A federal court ruled that 12 of Alabama's legislative districts were unconstitutional, citing an improper use of race in their composition. The three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals enjoined the use of the districts in future elections but stopped short of intervening in the drawing of new districts. [node:read-more:link]
Just before the inauguration, news leaked that Donald Trump’s long-awaited pick for Agriculture secretary would be former Georgia governor Sonny Perdue. In a way, it was a relief to some people, since it’s true that, unlike some of Trump’s most controversial cabinet nominees, Perdue at least meets the minimum qualifications of the position: He grew up on a row farm in Georgia, got his doctorate in veterinary medicine, is no stranger to agribusiness, and even wore a red tractor tie to Trump Tower. [node:read-more:link]
Earlier this month, Ross Barnhardt and I, along with first-time attendee Senator Bill Rabon, attended the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders (SARL) conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. SARL is a group of state legislators and agriculture industry representatives from across the United States and Canada that get together every year to discuss and study issues and policies affecting the agriculture industry and rural communities. [node:read-more:link]
It’s shaping up to be a tough financial year for many states. [node:read-more:link]
his is a time of tremendous opportunity in farming and ranching. Commodity production (undifferentiated crops and livestock [node:read-more:link]
https://www.rfdtv.com/story/43560112/stagnant-us-public-funding-for-ag-t...
A new report finds stagnant public funding for ag research threatens the future of U.S. food systems. [node:read-more:link]
Richmond– “Reports on agricultural activity in recent weeks were mixed. A South Carolina farmer indicated that improved weather conditions after Hurricane Matthew allowed crops to dry out enough to be harvested; yields, however, were down markedly from historical averages. A Maryland contact said that the fall harvest finished early, which allowed grain farmers to get moderately better prices than growers in the Midwest. Dairy farm consolidation continued and milk production was stable due to technology enhancements. [node:read-more:link]
While it is true change can be a good thing, it rarely occurs without a learning curve. Not surprisingly, then, that is the case with the Veterinary Feed Directive after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently tightened the federal rule.
As of Jan. 1, producers must obtain an authorization or prescription to purchase medically important antibiotics and administer them to food animals through feed and drinking water. Medically important antibiotics are medicines critical to treating human diseases. [node:read-more:link]
