United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed three additional cases of virulent Newcastle disease in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, California. [node:read-more:link]

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit heard oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration's unlawful rollback of critical protections designed to safeguard family farms and ranches from predatory and retaliatory practices by big agribusiness corporations. [node:read-more:link]

Chris O'Neil, a consultant to wind power opponents, quit the Maine Wind Energy Advisory Commission last week, the third departure in recent months from the panel that LePage exempted from Maine's right-to-know law. [node:read-more:link]

U.S. oil safety regulators have thrown out Obama-era requirements for crude and ethanol trains to install advanced braking systems, citing an updated economic analysis. [node:read-more:link]

A study conducted by Datu Research, LLC., finds that 89% of agricultural retailers have offered cover crop products and services in the past two years, and 94% say they want to expand these offerings in the future.  Farmers plant cover crops to keep the soil anchored between growing seasons, reaping benefits in soil erosion, fertility, water retention, weed and pest control, and biodiversity. While the practice is growing in popularity, cover crop acreage in the United States remains low. These products and services account for less than 5% of total revenue, the study found. [node:read-more:link]

To help farmers look at various stewardship practices and the effects on their lands, Minneapolis-based farmer cooperative Land O'Lakes on Monday rolled out a new software program called the Truterra Insights Engine. Jason Weller, sustainability director for Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN program, said he saw a lot of shared goals between agricultural retailers and USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service when he served as the agency's chief. The goals centered on sharing long-term economic success with farmers, he said. [node:read-more:link]

Low milk costs mean tough times for dairy farmers across the Commonwealth, leaving many with no choice but to shut down. At one time, Erie County was home to dozens of dairy farms; that's no longer the case. Farmers say the business as a whole is to blame, but they tell us policy changes and support from the state could be a turning point. After more than 80 years in business, the barns at Curtis Dairy are now empty. [node:read-more:link]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in the Federal Register today the fiscal year 2019 rates and payment procedures for animal drugs subject to user fees under the Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2018 (ADUFA IV) and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2018 (AGDUFA III). [node:read-more:link]