A group of northeast Iowans effectively is keeping large frac sand mine companies from mining silica-rich sand in their county by building a consortium that set aside politics and focused on dealing with the matter locally, instead of with state intervention.
Two new studies of private well water in Kewaunee County, Wis., have linked contamination to fertilizer, livestock manure and human waste — laying bare a situation that county conservationist Andy Wallander, after 25 years on the job, can sum up in a sentence.
The Illinois Soybean Association is among several industries to oppose tighter regulations of pesticide protections for farm workers. The group – which represents 45,000 soybean producers in the state – filed a letter last week as part of a public comment period on proposed updates to the Agricultur
A government report from last month revealed that most experts foresee water shortages within the next decade. Yet, studies show that countless of gallons of water are currently wasted every day by an aging and inefficient infrastructure.
Water experts predict that much of the United States will experience freshwater shortages within the next decade. To better plan for a potential crisis, researchers and scientists strive to collect data on streams, aquifers and water consumption. However, they do so under constrained financial condi
Montana water managers responded in a survey that it is likely the state will experience statewide freshwater shortages within the next decade. While Montana's water issues are unique in some ways, researchers from the state said its overall problems mirror much of the country's.
A government report from last month revealed that 40 out of 50 state water managers expect freshwater shortages within the next decade. As a result, farms and other agriculture producers who depend on irrigation may be challenged moving forward. According to federal studies, irrigation withdrawals a
The budding advanced biofuel industry stretches from Emmetsburg in the west to Marion in the east in Iowa, and also to several other parts of the country. Although business and political challenges remain, engineers have concocted an expensive cocktail of chemicals called enzymes that are too small
The thought of turning your dinner table leftovers, old cardboard boxes and even dirty diapers into fuel for your car might sound ambitious, or even absurd. But scientists, bioengineers and profit-minded businesspeople say they can do it.
Federal crop insurance programs may serve even greater roles when it comes to farmers’ risk management plans, in light of a recent government report on global warming, industry officials say.
Earlier this month, the White House released the 2014 National Climate Assessment. Among its findings, the assessment reported that climate change will threaten U.S. food security and negatively effect the $330 billion a year agriculture industry. If the assessment's predictions hold true, crop insu
The agriculture industry will soon face more frequent extreme weather and more tenacious pests, according to a White House assessment released earlier this month. If farmers cannot overcome these challenges, then U.S. crop and farm profits will decline, the assessment warned.
