Keep trade war payments flowing, say farm-state Democrats
With USDA sending $1 billion a week to farmers, senior Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee argued on Monday for Congress to give the agency an early infusion of cash to keep trade war payments flowing to farm country.
With EPA permit looming, open sea acquaculture sparks fight
Americans eat an average of 16 pounds of fish each year, and that number is growing. But how to meet our demand for fish is a controversial question, one that is entering a new chapter as the Environmental Protection Agency seeks to approve the nation’s only aquaculture pen in federal waters.
Trump says he will sign trade deal with Japan
Eleven months after initiating negotiations, President Trump notified Congress on Monday that he intends to sign a trade agreement with Japan in the coming weeks.
China buys U.S. soybeans ahead of trade talks
Private exporters reported their second major sale of U.S. soybeans to China as the two nations prepare for working-level meetings to resolve their trade war, said the USDA on Monday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Urgency around climate change grows (Washington Post): Nearly 40 percent of Americans believe climate change is a “crisis” and another 38 percent believe it is a “major problem,” a new poll shows, placing a wide majority of Americans at odds with the Trump administration’s position on climate change.
Hottest summer in Northern Hemisphere (NOAA): This summer matched 2016 as the hottest on record, helping to shrink ice coverage in the Arctic to the second-smallest ever recorded.
Farm subsidies fueling climate crisis? (Guardian): A report found that $1 million of public money is spent each minute on global farm subsidies, which the report authors link to environmentally destructive agricultural methods that are fueling the climate crisis.
Second ethanol plant idled in Iowa (Radio Iowa): The farmer-owned cooperative that owns Siouxland Energy said it was idling the ethanol plant, the second in northwest Iowa to shut down temporarily, because of Trump administration decisions to exempt some oil refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Invasive tree-eating insect spreads (NPR): The inch-long spotted lanternfly is the latest major invasive insect to reach the United States, killing trees and infesting vineyards. It came from China, which is home to a tiny wasp that could act as a predator.
Kona coffee cheaters (Los Angeles Times): A band of Hawaiian coffee growers is suing retailers, including Amazon, Costco and Walmart, saying chemistry tests prove that millions of pounds of bogus “Kona” coffee are being sold to consumers.
