AgClips
Recent AgClips
What $100 can buy, state by state
Boston Globe | Posted onAugust 17, 2016 in Rural NewsSpend enough time traveling around the United States and you’re bound to notice a dramatic variation in what a dollar can buy. Everything from the price of a cup of coffee to the cost of a house can fluctuate among, and even within, states. A gallon of regular gas costs $2.74 in Hawaii but just $1.82 in South Carolina. The average Connecticut resident pays twice as much for electricity as the average Tennessee resident. Tuition at public colleges varies by orders of magnitude.
Trump assembles A-team on ag policy
Politico | Posted onAugust 17, 2016 in SARL Members and Alumni NewsDonald Trump on Tuesday unveiled a list of agricultural advisers brimming with Republican heavy hitters, including Govs.
GMO feedback, the Ogallala aquifer and researcher objectivity
Ag Policy | Posted onAugust 17, 2016 in Agriculture NewsOur purpose in writing this series of columns on GMOs was not to try to convince one side or the other, but rather to argue that the GMO labeling legislation that was recently signed into law by President Obama is not likely to end the GMO crop debate any time soon. We also wanted to reiterate one of the fundamental principles of economics: the preferences of the customer are at the center of every transaction. As Specter wrote “it doesn’t matter…if people refuse to eat it.” That same issue of “National Geographic” contained another article that grabbed our attention.
4 reasons why feed-grade antimicrobials are included in a management program
Beef | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Agriculture News“Producers have realized the benefits of including feed-grade antimicrobials, but since they’ve been embedded into their programs for so long — often 50 or 60 years — they might have forgotten how much value they really bring,” said Blaine Corners, PhD, beef cattle nutritionist with Zoetis. “And when you can’t remember the value, you might not understand the risks of not including them.” Less stress, An option for an effective treatment, Healthy and productive animals,Veterinary involvement.
Some Perspective on the USDA's August 1 Corn and Soybean Yield Projections
Farm Doc Daily | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe August 1 U.S. average corn and soybean yield projections, at 175.1 and 48.9bpa, respectively, were record large and a major surprise to the market. While these are indeed "big" yields in an absolute sense, it is an open question whether these are truly "monster" yields. We provide some perspective on that issue in today's article. For corn, this comparison shows that the August 1 yield projection is 10.9 bushels above trend, but it would only be the 8th highest deviation since 1960.
Small tractor sales slip in July but still market leader
Farm Forum | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Agriculture NewsWhile U.S. retail sales of farm tractors under 40HP in July declined 6.3 percent, the year-to-date total was up 9.8 percent compared to last year, according to the latest monthly data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the leading trade organization for off-road equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
Court Upbraids EPA for Delays on Pesticide Ban
Courthouse News Service | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Federal NewsThe Ninth Circuit scoffed Friday at the latest attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency to drag its heels on banning a dangerous pesticide. "EPA's nine-year delay in taking action was 'objectively extreme' when we received [the] petition for mandamus, and nothing has changed that would justify EPA's continued failure to respond to the pressing health concerns presented by chlorpyrifos," the 4-page order states. Chlorpyrifos, introduced in 1965, is widely used to control pests that threaten more than 60 crops including almonds, walnuts, oranges, cotton and grapes.
Work program trains unemployed oil and gas workers in solar technology
Denver Post | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Energy NewsThe coal industry has been painted with a bleak brush in recent years. Production has plummeted. Plants have closed. Jobs have been lost. But in Delta County, one organization is targeting unemployed coal miners in the hope of transitioning them into the solar industry — and leaving politics out of the conversation. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment in April gave the Paonia-based solar organization a $401,000 matching grant as part of the WORK Act, legislation passed in May 2015 that aims to fill skills gaps in Colorado industries.
This Republican mayor has an incredibly simple idea to help the homeless. And it seems to be working.
The Washington Post | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Rural NewsThroughout his administration, as part of a push to connect the homeless population to services, Berry had taken to driving through the city to talk to panhandlers about their lives. His city’s poorest residents told him they didn’t want to be on the streets begging for money, but they didn’t know where else to go. Next month will be the first anniversary of Albuquerque’s There’s a Better Way program, which hires panhandlers for day jobs beautifying the city.
Ag’s major needs are water and workers
Visalia Times Delta | Posted onAugust 16, 2016 in Agriculture NewsThe major concerns for California agriculture as an industry are water and workers. Most everybody seems to understand that. Phil Martin in the department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Davis has clarified the issues and written a report that appears in the current issue of Update, his department’s bi-monthly newsletter. He forecasts warmer winters ahead as an important issue in the supply of water to irrigate crops.