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Cornish, a professor at Ohio State University who studies rubber alternatives, isn't the only one pouring energy into alternative crops like that desert shrub, guayule, or the rubber dandelions that bloom with yellow petals in the greenhouse where Cornish works. And in Nebraska and other parts of the central U.S., green grasses of sorghum spring up, waving with reddish clusters of grains. Instead, they're crops that many companies, philanthropic organizations and national and international entities tout as promising alternatives to fight climate change. Most rubber processing happens overseas, and the U.S. isn't prepared to process rubber domestically. That's why specialty markets will be critical if these crops have any hope of taking off here, Cornish said.

Persons: Katrina Cornish, guayule, isn't, Cornish, Nate Blum, Blum, James Gerber, Gerber, there's, It’s, ”, Tesla, Guayule, Bill Niaura, “ You’re, Curt Covington, Covington, Joshua A . Bickel, Ross D, Franklin, Melina Walling Organizations: Ohio State University, Bridgestone, U.S, Agriculture Organization, AgAmerica, Farmers, Associated Press Locations: United States, Arizona, Nebraska, U.S, India, Saharan Africa, South Asia, Americas, Colorado, Wooster , Ohio, Eloy , Arizona, AP.org

For instance, the U.S. has blocked shipments of cotton coming from China, a top manufacturer of popular clothing brands, because it was produced by forced or prison labor. While prison labor seeps into the supply chains of some companies through third-party suppliers without them knowing, others buy direct. Cargill acknowledged buying goods from prison farms in Tennessee, Arkansas and Ohio, saying they constituted only a small fraction of the company’s overall volume. For instance, about a dozen state prison farms, including operations in Texas, Virginia, Kentucky and Montana, have sold more than $60 million worth of cattle since 2018. “What for?”FOLLOWING THE MONEYThe business of prison labor is so vast and convoluted that tracing the money can be challenging.

Persons: it’s, Willie Ingram, “ They’d, billy clubs, they’d, ”, Ingram, didn’t, they’re, don’t, Andrea Armstrong, Frank Dwayne Ellington, Ellington, Koch, “ It’s, it’s somebody’s, Alishia Powell, Clark, “, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus, Archer Daniels, Cargill, ” McDonald’s, Mills, ” Bunge, Burger, Jermaine Hudson, ” Hudson, Calvin Thomas, Thomas, Ken Pastorick, Pastorick, Jennifer Turner, Faye Jacobs, Jacobs, ’ ” David Farabough, they’ve, Joshua Sbicca, Cliff Johnson, Jimmy Dean, Sara Lee, Tyson, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, that’s, ” Ivey, “ They’re, ’ ”, William “ Buck ” Saunders, Hickman’s, Brooke Counts, Counts, John’s, Jack Strain, Tammany Parish, Russell Stover, Curtis Davis, Robert Bumsted, Cody Jackson, Columbia University’s Ira A, Lipman Organizations: Louisiana State Penitentiary, The Associated Press, Walmart, Cargill, U.S, Kroger, Target, Aldi, Corrections, Loyola University New Orleans, Koch Foods, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Washington, Archer Daniels Midland, Consolidated, AP, Foods, Dairy Farmers of, Big, Sam’s, Tyson Foods, U.S ., Civilian, OSHA, Fair Labor, American Civil Liberties, Colorado State University, MacArthur Justice Center, University of Mississippi, PepsiCo, Brevard County Sheriff, Arizona . Companies, Costco, Correctional, Prisons, Nut, Maine Foods, Taylor Farms, Transitional, Associated Press, Public Welfare Foundation, Columbia, Lipman Center for Journalism, Arnold Ventures Locations: ANGOLA, La, Southern, Louisiana, Texas, In Louisiana, Angola, United States, “, Ashland, U.S, China, Tennessee , Arkansas, Ohio, Dairy Farmers of America, Texas , Virginia, Kentucky, Montana, Baton Rouge, Mississippi, Manhattan, America, Alabama, American, Arkansas , Texas, Florida , Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, In Alabama, Florida, Brevard County, Arizona, Wisconsin, California, Colorado, state’s St, Tammany, Idaho, In Kansas, Cal, St, Francisville , Louisiana, Feliciana, Investigative@ap.org

French farmers are putting pressure on the government to respond to their demands for better remuneration for their produce, less red tape and protection against cheap imports. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin held a security meeting Sunday before potential road blockades around Paris, his office said in a statement. Earlier Sunday, two climate activists hurled soup Sunday at the glass protecting the “Mona Lisa” and shouted slogans advocating for a sustainable food system. The Louvre employees could then be seen putting black panels in front of the Mona Lisa and asking visitors to evacuate the room. Angry French farmers have been using their tractors for days to set up road blockades and slow traffic across France.

