Agriculture
Wasted food is a climate threat that hurts agriculture, Democratic lawmakers say
DES MOINES, Iowa – People need better guidance on food packaging to decide whether or not their food that might have languished on refrigerator or cupboard shelves is still safe to eat, members of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and their witnesses said Friday. “The ‘use by,’ ‘best by,’ ‘sell by,’ […]
New sawmill to create 125 jobs in northwest Louisiana
Construction officially started Monday on a new $110 million sawmill in Plain Dealing that its owner says will create 125 new jobs in the region. Gov. John Bel Edwards attended a ground breaking for the project that is expected to be completed in third-quarter 2023. The Teal-Jones Group, a company based in British Columbia, Canada, […]
As Louisiana doubles down on biomass, Europe cools on alternative energy source
Louisiana is pivoting toward green energy, a notable move for a state historically steeped in fossil fuels. But environmental activists are skeptical about whether some options being touted will be the state’s way forward.
U.S. ag secretary lays out Biden administration vision for ‘transformed food system’
The Biden administration has set aside billions of dollars to help the nation’s food supply chain recover from the coronavirus pandemic — and, more recently, the looming global effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and on Wednesday, it announced new funding and a comprehensive overview of how those initiatives mesh. “A transformed food system […]
Proposal would ban Russian imports to Louisiana
Louisiana lawmakers on Monday advanced a proposal that would ban Russian imports of natural resources to the state, condemning the invasion of Ukraine. Senate Bill 196, sponsored by Sen. Stewart Cathey, R-Monroe, advanced unopposed from the House Commerce Committee and will head to the House floor for consideration. The prohibition would include imports of oil, […]
U.S. Supreme Court will hear dispute over California’s pork-sale restrictions
The lawsuit, filed by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation, attempts to nullify California’s voter-approved ballot measure dealing with hog confinement.
Farmers are overusing insecticide on seeds, with mounting harmful effects on nature
Almost every field corn seed planted this year in the United States will be coated with neonicotinoids, the most widely used class of insecticides in the world. So will seeds for about half of U.S. soybeans and nearly all cotton, along with other crops.
Louisiana lawmakers dazed and confused over medical marijuana research
Confused over how medical marijuana is funded at Louisiana universities that grow the plant, lawmakers grilled administrators Wednesday because they mistakenly believed the state was paying millions for research that private sector investors actually finance. Committee Chairman Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, opened the meeting by asking the university administrators why they have not been submitting reports […]
House advances marijuana banking bill, though final passage uncertain
Cannabis dispensaries throughout the country came one step closer to using banks the way many other businesses can when the U.S. House on Friday cleared a bill with sweeping changes to banking regulations.
Is cutting down a tree for Christmas bad for the environment?
Christmas is a time for celebrating the season and a time for cutting down trees – and that holiday tradition sometimes leads to discussions about what’s best for the environment: Is it greener to buy a real tree or a fake tree, or abstain altogether? UNH forest resources specialist Steven Roberge explained some of the […]
Medical marijuana prices soar in Louisiana due to regulatory bottleneck
A regulatory bottleneck in Louisiana’s medical marijuana supply chain has inflated costs far beyond the prices found in other states, according to industry experts who testified at the Louisiana Legislature’s Medical Marijuana Commission meeting Thursday. Armed with letters from constituents and business owners who have hit roadblocks trying to either buy or sell the pharmaceutical-grade […]
Biden to outline major methane reduction strategy at UN climate conference
The Biden administration plans to release a comprehensive methane reduction plan as part of the president’s participation in the United Nations climate summit, administration officials said Monday. In addition to a comprehensive White House plan, several executive agencies will take action on methane, administration officials told reporters on a background call Monday. The officials said […]