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☆ Lunchables removed from national school lunch program
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Kraft Heinz, the company that produces Lunchables, announced Tuesday that it will remove the meal kits from the National School Lunch Program. “We’re pleased that Heinz Kraft has pulled Lunchables from the school lunch program,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports said in a statement. “The USDA should maintain stricter eligibility standards for the school lunch programs so that the millions of kids that depend on it get the healthier options they deserve.”The National School Lunch Program –– a federally assisted program that provides low-cost and free nutritionally balanced lunches to students –– serves nearly 30 million kids, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Sodium levels in the school lunchesTwo types of Lunchables were brought into the school lunch program last year: Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Stackers and Extra Cheesy Pizza. Consumer Reports found that the kits, which were created specifically for the school lunch program, contained even higher levels of sodium than those available in the grocery store.

Persons: CNN —, Kraft Heinz, We’re, Heinz Kraft, Brian Ronholm, – –, Tom Vilsack, “, Armour LunchMakers, Oscar Mayer, can’t, CNN’s Sandee, Parija Kavilanz Organizations: CNN, Consumer, US Department of Agriculture’s Food, Nutrition Service, ”, US Centers for Disease Control, Natural Meat, World Health Organization, CDC Locations: United States, Turkey

☆ Onions are likely source of E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s, federal agencies say; 15 additional cases reported
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Additional cases associated with the outbreak have also been reported, bringing the total number of illnesses to 90 and hospitalizations to 27. “It is not necessary to avoid eating onions or other foods made with onions,” the CDC said. Diced onions used at McDonald’s have also not been linked to this outbreak, according to the FDA. Beef patties used on Quarter Pounders were also part of the investigation, which started on October 22. McDonald’s announced on Sunday that they would resume selling Quarter Pounders in all restaurants this week, but the 900 restaurants that had previously received slivered onions from Taylor Farms would not include onions on these sandwiches.

Persons: Burger, Taco, patties, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, McDonald’s Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, CDC, Taylor, Taco Bell, KFC, FDA, Colorado Department of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture’s, Inspection, CNN Health

MEXICO CITY (AP) — California avocado growers are fuming this week about a U.S. decision to hand over pest inspections of Mexican orchards to the Mexican government. Because the United States also grows avocados, U.S. inspectors observe orchards and packing houses in Mexico to ensure exported avocados don’t carry pests that could hurt U.S. crops. The letter added, "We are looking for specifics as to why you have concluded that substituting APHIS inspectors with Mexican government inspectors is in our best interest." Only the states of Michoacan and Jalisco are certified to export avocados to the United States. Some packers in Mexico buy avocados from other, non-certified states, and try to pass them off as being from Michoacan.

Persons: Tom Vilsack, “ Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Department of Agriculture, U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Plant Health, Service, Mexico's Agriculture Department, U.S, packers, The U.S . Department of Agriculture, Growers, Associated Press Locations: MEXICO, California, Mexico, U.S, United States, Michoacan, Jalisco, The, America, Caribbean

☆ Boar’s Head to close Virginia plant linked to deadly listeria outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Jamie Gumbrecht | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Boar’s Head will close the Virginia plant that produced deli meat products tied to a deadly listeria outbreak, the company said on Friday. The move is part of several changes made after what it called a “dark moment in our company’s history.” Boar’s Head said it will permanently discontinue sales of liverwurst after an investigation found its production process was the root cause of the listeria contamination. It will also appoint a new food safety officer and food safety council made up of independent industry experts. But a USDA Notice of Suspension for the Virginia facility, shared by Boar’s Head, describes “inadequate controls” that allowed equipment and employees to move throughout the facility, potentially spreading bacteria. The agency called it the largest listeria outbreak since one linked to cantaloupe in 2011.

