Trump orders more San Joaquin Valley water into farms, California cities
During a visit Wednesday to California’s Central Valley, President Trump announced the completion of a regulatory review that will send more water from the San Joaquin Valley to farms and cities in the southern half of California. Environmentalists say the new allocation of water poses a risk to endangered fish and other native species.
Future of industrial hemp clouded by economic uncertainties
Challenges including competition for acreage, the threat of imports, and the necessity of building marketing networks “will determine patterns of development in the emerging U.S. hemp industry,” said USDA economists in a report issued Wednesday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Million-dollar prizes for food sustainability (FoodPlanetPrize): The Curt Bergfors Foundation, based in Sweden, said that it will award two $1 million prizes annually, one for “an existing scalable solution for sustainable foods” and the other for innovations that could transform the global food sector.
Aggies form sustainability coalition (AFBF): The leaders of 21 farm and ranch groups announced the launch of Farmers for a Sustainable Future along with guidelines that include voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs and investments in infrastructure.
Harvesting dollars in the ‘wind belt’ (USA Today): Midwestern landowners looking for ways to offset the vagaries of agricultural markets are collecting generally small but reliable rent checks by allowing the erection of power-generating wind turbines on their property.
Dip ahead in ag equipment sales (AEM): Although Oxford Economics says sales of agricultural tractors and self-propelled combines are likely to drop by 2.5 percent this year, the group expects 1 to 2 percent annual increases in sales in the following years.
Smallest Oz wheat crop in 12 years (World-Grain): Drought slashed Australia’s wheat crop to 15.17 million tonnes this season, the smallest crop in 12 years and the third small crop in three years for one of the world’s leading wheat exporters.
