Scientists have discovered a link between a major mechanism of antibiotic resistance and resistance to the disinfectant triclosan which is commonly found in domestic products. [node:read-more:link]

Scientists are turning a cranberry bog back into coastal wetland. The experiment is seen as a path for dormant bogs and another chance for vanishing habitat. [node:read-more:link]

In several Western and Southern states, small towns are growing quickly as fast-growing metro areas swallow up more outlying towns, according to a Stateline analysis of census estimates.Between 2015 and 2016, the growth was particularly strong in small towns in Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Idaho, Delaware, Texas, Arizona, North Carolina and South Carolina, where small towns grew around 1 percent or more.During the same period, 54 percent of small towns across the U.S. lost population, and most others saw only limited growth. [node:read-more:link]

Manitoba Pork Council confirms 41 positive operations identified in southeast Manitoba in the 2017 porcine epidemic diarrhea virus outbreak. So far, officials confirmed PEDV on 18 sow operations representing over 54,000 sows, seven nurseries representing just over 126,000 nursery spaces and 16 feeder operations representing just over 99,000 feeder spaces. [node:read-more:link]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) for the 2018 conventional biofuels requirement at 15 billion gallons under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).The EPA lowered the amount of biofuel that must be used in the U.S. next year. It's the first ever reduction in volumes under the program. [node:read-more:link]

The change in farm bill outlays is due to a variety of factors. First, price expectations for several covered commodities have changed due to different supply and demand conditions. For example, consider that record yields and larger domestic inventories have weakened corn prices in recent years and led to higher ARC-CO payments. CBO’s June 2017 projections are for marketing year average corn prices to remain below $4 per bushel over the next decade. These lower corn prices contribute to an additional $4.8 billion in ARC-CO and PLC outlays over the next 10 years. [node:read-more:link]

The U.S. Agriculture Department is requiring districts to adopt policies this month for addressing meal debts and to inform parents at the start of the academic year.The agency is not specifically barring most of the embarrassing tactics, such as serving cheap sandwiches in place of hot meals or sending students home with conspicuous debt reminders, such as hand stamps. [node:read-more:link]

Steven Walton said he thought his daughter was a vegetarian, but she corrected him. She does not consider herself a vegetarian because she eats her mother’s meatballs whenever she visits.His daughter’s stance reflects a general attitude that people have, said Walton, general manager of HealthFocus International. People, especially those in the United States, do not wish to be labeled, which means a broader market may exist for plant-based protein beyond people who claim to be vegetarian, vegan or “flexitarian” (those who eat meat sparingly, such as once per week). [node:read-more:link]

The Canadian government has announced some C$1.4 million in financial assistance to Quebec’s pork sector. About C$1.2 million will be used to improve the Market Risk Management Service, launched in 2000 by the producer group Éleveurs de porcs du Québec (ÉPQ) to help producers mitigate  price fluctuations without having to individually secure financing required by financial markets. [node:read-more:link]