GM crops grown on 55 percent of U.S. cropland, says USDA
Farmer adoption of genetically modified crop varieties is spreading beyond the well-known dominance of the major field crops of corn, soybeans, and cotton, said a USDA report. When lesser-known GM crops such as canola, potatoes, and apples are counted, about 55 percent of U.S. cropland is planted to GM varieties.
WTO backs U.S. in challenge of Chinese trade war tariffs
China wrongly imposed retaliatory tariffs against U.S. products including pork, wine, and fruits and nuts in response to Trump-era tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, said a WTO dispute panel on Wednesday. The trade war levies were an additional 25 percent on pork and an additional 15 percent on fruits and derived products.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Yellow-legged hornet in the U.S.: A single yellow-legged hornet, an invasive predator of honeybees, was found in the wild in the United States for the first time in Savannah, Georgia. (Georgia Agriculture Department)
Drones damage Danube port: The United States is working with its allies to find alternative paths for Ukrainian grain exports, said a State Department spokesperson, following Russian attacks on grain silos in the Danube River port of Reni in southwestern Ukraine. (Reuters)
Utah FB president resigns: A week after he was arrested on charges of hitting a farmworker, Ron Gibson resigned as president of the Utah Farm Bureau and from the board of the American Farm Bureau Federation. (Salt Lake Tribune)
Rule change for drought-hit areas: Under a proposal from two senators, a USDA rule requiring farmers to plant and harvest a crop at least once every four years to be eligible for prevented-planting crop insurance would change to once every five years in areas hit hard by drought. (DTN/Progressive Farmer)
Short-term funding plan: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed to pursue a short-term government funding bill to avoid a federal shutdown on Sept. 30. (NBC News)