Persons: CNN — Boar’s, ” Boar’s, Boar’s, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, “, what’s Organizations: CNN, Department of Agriculture’s, CNN Health, Centers for Disease Control, listeria, CDC Locations: Virginia, Jarratt , Virginia, Jarratt

☆ Denmark to charge $100 per cow in world’s first carbon tax on farming
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Dairy farmers in Denmark face having to pay an annual tax of 672 krone ($96) per cow for the planet-heating emissions they generate. The country’s coalition government agreed this week to introduce the world’s first carbon emissions tax on agriculture. On average, Danish dairy cows, which account for much of the cattle population, emit 5.6 tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year, according to Concito, a green think tank in Denmark. Using the lower tax rate of 120 krone results in a charge of 672 krone per cow, or $96. With the tax break in place, that levy will rise to 1,680 krone per cow in 2035 ($241).

Persons: Lars Lokke Rasmussen, “, ”, Torsten Hasforth, Landbrug, Peter Kiær, ” Peder Tuborgh, Kristian Hundeboll Organizations: London CNN — Dairy, ”, United Nations, Food, Agriculture Organization, CNN, Arla Foods, DLG, Initiative Locations: Denmark, Danish, Europe

☆ Alpacas test positive for H5N1 bird flu for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Highly pathogenic avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu, has been confirmed in alpacas for the first time, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories. The animals that tested positive were on a farm in Idaho where poultry had tested positive for the virus and were culled in May. The alpacas tested positive May 16, the USDA said in a news release. The gene sequence of viruses isolated from the alpacas shows that it is closely related to the H5N1 viruses that are currently circulating in dairy cattle. Scientists have closely watched the H5N1 virus for roughly two decades.

Persons: Dr, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, US Department of, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, USDA, CNN Health, Alpaca Owners Association, Scientists Locations: alpacas, Idaho

☆ WHO chief scientist calls for increased monitoring and preparation for highly pathogenic bird flu
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The bird flu spreading through cattle in the United States is an “enormous concern” the chief scientist of the World Health Organization said Thursday as he called for more tracking and preparation for the virus. So far, there is no evidence that the highly pathogenic H5N1 flu virus can spread from person to person. Though H5N1 doesn’t spread from person to person, humans can catch it when they’re exposed to infected animals. They are only the second documented case of human H5N1 in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while the current risk to public health from H5N1 is low, it is monitoring the situation carefully.

Persons: Dr, Jeremy Farrar, “, Richard Webby, ”, hasn’t, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Research, Get CNN, CNN Health, US Department of Agriculture’s, Plant Health, Services, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC Locations: United States, British, Geneva, Texas, Colorado, St, — Texas, New Mexico , Kansas, South Dakota , Idaho , Michigan , Ohio, North Carolina

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ” plant hardiness zone map ” was updated Wednesday for the first time in a decade, and it shows the impact that climate change will have on gardens and yards across the country. One key figure on the map is the lowest likely winter temperature in a given region, which is important for determining which plants may survive the season. It's calculated by averaging the lowest winter temperatures of the past 30 years. Winter temperatures and nighttime temperatures are rising faster than daytime and summer temperatures, Primack said, which is why the lowest winter temperature is changing faster than the U.S. temperature overall. “There are a lot of downsides to the warmer winter temperatures, too,” said Theresa Crimmins, who studies climate change and growing seasons at the University of Arizona and was not involved in creating the map.

Persons: Chris Daly, Richard Primack, ” Primack, Primack, ”, Theresa Crimmins Organizations: WASHINGTON, The U.S . Department, Oregon, Agricultural Research Service, Boston University, University of Arizona, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Boston, The, U.S

Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness in dogs, and encouraging people to take basic precautions to keep their pets healthy as veterinarians try to pin down what's making the animals sick. Oregon, Colorado and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the illness, which has caused lasting respiratory disease and pneumonia and does not respond to antibiotics. Symptoms of respiratory illness in dogs include coughing, sneezing, nasal or eye discharge and lethargy. Some cases of the pneunomia progress quickly, making dogs very sick within 24 to 36 hours. Dogs have died, said Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Oregon State University.

