Agriculture News
South Dakota Department Of Agriculture Recruiting Dairy Processors
edairynews | Posted on October 12, 2017South Dakota has gone from a milk deficit to a milk surplus. As a result, state officials and dairy industry representatives were at the World Dairy Expo trying to recruit new processors to the state. David Skaggs works with dairy development for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture. He says they’re looking hard at plants that process some of the new dairy products on the market, like protein drinks.He says currently milk is being exported out of state. Plus, permits have been approved for new dairy operations that are on hold because they have nowhere to sell their milk. However, he says attracting a new processor is tough due to the huge investment.
Maine: Legislative panel to study pet peeve of governor: conserved land
The Fresno Bee | Posted on October 12, 2017Lawmakers have begun diving into the issue of land conservation programs, which supporters say benefit surrounding communities and Republican Gov. Paul LePage has often derided as a tax giveaway for wealthy interests. LePage has, for years, criticized lawmakers for catering to wealthy groups and individuals whom he claims enjoy scenic views on tax-exempt land that increase property taxes for seniors and poor Mainers. In the days before this year's three-day government shutdown over the state budget, LePage claimed that Democrats were ignoring his proposal to remove property tax exemptions for land trusts and nonprofits that hold large tracts of land.
‘CRISPR’ Bacon: Pigs could soon save millions more lives
Pork Business | Posted on October 12, 2017It’s already known that in pig production, “everything but the squeal” can be used by humans – the meat is a wonderful source of niacin and other vitamins and minerals, pigs’ heart valves have long been used as replacements for human valves, and the list goes on. But now, pigs may have even higher value. Researchers in Cambridge, Mass., may be a big step closer to developing pigs whose entire organs and other tissues can be transplanted into humans. The research team, led by a biotechnology company called eGenesis, “has successfully used a powerful gene-editing technique known as CRISPR to modify the DNA in pig cells and remove a number of viruses that make pig organs unsuitable for human transplant.”
Ag Leaders Upset by Trump Immigration Proposal, No Guestworker Markup
DTN | Posted on October 12, 2017Agriculture leaders are upset by President Donald Trump's announcement Sunday that the administration wants to require e-verification of workers without a new proposal to bring in farm workers, and by the cancellation by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., of the markup of the Ag Guestworker bill that was planned for last Wednesday. The White House on Sunday evening announced an immigration agenda that includes Congress paying for the border wall and implementing the e-verify program for all workers in the United States. The White House did not mention agriculture's need for workers.The White House proposal appears to be the Trump administration's demands if there is to be a deal with Congress to address the future of the 800,000 young people who have been allowed to stay in the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) system established by the Obama administration. Critics have said that the administration's demands may mean there may be no DACA deal.
Fish farm has 60 days to fix net pens outside Seattle as 1 million Atlantic salmon move in
The Olympian | Posted on October 12, 2017Just a week after the state Department of Fish and Wildlife approved shipment of 1 million more farmed Atlantic salmon to Cooke Aquaculture’s fish farm near Bainbridge Island, another state agency says it has found holes in the nets and corrosion in the structure of the facility. The Department of Natural Resources on Monday notified Cooke that it is in default of the terms of its lease at its Rich Passage operation. It ordered the facility repaired within 60 days, or the department may cancel the company’s lease for the facility, which operates over public bed lands.
Farm Credit Announces Launch of AgPitch17 Contest: Deadline for Applications November 1
PR Web | Posted on October 12, 2017MidAtlantic Farm Credit, in partnership with the Rural Maryland Council, has announced the creation of AgPitch17, a competition seeking those who have innovative ideas to enhance the agricultural industry. The deadline for applications is November 1. “The agricultural industry is evolving in ways many people never saw coming,” says Andrew Rose, marketing manager with MidAtlantic Farm Credit, and one of the founding members of AgPitch17. “We’re excited about the direction the industry is headed, both at the local and national level. AgPitch17 gives those who are making strides in our community a platform to share their ideas on how we can make sure agriculture continues to not only thrive, but expand.”
Coalition challenges Iowa 'ag gag' law
Globe Gazette | Posted on October 12, 2017A coalition has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Iowa’s so-called “ag gag” law that criminalizes undercover investigative efforts to expose poor conditions for workers, food safety violations, environmental harm and animal cruelty in agricultural facilities.The lawsuit asks, among other things, the federal court to declare that Iowa’s ag gag law is a violation of the U.S. Constitution, strike it down and block the state from enforcing it. The lawsuit is being filed by the ACLU of Iowa, along with attorneys from the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Law Offices of Matthew Strugar, Public Justice and the Center for Food Safety. Among their clients are Bailing Out Benji, an Iowa nonprofit concerned about puppy mills, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, the national Animal Legal Defense Fund, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the National Center for Food Safety.
Vital Farms video disparages cage-free egg production
Watt Ag Net | Posted on October 12, 2017An online video released by pasture-raised egg producer Vital Farms purports to tell the difference between pasture-raised and cage-free eggs. A commonly used vulgarity to describe bovine feces is “bleeped out” when it is used over and over to describe eggs produced in cage-free barns, or the pasture-raised eggs which are said to be bovine-feces free. No cage-free hens are shown in the video, but the one square foot of floor space provided per hen in many cage-free houses is depicted as a wooden box of that size. According to Stuart Dill, Vital Farms producer, “Cage-free farms are just big cramped warehouses ... where the hens spend their entire lives rising and shining to some industrial-grade light bulb.”This video provides a good example of how marketing claims can distort reality and potentially confuse consumers. It would be just as accurate for a cage-free egg producer to make a video showing the comfortable and safe environment provided to hens inside a cage-free house. The farmer could then talk about predators killing pasture-raised hens or how the pasture area is pretty barren of vegetation and hens during the cold winter months.
Minnesota grants fund on-farm livestock improvements
Farm Forum | Posted on October 12, 2017Livestock producers may apply for a portion of $1.9 million in Livestock Investment Grants. Funds are provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Program and may be used for on-farm improvements. “Livestock Investment Grants help farmers stay competitive and reinvest in their industry,” said MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “Last year, 105 livestock farmers received grants to improve their operations.”
Iowa: Drainage districts could be part of Iowa's nitrate solution
The Des Moines Register | Posted on October 12, 2017Drainage districts, once the target of a Des Moines Water Works lawsuit, could be part of the solution to cut high nitrate levels in Iowa's lakes, rivers and streams, according to a new report. Iowa's 3,700 drainage districts already have power under state law to "mitigate pollution discharge" since they're "presumed to be a public benefit" that contribute to "public health, convenience and welfare," according to the Iowa Policy Project, an Iowa City research group.“Public health and welfare can and should be interpreted to mean keeping our waterways free of nitrate pollution,“ the report stated.But some experts disagree. They say drainage districts don't have the legal power to pay for projects beyond draining farm fields.David Osterberg, an Iowa Policy Project's founder, said drainage districts should be open to a broader interpretation of state law. "I think drainage districts understand that they're a little more vulnerable" to legal action "than they're currently acting," he said.