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UNH Research Finds Rural Immigrants Twice as Likely to Be Poor than Workers Born in the U.S.
University of New Hampshire | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Rural NewsRural immigrants are more likely to be of working age (18-64), are more racially and ethnically diverse, are less educated and are more likely to have children than the rural population born in the U.S., an analysis of data by researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy found. The researchers found that working rural immigrants are nearly twice as likely as rural U.S. born workers to be poor, and they are poorer and have less education than their urban counterparts.
Farming fight: Pa. court reverses order banning chicken slaughterhouse
Penn Live | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Agriculture NewsYes, that's agriculture. A Commonwealth Court panel reached that conclusion this week when it overturned a York County judge's ruling that blocked creation of a chicken slaughterhouse in Paradise Township. The ruling, issued in an opinion by Judge Anne E. Covey, means Balady Farms can start processing the organic, free-range chickens it raises on its 23-acre property along Moulstown Road near Abbottstown.
Minnesota Judge Upholds State's Biodiesel Mandate
Trucking Info | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Energy NewsAn effort to block a Minnesota state mandate that requires all diesel fuel sold at the pump to be at least 10% biofuel has been blocked by a district court judge. In 2015, trucking groups within the state filed a lawsuit claiming the mandate conflicted with federal Clean Air and Renewable Fuels laws.
Taste for high-fat food 'in our genes'
BBC.com | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Food NewsThe University of Cambridge team offered 54 volunteers unlimited portions of chicken korma, followed by an Eton mess-style dessert. Some of the meals were packed with fat while others were low-fat versions. Those with a gene already linked to obesity showed a preference for the high-fat food and ate more of it. The gene in question is called MC4R. It is thought about one in every 1,000 people carries a defective version of this gene which controls hunger and appetite as well as how well we burn off calories.
Explaining the U.S. food surplus
Des Moines Register | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Food NewsWarehouses, distribution centers and grocery stores are overflowing with some food staples, such as milk, eggs and frozen fruits and vegetables, the result of increased production and decreased exports. Take dairy, for example: With the most milk ever produced in the U.S. — about 24 billion gallons — that means there are record amounts of butter and cheese. The glut of food means lower prices for consumers.
Polluted water pours into sinkhole at fertilizer plant
The Washington Post | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Agriculture NewsHurricane Matthew’s heavy rains are predicted to soak much of Florida, and that could complicate efforts to manage the pollution flowing into a sinkhole that opened up beneath a fertilizer plant’s massive pile of toxic waste. The plant’s owner, Mosaic Co., is pumping out water through a well while preparing to plug the huge hole under one of its gypsum stacks. But million s of gallons of contaminated water have already drained into Florida’s main drinking-water aquifer. So far, the company and state environmental officials say no contamination has migrated off Mosaic’s property.
Should Iowa Beef Checkoff be reinstated?
KMAland | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association today announced that eligible beef producers can request an absentee ballot to participate in the referendum on whether the $.50 per head Iowa beef checkoff should be reinstated. The referendum will be held on November 30, 2016. Any individual, firm, corporation, partnership or association that has owned or acquired cattle during year prior to the referendum (December 1, 2015 – November 30, 2016) is an “Eligible Beef Producer” for the purposes of this referendum.
USDA rejects more Vietnamese catfish
Agri-Pulse | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Federal NewsUSDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has rejected another shipment of Vietnamese catfish because it tested positive for residues of banned chemicals. FSIS officials tested a 40,000-pound shipment of catfish and discovered traces of malachite green, a veterinary drug used to treat sick fish, FWW said in a statement. FSIS officials were not available for immediate comment. This is not the first time catfish imports from Asia were rejected since FSIS took over inspection of foreign catfish shipments from the FDA on April 15.
Canada ratifies Paris climate change deal in boost for Trudeau
Reuters | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Energy NewsCanada's Parliament ratified the Paris agreement to curb climate-warming emissions, bolstering Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's bid to tackle climate change after a decade of inaction by the previous government. Legislators voted 207-81 to formally back the deal, which is designed to encourage a move away from fossil fuels. Trudeau's Liberals hold a majority of seats in the House of Commons and the result was never in doubt.
Veal group says USDA not holding Dutch to same antibiotic standards
Meatingplace (registration required) | Posted onOctober 11, 2016 in Federal NewsThe USDA is not holding veal imports from the Netherlands to the same standards as U.S. veal producers when it comes to antibiotic use and pathogen testing, the American Veal Association (AVA) asserts. “The AVA is concerned the agency has failed to fully assess the Netherlands’ inspection and production system for veal in making its determination that the Dutch system is equivalent to the U.S.