Marijuana Growers Hit A Snag: Toxic Pesticides
Attempts to regulate chemicals in marijuana production often hit another problem: The plant's wide range of uses sets it apart from many traditional food crops.
farming
Irate French Farmers Block Tourist Sites To Protest Low Meat And Dairy Prices
President Francois Hollande said he would present an emergency package of measures that would give farmers tax breaks and financial aid to save them from bankruptcy, the Telegraph reports.
Mighty Farming Microbes: Companies Harness Bacteria To Give Crops A Boost
Will agricultural chemical dealers start selling microbes? Some big pesticide companies are investing in efforts to turn soil bacteria into tools that farmers can use to grow more food.
Why California Farmers Are Conflicted About Using Less Water
Cities in California have been ordered to cut water use. Farms have not, yet. Inside the industry, there's a quiet debate: Does it makes sense to invest in water-conserving tech now — or later?
Puerto Rico Is Sowing A New Generation Of Small Farmers
Decades of industrialization have left the island reliant on imported food. But change is coming — from government subsidies for small farmers, to classes that teach school kids how to grow food.
Natural GMO? Sweet Potato Genetically Modified 8,000 Years Ago
People have been farming — and eating — a GMO for thousands of years without knowing it. Scientists have found genes from bacteria in sweet potatoes around the world. So who made the GMO?
Redistribute California's Water? Not Without A Fight
What's a fair way to divide up California's scarce water? The current system relies heavily on history: Some farmers will get water, others won't, based simply on when their land was first irrigated.
Federal Government Protects Bat, Angers Industry
The northern long-eared bat has been designated as a threatened species, triggering new regulations to protect it. But oil and gas and agriculture organizations say those new rules will hurt them.
Scary Times For California Farmers As Snowpack Hits Record Lows
Much of the state depends on that snow for its water. In the Central Valley, the nation's most productive farming region, that means another year of fallow fields and emergency water measures.
The Family Peach Farm That Became A Symbol Of The Food Revolution
Heirloom peach trees, and an essay about them, turned one California farm into a landmark of local food. It's now the scene of another unconventional choice: a daughter's return to take the helm.