What’s in a bag? National Geographic As plastic bags are banned in more cities, some replacement reusable bags echo the designs of their predecessors, which were a symbol of thrift and luck to some immigrant communities. “Countless businesses use thank-you bags around the world, of course, but the bags have… Continue reading
Powerhouse Democrats propose ‘blue card’ for undocumented farmworkers Democratic lawmakers from the House and Senate unveiled bills on Thursday that would give undocumented farmworkers “blue card” status, allowing them to work legally in the United States and gain the chance to become permanent residents, with an eventual path to citizenship…. Continue reading
(MDA) After a two-year process, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved the nutrient regulation plan proposed by the state of Missouri to promote water quality. A court ruling required the state to set numeric nutrient criteria for water quality. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources worked to set nutrient criteria… Continue reading
Diet for a healthy planet: Half the red meat and sugar, more grains, nuts, produce A three-year collaboration by three dozen experts in nutrition, agriculture, economics, and the environment says it has solved one of the world’s great challenges: how to feed an expected 10 billion people at mid-century without… Continue reading
Farm-state Rep. Steve King votes for resolution that admonishes him for racist remarks Majority-party Democrats called the vote a day after House Republicans barred Rep. Steve King of Iowa from serving on any committee. King had sparked the rebuke by questioning why the language of white supremacy had “become offensive.”… Continue reading
Trump asks farmer support on shutdown, hints at farmworker reform In a speech to the largest U.S. farm group, President Trump asked American farmers on Monday to take his side on the partial government shutdown over a border wall and said that with a secure border, “I’m going to make… Continue reading
Trump trade war: ‘We’re going to hang with him,’ says Farm Bureau chief The Sino-U.S. trade war, which as stymied U.S. farm exports, “is going to be a long one, and we keep delivering the message, ‘We’re with you, Mr. President,’” said the leader of the largest U.S. farm group… Continue reading
House passes USDA-FDA funding bill that GOP says is doomed by shutdown On Thursday, in a test of partisan resolve, the Democratic-controlled House passed, on a nearly party-line vote of 243-180, a funding bill to reopen the USDA and FDA. With the exception of essential work such as meat inspection,… Continue reading
January 9, 2019 “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.” –Thomas Jefferson (TDA) As an eighth-generation farmer and rancher I know that variety in crop production is essential for Texas agricultural producers. Cotton is King in Texas,… Continue reading
EPA to drop proposal for younger pesticide applicators On the same day that President Trump nominated Andrew Wheeler to be EPA administrator, the agency said it would withdraw a Trump-era proposal to set a minimum age of 16 for farmworkers to handle, mix, or apply pesticides, down from the age… Continue reading
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