BISMARCK, N.D. - Low commodity and livestock prices are putting increasing stress on agriculture producers across the country. Despite a growing world population, crop production is greater than demand, leading to lower prices.

Mark Watne, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, said farmers continue to do what they do best.

"You know, your family farmers are just really good at what we do," he said. "We produce a lot, and that is so good for the nation, yet so detrimental to building supplies that don't have a place to go and hurt our prices. It's kind of a vicious cycle."

They are turning to Congress to change and modify ag policy to help keep many producers on the farm, Watne said, adding that there is some talk of opening up the farm bill early to take another look at price supports.

"It's a decent farm bill, but it doesn't reflect cost of production, and we really need it, and we need to tweak it up a little bit and make it much more responsive when this happens, because the thought process of new plateaus is not really true," he said. "The markets can collapse, and that's why we need the farm bill."

While the current farm bill runs until September 2018, Watne is convinced some of the price-provision pieces of the bill should be debated.

"Increasing those target prices, increasing ARC (agriculture risk coverage) prices, stopping the down trending on the 10 percent per year on the ARC payments, all those things are - seem like - OK things when prices stay good," he said. "But now that we are in this scenario, it really does matter and farmers really get hurt by not having that level of support they need."

More than 600 Farmers Union members gathered for their 90th state convention earlier this month in Bismarck.


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New global guidelines for aquaculture aim to address growing concerns about the industry's impact on the oceans.

Scientists have suggested ways to protect aquatic ecosystems, reduce antibiotic use, and even prevent ocean litter from discarded aquaculture gear.

Danielle Blacklock, director of the Office of Aquaculture at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, calls the guidelines "a big deal," as consumer demand for seafood outpaces supply.

"We're developing a new food system for the first time in millenia," said Blacklock. "That means that things are changing quickly. We're learning fast. We're adapting."

Blacklock said the U.S. currently imports up to 85% of its seafood.

She said the new guidelines should help level the playing field for Massachusetts farmers to ensure they, too, can reap the financial benefits of aquaculture while using sustainable practices.

For the first time, the amount of seafood produced on farms has surpassed the amount harvested from the wild, according to the United Nations.

Critics of finned fish farms, in particular, say they're no different than land-based factory farms and are detrimental to ocean habitats.

But Blacklock said aquaculture, including New England's numerous shellfish and kelp farms, will play an important role in countering food insecurity.

"When we mix climate change with our growing population," said Blacklock, "it clearly starts to rise to the top as part of our solution set to fight hunger."

Blacklock said the new guidelines also suggest ways aquaculture itself can reduce its carbon footprint.

She said the new guidelines are voluntary - but if implemented, they could help lift local economies and coastal communities, while building climate change resilience.



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Idaho is accepting proposals for projects that improve confined animal feeding operations in the state.

The operations - also known as CAFOs - can cause pollution in a variety of ways for water, soil, and air nearby.

Mary Anne Nelson is the surface and wastewater division administrator for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

She said the state's grant program seeks to mitigate the potential environment harm CAFOs can cause.

"We are concerned about anything that comes off that production facility," said Nelson, "that's going to contaminate nearby surface water or groundwater, that could potentially then move into nearby surface waters."

Excessive nutrient runoff from the animal feeding operations are also a concern.

The Idaho DEQ is accepting proposals for grants until August 30. The grant program has funded 35 projects in the past two years, including $5 million to 14 applicants in 2023.

This year, DEQ has $2 million to support the selected proposals.

Nelson said the DEQ is looking for ways these projects can managing animal waste.

"We are looking to do any kind of project," said Nelson, "that would help improve the way in which that manure management process is done."

Nelson said her agency also is considering the ancillary benefits in applications as well.

"So if they're proposing to do something that reduces odor coming off their lagoon," said Nelson, "we would consider that an air quality benefit as well as a manure management benefit."




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Farms in the Midwest should become more resilient to challenges created by climate change, with a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The money will go toward working with farmers in Ohio and Missouri on ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil and water quality and respond to extreme weather conditions, all while remaining profitable.

Ernie Shea, president of the nonprofit Solutions from the Land, one of the partners in the project, said the grant is unique because it centers around farmers' needs.

"When you approach a farmer in that way, you're beginning the conversation with what's important to him or her, which is surviving, continuing to operate," Shea explained. "You then can talk about co-benefits that can help the public."

This grant will also feature partners like Ohio State University and will fund education programs, research and collaborations with other stakeholders. The federal government is investing billions in climate-smart programs trying to reach its goal of a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050.

Agriculture is responsible for about one-tenth of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., mostly from livestock and fertilizer use. Shea pointed out there are many ways for Midwestern ag producers to be climate smart, including no-till operations, where farmers do not plow the ground and plant directly into soil, and much more.

"They could plant cover crops that provide green photosynthesis activity beds for many months of the year," Shea suggested. "We could implement practices where we're substituting nutrient inputs; where we're making a greater use of livestock manure instead of synthetic fertilizers."

Ohio has more than 13 million acres of farmland and agriculture is responsible for about 3% of the state's gross domestic product.


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