Agriculture

"As Groundwater Dwindles, Powerful Players Block Change"

"In a country where the value of land often depends on access to water, powerful interests in agriculture, heavy industry and real estate draw vast amounts of water out of the ground. For generations, that water has been treated as an unlimited resource in much of the United States, freely available to anyone who owns a piece of land and can drill a well. Entire local economies have been built around the assumption that the water will never run out."

Source: NYTimes, 11/27/2023

EPA Mulls Approving Fruit Pesticide Despite Risks To Children, Records Show

"The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering approving a pesticide for use on Florida oranges and grapefruits despite the fact that agency scientists have repeatedly found the chemical does not meet safety standards designed to protect children’s health, internal agency records show."

Source: Guardian, 11/22/2023

Last Two Cobs Of Heirloom Corn Could Help Grow Food In Climate Crisis

Faced with a hurricane, farmer Campbell Cox had to decide which of his family's crops he was going to save. "He chose the Jimmy Red corn, an heirloom crop that generations of moonshiners knew for its nutty sweet flavor and high oil content. But scientists also know it as one of a few plants that could help society grow food amid the climate crisis, as temperatures get hotter, fresh water becomes scarce and storms get stronger."

Source: CNN, 11/20/2023

"New Hardiness Zone Map Will Help US Gardeners Keep Pace With Climate Change"

"Southern staples like magnolia trees and camellias may now be able to grow without frost damage in once-frigid Boston. 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."

Source: AP, 11/20/2023

Reemerging Wetlands Controversy Brings Local Angles

Wetlands provide a wide array of ecological and societal benefits. But in the United States, they also represent a morass of conflicting views going back decades on how best to regulate them. Now a recent Supreme Court ruling and proposed federal rules are the source of new discord. The latest TipSheet explores how best to cover the wetlands controversy for your community.

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