably more.” Snowpacks throughout Washington are near or above 100 percent of normal. The state went through its coldest January since 1993, according to the federal National Centers for Environmental Information.
Natural/organic poultry maker under SEC scrutiny
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Food NewsThe Hain Celestial Group said Friday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating the company’s accounting practices after it failed to report quarterly earnings on time. The company’s shares fell by more than 13 percent on Monday on the news.Hain Celestial, the parent of Freebird and Empire Kosher poultry brands, said in an SEC filing that it is in the process of responding to the SEC and is cooperating fully with the probe.
NPPC, coalition seek port fee relief
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsA coalition including the National Pork Producers Council is petitioning the Federal Maritime Commission for relief from port fees when labor disputes put the brakes on cargo shipments.
New study helps explain how garbage patches form in the world's oceans
Science Daily | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Rural NewsA new study on how ocean currents transport floating marine debris is helping to explain how garbage patches form in the world's oceans. Researchers developed a mathematical model that simulates the motion of small spherical objects floating at the ocean surface.
Gluten-free diet may increase risk of arsenic, mercury exposure
Science Daily | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Food NewsPeople who eat a gluten-free diet may be at risk for increased exposure to arsenic and mercury -- toxic metals that can lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological effects, according to a report in the journal Epidemiology.
With TPP a distant memory, NCBA hopes to protect NAFTA
Agri-Pulse | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in NewsActions taken by the White House have spelled the almost certain demise of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Rather than licking their wounds from their loss, a major agricultural trade supporter is now being forced to jump into action to protect a long-standing deal. Trade was the unmistakable hot topic at last week’s Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville. The industry, which has been jumping for joy at President Donald Trump’s plans for regulatory reform, must now cope with the fact that his trade policies and those of the industry are often in direct contradiction.
Mexican Senator Champions Bill to Stop U.S. Corn Shipments
DTN | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Agriculture NewsA Mexican senator at a rally on Sunday proposed that Mexico stop buying U.S. corn in retaliation for some of President Donald Trump's stances on our southern neighbors. Mexico is the top market for U.S. corn exports with Mexican buyers importing nearly 28% of all U.S. corn sent to foreign markets in the 2015-16 marketing year. CNN reported Sunday during a rally that Sen.
For the First Time, Wind on the Plains Supplied More Than Half Region’s Power
Bloomberg | Posted onFebruary 14, 2017 in Energy NewsWind turbines across the Great Plains states produced, for the first time, more than half the region’s electricity. The power grid that supplies a corridor stretching from Montana to the Texas Panhandle was getting 52.1 percent of its power from wind at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday. As more and more turbines are installed across the country, Southwest Power has become the first North American grid operator to get a majority of its supply from wind.
Florida Citrus Growers Look Beyond Oranges
Wall Street Journal | Posted onFebruary 12, 2017 in Agriculture NewsMuch of the state’s signature produce—oranges, grapefruits and tangerines—have been hit by an incurable disease called citrus greening that has ravaged groves, sapping productivity and forcing some citrus growers to leave the industry and abandon fields. Florida land devoted to citrus declined 17% to 446,000 acres in the past eight years, according to the Florida Citrus Mutual, a citrus marketing cooperative.