Persons: Kurt Williams, Williams, David Needle, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Oregon Department of Agriculture, U.S . Department of, National Veterinary Services Laboratory, Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic, Oregon State University, University of New, Diagnostic, Hubbard, for Genome Research, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Oregon , Colorado, New Hampshire, Oregon, University of New Hampshire's New Hampshire, Rhode Island , New Hampshire, Massachusetts

USDA pegged U.S. corn yield at 174.9 bushels per acre, up from 173 last month and above nearly all estimates, which on average predicted a slight increase. It was the most bearish corn yield in a November report since 2017. That could negatively impact Brazil’s second corn production, as was the case after the 2015-16 El Nino, rerouting corn demand to the United States. USDA left Brazil’s 2023-24 soy crop unchanged at 163 million metric tons this month, but it raised the prior crop by 2 million tons to 158 million, suggesting exports are outperforming prior crop expectations. However, USDA has flashed 2.85 million tons (105 million bushels) of U.S. soybean sales so far this week, mostly to China and unknown destinations.

Persons: Dane Rhys, El, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Department, USDA, El Nino, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Deerfield , Ohio, U.S, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Brazil, United States, China

☆ Tyson recalls 30,000 pounds of Dino Chicken Nuggets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Tyson Foods is seen in Davos, Switzerland, May 22, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. food company Tyson Foods (TSN.N) has said it was voluntarily recalling approximately 30,000 pounds of frozen, fully cooked dinosaur-shaped chicken “Fun Nuggets” or Dino Chicken Nuggets. The company said the recall includes Tyson brand fully cooked “Fun Nuggets” sold to retailers in 29-ounce packages. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said Tyson food is recalling around 30,000 pounds of fully cooked breaded chicken in a release on Saturday. It said it has received no additional reports of injury or illness from consumption of these products.

Persons: Arnd, Dino, Tyson, FSIS, Scott DiSavino, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Tyson Foods, REUTERS, U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Inspection, Thomson Locations: Davos, Switzerland

☆ Tyson Recalls Nearly 30,000 Pounds of Chicken Nuggets Over Metal Pieces
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Johnny Diaz | More About Johnny Diaz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Tyson Foods is recalling nearly 30,000 pounds of its dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets after some consumers said they found small metal pieces in them, federal officials said. The recall, which was announced on Saturday, involves 29-ounce plastic bags of the product, which is called “Fully Cooked Fun Nuggets Breaded Shaped Chicken Patties,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement. The recall affects approximately 29,819 pounds of the dinosaur-shaped nuggets, which were produced on Sept. 5 by the Arkansas-based food processing company. The bags affected have a “best if used by” date of Sept. 4, 2024, and lot codes 2483BRV0207, 2483BRV0208, 2483BRV0209 and 2483BRV0210, the statement said. The packaging features cartoon dinosaurs, one green and one red, looking over a plate of the breaded nuggets.

Persons: Tyson Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Inspection Service Locations: Arkansas

☆ Tyson recalls 30,000 pounds of chicken nuggets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Tyson Foods is voluntarily recalling about 30,000 pounds of its dino-shaped chicken nuggets after some consumers reported finding small metal pieces in their patties. The recall, announced on Saturday, is for 29-ounce plastic bag packages containing frozen, “fully cooked fun nuggets breaded shaped chicken patties,” according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. There has been “one minor oral injury” associated with consumption of the nuggets, according to the USDA, but no other reports of harm so far. But officials at the agency said they were concerned consumers may still have bags of the recalled “fun nuggets” in their freezers, and advised anyone who does should discard or return the product immediately. Tyson advised purchasers and consumers of recalled nuggets to cut the UPC and date code from the packaging and call or text 1-855-382-3101.

