Trump’s USDA is killing rules that organic food makers want
Organic food producers want regulation; it’s what makes the USDA’s organic certification valuable. Nevertheless, the Trump administration has eliminated regulations regarding animal welfare and others the industry supported. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue (who isn’t part of the chicken producer of the same name) says the proposed rules overreached the department’s authority. Read more at Bloomberg …
Lawsuits alleging Roundup caused cancer can move forward
Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide is making headlines inside courtrooms this week. The first trial alleging that Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, caused a California man’s cancer began, and a federal judge ruled that other plaintiffs can also present evidence of a link between the product and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. That judge is overseeing more than 400 lawsuits that claim glyphosate has caused cancer, but Monsanto and many government regulators deny the connection. Read more at ABC News …
In farm country, grappling with the taboo of talking about climate change
Climate change is affecting farmers, whether or not they accept it or what they suppose causes it. But more farmers and rural residents are realizing that human activity, particularly agricultural activity, is contributing to the warming of the atmosphere. The National Farmers Union points out that certain agricultural activities can actually remove carbon from the atmosphere and return it to the soil, and other organizations are helping farmers take on conservation practices. Read more at Civil Eats …
Red states are embracing cannabis legalization, expanding access
In June, Oklahoma voters legalized medical marijuana, but it’s not the only conservative state that’s becoming green. North Dakota voters may decide—if enough petition signatures are validated—in November to legalize recreational marijuana for adults; they approved a medical marijuana law less than two years ago. Legal cannabis is also making headway in Maine, Utah and Missouri. Read more at Leafly.com …
Trump falsely claims it’s ‘impossible’ for American farmers to do business in Europe
The European Union purchased $11.5 billion of agricultural goods in 2017, according the Department of Agriculture. That’s the fifth-largest export market for products such as tree nuts and soybeans. Overall, trade between the U.S. and Europe is fairly balanced, reports the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Read more at The New York Times …
