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Goodland Gardens Seeks Edible Landscape Gardener in California

Goodland Gardens Seeks Edible Landscape Gardener in California

Goodland Gardens Seeks Edible Landscape Gardener in California

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Announces Regenerative Agriculture Grant Recipients

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Announces Regenerative Agriculture Grant Recipients

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has announced the latest recipients of its Regenerative Value Chains Grant Program, part of the broader Farm to Family Program. This initiative aims to expand operations and market opportunities for farmers utilizing regenerative agriculture practices. These practices focus on improving soil health through methods like cover cropping to prevent erosion and retain moisture, and integrating livestock into farm operations to cycle nutrients. Fourteen grant recipients across Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Northern Michigan, West Michigan, Central Michigan, Southwest Michigan, Thumb Region, and Southeast Michigan will receive funding. Projects include installing temperature-controlled cold storage, establishing on-farm stores, investing in updated IT and point-of-sale systems, expanding poultry product production, building wash-pack facilities, enhancing marketing and on-farm infrastructure, upgrading farm stands with self-service kiosks, and ins...

International Water Management Institute Advocates for Policy Precision in Addressing Global Water Scarcity

International Water Management Institute Advocates for Policy Precision in Addressing Global Water Scarcity

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is advocating for a fundamental shift in policy-making to address global water scarcity and agricultural challenges, moving away from 'blanket policies' towards data-driven, localized solutions. According to IWMI, satellite monitoring reveals severe global groundwater depletion in regions like California’s Central Valley and the North China Plain, alongside significant greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices. The organization emphasizes the critical need to recognize the deep interconnectedness of water, energy, food, and environment (WEFE) resources. Researchers and policy experts convened to discuss concrete challenges and solutions, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, highlighting that the theoretical understanding of the global resource crisis is established, but the challenge lies in dismantling institutional silos and deploying targeted interventions at scale.

CARICOM Endorses New Action Plan to Address Health Challenges from Climate Change

CARICOM Endorses New Action Plan to Address Health Challenges from Climate Change

Ministers of Health from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have endorsed a new regional framework during the 53rd Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development, Health (COHSOD-Health) in Washington, D.C. This Action Plan aims to strengthen the health sector's preparedness, resilience, and sustainability in the face of increasing climate change and environmental hazards. The Caribbean region is particularly vulnerable to these threats, experiencing hurricanes, extreme heat, flooding, droughts, and shifting patterns of vector-borne diseases like dengue. These events have damaged health infrastructure, disrupted essential services, and put populations at risk. The new plan, developed through a PAHO/WHO-led consultative process, outlines regional priorities to help countries address current and future health challenges linked to environmental and climate risks. Dr. Daniel Buss, Chief of PAHO’s Climate Change and Environmental Determinants of Health Unit, noted that the updated plan emphasizes strengt...

The world's largest oat milk producer has joined an unusual climate journalism campaign

The world's largest oat milk producer has joined an unusual climate journalism campaign

The world’s largest producer of oat milk, Oatly, is pushing its customers and their governments to act on climate change, in a new milk carton campaign that's taking off in Europe and is expected in the United States within the next few months

Arizona State University Launches Kernel Program to Boost Domestic Organic Farming

Arizona State University Launches Kernel Program to Boost Domestic Organic Farming

Arizona State University’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems has launched a new nationwide organic mentorship program called Kernel. This initiative aims to address the long-standing inability of American farmers to meet the demand for organic products, which has led to billions of dollars being spent on foreign organic imports. Kernel will provide mentorship, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to farmers, ranchers, and handlers transitioning to organic practices. The program builds upon the success of the USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), which is set to conclude on September 30. Kernel officially launched on October 1, with a budget primarily dedicated to compensating mentors, offering $1,000 per mentee for up to five mentees, aiming for approximately 2,000 mentor/mentee pairings. The program seeks to overcome financial, time, and knowledge barriers associated with USDA Organic certification, including the challenging three-year transition period during whi...

