New Zealand commodity prices rose for a fifth month in September, driven by dairy, although the strong kiwi dollar limited the benefits for local producers.  The ANZ commodity price index increased 5.1 per cent last month, bringing it to a 17-month high. In New Zealand dollar terms, prices rose 3.9 per cent in the month and are 5 per cent lower than in the same period last year. The release of the commodity price index follows the results of the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction thi s morning, where dairy prices posted their first fall since July. [node:read-more:link]

Hezekiah Allen is a third-generation marijuana farmer in this Northern California county, where the cool coastal fog pours off the Pacific Ocean, coaxing pot plants to heights of 20 feet. The executive director of the California Growers Association trade group, Allen has long sought an end to what he calls "prohibition" and has looked forward to a day when he and the thousands of pot farmers here would no longer be outlaws. [node:read-more:link]

EPA has finalized the membership of the panel that will examine the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate. The list of scientific experts was posted without fanfare on EPA's Scientific Advisory Panel website. The agency also has posted the agenda for the meeting, which will take place Oct. 18-21 at the Office of Pesticide Programs building in Crystal City, Va. [node:read-more:link]

Net income for the nation's agricultural cooperatives soared by 14 percent last year, according to data released by the USDA. In its annual report on national cooperative business sales, USDA reported that the country's farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives posted record net income of $7 billion in 2015.  "The cooperative business model continues to perform strongly," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "While the model has long been one of the hallmarks of rural economies, its reach has greatly expanded to include almost every aspect of U.S. commerce. [node:read-more:link]

Cargill Inc. reported a 66% jump in profits for its most recent quarter, driven by expanding beef supplies and consumers’ rising appetite for burgers and steaks.  A rebound in the Minnesota agricultural conglomerate’s U.S. meat business, also lifted by chicken and turkey sales, helped raise Cargill’s net earnings to $852 million for the fiscal first quarter, even as sales declined slightly. Cargill said the results illustrated how a wide-ranging revamp of its voluminous business portfolio is paying off. [node:read-more:link]

our industrialized food system nourishes more people, at lower cost, than any comparable system in history. It also exerts a terrifyingly massive influence on our health and our environment. Photographer George Steinmetz spent nearly a year traveling the country to capture that system, in all its scope, grandeur and dizzying scale. His photographs are all the more remarkable for the fact that so few large food producers are willing to open themselves to this sort of public view. [node:read-more:link]

The small town’s biggest success story and biggest employer, outdoor-gear retailer Cabela’s Inc., was being sold to rival Bass Pro Shops for $4.5 billion. The combination, which had been rumored for months, set off fresh fears about job losses at Cabela’s headquarters and what it could mean to the area’s future.  “When Cabela’s thrives, the town thrives,” said the 61-year-old. “It means there are more people who are going to buy more products here. We have car dealerships. [node:read-more:link]