Persons: New York CNN — Tyson, Tyson Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Tyson Foods, US Department of Agriculture’s, Inspection Service, UPC Locations: New York, Alabama , California , Illinois , Kentucky, Michigan , Ohio , Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, Arkansas

Several attendees in the virtual meeting noted that U.S. corn yield has landed below USDA’s trend yield for five consecutive years now, prompting questions as to whether the calculation will be revisited for future seasons. The market’s main grievance with the recent yield pattern is that negative price implications could arise if trend yield starts out too high, since it may cause U.S. corn supplies to be overstated early on. Trend yield is set forth by USDA’s World Board and is based off a publicly documented model written in 2012. They also suggested that consecutive bad weather years can skew the view of true trend yield. In the last five years including 2023, corn yield fell below trend in each year and by an average of 6.1 bpa (3.4%).

Persons: Daniel Acker, Karen Braun, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Department, USDA’s, Agency, USDA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Tiskilwa , Illinois, U.S, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois

During that week, money managers cut their net short in CBOT corn futures and options to 112,691 contracts from 159,433 a week earlier, marking their biggest round of net buying since late July. Managed money net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsDecember corn futures had reached their U.S. harvest lows by mid-September in 2016, 2018 and 2019, and so far, the harvest low for December 2023 corn sits on Sept. 19 at $4.67-3/4 per bushel. Money managers have not held a bearish soy view since April 2020 but have come close a couple times. Managed money net position in CBOT soybean futures and optionsHowever, overall speculators’ soybean net short was preserved through Oct. 10 as other reportable traders were only slight net buyers during the week. That small net short was established in the prior week for the first time since March 2020.

Persons: Gleb Garanich, Wheat, Karen Braun, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S ., U.S . Department, Agriculture’s, USDA, U.S . Renewable, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bilohiria, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago

In the week ended Oct. 3, money managers slashed their net long position in CBOT soybean futures and options to 5,001 contracts from 30,058 a week earlier. New shorts and exiting longs both played a role, and money managers have not held a net short in beans since April 2020. Money managers extended their sizable net short in CBOT wheat futures and options to 98,788 contracts from 96,384 a week earlier. CBOT corn futures added about 1% late last week, touching $4.99 per bushel on Friday, their highest since Aug. 29. Money managers maintain comfortably bearish CBOT corn views, though they trimmed their net short through Oct. 3 by about 9,200 to 159,433 futures and options contracts.

Persons: ’, Soymeal, Karen Braun Organizations: China, Futures, U.S . Department, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago, U.S

In May, staff at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, filed a complaint with the U.S. Office of the Special Counsel (OSC), which protects federal whistleblowers, alleging mismanagement and unsafe work conditions including poor lab ventilation, broken fire alarms and wild temperature swings. After Reuters exclusively reported the complaint, USDA closed one major research building at the site for repairs. Maintenance tasks should be performed on a schedule ranging from daily to annually, the complaint said. BARC staff conduct research on climate change, invasive pests, crop yields and more. Reporting by Leah Douglas; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: BARC, Leah Douglas, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Research, Staff, U.S . Department, Reuters, Agricultural Research, U.S . Office, USDA, OSC, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Centers for Disease Control, OSHA, Thomson Locations: Beltsville, Beltsville , Maryland, Legionella, BARC's

CNN —The Federal Reserve on Thursday admonished Tanner Winterhof, a former executive at VisionBank of Iowa, for allegedly falsifying documents, causing the bank to endure major losses. Despite VisionBank terminating him last year, Winterhof still managed to get another job at a bank. According to the Fed, Winterhof falsified documents, including a subordination agreement, related to loans extended to a customer. However, shortly after CNN reached out to Availa Bank for comment, Winterhof was removed from Availa’s staff page. An Availa executive told CNN in an email that Winterhof no longer works at the bank.

Persons: Tanner Winterhof, Winterhof, Melissa Dyer, VisionBank, thea, ” Winterhof, Heather Miller, ”, Lisa Irlbeck, “ Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, Bank, Department, Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, Fed, VisionBank, Availa Bank, Federal, Mr, Iowa Bankers Association Locations: Iowa

In recent weeks, U.S. consumers have seen high-profile food recalls for an unappetizing reason: They're contaminated with foreign objects that have no place on a dinner plate. “Extraneous materials” triggered nine recalls in 2022 of more than 477,000 pounds of food regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service — triple the number of recalls tied to food contaminated with toxic E. coli bacteria. Trader Joe’s wouldn’t elaborate on how material got into the foods that led to its recent recalls. In recent years, firms have become increasingly cautious and are recalling products more frequently than before, said Nathan Mirdamadi, a consultant with Commercial Food Sanitation, which advises the industry about food safety. Consumers who find foreign materials in food should notify manufacturers, experts said, but also realize that recalls are likely to stick around.

