Kentucky youth apparently shot himself accidentally

HAZARD, Ky. (AP) — An eastern Kentucky boy is dead, and state police say he apparently shot himself accidentally.
Trooper Tony Watts declined to release the boy’s name, but said the victim was 13 years old and the shooting occurred at the family’s farm in the Viper community, south of Hazard in Perry County. The Lexington Herald-Leader quoted Watts, who said the youth was an avid hunter and his body was found outside shortly before 3 p.m. Dec. 30.

He apparently dropped a handgun he was carrying, causing it to discharge. His body was sent to Frankfort for an autopsy.

Michigan man arrested in wife’s June death
GLADWIN, Mich. (AP) — A northern Michigan man was arrested in connection with the June death of his wife on the couple’s farm.
Authorities arrested 56-year-old Stanley E. Strobel on Dec. 24 in Clarkston after Gladwin County Prosecutor Aaron Miller authorized an open count of murder in the death of 52-year-old Diane R. Strobel.

Investigators initially attributed Diane Strobel’s June 4 death to a farm accident. After her death, Strobel called 911 and said he had found his wife trapped beneath a front-end loader at the couple’s farm near Dutcher.

NCBA files appeal of EPA’s endangerment finding rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. (NCBA) filed a petition Dec. 23 in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent greenhouse gas (GHG) endangerment finding rule.

“EPA’s finding is not based on a rigorous scientific analysis; yet, it would trigger a cascade of future greenhouse gas regulations with sweeping impacts across the entire U.S. economy,” said Tamara Thies, chief environmental counsel. “Why the administration decided to move forward on this type of rule when there’s so much uncertainty surrounding humans’ contribution to climate change is perplexing.”

The endangerment finding does not regulate GHGs, but Thies terms it a critical step in the process for  regulation under the Clean Air Act (CAA). She said because of this rule, EPA may be able to tell farmers that they can only emit a certain level of GHGs; if they go over that amount, they may incur severe penalties and be forced to curtail production. In addition, she said increased energy costs associated with this ruling will be devastating for agriculture and the public.

The petition NCBA filed, as part of a coalition of interested parties, is the first step in asking the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn EPA’s rule due to a lack of sound or adequate basis for making the finding of endangerment from anthropogenic GHGs.

Police find dead horses on Ohio farm
BETHEL, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say they found at least three dead horses and removed six live horses along with a pony and donkey from a farm in southwestern Ohio.

Clermont County Sheriff A.J. Rodenberg said animal control officials obtained a search warrant after repeated reports by witnesses about animals that appeared to have been neglected. Authorities think the animals recovered Dec. 28 had been abandoned. There was no one at the farm, and a recording stated that the telephone number listed had been disconnected.

Authorities say they are still investigating, and no charges have been filed. They were searching the farm for possible other animal remains.

Hog barn fire destroys Iowa building
NORWAY, Iowa (AP) — A fire at a hog barn south of Norway left several pigs dead and destroyed a farm building.

Farmer Justin Volesky said he was away from home when a neighbor called on Dec. 27 and said his barn was on fire. Volesky said the fire killed all of his sows, but hogs in an adjacent building were rescued.

Investigators were still searching for a cause to the fire. It was unclear as of Dec. 28 how many sows were killed in the fire.

UK investigating former superintendent of farm

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A published report stated the University of Kentucky (UK) is investigating the former superintendent and 27-year employee of the university’s Woodford County Farm.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Dec. 16 that at least $198,000 is missing from farm operations over two years. UK fired 47-year-old Michael A. Peters in January 2009 after auditors confirmed he used the farm’s fuel in his personal vehicle.

The newspaper reported that a further review found $179,000 worth of the farm’s crops were allegedly sold under Peters’ name and $13,000 in equipment is missing. A contract for tobacco harvesting was also $6,000 more than in previous years. The newspaper said Peters did not return messages left for him.