Undocumented workers are an integral part of industries such as farming. Reducing our reliance on undocumented workers will have big impacts for farming communities and American consumers.While the nation’s attention is currently focused on the southern border, what’s being forgotten is that millions of undocumented immigrants continue to live in the U.S. – and most of them work.And in fact, these workers play vital roles in the U.S. economy, erecting American buildings, picking American apples and grapes, and taking care of American babies. Oh, and paying American taxes. [node:read-more:link]

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has introduced a guide designed to walk utility systems through water conservation programs available via the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The guide, USDA Tools to Support Source Water Protection, provides information about keeping drinking water safe and free of excess nutrients. [node:read-more:link]

Washington state is home to some of the most successful companies in the world: Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon and Boeing. It may not be thought of as a farm state, but its agricultural industry is huge, with more than $8 billion in exports.$1.8 billion worth of Washington exports, including more than $1 billion in agricultural products, are expected to be hit by retaliatory tariffs. Retaliatory tariffs from our trading partners will be soon be imposed on an estimated $1.8 billion worth of Washington exports, including more than $1 billion in agricultural products. [node:read-more:link]

New program pays up to 90 percent of land value.Under the program, landowners enroll land in the federal Conservation Reserve Program for 15 years. But they also sign up for the Reinvest in Minnesota program, and agree to a permanent easement, a legal document stipulating the land must always be managed for conservation.The federal program protects land for 10 or 15 years, opening the door for the land to be plowed under again. [node:read-more:link]

Scientists have tracked the presence of a class of synthetic flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers, which were once a popular additive to increase fire resistance in consumer products such as electronics, textiles, and plastics. [node:read-more:link]

Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Dairy Barn has installed a state-of-the-art system that separates manure from sand bedding material.  Officials with the barn, which is home to 200 cows, say the technology provides clean bedding for the animals and creates "muck" that is perfect for making electricity and heat. Here's how it works, according to Cornell:Manure is conveyed into the new separator, adjacent to the barn, Minutes later, clean sand emerges ready for another day’s use, Liquid manure is collected in a tank for removal. [node:read-more:link]

Cattle and bison breeding stock bound for the U.S. no longer have to undergo mandatory bovine TB testing as of July 1. [node:read-more:link]

Air New Zealand announced this week that it would be the first airline to serve the Impossible Burger, as part of its Business Premier menu on selected flights from Los Angeles to Auckland — and immediately drew fire from that country’s Prime Minister and others. [node:read-more:link]

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) joined a chorus of protein producer associations seeking an end to retaliatory trade tariffs that could cost these industries million of dollars — and jobs — in 2018 alone. [node:read-more:link]

New research suggests horizontal gene transfer between different species is a major driver of evolution. Scientists at the University of Adelaide traced the origins of two different jumping genes, self-replicating DNA sequences, across 759 species of plants, animals and fungi. [node:read-more:link]