Initiative will use the ‘power of poultry’ to lift farmers from subsistence
A new project, dubbed “Hatching Hope,” aims to improve the livelihoods of 100 million people, focusing on women farmers, in the coming decade through chicken farming, which is seen as a quick way to produce food at home and for sale in town.
‘Extensive flooding’ to continue through May
Spring rains and melting snow are helping to create the potential for major or moderate flooding in 25 states, with the greatest threat in the northern Plains and the upper Mississippi River basin, said NOAA in a spring outlook issued on Thursday.
Trump declares flood disaster in Nebraska
Federal disaster assistance is available for recovery efforts in Nebraska following President Trump’s declaration of a major disaster in the state, said the White House on Thursday. The USDA said farmers and ranchers should contact their local USDA office to see if they qualify for assistance.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Climate change strains dams (The New York Times): Along the Missouri River, one dam manager had to choose between flooding downstream towns and farms and risking the safety of the dams themselves. His grim choices reveal an outmoded dam system facing fresh challenges from climate change.
Loyalty to Roundup persists (Wall Street Journal): Farmers continue to stand by the weedkiller Roundup despite a second jury ruling this week linking the herbicide to cancer.
Trump wants China to buy lots more (CNBC): As two senior U.S. officials prepare for high-level trade talks, President Trump is pushing to have China double or triple its offer to buy $1.2 trillion worth of U.S. energy, agriculture, and aircraft products over six years.
Beer battle brewing over corn syrup (The Hill): Beer maker MillerCoors sued rival Anheuser-Busch over TV ads that claim MillerCoors uses corn syrup in its products. MillerCoors says the ads are deceptive.
When stewardship practices are dropped (USDA): An examination of “dropped practices” in the cost-sharing Environmental Quality Incentives Program found that growers were most likely to abandon low-benefit practices. The study also found that 60 percent of dropped practices were on farms that had completed another project as part of the EQIP contract.
No slam dunk with industrial hemp (Modern Farmer): Hemp grows in tall, dense stands and can outcompete weeds, but it may need irrigation in its early weeks and may not produce as much income as expected. Also, there is a limited supply of much of what’s needed to produce hemp, from seed to harvest equipment and processors.