If a fruit or vegetable isn’t grown in dirt, can it be organic? That is the question roiling the world of organic farming, and the answer could redefine what it means to farm organically.  At issue is whether produce that relies solely on irrigation to deliver nutrients to plants — through what is known as hydroponic and aquaponic systems — can be certified organic. And the National Organic Standards Board, an advisory group that makes recommendations to the federal secretary of agriculture, will get an earful on the topic at its meeting in St. Louis this week. [node:read-more:link]

Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. are expecting to get formal objections to their $60 billion merger from European Union regulators as soon as next month, listing potential antitrust concerns with their bid to form the world’s biggest chemical company, according to two people familiar with the investigation. The European Commission in Brussels is poised to send the complaint to the companies in December, according to people who asked not to be named because the process is confidential. [node:read-more:link]

When a recent gathering of Southern Illinois farmers revealed that 7 out of 10 of them had serious concerns about the viability of their farming operation over the next three years, one might think they were being overly dramatic.  But late last week, three of the Federal Reserve Banks that serve the Corn Belt confirmed the seriousness of the financial struggle farmers are having. [node:read-more:link]

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists (CBPAS) working at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) discovered multiple egg masses and pests inside a commercial shipment of fresh Brazilian papayas. [node:read-more:link]

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has revoked the license of a financially troubled Ford County grain dealer. The license belonging to SGI Agri-Marketing LLC, a specialty grain dealer in Gibson City, was revoked Wednesday following an administrative hearing to address the suspension of the facility’s license after the Illinois Department of Agriculture discovered deficiencies in the company’s financial statements.  The company has been ordered to cease and desist doing further business. [node:read-more:link]

At retirement communities from California to Florida, golf carts have become a way of life. They’re energy-efficient, cheaper to buy and maintain than regular cars, and, seniors say, fun to drive. For many, they’re the main way to get from doctor’s appointments and dance classes to restaurants and shopping centers. But as the bare-bones buggies move from the back nine to the blacktop, safety experts and advocates for seniors say they’re worried about them sharing the road with larger, faster cars and trucks. [node:read-more:link]

The EPA has rejected a request by the oil industry and ruled in favor of renewable fuels. Oil refiners had petitioned the EPA to allow them to change the point of obligation, which  means refiners would shift the responsibility for blending ethanol into gasoline to wholesalers and retailers. Tom Buis, with Growth Energy, said the agency rejected the request on Thursday, which is good news for ethanol, “Our goal has been to give consumers more choice at the pump with E-15. [node:read-more:link]

It sounds like science fiction: An unstoppable invader is taking over the West and the best hope to stop its relentless advance is a small team of scientists. But that's what is happening in southwest Idaho, where experiments are underway to determine if soil bacteria can halt the century-long assault of non-native cheatgrass, which sends out roots that cheat other plants of water in the spring."We hope that we can identify the effectiveness of the bacteria on annual grasses and to identify non-target risk effects," said Matt Germino, a research ecologist with the U.S. [node:read-more:link]

A group of young Americans suing the federal government to demand increased efforts on climate change won a notable battle, as a federal court rejected the government’s request to dismiss the case. The ruling paves the way for the 21 plaintiffs—who range in age from 9 to 20—to take their case to trial in federal court. A ruling in their favor could be a landmark decision on climate change, though it would almost certainly be appealed to a Supreme Court that is set to become more conservative in the wake of Donald Trump’s win. [node:read-more:link]

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has purchased 635 acres in Aiea in Central Oahu from Bishop Museum.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although funding for the acquisitions came from the state’s Legacy Land Conservation Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Recovery Land Acquisition Program. [node:read-more:link]