The company proposing to develop a controversial wind farm in Burleigh County is appealing a decision denying it permits for the project. Pure New Energy USA has filed an appeal with the South Central Judicial District Court challenging the Burleigh County Commission's recent decision to deny 30 special use permits. [node:read-more:link]

Typically when food packaging mentions GMOs it’s to call attention to the fact that their products are devoid of genetically modified organisms. Brands go to great lengths to prove GMO-free status, boldly displaying a “non-GMO” label with a colorful butterfly. Companies whose products do contain genetically modified ingredients tend to keep that detail to themselves. There was a time you’d be hard-pressed to find a brand advertising the inclusion of GMOs. [node:read-more:link]

The planet is warming up, and there’s no sign of stopping. The last five years—from 2014 to 2018—are the warmest years ever recorded in the 139 years that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has tracked global heat. And 2018 was the fourth hottest year ever recorded. [node:read-more:link]

A New Orleans-based company is suing the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry over the agency's testing of medical marijuana.The Advocate reports Reactwell LLC's lawsuit filed in Baton Rouge claims its bid to test the crop as an independent laboratory was improperly rejected last year.Marijuana grown by Louisiana's two approved producers is supposed to be tested by an independent laboratory to ensure the crop's safety, but the agency says no laboratories were qualified. The lawsuit argues the company was qualified. [node:read-more:link]

On the other hand, all across this country, I’ve visited (and lived in) small towns from Maine to Indiana to Virginia to Colorado to New Mexico that are flourishing. Sometimes the ones that are flourishing are just miles away from those that aren’t, providing a natural experiment to determine what makes a difference and what works. There are quite a few commonalities among the towns that are doing well. One that stands out is that these thriving places have high-speed internet service and reliable cell service. [node:read-more:link]

With faster connections and easy accessibility, these community institutions are the logical place to offer telehealth services. [node:read-more:link]

New tests required before a New York raw milk dairy will be allowed to resume sales. Sales at the Shunpike Dairy in Millbrook, NY, were suspended Jan. 30 by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball. The state agriculture commissioner suspended sales because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination of the raw milk produced by Shunpike Dairy. [node:read-more:link]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago held a conference to explore the opportunities and challenges presented by new technologies to farms and rural areas in the Midwest and other parts of the U.S. Experts from academia, industry, and policy institutions gathered to discuss how technological advances have reshaped the rural economy and how they may affect its future. [node:read-more:link]

On February 28, 2017, President Trump issued Executive Order 13778, “Presidential Executive Order on Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule.” While not making any immediate changes to WOTUS, the executive order set in motion a process that included the suspension of the WOTUS changes by EPA Secretary Scott Pruitt in January 2018, and the issuance of a new rule, “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States,’” in December 2018 by Acting EPA head Andrew Wheeler.Due to the ongoing government shutdown, the new rule ha [node:read-more:link]

Maine ticks all the boxes as an ideal incubator of aquaculture enterprises: it has a culture around marine food production, a working waterfront, and a world-renowned reputation for premium quality seafood. Why is it just a bit player in the aquaculture industry is perhaps understandable: its lobster fishery contributes $1 billion to the state’s economy annually and generates 4,000 jobs. [node:read-more:link]