Yale-Led Study Identifies Agricultural Liming as Significant Carbon Sink Over 120 Years

Yale-Led Study Identifies Agricultural Liming as Significant Carbon Sink Over 120 Years

A Yale-led study, published in Nature, challenges long-held assumptions by concluding that agricultural liming has removed between 300 and 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the Mississippi River Basin since 1900. This finding contradicts the default methodology of major climate assessments, including the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, which have historically treated liming as an emission source. The study, a retrospective analysis of 120 years of records from an area covering 41% of the contiguous United States and approximately 65% of U.S. croplands, argues that the error stemmed from an incomplete framework. Instead of measuring carbon released by limestone, the researchers focused on what would have occurred without liming, revealing a net carbon removal. Agricultural lime, primarily composed of calcium and magnesium carbonates, is routinely applied to U.S. croplands to manage soil pH, which is crucial for crop yields and nutrient availabilit...

Connecticut Farmers Gain Access to $52.9 Million Federal Disaster Relief Fund for Weather Losses

Connecticut Farmers Gain Access to $52.9 Million Federal Disaster Relief Fund for Weather Losses

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt, and members of the state's Congressional delegation have announced the opening of the application period for disaster relief funding for Connecticut farmers. A total of $52.9 million has been allocated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to cover losses incurred by severe and unseasonable weather events in 2023 and 2024. These weather events included late frosts, freezes, historic flooding, hail storms, and drought, which caused significant crop losses, infrastructure damage, equipment losses, and increased production costs for farms across the state. The application portal for the Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant Program is now open, with the first round of applications closing on October 7, 2026. Payments are expected to begin in mid-October following review and approval.

Advocates Promote Veganic Farming for Climate Resilience and Animal Welfare

Advocates Promote Veganic Farming for Climate Resilience and Animal Welfare

Animal-free agriculture, also known as veganic farming, is gaining traction as a sustainable practice that aims to reduce food waste, enhance production efficiency, and bolster climate resilience. This approach specifically avoids the use of animal products and by-products, focusing instead on plant-based methods. Proponents of veganic farming advocate for a substantial decrease in meat and dairy consumption, citing its potential to mitigate biodiversity loss and improve animal welfare. The movement aligns with increasing awareness regarding the ethical implications of traditional animal agriculture, which is frequently criticized for causing significant animal suffering and contributing to environmental degradation. Experts, such as Dr. Paul Behrens of Oxford University, highlight how a shift towards veganism could address various climate and ecological issues, while also influencing behavior and policy. The scientific community increasingly warns about the vulnerability of current food systems to climate...

Plantik and Hudson River Biotechnology Partner to Develop Heat-Tolerant Strawberries Through Genome Editing

Plantik and Hudson River Biotechnology Partner to Develop Heat-Tolerant Strawberries Through Genome Editing

Plantik and Hudson River Biotechnology Partner to Develop Heat-Tolerant Strawberries Through Genome Editing

NIAA Animal Agriculture Leadership Training Focuses on Graduate Fellowships for USDA Mission

NIAA Animal Agriculture Leadership Training Focuses on Graduate Fellowships for USDA Mission

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIAA) is conducting Animal Agriculture Leadership Training as part of the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships program. This initiative aims to cultivate a new generation of highly skilled domestic agricultural students. The program's core objective is to equip these students with specialized knowledge and abilities that will enable them to significantly contribute to the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The training specifically emphasizes critical areas within animal agriculture, including farm animal behavior and the characteristics of livestock trucks. By focusing on these practical and scientific aspects, the program seeks to enhance safety and health standards across the agricultural sector. The fellowships are designed to address national needs by ensuring a robust pipeline of expertise in vital agricultural fields, thereby supporting the long-term sustainability and efficiency of U.S....

Sea Level Rise Reshapes California Beach Town, Threatening Key Rail Line

Sea Level Rise Reshapes California Beach Town, Threatening Key Rail Line

The Southern California beach town of San Clemente is experiencing significant coastal erosion due to sea level rise, which is reshaping its shoreline and threatening a crucial passenger rail line. Residents have noted the loss of walkable beaches, with the rising sea and crashing waves pushing the shoreline landward and splitting the city's North Beach. Crumbling seaside bluffs have damaged oceanfront homes and led to repeated closures of the rail line, which is the second busiest in the country. This situation is part of a broader trend affecting many California coastal communities, with scientists forecasting that over half of Southern California’s beaches could significantly erode by 2100. Urban development has also contributed by slowing the flow of sediment that once nourished the beaches.