Indiana county proposes hike in setback, for wind turbines
A doubling of the setbacks for commercial wind turbines is proposed in Miami County, in response to a raft of complaints about a wind farm on the drawing board.
Pruitt, EPA under fire for RFS waivers to refineries
An investigation by Reuters charges that U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been giving preferential treatment to some of the nation’s largest oil refining companies. Recently, he was found to have granted Texas-based Andeavor hardship waivers on biofuel regulations.
China, dairy top talks at USDA stop at Clemons, in Michigan
Pork tariffs, the dairy crisis and labor issues were front and center as USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue took his third “Back to our Roots” tour into Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky last week.
Farm bill vet: 50/50 chance for measure to pass in this session
If tradition holds, the farm bill will be introduced in the U.S. House during the week of April 9. But unprecedented politics are creating an environment where Congress could break with tradition and in which a farm bill could again take longer than usual to finalize, according to Ferd Hoefner, senior strategic advisor at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Farming is a physical occupation and back pain is common among farmers. Ohio State University Extension online published an Agribility Fact Sheet about farming and back pain and they state, “Farmers are required to do heavy lifting and a tremendous amount of walking, and utilize pushing/pulling to complete tasks. Back injuries can be chronic or short term. Once a back injury has occurred special consideration needs to be given to the spine, muscles and tendons to prevent a reoccurring injury. Common injuries to the back occur to the muscles, tendons or spinal column.”
HEC files for review of CAFO as local officials OK operation
A proposed concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) of 10,560 hogs in Delaware County has received approval by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), over the objections of neighbors and concerned citizens.
Chinese pork tariffs come on heels of record hog numbers
In response to President Donald Trump imposing $50 billion in import tariffs April 3 for what he called China’s “illicit trade practices,” the country last Thursday slapped retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork and 106 other agricultural products.
Poor weather quashing early soybean planting for Illinois
Recent studies have proven a link between early soybean planting and higher yields. If Illinois farmers could ever get into their fields, they would love to test it for themselves.
