A State Bill that hopes to help prevent animal abuse in Indiana has passed the House. Senate Enrolled Act 474 would establish a mandatory condition of probation and parole that would not allow any person convicted of animal abuse to own, harbor, or train a 'companion animal.'It passed the Indiana House by a unanimous vote. [node:read-more:link]
A Texas house bill that had some advocates and pet owners concerned will now be researched instead of being put up for a vote.House Bill 3806 would have stopped non-profit, low-costs vet clinics from providing certain services to some pet owners based on their income.Monday the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee heard citizens explain how the bill, if passed, would leave many pets untreated. Local Wichita County pet owners and animal advocates echoed their concerns. [node:read-more:link]
Most Washington dairy farmers don’t brand cows and aren’t in the mood to pay more to support a brand program, an industry representative told lawmakers, complicating a last-ditch push to save the program aimed at marketing cattle and deterring rustlers. Other cattle groups endorsed a plan to raise fees to fund inspections by the state Department of Agriculture of cattle changing owners. Washington State Dairy Federation policy director Jay Gordon said recent meetings with members revealed strong opposition. [node:read-more:link]
The state of Washington could spend nearly $1 million over the next two years on nonlethal ways to prevent wolves from killing livestock in the northeastern corner of the state. The bill has already passed the state House, and received approval from a key Senate committee Tuesday. It would direct the Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop different management plans for wolves in different regions of the state, with more support in areas where they are rapidly multiplying. [node:read-more:link]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Department and the Department of Health and Human Services are partnering to create addiction recovery transitional housing in rural communities.The grant is targeted to create homes for people struggling with opioid addictions. Nonprofit organizations will be able to purchase homes from the USDA and convert them to transitional housing for people recovering from opioid misuse. [node:read-more:link]
Rural Alabama will soon have a new dedicated specialist to lead the charge on economic development. The Alabama Department of Commerce is gearing up to name a rural development manager in its Business Development Division to help rural communities and counties better prepare for projects.The division includes 10 other staff members, two of whom focus on attracting investments from Europe and Asia. [node:read-more:link]
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans and navigate the application process for H-2A visas. “Customer service is our top priority at USDA and these new features will help our customers as they manage their farm loans and navigate the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program,” said Secretary Perdue. [node:read-more:link]
Are we on the brink of another farm crisis? To help us explore that question this hour, guest host Chris Farrell spoke with an academic who shared what happened in the 1980s, when American farmers faced a real economic crisis.And then an economist and a Minnesota farmer explored what's happening now. [node:read-more:link]
Shot on location across the country, The American Farm is an authentic portrait of the fight to go from seed to stalk, and from farm to fork. The History Channel series presents an up-close look at one full year of family farming, told through an unprecedented year on the ground, capturing breathtaking visuals, private moments and personal interviews. [node:read-more:link]
Investors are pouring billions into clean-tech ventures as renewable-energy technology advances. At the same time, more than 100 globally significant financial institutions have restricted investments in carbon-intensive fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency.The $1 billion Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, founded by Gates, Bezos and other philanthropists, has invested in 14 companies involved in everything from battery storage to fusion energy. [node:read-more:link]
