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, simply based on when their land was first irrigated.
"agriculture"
When Did Humans Start Shaping Earth’s Fate? An Epoch Debate
Some scientists suggest calling the era we live in the Anthropocene, to denote the time when humans came to dominate Earth’s fate. But did it start with farming, the atom bomb or other event?
Alaska Farmer Turns Icy Patch Of Tundra Into A Breadbasket
Warmer temperatures in Alaska are giving farmers flexibility to plant a wider range of crops over a longer growing season. One farmer says the secret to his bounty is soil enriched by flooding rivers.
As Commodity Prices Plunge, Groceries May Be Next
Oil prices aren’t the only thing that’s dropped. The prices of everything from corn to sugar have fallen, too. So some economists predict lower prices at the grocery store later this year.
Most Of California Reported To Be In ‘Extreme Drought’
The latest Drought Monitor report from U.S. agriculture and weather experts finds 58 percent of California in the worst of its four drought levels, in conditions normally seen only once every 50-100 years.
USDA Tells Schools: Don’t Refuse Food To Students Who Owe
U.S. school systems should not take cafeteria lunches away from students whose parents have not paid their accounts, says the Department of Agriculture.
New Bipartisan Farm Bill Emerges From Long Debate In Congress
Members of the House and Senate have reached a bipartisan agreement on a five-year farm bill that will end months of uncertainty for farmers and agriculture workers, its backers say.
Scientists Map Vast Reserves Of Freshwater Under The Seabed
Scientists think there are vast reserves of fresh groundwater buried under the oceans — a potentially valuable resource for coastal cities that need freshwater.
House Votes To Slash $40 Billion From Food Stamp Program
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted Thursday to slash $40 billion from the federal food stamp program.
Which U.S. Agencies Have Taken The Most Furlough Days?
The threat of furloughs loomed large early in 2013, when mandatory budget cuts seemed certain to force federal workers to skip anywhere from 10 to 22 days of work without pay this year.