Persons: Mona Lisa ”, Gerald Darmanin, Darmanin, Leonardo da, “, ”, Mona Lisa, Gabriel Attal, ” Attal Organizations: PARIS, Sunday, Louvre Museum, French, Farmers, Rural Coordination Locations: Paris, Garonne, ”, France, Indre

☆ South Korea to ban production and sale of dog meat for human consumption
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

After a three-year grace period, the bill would make slaughtering, breeding and sales of dog meat for human consumption illegal from 2027 and punishable by 2-3 years in prison. Dog meat consumption, a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula, is neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea. Recent surveys show more than half of South Koreans want dog meat banned and a majority no longer eat it. But South Korea's dog meat industry has drawn more attention because of the country's reputation as a cultural and economic powerhouse. There is no reliable official data on the exact size of South Korea's dog meat industry.

Persons: —, Yoon Suk Yeol, JungAh Chae, It's, Won, Son, Kim Keon Hee, Song, ryung, Ju, Cheon JinKyung, Kim Myung, Jeong Yoon Hee Organizations: Service, Business, Assembly, Cabinet, National Assembly, Humane, The Associated Press, Farmers, Constitutional, Agriculture, Korea Animal Rights Locations: South Korea, Korea, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, North Korea, Seoul

UNCHARTED WATERS Airlines Race Toward a Future of Powering Their Jets With Corn Carriers want to replace jet fuel with ethanol to fight global warming. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D. Corn 2022 N.D. MINN. WIS. S.D.

Persons: “, ”, Jeffrey Broberg, Biden, Jake Wildman, Wildman, Lauren Riley, Amelia DeLuca, Todd Becker, United’s, Seager, et, Roy Stoltenberg, It’s, “ It’s, Mr, Stoltenberg, John, Stoltenberg douses, Megan Konar, Matt Jennen, midcentury, we’ve, Chad Friese, I’m, John Hansen, Mary, sighed Organizations: Jets, Carriers, Minnesota Well, Organization, United Airlines, Delta, New York Times, Farmers, IOWA NEB, MINN, Water Resources Research, Department of Agriculture, ”, U.S . Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Aviation, Delta Air Lines, Ethanol Company, University of Illinois, Ethanol, ” Industry, Nebraska Farmers Union, Sunrise, Reserve Locations: America, Ohio, Washington, Minnesota, Nebraska, MINN, WIS, MICH, IOWA, IOWA NEB . OHIO, . MO, KAN . MO, KAN, In Kansas, Glenwood, Minn, ”, Japan, Germany, U.S, Chippewa, Benson, Omaha, ., KAN ., Cairo, Neb, Iowa, Wisconsin, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign, Wood, China, Foxhome, Platte, . Nebraska

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will be in Arizona to talk about power grid and clean energy investment in the rural Southwest. Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough plans to visit Iowa to discuss improving access to medical care for veterans in rural areas. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will be in North Carolina talking about health care access in rural areas. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su will be in Pennsylvania to discuss boosting employment opportunities in rural areas. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai will head to Indiana to discuss how international trade can benefit rural farmers and producers.

Persons: Joe Biden, Dean Phillips of, Biden, Phillips, Tom Vilsack, White, Vilsack, Deb Haaland, Jennifer Granholm, Denis McDonough, Isabel Guzman, Miguel Cardona, Xavier Becerra, Julie Su, Katherine Tai Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic Rep, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Administration, White, Smart Commodities, Agriculture Department, Farmers of, Energy, Southwest . Veterans, Small Business Administration, Education, Human Services, Labor, U.S . Trade Locations: Minnesota, America, Indiana, Farmers of America, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Southwest, Iowa, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, U.S

☆ The farming industry is struggling with labor shortages and the climate crisis. But agtech like digital cow collars and AI-quality-control tools are solving problems in unexpected ways.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Sabina Wex | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Still, there are concerns about who owns the farm data and how it's being used. Chemeres said that he saw agriculture tech companies bombard farmers with innovations to mitigate this labor shortage. He believes the future of agriculture tech will be "almost surgical," he said, especially as AI comes into the field and becomes more sophisticated. These concerns came to a head in 2020, when Climate FieldView was accused of sharing farmers' data with Tillable, a platform that connects landowners with farmers. Not all tech companies do this.

Persons: Andy Lenkaitis, Lenkaitis Holsteins, Sarah Lenkaitis, Sarah, Lenkaitis, Bill Oemichen, Jeff Chemeres, Chemeres, Croptracker, Oemichen, that's, Bayer, FieldView, it's Organizations: Service, McKinsey, Credit Services, Data, Services, US Department of, The National Young Farmers Coalition, University of Wisconsin Survey Center, University of Saskatchewan, Bayer, US Locations: Wall, Silicon, Charles , Illinois, Minnesota, California, Washington, German

☆ How is Italy solving an invasion of blue crabs? With sauteed garlic and a squeeze of lemon
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Agricultural industry group FedagriPesca estimates that more than half the nation’s clams and mussels were eaten by the blue crab this summer. Culinary solutionA fisherman harvests blue crabs in the lagoon of Scardovari, south of Venice, Italy, on August 11, 2023. Italian farmers’ group Coldiretti suggests serving the blue crab with rosemary in a salad, or with sauteed garlic over spaghetti. Blue crab is fast becoming a feature item at restaurants across the country, primarily as a spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes. Lionello Cera, who runs the two-Michelin-starred Antica Osteria Cera di Campagna Lupia, says he has tried it in various dishes, but will not be putting blue crab on his menu anytime soon.

Persons: Rome, ”, Piero Cruciatti, “, They’ve, ” Enridca Franchi, Coldiretti, Giorgia Meloni, Francesco Lollobrigida, Lollobrigida, ” Gabriella Gibin, Gibin, Lionello Cera, Antica Osteria Cera, Campagna Lupia, fishmonger Organizations: Rome CNN, Getty, UNESCO, University of Siena, CNN Locations: Adriatic, Italy, Scardovari, Venice, AFP, Po Delta, Tuscany, United States, Asia, Rovigo, Roman, Testaccio

A vehicle drives on a flooded road after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia, in Cedar Key, Florida, U.S., August 30, 2023. Hurricane Idalia plowed into Florida's Gulf Coast with fierce winds, torrential rains and pounding surf before weakening but turning its fury on southeastern Georgia, where floodwaters trapped some residents in their homes. At about $10 billion, Idalia would cost insurers less than 10 of the costliest hurricanes to hit the United States. Higher reinsurance rates can affect the premiums that insurers charge their customers. FLORIDA PAINFlorida has a large number of very small, thinly capitalized insurers, insurance experts have said.

Persons: Hurricane Idalia, Julio Cesar Chavez, Thomas Hayes, Gallagher Re, Michael Peltier, Berkshire Hathaway, Ajit Jain, Noor Zainab Hussain, Manya, Chibuike Oguh, Jon Stempel, Devika Syamnath, Megan Davies, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Hurricane, UBS, Global, Great, Great Hill Capital, Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Lexington Insurance, AIG, Farmers, Florida Office, Insurance, Bankers, Property Insurance Corp, Property Insurance, Berkshire, Manya Saini, Thomson Locations: Cedar Key , Florida, U.S, Florida, Coast, Georgia, United States, Ukraine, California, Great Hill, New York, FLORIDA, USA, Lexington, Berkshire, Bengaluru, Chibuike

☆ Ukraine's frontline farmers face Russian rockets and rock-bottom prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Vladyslav Smilianets | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Viacheslav RatynskyiVELYKOMYKHAILIVKA, Ukraine, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Less than 30 km (19 miles) from Ukraine's southeastern front line, rural farmers whose businesses have survived Russian rockets now fear another hammer blow to their livelihoods: rock-bottom prices for their harvest. "The price (for crops) is not acceptable for the farmers. The farmers of Velykomykhailivka must juggle their worries about collapsing prices and export difficulties with the prospect of more Russian missiles crashing into their farms. We won't have any profit this year with such storages and crop prices." Reporting by Vladyslav Smilianets; Writing by Max Hunder; Editing by Tom Balmforth and Conor HumphriesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mykola, Krut, Vladyslav Smilianets, Max Hunder, Tom Balmforth, Conor Humphries Organizations: Local, Russian, REUTERS, Reuters, UN, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Velykomykhailivka, Dnipropetrovsk region, VELYKOMYKHAILIVKA, Russian, Dnipropetrovsk, Moscow

☆ Marijuana farmers in Colombia push government to find a place for them
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Cajibio CNN —On a recent Friday morning, about 200 coca and marijuana farmers gathered in the small town of Cajibio, southwestern Colombia, to hear the government out. More than 200,000 farmers of drug crops live in criminality in Colombia because their harvest is illegal, according to COCCAM, a workers’ union representing farmers involved in cocaine and marijuana production. Meeting between Colombia's government and drug farmers in Cajibio. Opponents of legal marijuana, like rightwing opposition leader German Vargas Lleras, say legal weed would only push more people into drug consumption, and celebrated the collapse of the latest regulation effort. “This is not about me or you getting high, it’s about the farmers and the producers,” Miranda told CNN.

Persons: Gloria Miranda, Yulier Lopez, Lopez, Ivan Duque, Cajibio, “, Stefano Pozzebon, Gustavo Petro, Petro, Juan Carlos Losada, ” Losada, Losada, German Vargas Lleras, ”, ” Lopez, Luis Cunda, Cunda, Colombia Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Cunda, Miranda, ’ Chris Alexander, ” Miranda, Nestor Osuna Organizations: CNN, Justice Ministry, Colombian, Liberal, ’, Human Rights Watch, New, Losada Locations: Cajibio, Colombia, UNODC, Colombian, CNN Colombian, Colombia’s Cauca, COCCAM, Cauca, ‘, Miranda, Caloto, United States, Uruguay, Latin America, Denver, Colorado, New York State, Bogota

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/WASHINGTON, July 7 (Reuters) - The Biden administration will begin accepting applications for $2.2 billion in financial assistance for farmers who have experienced discrimination at the hands of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency announced on Friday. The Biden administration had previously attempted to provide debt relief specifically to farmers of color but that effort was blocked in court by white farmers. The program opening on Friday, called the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, is funded by last year's Inflation Reduction Act. USDA is partnering with several organizations for Black, Native American, young, and other marginalized farmers to support in the application process. USDA had previously said it will distribute payments by the end of this year.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Biden, Tom Vilsack, Leah Douglas, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA, Thomson Locations: Appleton City , Missouri, U.S, WASHINGTON, Washington

☆ Cocoa prices are soaring. Here’s what that means for your chocolate
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —If you have a sweet tooth, take note: Cocoa prices have been soaring — and that could drive chocolate prices higher. Because of that, there is an “outsize impact of the region’s weather patterns on world cocoa prices and supplies,” according to Gro Intelligence’s post. Tony's Chocolonely welcomes higher cocoa prices. Petra Figueroa/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images“We are very happy that cocoa prices are rising,” said Pascal Baltussen, chief of impact and operations at Tony’s. “Cocoa prices have been way too low for West African cocoa farmers to earn a living income.”Cocoa futures are used to determine the prices paid to farmers for cocoa in Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Persons: El, Paul, Christophe Gateau, Niño, ”, Intelligence’s, Tony's Chocolonely, Petra Figueroa, Pascal Baltussen, Alex Assanvo, Côte, “ Price, Tony’s, Baltussen, Steven Voskuil, Hershey, “, we’ll, —, Laura Paddison, Rachel Ramirez Organizations: New, New York CNN, Rabobank, International Cocoa, Getty, Cocoa Organization, Gro Intelligence, Hershey Locations: New York, Europe, Asia, Agboville, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Amsterdam, Tony’s, NIQ

☆ Pence attacks Trump as he challenges his ex-boss in 2024 White House race
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Tim Reid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

During Trump's tumultuous four years in the White House, Pence repeatedly defended him through multiple scandals. Pence, who turned 64 on Wednesday, joins a crowded nominating contest that is currently a two-man race between front-runner Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Trump supporters stormed the Capitol during the certification process, forcing Pence, family members, lawmakers and staff to flee to safety. "The American people deserve to know that on that day, President Trump also demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. As president, Trump appointed conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices who helped end the national right to abortion last year.

