U.S. disaster payments are needed, say organic livestock producers
Abnormally high feed costs, partly the result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are ruining organic livestock producers and federal relief payments are vital to keep farmers in business, said organic trade groups and businesses. “A perfect storm of trade disruptions, international conflicts and acute drought conditions has created a situation no farmer could have planned for or foreseen,” said the 13 groups in a letter to lawmakers released on Monday.
‘Golden rice’ production to expand in the Philippines
Farmers in the Philippine province of Antique reaped 67 tonnes of so-called golden rice from 17 fields in the first “substantial” harvest of the GMO variety that contains beta-carotene, which is used by the body to create vitamin A. Cultivation will expand to an additional 17 provinces in the next step of development and testing of the rice, said ETH Zurich, a science and technology university in Switzerland and a financial backer of golden rice, on Monday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
GMO corn push: On a visit to Mexico, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack threatened legal action over the country’s plan to ban GMO corn and other products by 2024. (USDA)
Missed infections: Climate change is causing soil-borne lung infections to appear in places where they haven’t before, resulting in delayed or incorrect diagnoses. (SciTechDaily)
Climate bellwether: The story of sea-level rise in Oyster, Virginia, is a warning to the entire East Coast. (Washington Post)
From petroleum to poop: Shell will buy Nature Energy, a company that’s building manure-to-biogas plants in the Midwest. (AgWeek)
Wolf trouble: Environmental groups say wolf populations in Montana and in Yellowstone National Park would be irreparably harmed if a temporary restraining order restricting hunting and trapping is lifted. (AP)
Air raid to heirloom: Zero Carbon Farms grows herbs and salad greens for retailers and restaurants 30 meters below London streets in a World War II air raid shelter. (Reuters)
