California Senate unanimously passed SB-945, introduced by Senator Bill Monning. The bill aims to establish rules for pet boarding facilities regarding safety, sanitation, space, and more through a fine system. First violations would result in a fine up to $250, and up to $1,000 for each subsequent violation. The bill would also allow cities and counties to establish additional standards [node:read-more:link]
A district court judge ordered Idaho to pay $249,875.08 in attorneys’ fees to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other animal welfare groups that successfully challenged the state’s law prohibiting undercover filming at agricultural operations. [node:read-more:link]
The U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia have signed an agreement to share foot-and-mouth disease vaccines, should an outbreak occur. [node:read-more:link]
After several boom years while the rest of the economy struggled, farming is entering its third year on the bust side of the cycle. Major crop prices are low, while expenses like seed, fertilizer and land remain high. And that means farmers have to get creative to succeed.
Modern crop farms in the Corn Belt are sophisticated businesses. So put aside your notions of bucolic red barns surrounded by a few cows. And pull out your best business school vocabulary, because crops are commodities. [node:read-more:link]
Bayer wants to buy Monsanto for $62 billion, hooking up the German chemical and drug company with the St. Louis-based producer of seeds and weed-killers. The deal would create a global giant in agriculture technology touching much of global food production through the development of seeds and pesticides. They would combine different regional strengths: Monsanto is big in the United States, while Bayer has a larger presence in Europe and Asia. Bayer says the head office for the combined seed business will be in St. Louis, Missouri, where Monsanto is headquartered. [node:read-more:link]
Bayer AG, whose $62 billion takeover bid was rejected earlier by Monsanto Co., said it’s confident it can overcome the seed company’s concerns about the regulatory and financing risks related to a deal that would create the world’s largest supplier of seeds and crop chemicals. The conciliatory tone from both sides sets the stage for an improved offer from Bayer. [node:read-more:link]
Though meatpacking plants have long relied on labor by immigrants, particularly Hispanics, major companies have moved to hire Somalis, who have the dual advantage for employers of being legal and relatively cheap. In one slice of a changing low-wage America, these are the new ideal workers. Only a decade earlier, meatpacking jobs went almost exclusively to Hispanics. But now more Mexican immigrants are leaving the United States than coming to work, and the number of unauthorized immigrants is receding after decades of growth. [node:read-more:link]
Some farm workers are getting back wages and damages, following the settlement of a labor dispute with some Washington blueberry growers. The blueberry growers in Walla Walla County admitted in federal court that they violated the rights of their agricultural workers over a period of three years. That includes failing to pay the minimum wage and overtime in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 growing seasons. The U.S. [node:read-more:link]
An animal rescue farm in Massachusetts is experiencing a goat overload and is seeking the public's help.The goats are an assortment of alpine, pygmy and angora mixes. They were voluntarily turned over by an owner in Montague who couldn't handle the growing herd. Some are nursing kids and pregnant does. [node:read-more:link]
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's) or drones, are becoming extremely popular in many areas of agriculture. While more often looked at for cropping systems, there are many potential uses for animal ag operations as well. Join us on June 17 to find about more these and get an update on the rules and regulations about drones. June 17 at 1:30 p.m. (central); 2:30 (eastern); 12:30 (mountain);11:30 am (pacific). [node:read-more:link]
