World Food Prize goes to scientist who ‘transformed the way the world saw soils’
Rattan Lal, one of the world’s leading soil scientists, is this year’s winner of the $250,000 World Food Prize, “the Nobel of agriculture,” for his breakthrough research on the importance of carbon to soil health and the potential of carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. Lal’s research “transformed the way the world saw soils,” said the foundation that awards the annual prize
.
As processing plants reopen, more meat for Americans to eat
The faster-than-expected recovery in slaughter production has almost neutralized the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the U.S. meat supply, said the government on Thursday. The USDA estimated that Americans will consume an average of 220.2 pounds of red meat and poultry this year — more than half a pound a day apiece.
Sunflower oil to claim record share of world oilseed market
Aided by attractive prices early this year, sunflower oil will account for 12 percent of the world’s food use of vegetable oils, its highest share ever, said the USDA on Thursday. “The shift towards sunflower is driven by demand for higher-quality oils as global incomes rise,” said the Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade report.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
China rebuilds its hog industry — in town (Reuters): As China recovers from the epidemic that decimated its hog herds, it is building industrial pig farms in the suburbs of major cities throughout the nation to assure a local supply of meat.
‘Touch-free’ vineyards (Wine Business): California vineyards are getting larger at the same time that labor is getting scarcer and more expensive, said a UC-Davis extension specialist in discussing a “touch-free” experimental vineyard where mechanization is used to the fullest.
Appeals court looks at 2,4-D herbicide (DTN/Progressive Farmer): The same appellate court that nullified EPA registration of the weedkiller dicamba — although with a different set of judges — will hear a case against Corteva’s Enlist Duo herbicide, which combines glyphosate and 2,4-D. Plaintiffs say the EPA did not adequately consider the risks of the herbicide.
Food as protest (Food and Wine): Food has been a means of resistance and rebellion, as well as a part of culture and community, for black people since they were brought in slavery to North America.
Drought expands in Plains (USDA): Drought now covers 25 percent of U.S. winter wheat land, up from 22 percent last week, and includes 39 percent of the wheat acreage in Kansas, the No. 1 state for winter wheat.
