U.S. gives $250 million to support Ukrainian agriculture
On the same day Russia aimed a “retribution” attack on the port of Odesa, USAID administrator Samantha Power announced an additional $250 million to support Ukraine’s war-battered agricultural sector on Tuesday. The money, put into the U.S.-created Agriculture Resilience Initiative-Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine), will help the nation’s farmers produce, store, and export their agricultural products.
Farm bill ‘this year’ seems more likely than farm bill ‘on time’
Over the past couple of months, the common target for enactment of the new farm bill has become “this year,” rather than the Sept. 30 expiration of the current law. Chairman Glenn Thompson of the House Agriculture Committee said on Tuesday that Sept. 30 was becoming uncomfortably close on the calendar.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Irrigate, feed crops simultaneously: Researchers at Oregon State University are working on technology to remove contaminants from wastewater so it can be used to irrigate and fertilize crops at the same time, which could reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. (OSU)
GOP says ‘plant trees’: A growing number of House Republicans say the answer to global warming is to plant 1 trillion trees, a project that would consume as much space as the 48 contiguous U.S. states. (Associated Press)
Grants for urban agriculture: The USDA awarded 25 grants totaling $7.4 million to urban agriculture groups to increase food production in economically distressed communities, provide job training, and allow recipients to develop business plans and zoning proposals. (USDA)
Carbon pipeline opposition: In a procedural long shot, South Dakota state lawmakers circulated a petition to force a special session of the legislature to prevent carbon pipeline companies from invoking eminent domain over landowners. (Associated Press)
