An odd thing has happened in wheat country — a lot of farmers aren't planting wheat. Thanks to a global grain glut that has caused prices and profits to plunge, this year farmers planted the fewest acres of wheat since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began keeping records nearly a century ago.Instead of planting the crop that gave the wheat belt its identity, many farmers are opting this year for crops that might be less iconic but are suddenly in demand, such as chickpeas and lentils, used in hummus and healthy snacks."People have gone crazy with chickpeas. [node:read-more:link]

Millennials, by and large, are credited for being the ones who are out to “change the world.” They’re the most in tune with technology. They’re the most likely to go out to eat. And most importantly, they’re the ones who’ve changed the idea of value. However, what if all these things could be synthesized into one? While it’s true that the world of food isn’t being disrupted overnight, millennials are certainly leading the change in the food revolution. [node:read-more:link]

Farmers have been selectively breeding plants for thousands of years. They have done so to make them tastier, bigger, or hardier. Technology has moved part of this process out of the farmer’s field and into the scientist’s lab. Now plants like corn and soybeans can be changed by changing certain genes.Like many people, you may wonder if these foods are safe to eat. A recent report looked closely at the scientific evidence to date. Read on to learn the facts about these foods.

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Drones, milking robots, driverless vehicles, intelligent sensors, bio-surveillance, data-sharing – the Swiss economics ministry is calling for farmers to embrace a “digital revolution”, marking a turning point in agricultural practices that is not without risk. [node:read-more:link]

With a presidential administration that continues to call for immigration reform and secured borders, local farmers say any solution should consider the potential effects on the agriculture industry’s workforce.  “Americans don’t want to do a lot of the things farmers need done,” said Marty Yahner, of Patton, who owns a sixth-generation farm with his brother, Rick, that produces corn, oats, wheat, hay and soybeans. [node:read-more:link]

U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wants to speed up a proposal to block new gold mining claims on forested public lands in Montana near Yellowstone National Park and will also consider blocking other types of mining, agency officials said Monday. Federal officials are undergoing a two-year review of mining on more than 30,000 acres among the towering peaks of the Absaroka mountains just north of the park. [node:read-more:link]

More than one-third of Americans do not know that foods with no genetically modified ingredients contain genes, according to the new nationally representative Food Literacy and Engagement Poll  recently conducted at Michigan State University. For the record, all foods contain genes, and so do all people. [node:read-more:link]

More veterans, military and medical organizations have come out against legislation limiting medical experiments on dogs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Advocates and lawmakers attempting to shut down dog testing in the VA gained a new adversary earlier this month, when Paralyzed Veterans of America argued that stopping the research would limit future medical advancements. More than 80 organizations joined the opposition.Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research, or FOVA, represents more than 83 groups. [node:read-more:link]

The bankruptcy of a Washington hop merchant may signal renewed turbulence in the hops market, with lower-than-expected demand for the crop raising oversupply concerns. 47 Hops of Yakima, Wash., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which shields the company from creditors while it develops a restructuring plan to repay debts and remain operational.The hop broker has more than $7.4 million in debt and $4.3 million in assets, according to the filing. In 2016, the company earned $10.6 million in revenues, up from $7.1 million the previous year. [node:read-more:link]

A Yakima County Superior Court judge has given preliminary approval for a $600,000 settlement for a group of dairy workers at a Lower Valley dairy.Jose Martinez-Cuevas and Patricia Aguilar, on behalf of the group of nearly 300 workers, filed a class-action lawsuit against the DeRuyter Brothers Dairy of Outlook in December claiming the company failed to provide adequate meal and rest breaks and that workers were not paid for all time worked.They said they worked at the 5,000-herd dairy nine to 12 hours a day, six days a week without rest breaks, meal periods or overtime pay. [node:read-more:link]