organic

**Operations are returning to normal at California farms, ranches and agricultural businesses that endured public-safety power shutoffs. The widespread outages interrupted harvest schedules for wine grapes, rice and other crops, and caused scattered produce losses due to lack of refrigeration...

Oregon businesses returned from China with specific goals like helping to connect Oregon food and beverage businesses interested in exporting products to China.

Opposition to GMOs is unique in that avoids GM food being promoted as an eco-positive initiative. USDA not to seek regulate emerging gene editing tech.

A government scandal in Brazil, Dept of Ag. delaying organic animal welfare standards and investigation of food stamp fraud in great number of states.

** President Trump’s Waters of the United States repeal Tuesday represents hope and optimism for reducing the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory reach. That’s according to new administrator, Scott Pruitt who says we have always been able the strike the balance between being a good steward of our natural resources, but also growing our jobs and our economy in a responsible way... Read Mor

The House Agriculture Committee will hear from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell next month. The committee will grill the two regarding the process for developing the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans...

During the Organic Trade Association luncheon last week - Montana Senator and organic farmer Jon Tester said advocates would have to work hard to achieve labeling of genetically modified foods. Tester says more farmers would transition to organic if land-grant colleges paid more attention to organics...

USDA has announced $13 million in Farm Bill funding is now available for organic certification cost-share assistance.

Organic processed products certified in the U.S. or Korea can now be labeled as organic in either country as of Wednesday.