Agriculture

A little-noticed court settlement in Nevada requires the federal government to re-evaluate its program for killing predatory animals at the request of farmers and ranchers. Two years from now, when the re-evaluation is done, the program could be drastically changed.

"Urban farming received a legitimizing nod last month when Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) introduced the Urban Agriculture Act of 2016 in hopes of getting it included in the next Farm Bill."

"At least tens of thousands of chickens, hogs and other livestock are feared dead in floodwaters that washed over factory farms and towns in eastern North Carolina following Hurricane Matthew."

"The trial for the militants who seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon this year is close to wrapping up. The standoff traumatized the rural ranching communities around Burns, Ore."

"The beverage giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have given millions of dollars to nearly 100 prominent health groups in recent years, while simultaneously spending millions to defeat public health legislation that would reduce Americans’ soda intake, according to public health researchers."

"(MSNBC Video) Rachel Maddow reports on devastating and deadly flooding in North Carolina following Hurricane Matthew and notes concerns by environmentalists and flooded rivers that wash through farms and coal ash sites could spread toxins through miles of waterways."

"California will tighten rules on how much farmers can use a common pesticide listed by the nation's most productive agricultural state as a chemical known to cause cancer, regulators said Thursday."

"Perdue Farms Inc. eliminated all antibiotics from its chicken supply, the company’s chairman said, in a move he said makes the Maryland company the first major poultry supplier to do so."

"Why Did the Obamas Fail to Take On Corporate Agriculture?"