Farm owners plead guilty in immigration probe
BAD AXE, Mich. (AP) — A couple who own a dairy farm in Michigan’s Thumb region pled guilty June 28 to hiring illegal immigrants and agreed to pay a $2.7 million penalty.

Johannes and Anthonia Verhaar acknowledged they had employed about 80 illegal immigrants from 2000 through much of 2007. The government said the Verhaars ignored warnings that some employees were not authorized to work in the United States. They made the plea in U.S. District Court in Bay City.
“Criminal charges and fines are among the government’s most effective tools to ensure employers maintain a legal work force,” Brian Moskowitz, head of Michigan investigations at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in a prepared statement.

The farm, called Aquila Farms, also entered a guilty plea. Messages seeking comment were left with Verhaars’ attorneys. The couple face up to six months in prison when they’re sentenced on Oct. 5.

The farm is in Huron County’s Colfax Township. It’s just west of Bad Axe and about 110 miles north of Detroit.

Animal welfare group pressures grocers with videos
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An undercover video alleging abusive practices at an Iowa hog farm has prompted some large grocery chains to stop purchases from the company until an investigation into allegations can be completed.
The video by Chicago-based Mercy for Animals is part of an expanded effort to use secret recordings to pressure grocers. The video was shot at an Iowa Select Farms operation and publicized at conferences in Seattle, Cincinnati, San Francisco and Des Moines, Iowa. Cincinnati was picked because it’s the hometown of Kroger.

Mercy for Animals Executive Director Nathan Runkle said the grocers must ensure the meat they sell was humanely produced. Howard Hill, of Iowa Select Farms, says the video doesn’t give a fair picture of its operation.

Iowa worker buried in corn for nearly four hours

DANBURY, Iowa (AP) — A 47-year-old man was rescued after being stuck in corn up to his chest inside a grain bin in northwestern Iowa.
Danbury fire crews were sent to Danbury Ag Services around 3 p.m. June 28. The man had been working on the bin when corn swept over him.
Emergency workers cut holes in the bin to drain the corn, freeing the man around 7 p.m. He was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City. Authorities say the man was an employee at Danbury Ag Services. His name was not released.

Ohio farms offered federal loans for storm losses

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — The government says farms in 25 northern, central and eastern Ohio counties qualify for emergency disaster assistance because of rough weather during February and March.

The USDA said low-interest loans are available for farmers who lost crops and property due to flooding, high winds and tornadoes. Farm operators have eight months to apply.

The affected counties are: Ashland, Carroll, Coshocton, Crawford, Delaware, Franklin, Guernsey, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Holmes, Huron, Knox, Licking, Lorain, Marion, Medina, Morrow, Richland, Seneca, Stark, Tuscarawas, Union, Wayne and Wyandot.

EPA finalizes E15 pump labeling requirements

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued fuel pump labeling and other requirements for gasoline blends containing more than 10 and up to 15 percent ethanol, known as E15. These requirements will help ensure that E15 is properly labeled and used once it enters the market.
The new orange-and-black label must appear on fuel pumps that dispense E15. This label will help inform consumers about which vehicles can use the blend. This label will also warn consumers against using E15 in vehicles older than model year 2001, motorcycles, watercraft and gasoline-powered equipment such as lawnmowers and chainsaws.

To view the pump labels visit www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/additive/e15/index.htm

Purdue gets $5M global warming crop-research grant

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue University scientists have won a $5 million federal grant to help corn and soybean farmers adapt to the various climate change scenarios global warming is forecast to bring in the coming decades.

The five-year project funded by the USDA will enlist researchers at the Purdue Climate Change Research Center. Associate professor of forestry and natural resources Linda Prokopy said the team will initially focus on developing models to predict how different climate scenarios would affect corn and soybean growth and profits in 12 states stretching from the Dakotas to Ohio.
She said the second phase will focus on how best to deliver that information to crop producers in a form “that’s useful” to them. Purdue researchers will collaborate with scientists at nine other schools.

FSA announces accepted CRP contracts this year
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Julia A. Wickard, executive director for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Indiana, announced contracts for the General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup for fiscal year 2012 have been awarded. In Indiana, 6,811 acres have been accepted into General CRP this spring.

During the 41st General CRP signup, more than 38,000 CRP offers were received on approximately 3.8 million acres nationwide. The USDA accepted enrollment of 2.8 million acres, bringing the total program enrollment to 29.9 million acres.
“The accepted CRP contracts continue the past quarter-century of program success by providing a low-risk opportunity to implement a variety of conservation practices on environmentally sensitive land here in Indiana,” said Wickard.

According to the USDA, since its inception 25 years ago, CRP acres have resulted in an eight billion-ton reduction in soil erosion, restoration of two million acres of wetlands and adjacent buffers, vegetative protection of more than 200,000 stream bank buffers and significant increases in upland wildlife numbers, which translates to recreational dollars for many rural economies.
Accepted contracts become effective Oct. 1.