USDA confirms bird flu in 12th dairy herd, is testing more
USDA scientists confirmed the bird flu virus in a dairy herd in Idaho on Tuesday — the 12th herd in five states — with Ohio appearing for the first time on the list of states with “presumptive positive” results that will be double-checked. Meanwhile, officials said a Texas egg farm suffered the largest U.S. outbreak of bird flu in four months.
Carbon injection discussions involve many farmers
More farmers and landowners are involved in discussions of carbon capture utilization and storage on farmland than in leasing land for solar panels, said a Purdue University survey on Tuesday. “Interest on the part of companies desiring to use farmland for either sequestering carbon or solar energy production appears to be rising,” said the monthly Ag Economy Barometer.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Attack kills WCK workers: The charity World Central Kitchen said it halted operations in Gaza after an Israeli military attack killed seven of its workers who were traveling in a convoy; Israel’s prime minister said the nation “deeply regrets this tragic incident.” (New York Times)
E15 sales set record: Nationwide sales of E15, a higher blend of ethanol into gasoline than the traditional 10 percent, rose by 8 percent to a record 1.1 billion gallons in 2023, thanks to competitive prices and the growing number of stations that sell E15, said a trade group. (RFA)
U.S. boosts formula makers: Over the years, the government “repeatedly used its muscle to advance the interests of multinational baby formula companies” and to thwart proposals in developing countries to ban formula advertisements or encourage breastfeeding. (ProPublica)
Rural population growth: An analysis of Census Bureau data shows the rural population grew by 109,000 people during 2023 — the second year in a row for an increase— with upticks concentrated in rural counties adjacent to metropolitan areas. (Daily Yonder)
Teen dies at Pillen farm: A 17-year-old worker, Zach Panther, was found dead at a hog farm partly owned by Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and located about 120 miles west of Omaha; an investigation was ongoing. (KLKN-TV)
