The US Corn Belt Has Lost 35% Of Fertile Top Soil Since The 1600s, Scientists Say
Image Source: Dale Strickler
Midwestern corn belt states produce 75% of US corn. In a long-term study, scientists found that this region has lost 35% of fertile topsoil since European colonization. They estimate that the 6% annual reduction in crop yields has resulted in economic losses of $2.8 billion a year. Due mostly to erosion, this soil loss has also resulted in increased water pollution, dust pollution, and carbon in the atmosphere. The study authors say that improved technology and farm practices may help reverse this long-term trend.
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Antibiotic Use In Farm Animals Is On The Rise, Says FDA Report
Image Source: Catherine Falls/Getty Images
Five years ago, US legislators attempted to halt the spread of superbugs and improve animal welfare by restricting unnecessary antibiotic use in livestock. Their efforts failed, according to the FDA. In 2019, the year the FDA's analysis stopped, animals accounted for an astonishing 65.3% of all antibiotics sold (more than those used on humans), a net increase since restrictive legislation was introduced. The FDA needs to step up enforcement or our human antibiotics may become less and less ineffective.
After A Year Of Protests, Modi Finally Caves In To Farmers’ Demands
Image Source: Xavier Galiana
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of three agriculture laws passed in September 2020. Meant to modernize the country's agricultural industry, the new laws eliminated government support for India's farmers. Thousands took to the streets and hundreds died during a year of fervent protest. While some farmers hail the repeal as a victory, others continue to demand legislation that guarantees a minimum price for their crops.
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Small Family Farms May Not Be The Solution To The Woes Of Big Ag
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Food journalist Sarah Mock set out to write a book about how small family farms would save the world. Instead, she found that impossible profit margins, unequal opportunity, and endless toil have busted the myth of independent farming as the ideal. Mock argues that the most resilient, equitable food systems are built on larger, regional, community-oriented farms.
Drought Shrinks Bee Colonies, Threatening Apple And Almond Crops
Image Source: Dan Koeck/Reuters
Midwestern states like Iowa and North Dakota are suffering their worst droughts in decades. Local honey cooperative Sioux Honey, which produces nearly 25% of U.S. honey under the Sue Bee brand, says that honey production is down nearly 40% this year. Those losses also impact agricultural crops because farmers rely on strong bee colonies for crop pollination. According to more than a dozen leading bee experts, economists, farmers, and industry groups, the Midwest shortage of strong bee colonies is putting West Coast crops like apples, almonds, cherries, and peaches at risk.