Multiple deaths in Texas hot air balloon crash

LOCKHART, Texas -- A hot air balloon carrying at least 16 people caught on fire and crashed in Central Texas on Saturday, causing what authorities described as a "significant loss of life." Erik Grosof with the National Transportation Safety Board would not provide an exact number of how many people died.

Metro Buzz: Teen calls for federal review of Baton Rouge zoo

This spot nosed Guenon monkey, a native to West Africa is one of the 3 monkeys that was killed at The BREC Baton Rouge Zoo. Advocate file photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCK -- BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo's giraffe Hope plays with her granddaughter, Jewel, left, in this 2007 photo Advocate staff file photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING -- Two female Malayan tiger cubs born at BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo paw each other in November 2014, as they play after a nap.

Humans Are Playing High-Risk Ecological Roulette

Humans have reduced biodiversity - the teeming variety of plant and animal life that competes and co-operates in every ecosystem - to below safe levels across more than 58% of the planet's land surface . This is ultimately bad news for human food security because biological diversity underwrites what naturalists call the resilient ecosystem services on which humans and all higher animals depend - crop pollination and pest control, nutrient decomposition and recycling, water and air purification - and because that 58% of the terrestrial planet is home to 71% of all humans, That humans are reducing biodiversity - and at a cost to the disturbed ecosystems - is not news.

Feed Quality Demand Drives Haying Innovations

The end-user, whether it be the cow or the cattle feeder, is becoming more important to hay and forage producers, and because of that, the equipment in the hay meadow is changing. "Forage vs. baleage is the trend I'm seeing," says Gary Berger, sales and marketing director for Edney Distributing Co., a machinery distributor serving the upper Midwest.

USDA Funds 81 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Projects in 32 States

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will fund 81 Distance Learning and Telemedicine projects in 32 states. These projects will help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country, increasing access to health care, substance misuse treatment and advanced educational opportunities.

Congress OKs bill requiring first GMO food labels

Consumers wanting to know if their foods contain genetically modified ingredients will be able to find out for the first time. Congress sent legislation to President Barack Obama on Thursday that would require most food packages to carry a text label, a symbol or an electronic code readable by smartphone that indicates whether the food contains genetically modified ingredients, or GMOs.

Farm Journal Foundation Congratulates Congress On Enhancing Global Food Security

FARM JOURNAL FOUNDATION CONGRATULATES CONGRESS ON ENHANCING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY Jul. 11, 2016 Source: Farm Journal Foundation news release On behalf of the Farm Journal Foundation, our Farmers Feeding the World leaders across the United States and more than twenty thousand HungerU student advocates, we would like to thank Congress for passing the Global Food Security Act of 2016. This bi-partisan bill affirms U.S. leadership in enhancing global food security, primarily by helping farmers in developing countries produce more of their own food to improve their livelihoods.

Wish for Water: Grant provides help to those without water

Marilyn La Combe stood outside an outbuilding at the Evansville Fire Department, dropped a quarter into the slot and jiggled the handle until water came out of the short hose. She gets about three minutes worth of water for each quarter, but the pressure is lower in the afternoon than it is in the morning, she said.

USDA FoodKeeper App to feature new food safety tools – Spanish and Portuguese functionality

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced new updates to its popular FoodKeeper application, which will increase the app's food safety features while empowering more consumers help reduce food waste in the U.S. The app has been updated to include information in Spanish and Portuguese, making it easier for Spanish and Portuguese speakers to use its storage recommendations for 400+ items covered by the tool, including various types of baby food, dairy products and eggs, meat, poultry, produce, seafood, and more. The next planned update, coming in September, will allow the app to alert users of food recalls and include instructional videos on proper handling and storage of food.

FoodKeeper app to feature new food safety tools

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced new updates to its popular FoodKeeper application, which will increase the app's food safety features while empowering more consumers help reduce food waste in the U.S. The app has been updated to include information in Spanish and Portuguese, making it easier for Spanish and Portuguese speakers to use its storage recommendations for 400 plus items covered by the tool, including various types of baby food, dairy products and eggs, meat, poultry, produce, seafood and more. The next planned update, coming in September, will allow the app to alert users of food recalls and include instructional videos on proper handling and storage of food.

Public Health Matters Blog – Global Health Security: How is the U.S. doing?

The Joint External Evaluation Team joins U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture colleagues in front of the Humphrey Building, Washington DC, May 2016 At first glance, this photo taken on a set of concrete steps in Washington, D.C., may look like an ordinary group shot-but it took an extraordinary series of events to make it happen. The photo shows colleagues from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture standing alongside a team of 15 international experts from 13 different countries, known as the Joint External Evaluation Team .

Roach Ag Marketing Announces Its Annual Outlook And Strategy Conference Series

ROACH AG MARKETING ANNOUNCES ITS ANNUAL OUTLOOK AND STRATEGY CONFERENCE SERIES Jul. 6, 2016 Source: Roach Ag Marketing Ltd sent via AgPR --the news distribution service for agriculture Roach Ag Marketing Ltd is sponsoring 13 seminars on the 2016 market outlook and pricing strategies throughout the Midwest and Mid-South this month. Roach Ag Marketing has grown dramatically in recent years and company founder John Roach and company President Brian Roach are regular guests on Iowa Public TV's popular "Market to Market" farm show hosted by Mike Pearson.