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Wednesday, September 18, 2024

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Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

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The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

NE: Rural/Farming

A field of sunflowers is shown on fourth-generation Koelling land in Ord, Nebraska. The Koellings grew their sunflower oil business with the help of the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program. (Photo courtesy of Alan Koelling, Simply Sunflowers)
Federal funds back renewable energy, efficiency upgrades for NE ag, small business

Nebraska ag producers and small businesses have until Sept. 30 to apply for the latest funding round of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural …

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In an article on the Food and Water Watch website, reporter Rebecca Wolf writes,
New organic rules for livestock: What will they mean?

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Coll…

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According to EPA statistics, only about one-third of the nation's roughly 21,000 CAFOs have permits regulating their discharge of waste. (eyetronic/Adobe Stock)
Nebraskans get advice on dealing with growing number of CAFOs

Iowa has thousands fewer square miles than Nebraska but it has almost 3,000 more concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. Opponents of the …

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Use of cover crops, such as winter wheat, can help water and nutrients penetrate the soil and smother weeds, leading to better corn crops.  (Magnus/Adobe Stock)
NE youth hopeful for regenerative ag, sustainability after D.C. conference

Three members of Nebraska's student-run climate advocacy organization Students for Sustainability were among the youngest participants at the recent C…

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In 2023, the Farm Service Agency enrolled 2.7 million acres to its Grassland Conservation Reserve Program out of more than 4.6 million acres offered by landowners. (MarekPhotoDesign.com/Adobe Stock)
Friday deadline for 2024 USDA grassland conservation program

Farm producers and landowners have until the end of this week to apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency's Grasslands …

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According to the Environmental Defense Fund, U.S. agricultural workers face an average of 21 unsafe working days per summer growing season because of heat. (KUBE/Adobe Stock)
NE farmworkers, others face heightened risks of heat, humidity

Sunday is Global Heat Action Day, to raise awareness about the risks posed by heat and ways to stay safe. In Nebraska and across the Midwest…

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Downtown Winnebago is in northeast Nebraska's Thurston County. The Ho-Chunk Village housing development can be seen in the background. (Photo courtesy HCCDC)
Winnebago Tribe's development corp earns top rating, $2 million grant

The Nebraska Winnebago Tribe's Ho-Chunk Community Development Corporation, or HCCDC, has been awarded $2 million through MacKenzie Scott's Yield …

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Cover crops and other regenerative practices prevent erosion, improve soil health and can absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere and
Experienced NE farmer talks cattle, cover crops and regenerative agriculture

One of the goals included in Nebraska's Department of Environment and Energy's Priority Climate Action Plan recently submitted to the federal Environm…

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Since 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program has awarded nearly $68 million in low-interest loans and $17 million in grants to rural microentrepreneurs. (Andriy Blokhin/Adobe Stock)
Renewing and revising USDA's RMAP benefits NE small towns

Dozens of Microenterprise Development Organizations from 28 states, including Nebraska's Center for Rural Affairs, have signed a letter urging …

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According to the National Association of Broadcasters, 82 million Americans depend on AM radio each month for news, entertainment and safety. (thexfilephoto/Adobe Stock)
Requiring AM radio in vehicles benefits rural Nebraskans

The passage of a bipartisan, bicameral bill in the U.S. Congress would be very beneficial to people in rural parts of Nebraska. It could also make …

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As of 2021, there were more than 17,000 farms with at least one certified organic crop, compared with only around 150 certified biodynamic farms in the United States. (sjredwin1/Adobe Stock)
Biodynamic farming views farms as living organism for greater sustainability

By Ellie Kuckelman for The Reader.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-P…

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More than 100 U.S. crops depend on pollinators, which provided approximately $18 billion of value in 2020. In Nebraska, fruit orchards and melon crops in particular are dependent upon honeybee pollination. (kosolovsky/Adobe Stock)
Seasoned NE Beekeeper Abuzz Over Bee Lawns, Other Bee-Friendly Practices

Bees and other pollinators are indispensable to a huge number of crops, and in Nebraska as well as across the country their numbers have been …

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