agriculture
Ethanol Up, Corn Crops Down, Prices Get Volatile
Bad weather that is reducing crops yields, increasing global demand and a greater push for bio-fuels are all playing havoc with corn prices, which affect costs throughout the economy.
'Unprecedented' Bat Die-Off Could Devastate Farming
A fungus is quickly wiping out most of North America's bats. Bats eat vast quantities of bugs that would otherwise eat crops, so if researchers can't save them, U.S. agriculture will suffer.
Local Food Movement Gives Small Farms a Big Boost
The locavore, or local food, movement is gaining momentum, driven in part by increasing awareness about the importance of quality food. Nationwide, small, local farms have tapped into a growing market by selling meat and produce to nearby consumers and choosy restaurant chefs.
World Population Growth: Time to Invest in Agriculture
As the Russian wheat shortage sends food prices soaring, investors should note that such stories are going to become only more common as the developing world expands. For this and other reasons, the agriculture sector is worth considering.
Meat Market: Cattlemen Debate Federal Antitrust Measure
Hoping to stop more small ranches from failing, the Obama administration has proposed a new antitrust rule. But ranchers are divided about whether it will help or hurt them. At a workshop Friday, some argued the rule could end up reducing their earnings.
'Fructose-Slurping' Cancer Could Sour the Soda Business
Soda and processed-food makers insist that all sugars are the same. Yet with studies linking fructose to obesity, diabetes and, most recently, pancreatic cancer, big brands are quietly backing away from using corn-based high-fructose sweetener. Could it eventually become another tobacco-like liability?
Pork Industry Sends Cease and Desist Letter Over Unicorn Meat
The National Pork Board sent a cease and desist letter to a web site that's marketing unicorn meat as 'the new white meat' - a slogan similar to the industry's own. The NPB has made it clear it has some legal prowess, but does it have a sense of humor?
This Pennsylvania Incubator Aims to Hatch Farmers
America's vanishing farmland isn't a new problem. But one county in Eastern Pennsylvania thinks it has a solution. It launched a program that teaches prospective farmers how to set up a farm, grow their own crops and keep the business afloat.