A plateau in sales of antibiotics for livestock after steep decline
Following the FDA ban on use of medically important antibiotics to encourage weight gain in hogs, cattle and poultry, sales of the drugs are averaging 6.1 million kilograms a year, a decline of 37 percent from their 2015 peak.
Iowa farmland value zoomed by 29 percent this year
Farmland in Iowa is worth an average $9,751 an acre – the highest value since Iowa State University began the annual survey in 1941. Values skyrocketed by 29 percent this year, fueled by high commodity prices, better than expected crop yields and large pandemic relief payments, said associate professor Wendong Zhang.
Today’s Quick Hits
Fighting food inflation: Americans are combating inflation at the grocery store by staying away from brand-name foods, buying less expensive cuts of meat and just buying less; some have switched to lower-cost grocery chains. (CNN Business)
Aviation fuel vs biodiesel: The “build back better” bill would give a larger tax credit, up to $1.75 a gallon, to sustainable aviation fuel than the $1 credit for biodiesel and has sparked complaints there will be fewer biofuels for truckers who want to reduce air pollution. (Politico)
Winter without snow: The Mountain West could be nearly snowless for years at a time, affecting everything from wildfires and drinking water to the recreation industry, if global warming continues, said a paper in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment. (High Country News)
Job gains slow: The rate of job growth in rural America was one-fourth as large as the U.S. average over the past year, due in part to shrinkage of the rural workforce. (Daily Yonder)
Vilsack in Midwest: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was scheduled to announce funding for rural infrastructure on Thursday during a trip to Wisconsin. He’ll also announce a USDA plan to strengthen the food supply chain and support school meals on Thursday while in Evanston, Illinois. (Ag Insider)