Persons: Tyson, Keith Belk, “ they’re, ” Belk, Nathan Mirdamadi, “ It’s, Mirdamadi, there’s, Dee, Ann Durbin Organizations: U.S . Food, U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, USDA, FDA, Regulators, ConAgra Brands Inc, Center for Meat Safety, Colorado State University ., Centers for Disease Control, Food Sanitation, Consumers, AP, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group Locations: U.S

☆ Big Farms and Flawless Fries Are Gulping Water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Dionne Searcey | Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

UNCHARTED WATERS Big Farms and Flawless Fries Are Gulping Water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes When Minnesota farmers cranked up their wells in a drought, they blew through state limits. The location of the White Earth Reservation is also shown, in the upper left portion of the map. Cloud St. Paul Minneapolis Rochester Sandy Soils WHITE EARTH RESERVATION Duluth Irrigation Wells St. Cloud St. Paul Minneapolis Rochester Sandy Soils WHITE EARTH RESERVATION Duluth Irrigation Wells St. “There’s a lot of water in this area.”His farm is awaiting approval for two new state permits for irrigation wells.

Persons: Warren, Mike Tauber, they’ve, ”, Trevor Milbrett, Warren Warmbold, “, Mr, Warmbold, Offutt, Ellen Considine, don’t, Carlos Gonzalez, It’s, farming’s, Robert Glennon, John Nieber, Paul Minneapolis, Nieber, White, Jamie Konopacky, Allan Armstrong, Armstrong, Armstrong’s, Austin Tersteeg, Erskine, Tersteeg Organizations: R.D, Offutt, Minnesota Department of Natural, New York Times, Irrigation, Farmers, state’s Department of Natural Resources, United States Department of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Star Tribune, Getty, Park Rapids ., University of Minnesota, Twin, Paul Minneapolis Rochester Sandy, Paul Minneapolis, White, Department of Natural Locations: Lakes, Minnesota, R.D, Warren, Minn, Backus, Eagle Bend, United States, Midwest, Park Rapids, In Minnesota, North Dakota, America, Offutt, Twin Cities, Sandy, Duluth, Wells St, Cloud, Paul, Paul Minneapolis Rochester, Austin, Red Lake County

☆ Biden vows enduring federal response to Idalia and Maui fires – and sends a warning to GOP
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Republicans have criticized how Biden and the federal government responded to the Hawaii fires, though officials in the state praised the support they received from the White House. “I let each governor I spoke with know if there’s anything the states need right now, I’m ready to mobilize that support,” Biden said. Biden visited the island early last week, pledging sustained federal support for the island and its residents. Biden signed an emergency declaration Monday unlocking federal resources and said Tuesday he was in “constant contact” with authorities from Florida. The US Coast Guard is supporting search and rescue, and there are three disaster survivor assistance teams deployed in Florida.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hurricane Idalia, Biden, Deanne Criswell, Idalia, Criswell, ”, ” Biden, Ron DeSantis, Brian Kemp, Henry McMaster, DeSantis Organizations: CNN, Hurricane, FEMA, White, Ukraine, Florida Gov, Georgia Gov, South Carolina Gov, Florida Republican, Department of Energy, Republican, US Coast Guard, US Department of Agriculture’s Food, Nutrition Service, US Army Corps of Engineers Locations: Hawaii, Florida, Maui, United States of America, Georgia, East Coast, West Coast

The Pro Farmer Crop Tour has been following the same routes in seven major U.S. corn and soybean producing states for more than three decades. Pro Farmer on Friday pegged U.S. corn yield at 172 bushels per acre, below USDA’s 175.1 bpa and the year-ago 173.3. The advisory firm placed soybean yield at 49.7 bpa, below USDA’s 50.9 but above the 2022 yield of 49.5. For the past four years, Pro Farmer’s corn yield has correctly informed on the direction of USDA’s corn yield from August to September, but it had the wrong lean in the two prior years (2017 and 2018). For example, Pro Farmer’s 2022 corn yield suggested USDA’s September 2022 forecast should come in below that of August, and it did.

