Tag: farm

State Commits to Farmland Preservation

This spring the state of Ohio begins a program to preserve farmland
that’s facing development pressures. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s
Lester Graham reports… it’s one of the first statewide efforts in the
Midwest to control urban sprawl:

Bee Keepers Struggle With Declining Markets

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:

Beekeepers Fight Mite Infestation

Honeybees pollinate crops, flowers, and wild plants, but now the
U.S. honeybee industry is in trouble because of a mite infestation. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports that a quick solution
isn’t likely, because there’s no profit in finding new chemicals to get
rid of the mites:

Disagreements Over Manure Runoff Policy

Environmentalists are concerned that big business agriculture will weaken a government proposal to reduce pollution. The federal government’s proposal would make large farm feedlots come up with a management plan to dispose of animal manure. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Lester Graham reports that some farm groups are fighting it:

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 Horse Whisperer

It may be that we’re entering a kinder, gentler era when it comes tohow we interact with animals. These days, more and more anglers catchand release fish…Dog training is moving away from dominance and towardcooperation…And a method of working with horses is bucking the traditionof "breaking" them. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelsonreports:

New Corn Variety Lowers Agricultural Impact

Manure spills and overflow from large hog farms has become a problem for many local waterways. Those spills often contains high levels of nitrates and pesticides which can endanger fish populations and contaminate water supplies. But now, researchers have found a variety of corn that could make hog manure less harmful. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel Reports:

Illinois River to Be Protected

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the State of Illinois are teaming up to save the heavily polluted Illinois River. The project is being hailed as the nation’s "largest effort to save an ailing river." The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports: