In Florida, the competing sides on just one November ballot question — about controlling solar power production in the state — already have raised $23.65 million to try to sway the state’s voters.  That amount pales in comparison to the $313 million raised so far to influence the outcomes of referendums in California, which routinely leads the nation in the number of issues on the ballot and money raised and spent on them. But it’s strikingly more than what’s been spent in the Sunshine State in the past. [node:read-more:link]

The nation’s drug-addiction epidemic is driving a dramatic increase in the number of children entering foster care, forcing many states to take urgent steps to care for neglected children.  Several states, such as New Hampshire and Vermont, have either changed laws to make it possible to pull children out of homes where parents are addicted, or have made room in the budget to hire more social workers to deal with the emerging crisis.  Other states, such as Alaska, Kansas and Ohio, have issued emergency pleas for more people to become foster parents and take neglected children, many of them [node:read-more:link]

Newly released survey results comparing consumer attitudes in the two largest beef-producing countries – the U.S. and Brazil – have revealed several important trends in purchasing preferences that are influenced by how beef animals are raised and fed.  Cargill's "Feed for Thought" survey of more than 2,000 people in the U.S. and Brazil found that the majority of U.S. consumers (54%) and Brazilian consumers (69%) are more likely to purchase beef raised without antibiotics. [node:read-more:link]

The parents might bring home the bacon, but it’s probably the kids who pick the brand. Children have a disproportionate sway over household grocery purchases and decisions — and food marketers know it. [node:read-more:link]

A Chickasaw County, Iowa, pig farmer has erected what could be the most energy-efficient and environmentally sound hog building in Iowa. Dale Reicks of Reicks View Farms has built a unique hog building that doesn't look like most other modern hog barns, and what's inside confirms that it isn’t. The facility is equipped with all of the newest technology available in pig farming and is uniquely designed to be animal friendly, environmentally friendly and neighbor friendly. [node:read-more:link]

More of today's consumers crave information about food and how it's produced, but the latest consumer trust research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) found that most want even more. [node:read-more:link]

If Batman switched from fighting crime to growing corn, this would be his tractor.   Racine-based Case IH will showcase its autonomous, or driverless, tractor concept, with a curvy body that’s packed with technology, the tractor takes some cues from the Batmobile. But there’s no steering wheel or driver’s seat. Instead, the tractor uses satellites, radar, cameras and other digital gear to navigate the fields and take orders from a remote operator’s computer or tablet. [node:read-more:link]

A Boise State University poll shows that residents in Idaho’s largest urban area consider agriculture to be the Treasure Valley’s most important economic sector.  The poll results come as somewhat of a welcome surprise considering the Treasure Valley area of southwestern Idaho is dominated by the Boise area, where the majority of people are assumed by many farmers to not have a strong understanding or appreciation of agriculture.  But the poll shows otherwise.  When asked which sector is most important to the Treasure Valley economy, 24.8 percent said agriculture, which ranked first, ahead [node:read-more:link]

Some farmers are pressing for changes to proposed agricultural rules aimed at protecting Lake Champlain, but environmental advocates told lawmakers that the rules don't go far enough.  The required agriculture practices, which have been the subject of multiple meetings and public hearings, include rules for small farm certification, storing and managing manure, soil health and vegetated buffer zones on fields near water and ditches.  The Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules is reviewing the rules to make sure they are not beyond the authority of the agency and not contrary to legis [node:read-more:link]

A Driggs, Idaho, farmer has covered a funding shortfall to launch a locally based, commercial-scale quinoa processing facility, enticed by the promise of a new crop in his challenging growing area.  The processing facility — which the owner, Jeremiah Clark, believes to be the first operation in the U.S. to process quinoa for commercial sale — opened on Oct. 21.  Farming in a cool area at 6,400 feet, Wyatt Penfold has relied on a crop rotation of mostly seed potatoes and barley. [node:read-more:link]