Persons: Lucas Jackson, Farmer, Pro Farmer, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Carbon Solutions, REUTERS, Rights, Farmer, U.S . Department, Scouts, Iowa, USDA, Versus, Pro, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Defiance, Shelby County , Iowa, Rights NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, U.S

☆ An Invasive Hornet Species Is Spotted in the U.S. for the First Time
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Rebecca Carballo | More About Rebecca Carballo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An invasive hornet species was spotted this month in the United States for the first time, and state officials in Georgia, fearing it could harm the agriculture industry, said they were working with federal officials and academic experts to eradicate it. A beekeeper in Savannah, Ga., discovered an unusual insect on his property and reported it to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the University of Georgia to confirm that it was a yellow-legged hornet. Native to tropical and subtropical areas of Southeast Asia, the yellow-legged hornet could threaten the state’s honey production, native pollinators and agriculture industry, the state’s Agriculture Department said in a statement on Tuesday. The species’ appearance is troubling because the hornet preys on honeybees, said Chuck Bargeron, director of the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.

Persons: Chuck Bargeron Organizations: Georgia Department of Agriculture, U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Plant Health, Service, University of Georgia, state’s Agriculture Department, Center Locations: United States, Georgia, Savannah , Ga, Southeast Asia

☆ How much water is left in the Colorado River? Scientists and officials are scrambling to find out
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s a remarkable turnaround that will give back billions of gallons of Colorado River water to millions of people in the Southwest, primarily in Arizona and Nevada. Snow-covered peaks near the headwaters of the Colorado River outside Winter Park, Colorado, in March. Scientists estimate that Colorado River flows have decreased by about 20% compared to the early 20th century. “There are tough choices ahead,” Becky Mitchell, the Colorado commissioner for the Upper Colorado River Commission, told CNN. Bill Hasencamp, the manager of Colorado River Resources for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Persons: It’s, Brenda Burman, “, Will Lanzoni, Jessica Lundquist, ” Lundquist, Jason Connolly, Jonathan Overpeck, ” Overpeck, you’ve, Brad Udall, Udall, ” Udall, We’ve, haven’t, “ What’s, ” Becky Mitchell, “ It’s, ” Burman, ”, Bill Hasencamp Organizations: CNN, Southwest, Central Arizona Project, of Reclamation, University of Washington, Rockies, Getty, University of Michigan’s School for Environment, Sustainability, Biden, UCLA, Colorado State University, Scientists, The Central, Commission, Colorado River Resources, Metropolitan Water Locations: Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Rocky, University, Winter, , Colorado, AFP, Lake Mead, The Central Arizona, Scottsdale , Arizona, Phoenix, Metropolitan Water District, Southern California, Los Angeles

Debates over U.S. corn and soybean yield potential have persisted all summer following one of the driest Junes on record. Soy yield’s range of 1.5 bpa is a six-year low, well below the 2.9-bpa average, raising the risk of surprise. The trade nailed corn yield last August, coming within 0.3% of USDA’s figure, analysts’ best performance since 2001. I posted a Twitter poll midday on Thursday asking which yield surprise could be most likely on Friday: corn high, corn low, soybeans high or soybeans low. After about two hours and 555 votes, corn yield surprising high was the clear leader with 40% of the vote.

Persons: Karl Plume, Karen Braun, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Spiritwood , North Dakota, U.S, Karl Plume NAPERVILLE , Illinois, Chicago

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