An aerial view of the 52-megawatt solar farm built by Silicon Ranch in Hazlehurst, Ga. Ever cheaper and better solar technology, available land and lots of sunshine are driving demand for massive, utility-scale solar projects across the American Southeast. | Silicon Ranch by Andrea Hsu and Mary Louise Kelly | June 24, 2019 In northern…
by Stacy Mitchell | 26 Jun 2019 In 43 metropolitan areas and 160 smaller markets, Walmart captures 50 percent or more of grocery sales, our analysis of 2018 spending data found. In 38 of these regions, Walmart’s share of the grocery market is 70 percent or more. Our findings provide a stark illustration of the…
posted June 26, 2019 Washington, DC — Open Markets strongly condemns the decision by the Supreme Court today in Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas. The ruling guts the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and empowers dominant retailers, such as Amazon, to take over America’s markets for beer, wine, and spirits. Open Markets…
Madeline Gray A New Food Economy investigation found that USDA promoted misleading data to depict a fictional renaissance in black farming. That narrative falsely inflated the department’s record on civil rights—and ultimately cost black farmers land, money, and agency. by Nathan Rosenberg and Bryce Wilson Stucki | June 26, 2019 Editors’ note: One week ago…
A three-month-old pig sits in a pen in Iowa. Under a proposed new system, plant owners would be allowed to run pork plant slaughter lines as fast as they want. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News) by Kimberly Kindy | June 25, 2019 The Office of Inspector General is evaluating whether the U.S. Department of Agriculture concealed information…
Justice Dept. intervenes in major poultry price-fixing case Leah Douglas The Department of Justice intervened Friday in a landmark price-fixing suit against the country’s biggest poultry companies, possibly signaling that its own grand jury investigation into the chicken sector could result in criminal indictments. The DOJ asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District…
Ray Martinmaas and his wife, Becky, repair fencing on their farm in Orient, S.D., in June. The Martinmaas family raises cattle, hogs, soybeans, corn and sunflowers. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) by Annie Gowen | June 21, 2019 ORIENT, S.D. — The sky had finally cleared after weeks of record-setting rain, and now farmer Ray Martinmaas…
by Emily Payne | June 21, 2019 While earning his undergraduate degree, Dr. Richard Teague knew that the grassland and cropping management being taught wasn’t truly sustainable. “Agricultural land is generally being managed in a manner that is degrading the land resource. In particular, the soil function and ecosystem biodiversity that we need working properly…
President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue have both expressed skepticism about climate change and appear to have suppressed research efforts on the topic. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo The Trump administration has stopped promoting government-funded research into how higher temperatures can damage crops and pose health risks. by HELENA BOTTEMILLER EVICH | 06/23/2019 The…