Lawmakers asking for more commitment to research hops
Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree is helping lead a group of lawmakers in support of hops research. Hops are flowers of the hop plant, and they're used to impart flavor and aroma to beer.
Category Archives: Science
How Reigniting the Passion for American Farming Can Yield Great Opportunity
In America, hard work and perseverance are considered to be among the greatest virtues. And when it comes to symbolizing that concept -- harvesting the fruits of one's labor as well as showing real grit and determination -- it's hard to beat an American icon: the farmer.
USDA Blog: ‘Minneapolis School Embraces Family-Style Dining’
"What if school lunchtime was more than just a wait in line and a race to find a seat and eat, but instead was more like a traditional family meal a time when friends gather to enjoy their food, engage in meaningful conversation, build relationships and gain important life skills?" That's the question posed by the principal of a Minneapolis public elementary school in a blog posted Tuesday on the Agriculture Department website. The principal explains that her school decided to abandon the typical chaotic and impersonal lunchroom experience and create a family-style dining program.
USDA will allow lemon imports from Argentina
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Dec. 20 that it would publish its final rule allowing lemon imports from areas of Argentina into the U.S. Its pest risk assessment and three site visits, most recently in September, led the agency to conclude that a systems approach requiring registration, monitoring, treatment and traceability protocols for production and packinghouses, among other measures, would reduce the risk of introducing Argentine pests into the U.S. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent the rule to the Federal Register, to take effect 30 days after publication.
Electoral College Members Meeting Across the Country to Cast Votes
But in cases where breast milk is not available from an infant's mother, getting access to saf... - The 538 electors are meeting Monday to cast their votes in the last step of the presidential election. But what is usually a formality has taken on new significance this year with Donald Trump's election and calls for electors to defect.
EU Brandishes Climate Credentials Amid Doubts Over Trump’s Aims
As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump pledges to bolster industries blamed for global warming, the European Union is forging ahead with legislation meant to increase the cost of the dirtiest forms of energy. Environment ministers from the EU are due to meet in Brussels on Monday for deliberations over tighter emission caps on power plants and factories, aiming to make good on a vow to slash greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide by 40 percent in 2030 compared with 1990 levels.
Trump Tillerson Environment Q and A
President-elect Donald Trump this week tapped Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson to serve as his secretary of state. If confirmed by the Senate, where opposition is emerging, the move could have broad consequences for U.S. environmental policy and affect the role the U.S. plays in multinational discussions about climate change.
What will the USDA’s new rules mean for small farms?
The USDA has proposed removing the burden of proof from farmers who wish to sue meat packers for unfair practices. Farmers and trade groups disagree on whether the proposed rule changes could harm or help small farmers.
EPA review of new chemicals slows
It's been six months since Congress made major changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act , the law that governs the use of chemicals in industrial and household products in the U.S. One unanticipated outcome of the overhaul is a backlog of new chemicals waiting to be reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Chemical manufacturers are up in arms about the delays, claiming EPA's slowness is impeding their innovation.
China Blatantly Stole An American Underwater Drone From a Us Ship In The South China Sea
Vessels roam the waters of the East China Sea during a naval exercise, October 19, 2012. The Chinese navy conducted a joint exercise in the East China Sea with the country's fishery administration and marine surveillance agency on Friday.
O Christmas Tree, O Toxic Tree
In early December in Portland I saw my first live Christmas tree of the season strapped to the top of a car. I was saddened.
Port Huron CBP Intercepts the Destructive Khapra Beetle
On November 29, CBP Agriculture Specialists discovered remnants of a khapra beetle in a cargo shipment at the Blue Water Bridge. A shipment of split and washed "moong dal" beans from India was targeted as a high risk of pest infection.
Utah Supreme Court hears 2nd refinery expansion challenge
A second challenge to a refinery expansion proposed along the Wasatch Front wound up on the desks of Utah Supreme Court justices, but it remains a big question mark if there will ever be a legal probe of the actual merits of the case. The Utah Supreme Court, in a decision last year, rejected an appeal by environmental groups over Tesoro's planned action, and Wednesday the justices were asked to look at the case involving HollyFrontier Corp. in Woods Cross.
U.N. environment chief concerned at climate science skeptics among Trump picks
Erik Solheim, executive director of the UN Environment Programme , speaks during an interview with Reuters in Jakarta, Indonesia December 14, 2016. Erik Solheim, executive director of the UN Environment Programme , speaks during an interview with Reuters in Jakarta, Indonesia December 14, 2016.
Trump’s Secretary Of State Nominee Could Face Criticism From Anti-Exxon Crusaders
Rex Tillerson, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, testifies about the company's acquisition of XTO Energy before the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington in this January 20, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Files President-elect Donald Trump's choice for secretary of state will likely face the ire of Democrats who believe the oil man helped hide decades-worth of climate research.
Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 13 Dec 2016
... feverish speculation over who will take his leading cabinet position and serve as America's top diplomat. Various US news outlets quote sources claiming that ExxonMobil president and CEO, Rex Tillerson, had won the race that included Mitt Romney, ...
Cornucopia Institute Calls For Investigation Of USDA’s National Organic Program
In a letter to the USDA's Office of Inspector General, The Cornucopia Institute has requested an independent audit of the National Organic Program , charging a multiplicity of illegal actions and inactions. The Wisconsin-based farm policy research group alleges that the National Organic Program has failed to enforce the laws governing organic agriculture, thereby allowing multinational corporate agribusinesses to squeeze out family-scale farmers, compromising the integrity of the organic label.
Artificial Intelligence
Speaking of Trump . .. he's too smart for intelligence briefings. Yup, remember when George the Second ignored a series of daily briefings after his inauguration? He went golfing instead and wasn't paying attention when that humdinger of a PDB " Osama determined to strike within US " sailed past his line of sight.
US Court of Appeals: States and counties can ban GMO crops despite federal laws
The entire organic community of the United States just won a massive victory that many may not yet even realize. Even though the DARK Act was passed by Obama and some Senate goons to prohibit labeling of GMOs nationwide, the US Court of Appeals just passed a law that enables states and counties to completely ban genetically engineered crops from ever being planted in the first place.
Businesses see key ally coming to White House
Yet much of corporate America appears to view Trump not as an adversary but as a powerful friend. For all his bullying stance toward some companies, businesses have been cheered by his vows to slash taxes and soften Obama-era rules that were designed to protect workers, the environment and the financial system and by his choices to lead the Labor Department and Environmental Protection Agency.