Scientists: We’ve cracked wheat’s genetic code
LONDON (AP) — British scientists say they’ve decoded the genetic sequence of wheat and are posting the data online. The plant is among the world’s most important crops and the researchers say the information could help farmers create disease-resistant strains of the global food staple.

University of Liverpool Scientist Neil Hall said the wheat genome was far longer than the human genome first unraveled 10 years ago. But he said the techniques used to decode genetic information have improved considerably, meaning the process took only about a year.

Hall and others worked on a strain of wheat known as Chinese Spring. Hall said Friday that his team would soon work to decode other varieties.

Kentucky champion ham fetches $1.6M for charity
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Start baking those biscuits and stirring that red-eye gravy. Two donors have pledged a record $1.6 million for Kentucky’s grand champion country ham.

That works out to about $100,000 a pound for 16 pounds of Kentucky’s favorite cured meat. The auction is the highlight of the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast at the state fair in Louisville.

This year’s winning ham was produced by Broadbent B&B Foods of Kuttawa in western Kentucky. Bernard Trager, chairman of Republic Bank and Trust, and Dr. Mark Lynn & Associates, owner of Dr. Bizer’s Vision World, contributed $800,000 each Thursday for the ham.

The money and the meat will go to local charities. The previous record of $1.3 million was set last year.

Indiana State Fair ends with slightly smaller crowd
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — Attendance was down slightly for the Indiana State Fair’s annual celebration of farm animals, midway rides and foods of all sorts.

The crowd of 952,020 people that officials announced had passed through the fair’s gates before it ended Aug. 22 was hardly small, but organizers will review whether to continue with the 17-day run that started last year or return to the previous 12-day schedule.

The fair is committed to the longer schedule for next year, although serious discussion on the length of the 2012 fair will take place in the coming months.

This fair averaged 56,001 people a day, down from the 57,288 daily average last year when total attendance was 973,902. Those compare to the fair’s 75,030 daily average when the 12-day schedule attendance mark of 900,365 was set in 2004.

USDA awards $1 million for broadband for Tipton County
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tipton Telephone Co. of Indiana is one of 126 recipients of funding for new Recovery Act broadband infrastructure projects.

Broadband access plays a critical role in expanding economic, health care, educational and public safety services in underserved rural communities. This $1.01 million award, matched by $337,324 in private contribution, will bring high-speed DSL broadband service to unserved establishments in its rural service territory.

The network will be engineered so it can be easily upgraded at a reasonable cost to meet future needs. Nearly 800 people stand to benefit, as do approximately 50 businesses.

“These types of broadband projects will give rural Hoosiers access to the tools they need to attract new businesses, jobs, health care and educational opportunities,” Phil Lehmkuhler, USDA Rural Development Indiana state director, said.

In all, $1.2 billion will be invested in the 126 broadband infrastructure projects through funding made available through the Recovery Act. An additional $117 million in private investment will be leveraged, bringing the total funds invested to $1.31 billion.

Dairy farmer killed when hay bale rolls onto him
BARTELSO, Ill. (AP) — Authorities in Clinton County said a dairy farmer was killed when a hay bale fell onto him.

Coroner Phil Moss said 63-year-old Jim Varel was on a front-loading tractor Aug. 25 on his farm near Bartelso when one of the round bales he was loading rolled back onto him. Varel died at a Breese hospital.

A funeral Mass was to be held last Saturday at St. Cecilia Church in Bartelso.

Four dogs attack, kill central Illinois boy
VARNA, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say a 7-year-old boy attacked and killed by dogs on a central Illinois farm was a visitor there with his mother.

Marshall County Sheriff Rob Russell said Jason Walter died the morning of Aug. 25 in the driveway of a farm outside Varna. Russell said the boy was alone when he was attacked by four dogs and there were no witnesses.

The dogs, three pit bulls and a mixed breed, were captured and euthanized. Russell said no one has been charged. The dogs belonged to residents of the farm.

Russell said the boy’s mother was dating a man who lived on the farm. He says the boy was heading to the car to leave when the dogs attacked. An autopsy is planned, and the death remains under investigation.

Man dead in horse-drawn buggy crash in Iowa
LAMONI, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say the driver of a horse-drawn buggy pulling some farm equipment was killed when the buggy was hit by a car in southern Iowa.

The accident happened shortly before 9 a.m. Aug. 21 on a Decatur County road near Lamoni. The Iowa State Patrol identified the buggy driver as Enos Yoder of Lamoni.

Troopers said the driver of the car was apparently distracted by his MP3 player and didn’t see the buggy. Both vehicles were traveling south, and the car hit the buggy from behind. The patrol said one of the two horses pulling the farm equipment was killed.

The accident remains under investigation.

Kentucky ag commissioner buys 19 new vehicles
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A published report says Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has bought 19 new vehicles for his department at a time when most of state government is purchasing fewer due to budget cuts.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Farmer has spent about $445,000 from state and federal funds on new vehicles, including a $35,340 Chevy Suburban for his own use. His spokesman, Bill Clary, said Farmer was due for a replacement in January after driving his previous state vehicle for 30 months.

Government watchdog Jim Waters says most residents aren’t trading in vehicles after two years and state government shouldn’t either. Forrest Banta, director of the state’s Division of Fleet Management, says most agencies have slowed down purchases because “there just hasn’t been money to buy new ones.”