AgClips
Recent AgClips
Nebraska bills would allow more community solar, tap lottery for funding
Midwest Energy News | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Energy NewsA pair of bills now before the Nebraska legislature would provide a new potential funding source for community solar projects, and mandate that utilities allow community solar projects initiated by their customers. LB 610 would explicitly allow the Nebraska Environmental Trust to consider issuing grants to community solar projects. The trust’s funds, coming from a portion of the state’s lottery proceeds, amount to roughly $16 million yearly.
Colleges Discover the Rural Student
The New York Times | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Rural News“All of a sudden, rural is on everyone’s mind,” said Kai A. Schafft, director of the Center on Rural Education and Communities at Penn State, adding that November’s vote amplified the plight of people who had heretofore been “pretty systematically ignored, dismissed or passed over.” That’s partly because, while the federal government labels 72 percent of the nation’s land area “rural,” it is home to only 14 percent of the population, and rural schools educate just 18 percent of the nation’s public school students.
How To Make Broadcast Towers More Bird-Friendly: Turn Off Some Lights
NPR | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Rural News"We were able to reduce the numbers of bird fatalities on communications towers by simply extinguishing those nonflashing lights," she says. "Those fatalities were reduced by as much as 70 percent." Exactly why isn't yet clear, but she has a theory. "Some research has documented that when birds are exposed to long wavelengths of light such as red or white that it actually interferes with their ability to use magnetic fields for navigation," Gehring says. She says that's especially true on cloudy nights when birds can't navigate by the stars.
Closed-loop concept could be the future of sustainable animal farms
Phys.org | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Agriculture NewsDr. Eunsung Kan sees his concept of a closed-loop dairy farm, which reuses wastewater, emits zero waste and powers itself on manure, as the future of sustainable animal farming. Kan's research would utilize existing technology – biochar, a carbon material similar to charcoal, created from animal manure and agricultural waste, such as corn stubble or rice straw – that would be used to filter solid waste and effluent.
No fast track for 2018 Farm Bill
Wisconsin State Farmer | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Federal NewsDon't expect any quick action on a Farm Bill that's due in 2018. That's the view of federal agricultural policy analysts who were panelists on a “Food Policy and Farm Bill” program at the 2017 Dairy Forum sponsored by the International Dairy Foods Association. Approving a new Farm Bill in 2017 would be “a heavy lift” and even doing so in 2018 could be “a long shot,” according to Krysta Harden, who was chief of staff for Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack during the Barack Obama administration.
States take over cattle disease tracking
The Lewiston Tribune | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in NewsThe development of animal disease traceability programs will be crucial to expanding trade opportunities for America's cattle producers, according to the Washington Department of Agriculture. Dr. Scott Haskell, the assistant state veterinarian at the department, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture took a stab at creating a national program about 15 years ago. But it fell flat, largely due to the independent mindset of the country's cattlemen and -women. "They have limitations on who they trust," Haskell said.
Dairy Groups Raise Complaints
DTN | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Federal NewsA coalition of 17 American dairy organizations, farmers and milk processors have written governors in 25 states asking them to press Canada into halting a new dairy pricing strategy set to go into effect on Feb 1. The groups point to Canadian provincial policies for ingredient class milk prices that the groups state are displacing U.S. exports to Canada. Essentially, Canadian provinces created a new class of milk ingredients that was done largely as a strategy to reduce similar milk products from the U.S.
Colleges Discover the Rural Student
The New York Times | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in NewsTo college administrators, rural students, many of them the first in their families to attend college, have become the new underrepresented minority. In their aim to shape leaders and provide access to the disadvantaged, higher education experts have been recognizing that these students bring valuable experiences and viewpoints to campuses that don’t typically attract agriculture majors.
Meat processing feasibility study shows insufficient volumes for new facility
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Agriculture NewsA study initiated to assess the feasibility of a new multi-species processing facility in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula determined demand was insufficient to support a new facility, but did find a clear need for increased slaughter and processing capacity in the region. The research team concluded that targeted initiatives could increase the region’s capacity and throughput by nurturing incremental growth in production, processing and demand. As a result of input received from producers and buyers, a group of stakeholders applied for and received a Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rura
UConn students push back on new burgers, ask to go back to beef
Meatingplace (free registration required) | Posted onJanuary 31, 2017 in Food NewsThe University of Connecticut Dining Service’s decision to replace beef burgers with blended mushroom burgers is not going over so well with some students on campus, according to the school newspaper. One student, Cameron Tracy, was so turned off by the half-beef/half-mushroom burger that he started a Change.org petition to bring the all-beef patties back, at least to have as an option. The petition is at 250 signatures and counting.