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Biodefense Panel finds animal agriculture increasingly threatened

 The increasing rate of emerging and reemerging animal diseases, along with threats and attempts by those with nefarious intent to attack food and agriculture, point to the need to reduce the biological risk to America’s food and agricultural sector. That is the finding of a new report out today from the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense: Defense of Animal Agriculture. This is the first in a series of special focus reports. [node:read-more:link]

Minnesota grants fund on-farm livestock improvements

Livestock producers may apply for a portion of $1.9 million in Livestock Investment Grants. Funds are provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Program and may be used for on-farm improvements. “Livestock Investment Grants help farmers stay competitive and reinvest in their industry,” said MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “Last year, 105 livestock farmers received grants to improve their operations.” [node:read-more:link]

The US government underestimated solar energy installation in the US by 4,813%

Every two years, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), America’s official source for energy statistics, issues scenarios about how much solar, wind and conventional energy the future holds for the US. Every two years, since the mid-1990s, the EIA is wrong. Last year, it was spectacularly wrong. The Natural Resources Defense Council and Statista recently teamed up to analyze the EIA’s predictions for energy usage and production. It found that the EIA’s ten-year estimates between 2006 to 2016 systematically understated the share of wind, solar and gas. [node:read-more:link]

Food law leaves Maine meat producers squealing for a fix

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it will override Maine’s ability to run its own meat inspection program unless the state clarifies the law. Maine’s Department of Agriculture is concerned that the law would keep it from inspecting any meat slaughtered and processed in a town that is food sovereign, negating an agreement it has with the USDA to meet federal standards. The prospect that meat-processing facilities like Bisson’s could close, even temporarily, has sent food producers across Maine into a state of near panic and confusion. [node:read-more:link]

California fires cause $1B in damage, burn 7,000 buildings

The wildfires that have devastated Northern California this month caused at least $1 billion in damage to insured property, officials said Thursday, as authorities increased the count of homes and other buildings destroyed to nearly 7,000. Both numbers were expected to rise as crews continued assessing areas scorched by the blazes that killed 42 people, a total that makes it the deadliest series of fires in state history. [node:read-more:link]

Vidalia onion farmer ordered to pay $1.4M in overtime suit

One of the largest producers of Georgia’s famous Vidalia onions must pay $1.4 million in damages and unpaid overtime owed to hundreds of workers, a federal judge ruled. A U.S. District Court judge found that Bland Farms Production and Packing LLC failed to pay overtime to 460 workers during spring harvest seasons from 2012 through this year. The U.S. Department of Labor filed suit against the company, owned by farmer Delbert Bland of Glennville, in 2014. [node:read-more:link]

How to rebuild the public's trust in, and connections to, modern agriculture

We must do more to reassure society about the safety of agricultural innovation. The public is frequently bombarded with negative and misleading information about our food supply system. Even though we know advances in farming have increased safety and sustainability, it’s not enough to say “trust me.” Many people don’t trust the integrity of privately funded research, perhaps fearing that the industry may be hiding something from them. To address this misperception, Bayer has taken steps to allow public access to safety-relevant crop protection study information. [node:read-more:link]

Michigan announces formation of the Michigan Cleaner Lake Erie through Action and Research Partnership

Michigan leaders today announced formation of a unique new coalition working to improve water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin. The Michigan Cleaner Lake Erie through Action and Research (MI CLEAR) Partnership includes farmers, agricultural and environmental leaders, universities, conservationists, landscape professionals, energy leaders, tourism and economic development interests, and more. [node:read-more:link]

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