Dr. Keven Folta is an international advocate for biotechnology in agriculture. He is a scientist and educator who has been outspoken about the safety and benefits of genetic engineering and, as a result, has become a target for those who oppose this technology. Folta maintains that, for the most part, we, in agriculture, have been going about it all wrong. He notes that most who try to defend biotechnology always lead with the facts and the science. He says most consumers don’t want to hear the facts and don’t trust the science. [node:read-more:link]

Federal inspectors have repeatedly ordered a southeast Iowa fur farm to improve the grim living conditions for ferrets, foxes, raccoons and skunks it sells to government laboratories and pet stores. So far no charges or enforcement action has been taken against the Ruby Fur Farm near New Sharon, 65 miles southeast of Des Moines. [node:read-more:link]

 Gov. Scott Walker has appointed Republican state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.The appointment announced Friday makes Harsdorf the first woman to lead the agency. She will replace Ben Brancel, who retired in August.Harsdorf, of River Falls, is resigning her northwestern Wisconsin state Senate seat Friday and beginning the new job Monday. Walker is expected to call a special election to fill her seat for the same date as two others for vacancies in the state Assembly. [node:read-more:link]

 Eating “clean” is all about avoiding foods with additives, preservatives or other chemicals on the label. Considering the numerous studies linking certain foods with health ailments, clean eating makes sense, right? While it may seem well intentioned, Ruth MacDonald and Ruth Litchfield, professors of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University, warn of the consequences in terms of food waste, safety and cost. Clean food advocates suggest avoiding foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce. [node:read-more:link]

After months of debate, the public was expecting a vote at Wednesday night's Crisfield City Council meeting.  But that won't happen now until January 2018.  People in Crisfield have been adamant about their rejection to the Carvel Hall project.  The city must make a decision to lift the existing ordinance that keeps Clean Bay Renewables from opening a chicken manure energy plant in Crisfield. [node:read-more:link]

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is delaying the effective date of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices final rule, published in the Federal Register on Jan. 19, 2017, until May 14, 2018. [node:read-more:link]

A criminal investigation has been opened into the mistreatment of cows at an Okeechobee dairy that supplies Publix, after an undercover video released Thursday appeared to show workers beating cows with metal rods and engaging in other abuse. Okeechobee County Sheriff Noel Stephen said he assigned an investigator to the case after his office received materials showing apparent acts of animal cruelty by workers at Larson Dairy Farm. [node:read-more:link]

One area that is often overlooked is agriculture. In the European Union alone, agricultural activities generated 470.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2012, corresponding to about 10% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. [node:read-more:link]

Yields on fall crops in 2017 significantly higher, should result in improved cash flow and liquidity even with current prices. – Southcentral Kansas. With low commodity prices we expect most of our farm customers to lose money or at best breakeven. – Southcentral Nebraska. We have seen consecutive "No-Sale" on land auctions. – Northeast Nebraska. Poor commodity prices and very little moisture are going to lead to another difficult renewal season. – Northeast Colorado. Overall the health of our Ag portfolio is healthy with experienced operators. – Southwest Oklahoma. [node:read-more:link]

Farm income in the Federal Reserve’s Tenth District decreased in the third quarter, but at a slower rate. For the 13th consecutive quarter, a majority of bankers reported that farm income was lower than a year ago, but that the pace of the decline was less significant than recent quarters (Chart 1). In fact, only 52 percent of bankers reported that farm income had fallen from a year ago, the lowest share in two years. Moreover, slightly less than half of survey respondents expected farm income to decrease in the fourth quarter. [node:read-more:link]