Young farmers face heightened risks from climate change
With this season’s severe flooding, raging wildfires, and delayed planting, many of the country’s farmers are struggling to adjust as climate change sets in. Yet young and beginning farmers face unique challenges, farmers and advocates say, with tenuous finances, relatively small operations, and little government support to help them deal with the new, erratic normal.
Farm group supports higher THC limit for industrial hemp
The government should triple the level of THC permitted in industrial hemp, and give farmers three times as long to harvest a field after it is tested, said national convention delegates in voting on American Farm Bureau Federation policy on Tuesday.
States will gain power over water in WOTUS replacement, says Trump
President Trump will propose limits on federal jurisdiction over waterways this week, said Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley on Tuesday. The Trump proposal will replace the Obama-era Waters of the United States rule, which was repealed last fall.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Brazil expands its beef footprint in U.S. (New Food Economy): The fourth-largest beef company in the U.S., National Beef, is now mostly owned by the Brazilian meatpacking giant Marfrig Global Foods.
Iowans care about climate (Public News Service): A poll from the Center for Rural Affairs found that 91 percent of rural Iowans are “very” or “extremely” concerned about the threat of climate change and want presidential candidates to pledge action on the issue.
U.S.-China deal ‘even more unrealistic’ (PIIE): The “phase one” targets for Chinese purchases of U.S. goods and services are “even more unrealistic than first believed,” says analyst Chad Brown.
Two years late on rural broadband (ProPublica): Gov. Andy Beshear must decide in coming months on the direction of KentuckyWired, the project that was supposed to bring high-speed internet service and economic development to rural areas but which is two years behind schedule.
