A federal court is expected to finalize an order Monday that will require untold thousands of farms to report that their animals are continuously releasing at least 100 pounds of ammonia or hydrogen sulfide per day, even though there is no generally accepted way to calculate emissions from decaying manure. The Environmental Protection Agency, which argued against the mandate, has instructed producers to email the National Response Center, rather than deluge the Coast Guard-staffed center with phone calls. [node:read-more:link]

The back-to-back votes ended a yearlong standoff created by the state Supreme Court’s Hirst ruling. Some Democrats said new wells will trample tribal treaty rights. Some Republicans complained lawmakers were turning over millions of dollars to unelected watershed-restoration panels. Still, Senate Bill 6091 received bipartisan support in both chambers. “This bill provides a path forward for the people who just want to build on their few acres,” said Moses Lake Sen. [node:read-more:link]

After consultation with government and industry personnel, it’s very clear that milk prices paid to dairy farmers in 2018 still will not be pretty. The price in Federal Order #1 could average between $16.40 per cwt. and $16.60 per cwt. (hundredweight) for this year. This is deplorable, and this time, something must be done.What happens to dairy farmers in Federal Order #1, will also happen all across the United States. [node:read-more:link]

 Shareholders in Sanderson Farms Inc. will vote on a several proposals during the company’s annual meeting Feb. 15, including a request for the company to transition to antibiotic-free (ABF) chicken production. The Sanderson Farms board is recommending a “no” on the ABF proposal. The company remains the only large poultry processor that has not committed to transitioning to antibiotic-free chicken production. In a securities filing, Sanderson said an oversupply of ABF poultry was among the reasons the board advised against adopting the proposal. [node:read-more:link]

Dave Schwartz has been milking cows full-time for nearly 60 years, through boom times and busts. And since the late 1950s, he’s seen a lot of both. He tries to keep an optimistic outlook, but that’s been a difficult thing to do lately, as milk prices fall — prices in 2018 so far are nearing a two-year low. Schwartz says that’s putting a lot of financial stress on his dairy farm near the southwestern Minnesota community of Slayton.“It’s just a survival thing and hopefully you can hang in there until it turns around,” said Schwartz. “That’s kind of the way dairying is. [node:read-more:link]

Three years ago, Alexis began taking medical marijuana, and her seizures disappeared. But that treatment option is threatened by an aggressive federal crackdown on medicinal cannabis led by Sessions, who is also the acting director of the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Her day in court—February 14, at a New York City federal courthouse—is fast approaching. Alexis won't be there in person, but her lawyer, Michael Hiller, thinks the ruling will go their way. [node:read-more:link]

More farmers likely will be filing Chapter 12 bankruptcy in 2018, as they continue to struggle with costs of production exceeding commodity prices, ag lender CoBank said in a new report. The CoBank report, "Forces that will shape the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

Cal-Maine Foods has taken corrective action and has been cooperating with the investigations of state and county officials after the company was targeted by an animal rights activist in a video depicting mistreatment of hens at its egg production facility in Lake Wales, Florida. [node:read-more:link]

Canadian cattle producers will pay more than double their current national beef checkoff assessment by the end of 2018. The new figure will be C$2.50 per animal sold, up from the C$1.00 in place since 2002, to fund research and marketing of beef.The increase in assessment was part of a national beef strategy industry leaders issued in 2014 to help boost Canadian beef sales globally. [node:read-more:link]

President Donald Trump’s effort to put coal miners back to work stumbled in most coal producing states last year, even as overall employment in the downtrodden sector grew modestly, according to preliminary government data obtained by Reuters.  The effort has had little impact on domestic demand for coal so far, with U.S. utilities still shutting coal-fired power plants and shifting to cheaper natural gas - moving toward a lower carbon future despite the direction the White House is plotting under Trump. [node:read-more:link]