Persons: Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Trump, Pence, Joe Biden's, Ron DeSantis, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, Karen, Read, DeSantis, Todd Starnes, Trump's, Tim Reid, Susan Heavey, Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell Organizations: Wednesday, U.S . Capitol, U.S, Congress, Republican, Senate, Trump, Florida, Former New Jersey, North Dakota, Republican White House, Reuters, Capitol, CNN, Farmers of, Supreme, Pence, Thomson Locations: United States, Iowa, Former, North, Farmers of America, Ankeny , Iowa, U.S, UKRAINE, Ukraine, Indiana

[1/6] Brazil's indigenous chief Raoni Metuktire takes part in a session of the Brazilian Supreme Court to debate the so-called legal thesis of 'Marco Temporal' (Temporal Milestone) in Brasilia, Brazil June 7, 2023. If it passes Congress, all eyes would turn to leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has the power of veto. Indigenous groups, including members of the Xokleng community, protested outside the Supreme Court in Brasilia on Wednesday. Brazil's farm sector is also backing a bill in Congress that would set into law a cut-off date for land claims in 1988, the year Brazil's current Constitution was enacted. The hearing follows a setback for Indigenous people last week in Congress when the lower chamber passed the bill that limited the recognition of new Indigenous reservations.

Persons: Raoni Metuktire, Marco, Ueslei Marcelino BRASILIA, Justice Andre Mendonca, Jair Bolsonaro, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Anthony Boadle, Gabriel Stargardter, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Brazilian, REUTERS, Ueslei, Big Agriculture, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Brazil's

☆ Pence hits Trump harder than ever as he kicks off his 2024 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Former Vice President Mike Pence jumped into the 2024 presidential race Wednesday with a multi-pronged attack on Donald Trump, his former boss and the current front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination. Beyond Trump, Pence is competing against Florida Gov. Pence, who filed paperwork Monday to officially launch his campaign, also directly addressed his falling out with Trump after their losing campaign to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020. "The American people deserve to know that on that day, President Trump also demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution." President Trump was wrong then and he is wrong now."

Persons: Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Pence, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Chris Christie, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Trump, Trump's Organizations: U.S, Republican U.S, Farmers of, Republican, Trump, Pence, Florida Gov, South Carolina Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, College, U.S . Capitol Locations: Farmers of America, Ankeny , Iowa, U.S, Iowa, South Carolina, New Jersey, United States

"We are avoiding default tonight," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday as he steered the legislation through his 100-member chamber. "In the coming months, Senate Republicans will continue working to provide for the common defense and control Washington Democrats’ reckless spending," he said in a statement. McConnell was referring to 12 bills Congress will work on over the summer to fund government programs in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, which will also carry out the broad instructions of the debt limit bill. Unlike most other developed countries, the United States limits the amount of debt the government can borrow, regardless of any spending allocated by the legislature. The last time the United States came this close to default was in 2011.

Persons: Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Janet Yellen, Schumer, McCarthy, Yellen, Roger Marshall, Richard Cowan, David Morgan, Moira Warburton, Gram Slattery, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, Diane Craft, Kieran Murray, William Mallard Organizations: U.S, Senate, Representatives, Republicans, The Treasury Department, Democratic, Republican, Washington Democrats, Social Security, Treasury, Russia, Office, Thomson Locations: United States, America, West Virginia, U.S, Mexico, Ukraine, China, Russia

Rome/London CNN —Italy’s government convened crisis talks Thursday to investigate the reasons behind a surge in prices for pasta, one of the country’s most beloved and culturally important foods. Pasta inflation moderated a bit in April but prices were still up 16.5% over 12 months. Pasta prices have soared despite the price of wheat — the main ingredient — falling in recent months. The price of durum wheat — a type of wheat popular among Italian pasta-makers — has fallen 30% since May 2022. Making pasta only requires mixing water with the wheat, the group said, giving “little justification” for the huge increase in retail prices.

☆ Six innovations that can help feed the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Mark Tutton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN asked three experts to outline the innovations that can help increase food production without harming the planet. Insect proteinSingapore-based Insectta uses black soldier fly larvae to convert organic food waste into fertilizer and animal feed. The maggots are fed food waste, such as the byproducts of soybean factories and breweries. Don Emmert/AFP/Getty ImagesMadramootoo says that a wholescapes approach can also be applied to food production in urban and peri-urban areas – the spaces immediately surrounding a city. “In congested peri-urban areas, we can use vertical farms in warehouses or abandoned buildings, for example, to produce food.

☆ Best Car Insurance Companies for Young Drivers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +14 min

By Kat TretinaWhether you’re a parent adding a child to your car insurance or a recent college grad purchasing your own policy for the first time, you may experience sticker shock when you see how expensive car insurance premiums can be. Geico also has useful options for young drivers who have made serious mistakes in the past. For young drivers looking for personalized help choosing the right policy, the lack of local agents can be a significant downside. Best Car Insurance with TelematicsState FarmWhy We Chose It: Usage-based insurance, also known as pay-as-you-drive, uses smartphones or telematic-technology to track driver behavior and is increasingly popular. How We Picked the Top CompaniesTo identify the top car insurance companies for young drivers, we researched the 22 insurers ranked in the 2022 J.D.

☆ Stephen Miller led-group emerges as top legal foe of Biden initiatives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Chandelis Duster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A conservative legal group led by former top Trump aide Stephen Miller has emerged as a frequent opponent to several Biden administration initiatives by mounting court challenges, succeeding in blocking policies they say are examples of reverse discrimination. Miller touts America First Legal as “the long-awaited answer to the (American Civil Liberties Union),” and his group has garnered several legal victories against the Biden administration in the past few weeks and months, most notably on issues of racial discrimination. The lawsuits led to an injunction that blocked the debt relief payments. Several Black farmers and social justice advocates have said Miller’s actions are harmful. “I want to set the record straight – no one is against White farmers in this country,” John Boyd Jr., 57, a fourth-generation farmer who is founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, told CNN.

Rising salinity in the Delta has multiple causes, experts and farmers say, including overextraction of groundwater and excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides. "With time, with the sea level higher, that line of salinity will go down into the Delta. EVAPORATIONSea water intrusion and salinity also threaten the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta in Bangladesh. "You have to do much better job in a place like the Nile Delta because the water just evaporates quickly," she said. Rice cultivation helps wash the soil, but the government has imposed restrictions on the crop in parts of the Delta to conserve scarce water.

WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - U.S. farmers in economic distress have received nearly $800 million in loan relief from the Department of Agriculture (USDA)using funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh announced on Tuesday. The new law allocates $3.1 billion for USDA to make loan adjustments or payments for financially distressed farmers. The agency also cleared debt held by about 2,100 farmers who had been foreclosed on but still owed money. USDA will administer another $500 million to aid farmers with more complex financial situations, including where farmers are facing bankruptcy or foreclosure, the agency said. An earlier debt relief program in the American Rescue Plan would have allocated debt relief to farmers of color.

“They broke their promise to Black farmers and other farmers of color,” John Boyd, a plaintiff and the president of the National Black Farmers Association, told NBC News on Wednesday just before he held a press conference on the matter. John Boyd, president of the Black Farmers Association, plants winter wheat in one of his fields in Baskerville, Va., on Jan. 8, 2019. The $4 billion was never delivered to Black farmers and other people of color, however. The new legislation aims to circumvent white farmers’ grievances and create two new funds while nixing the initial relief program. In 1920, there were more than 925,000 Black farmers in the U.S., making up about 14% of the farmer population, according to data analysis by the consulting firm McKinsey.

☆ Fires in Brazil's Amazon surge in September, worst month since 2010
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Smoke from a fire rises into the air as trees burn amongst vegetation in the Brazil's Amazon rainforest, in Apui, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 5, 2021. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly/File PhotoSAO PAULO, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Fires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest have surged in September, already making it the worst month in more than a decade, government data showed on Monday, after a jump in deforestation during an election year. Destruction of Brazil's rainforest often picks up in election years, when law enforcement typically ebbs and loggers race ahead with plans ahead of a possible shift in conservation policy. "Fires are not a natural phenomenon in the Amazon rainforest. Data also showed that 1,661 square kilometers (641 square miles) were cleared in the Amazon last month, an 81% increase from the same period in 2021.

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