Farmers dismayed that USDA delays fair practice rule

A rule designed to protect the legal rights of farmers who grow chickens and hogs for the nation's largest meat processors has been delayed by at least six months, halting an initiative rolled out in the final days of Barack Obama's administration. The rule was first proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2010 but was finally rolled out in December and was set to take effect on April 22. The rule would make it easier for farmers to sue companies they contract with over unfair or deceptive practices.

San Bernardino school had no knowledge of teacher’s troubled relationship with shooter, police say

California school officials at the site of Monday's killing and suicide that left three people dead had no prior knowledge of the ongoing con... -- In the wake of the U.S. airstrikes in Syria last week in response to a chemical attack that killed dozens of people, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said it... WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today welcomed an announcement from the U.S. D... Kearney, Neb.

US Congress Calls for Action on Honduras in Response to Murders of Land and Environmental Activists

In two strongly worded letters to the new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, almost 80 United States legislators on Friday expressed their grave concern at the risks facing activists who defend their land and the environment in Honduras. A recent Global Witness report exposed how more than 120 land rights defenders have been killed since 2010.

Resources are available for beginning farmersAre you thinking about…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a website to connect farm entrepreneurs with programs, services and resources for anyone interested in getting started into farming at www.usda.gov/newfarmers. The site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner, starting or expanding an operation, developing new markets, supporting more effective farming and conservation practices, and having access to relevant training and education opportunities.

On-the-farm research making the case for industrial hemp

Real-world research in more than a dozen states in recent years is giving farmers new understanding of how to grow industrial hemp and showing that it has promise to be a viable commercial crop in the U.S. The 2014 federal farm bill allowed for university and state-sponsored research programs of the plant whose fiber can be used in products from paper to clothing and whose oil can be an ingredient in food and health products. Programs have now been launched in 15 states, with two more states coming online, according to the hemp advocacy nonprofit Vote Hemp.

new Republicans hope Trump amenable to food stamp restrictions

Maine resident Zak McCutcheon says he likes soda but acknowledges he'd drink less of it if his governor convinced Republican President Donald Trump to put restrictions on the approximately $200 a month he receives in food stamps. He thinks it may even make recipients healthier and less overweight.

Lull in spring rains helps Mississippi corn planting

Fall preparation paid off for many Mississippi corn producers who were able to take advantage of a gap in spring rains to plant much of their crop early. Erick Larson, corn specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said warm weather and a break in typical spring rains has allowed farmers to make considerable corn planting progress this spring.

Trump in No Hurry to Staff ‘Enemy of the People’ Offices

The New York Times on March 12 reported that the Trump administration, for a variety of reasons, was filling the offices of administrative agencies at a glacial pace. From the Department of Agriculture to the Weather Service, over 2,000 mid-level political-appointee positions were still unfilled; the Times called it "the slowest transition in decades."

Mississippi company recalls thousands of pounds of catfish

A Mississippi company has recalled 1,695 pounds of catfish product that may be adulterated with residues of public health concern. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a routine inspection by the Food Safety and Inspection Service revealed "violative levels of the chemicals Malachite Green and Leucomalachite Green."

AM markets: wheat falls anew, despite US crop deterioration

The proportion of the crop in Kansas, the top growing state, rated "good" or "excellent" fell by 2 points week on week to 36%, amid "dry, windy conditions", US Department of Agriculture data overnight showed. In Oklahoma, the rating dropped by 2 points to 40%, and in Texas, where "precipitation across the state was scarce", by 1 point to 34%.

Bird flu cases revive fear of repeat of major 2015 outbreak

In this April 20, 2015 file photo, a sign warning visitors to stay away from an infected turkey farm in Melrose, Minn. The detection of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu at a Tennessee chicken farm is reviving memories of a widespread domestic outbreak in 2015 that required the slaughter of millions of turkeys and chickens.

PM markets: grain prices trim gains as funds take a breather

Ideas of the Brazilian soybean and corn harvest got another boost, while crop reports from the US southern Plains showed little reason to start fretting over drought damage to winter wheat yet, and absent fund buying, grain markets trimmed their recent gains. The latest forecast for Brazilian soybeans from FC Stone came in at a hefty 109.07m tonnes, nearly 5m tonnes up from its February forecast, with favourable weather across most of the country's growing regions.

Backyard gardening makes comeback –

The Union Times Brussel Sprouts and Collard Greens like these growing in the Piedmont Physic Garden are among the many types of fruit and vegetables that can be grown in a backyard garden. Backyard gardening is making a comeback in South Carolina in response to the expansion of food deserts in communities across the state.