DuPont (DD.N) and Dow Chemical Co (DOW.N) have won U.S. antitrust approval to merge on condition that the companies sell certain crop protection products and other assets.The asset sales required by U.S. antitrust enforcers were similar to what the companies had agreed to give up in a deal they struck with European regulators in March. [node:read-more:link]
Byrum & Fisk Communications released the following statement given by the family of Michigan native Matt Mika, giving an update on his condition: “We truly appreciate the outpouring of support, love and prayers. Our family continues to be in shock and we ask for privacy while we focus on Matt and his care. Because of his condition, Matt cannot receive visitors or accept gifts in the ICU. Matt was shot multiple times in his chest and arm and suffered massive trauma. He remains in critical condition in the ICU at George Washington University Hospital. [node:read-more:link]
Indiana egg farmer John Brunnquell’s 1.3 million hens don’t live in cages. They also get to go outside, making his company, Egg Innovations, the nation’s largest free-range operation in the industry. It wasn’t always so. Brunnquell, 54, grew up on a traditional chicken farm, and he says he “could argue all the benefits of cages.” That changed in the early 1990s, when his first glimpse of a cage-free barn convinced him that the freer system was better for the birds. He spent the next decade overhauling his own.Along the way, he admits, things weren’t always better for his flocks. [node:read-more:link]
The EU Court of Justice has today (June 14) ruled products of a ‘purely plant-based substance’ are no longer legally allowed to be branded with the terms milk, cream, butter, cheese or yoghurt, unless of animal origin. The rule applies to all products that do not appear on the list of exceptions, such as soya and tofu.
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The Heritage Foundation Blueprint for Agriculture includes a lengthy chapter on U.S. biofuels policy and the renewable fuel standard (RFS). Heritage concludes that ethanol and other current biofuels are harmful to agriculture, the environment, and consumer.Heritage claims the U.S. biofuels policy “is a case study in the unintended consequences of government intervention.” For example, biofuels have created higher livestock prices for livestock farmers and ranchers. [node:read-more:link]
Agriculture and food law, at the local, state and national level is changing constantly and impacting our farmers, foresters, food producers, rural residents. [node:read-more:link]
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second-largest public school district in the country, has launched a pilot program to test plant-based vegan options for its school lunches during the 2017-2018 school year. LAUSD board members last month approved a resolution developed by freshman Lila Copeland, who is youth director of the nonprofit group Earth Peace, according to a news release issued by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which helped her develop the proposal.Dr. Neal Barnard, PCRM board president, helped make the case to LAUSD leaders and, along with Dr. [node:read-more:link]
Webinar: Recent Developments in Agriculture & Food Law: Impacts on States
Wednesday, June 14 at 2:00 pm ET (1:00 pm CT)
State Agriculture and Rural Leaders is collaborating with the National Agriculture Law Center in a pilot webinar on recent developments in agriculture and food law. Agriculture and food law at the local, state and national level is changing constantly and impacting our farmers, food producers and rural residents. [node:read-more:link]
A farmer faces trial in federal court this summer and a $2.8 million fine for failing to get a permit to plow his field and plant wheat in Tehama County. A lawyer for Duarte Nursery said the case is important because it could set a precedent requiring other farmers to obtain costly, time-consuming permits just to plow.“The case is the first time that we’re aware of that says you need to get a (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) permit to plow to grow crops,” said Anthony Francois, a lawyer for the Pacific Legal Foundation. [node:read-more:link]
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) joined with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) to host officials for a demonstration of planter technology and precision agriculture in April 2017. Check out this video to learn a little bit more about the day's activities, and the modern agriculture practices that are making farming more efficient and sustainable than ever. [node:read-more:link]
