Since the early 2000’s, retailers like TOMS have popularized the concept of a company whose brand identity centers on philanthropy and responsible use of resources. Now, public relations firm MWWPR says they’ve inspired a new type of buyer that’s dominating the U.S. consumer landscape: the “corpsumer”. The firm’s study describes this group as shoppers who care as much about company reputation or ethical stance as product quality or value, and they account for a whopping one-third of the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

With plans for a poultry plant near Tonganoxie on hold, more than 20 other communities in Kansas have expressed interest in the project. That is according to Heather Lansdowne, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.Officials with Tyson Foods announced Sept. 5 plans to build a $320 million facility south of Tonganoxie. But this past week, a company official said those plans are now being put on hold.The poultry complex would have included a processing plant, hatchery and feed mill. [node:read-more:link]

“A really happy cow is either eating, or laying down, or in the milking parlor being milked. And one of the things we’ve done with the university – The Dairyland Initiative, is look at how many hours a day that our cows lay down, and doing things that we can do to improve and make that number larger,” said Breunig. Dr. [node:read-more:link]

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced yesterday that his state will sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its decision not to require 36 coal-fired power plant units in five upwind states to run their existing air pollution controls more frequently. In July, Maryland officials indicated they were considering a lawsuit, after the EPA rejected a request to broaden the roster of states in the region responsible for helping address cross-state pollution. EPA allowed itself a six-month extension to act on the petition, which expired in mid July. [node:read-more:link]

Lab-grown food products intended to replace conventionally-raised meat and poultry have been generating buzz lately due to increasing efforts by activist groups such as ‘The Good Food Institute’ – one of the new kids on the block. These products aren’t really a concern in and of themselves. They offer choices to consumers in the marketplace, which is always a good thing. Given the forecasts that food production will need to double by 2050, lab grown meat can also be an additional way to help meet that demand. [node:read-more:link]

Reuters writer Rod Nickel reported yesterday that, “On Canada’s fertile Prairies, dominated by the yellows and golds of canola and wheat, summers are too short to grow corn on a major scale. [node:read-more:link]

Cargill has closed on its agreement to acquire the animal feed business of Southern States Cooperative. The deal was announced in early August and closed Sept. 22. Under the agreement, Cargill purchased the assets of Southern States Cooperative’s animal feed business, including seven feed mills and its portfolio of products, brands and customer and supplier relationships. [node:read-more:link]

Back in the 1990s and 2000s, when Democrats had more power in state governments, 29 states (and DC) passed some form of renewable portfolio standard (RPS), a policy that requires a state’s utilities to get a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources by a certain year. [node:read-more:link]

The South Dakota meat processor that sued ABC News over the characterization of its top-selling product as “pink slime” in TV news reports has set up a $10 million fund to help former employees and communities affected by the plants it closed in 2012, it said on Wednesday. The privately held Beef Products Inc sued ABC, a unit of Walt Disney Co, in 2012, saying ABC defamed the company by using the term “pink slime” and accusing it of making errors and omissions in its reporting. [node:read-more:link]

A young company plans to build a $20 million demonstration plant in Osage that will turn corn stalks, cobs, husks and other crop residue into feed for dairy and beef cattle, local officials say. Stover Ventures plans to begin building the plant on 10 acres in Osage Northwest Industrial in the second quarter of 2018 and launch production in early 2019. Stover Ventures plans to produce "a highly digestible feed" that costs less than alfalfa or soy hulls. [node:read-more:link]