Agriculture

Incessant rains have delayed spring planting of corn from Minnesota to Indiana to Nebraska.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to hear from the public about what's being called the National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement." Consumer advocates say it puts people at risk of food-borne disease by allowing the spinach and lettuce industries to police themselves when it comes to food safety.

"Aiming a legal shot directly across the bow of Gov. Rick Scott’s anti-regulation agenda, a Miami federal judge on Tuesday cleared the way for the federal government to do something he contends the state has failed to do for decades: Enforce water pollution standards tough enough to protect the Everglades."

Spanish settlers the wake of Coronado's visit in 1540 brought sheep to New Mexico. Four centuries later the settlers' descendants are scrabbling to produce the only certified-organic spring lamb (also descendants) in New Mexico. There is a close relationship between the food and the land.

"47% of samples tested had the type of bacteria that most commonly causes staph infections. Food animals routinely fed antibiotics are a possible source."

"Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is introducing a plan today that would allow bison in Yellowstone National Park to travel north outside the park boundaries into Montana's Gardiner Basin during winter months."

"Wild rice is sacred to the Ojibwe of Minnesota, but that may not be enough to protect it from the promise of jobs that a new copper-nickel mining industry would bring to the state."