Its estimated that the U.S. honeybee industry generates about $8
million in annual revenue. But the industry has taken a serious
financial hit from a mite infestation. Honey bees are being killed and
honey production is down. You might think that would mean higher
prices for honey. But as the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester
Graham reports, the price of honey has actually gone down:
Tag: agriculture
Farmers Trade Carbon Emissions
As the U.S. seeks ways to reduce global warming, "emissions trading" is
getting a closer look. The concept is already working in the utilities
industry to reduce sulfur emissions. Now economists see emissions
trading as a solution for reducing carbon dioxide. Among the plan’s
beneficiaries — America’s farmers. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s
Haven Miller has more:
EPA Focuses on Agricultural Runoff
The federal government is planning to deal with one of the nation’sbiggest water pollution problems. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’sLester Graham reports…the government is cracking down on agriculturalpollution…and farmers wonder who’s going to pay for it:
Consumer Group Calls for Pesticide Ban
A consumer’s group wants the E-P-A to ban 40 pesticides that are usedon food children often eat. The Consumers’ Union says there are saferalternatives, but farmers say those alternatives are not available yet.The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:
The Secret to Fruit Wines
Chances are, you haven’t had strawberry wine since, well, high school. You can probably still remember the sickly-sweet taste. But one researcher says he’s found the key to making high-quality fruit wines.The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson has the story:
Alfalfa Power
Farmers in Minnesota are growing crops for energy and constructing anew biomass power plant. It could be a big boost for rural business andrenewable energy development. But as Kathryn Herzog reports for theGreat Lakes Radio Consortium some environmental activists are concernedthe energy project may be going too far too fast:
Mass Balance Study Underway
For the past four years, scientists have been hard at work around Lake Michigan, taking hundreds of water, sediment, and air samples and analyzing the data. It’s part of a study like no other—the largest of it’s kind. And the results are expected to have world-wide applications. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:
EPA Re-Examines Effects of Pesticides on Children
For the past few years, environmentalists have been warning consumers that pesticides applied to fruits and vegetables could be extremely dangerous to children. Soon, the Environmental Protection Agency will tackle the issue. Armed with a new federal law, the EPA is taking a fresh look to see if pesticides applied to produce carry health hazards. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Julie Edelson Halpert has more:
Soil Testing Strips Aid Gardeners
Chemical test strips are often used for pregnancy and drug tests. Now the same principle’s being used by gardeners to improve soil and plant quality. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s David Naylor reports:
A Greener Way to Hit the Slopes
Each year, Purdue University sponsors a contest to find creative usesfor soybeans. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s David Naylor reportson how this year’s winners may have found a "greener" way to hit theslopes: