Latest news with #DepartmentofAgriculture
E&E News
34 minutes ago
- Politics
- E&E News
Agriculture climate law hits a wall at USDA
A climate change law once hailed as a bipartisan triumph may be fading out before it's even in place. Congress enacted the Growing Climate Solutions Act in 2022 with the aim of helping farmers navigate the nation's unfolding carbon markets and cut greenhouse gas emissions on their operations. The idea was to create a network of government-certified providers to verify greenhouse gas reductions from climate-smart farm practices. Three years later, the Department of Agriculture shows few signs of implementing the law, which former President Joe Biden signed as part of a consolidated spending bill for fiscal 2023. Advertisement Outside groups that once pushed for its passage are no longer talking about the legislation publicly. An advisory council the Biden administration appointed a few weeks before leaving office has yet to receive any instructions from the new administration and hasn't met, despite a deadline to do so that passed in April.
GMA Network
14 hours ago
- Climate
- GMA Network
DA earmarks P495.4M in farm inputs for storm-hit farmers
File photo shows Philippine Coast Guard members assisting 151 residents on Friday, July 18, 2025, as they evacuate following flooding due to Tropical Storm Crising in Ilog, Negros The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said it has allocated nearly half-a-billion pesos in agricultural inputs such as rice, corn, and vegetable seeds to help farmers in regions affected by Tropical Storm Crising which enhanced the Southwest Monsoon or 'Habagat.' In a statement, the DA said it earmarked P495.4 million in farm inputs for farmers in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B and VI. Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations and officer-in-charge Roger Navarro said that additional support, including Quick Response Funds for rehabilitation, Survival and Recovery Loans, and indemnification through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), 'will also be made immediately available to affected farmers and fisherfolk.' Preliminary damage estimates from the DA's Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operations Center (DRRMOC) show that the combined impact of Crising and Habagat has caused P134.7 million in losses in rice, corn, cassava, high value crops, fisheries, livestock and poultry. Affected areas span 8,035 hectares while affected farmers and fisherfolk number 6,377. These numbers, however, are still under validation, according to the DA. 'These figures are still subject to change as we continue to assess the situation on the ground,' said Navarro. The DA said it is in collaboration with other government agencies to closely monitor the crisis situation to mitigate disruptions in the food supply chain, particularly for highland vegetables. 'We are keeping a close watch to prevent significant price increases on key agricultural commodities,' said Navarro. Meanwhile, the National Food Authority (NFA) is ready to release rice stocks to support local government units and national disaster relief efforts, according to the DA. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Daily Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
Ranau folks glad for approval of new settlement
Published on: Tuesday, July 22, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 22, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Abidin and others during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new settlement for the Kg Kimarahang residents. RANAU: Dozens of residents of Kg Kimarahang here breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the green light for the establishment of a new settlement in an agricultural land. The villagers' original housing area was involved in the Pan Borneo Highway project. Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister-cum-Paginatan Assemblyman, Datuk Abidin Madingkir, had officiated the new housing area. 'We are grateful that the Department of Agriculture finally allowed the residents affected by the Pan Borneo Highway to build houses in Kg Tampios. 'This land had been gazetted specifically to help the residents of Kg Kimarahang. Although the gazettement is conditional, this shows that the Government is serious about solving the people's problems. 'As your people's representative, it is my responsibility to listen and act to solve your problems, especially in the Paginatan DUN,' Abidin said when officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony at the Sungai Liwagu riverside, Kg Tampios. Meanwhile, Native Chief (KAN) Dualis Porodtong also shed light on the background of the land area identified as a new settlement site for the affected residents. He said the area, which is approximately three acres, was an Agricultural Station that operated in the 1980s but had been neglected of late. 'There was an effort by the village, through the Chairman of the JKKK Kg Tampios, to apply for this area to be made into a village reserve land. However, the application did not receive approval from the Agriculture Department and Ranau Land Department. 'Finally, with the help of our Datuk Abidin Madingkir, the land was gazetted as a temporary settlement for the residents of Kg Kimarahang who lost their village land because it was included in the Pan Borneo Highway Project. 'With the gazettement, 19 families can breathe a sigh of relief because they now have a land to build new houses,' he said. Village Head Nursakila Abdullah expressed her appreciation to Abidin for his efforts in obtaining the Agricultural Land Area as a new settlement site. A representative of the residents, Bansun Igam, also expressed his gratitude to Abidin for his efforts to realise the residents' dream of getting a new housing site. 'It has at least solved our problem of getting a new housing site. Although the area was gazetted as temporary, we are grateful to have received it, especially for those of us who do not have private land. 'However, we are requesting assistance from Datuk to donate zinc roofs so we can start building our house,' he said. Bansun called on all residents of Kg Kimarahang and Kg Tampios to give their unwavering support to the Assemblyman. Meanwhile, on the zinc roof and tank requests, Abidin said he will submit the applications to the Pan Borneo contractors and hoped they can help through their CSR programme. In the ceremony, he also officiated the Kg Tampios hall's mini kitchen. Also present were ADO Florencia Padasian, PPM Hishamudin Harun, Datuk Abidin Madingkir's Special Officer, Juis Konsuling, CDO Jipili Sigal, Head of Wiranita Star Paginatan, Siti Nurjana Abas, Head of Wiramuda Star Paginatan, Hillary Salmoen and surrounding village leaders. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Irish Examiner
19 hours ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Silence is allowing animal cruelty to thrive in our towns and cities
Across Irish towns and cities, from Dublin to Limerick, Cork, Drogheda, and beyond, urban horses are suffering in silence. Tethered to railings, trees, or lampposts without water or shelter, abandoned in parks or waste ground, or running loose through traffic, these animals are not just neglected, they're being failed by a broken system. This is not rural cruelty. It's urban neglect, unfolding in social housing estates and city fringes where poverty, disconnection, and lack of enforcement intersect. But this isn't just an animal welfare crisis. It's a public safety and social justice issue, and one that demands urgent Government action. Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities can designate control areas where horses may not be kept without a licence. Most urban estates, especially in social housing, fall within these zones. To keep a horse legally, a person must: • Hold a valid licence; • Provide proper shelter, land, water, and food; • Ensure the horse is microchipped and registered with a passport. In reality, very few residents in disadvantaged communities have the resources to meet those requirements. Yet horses are still kept out of tradition, identity, or as a form of personal empowerment. The result is often heartbreaking: foals born into back gardens, horses tied to fences in blistering heat, or dumped to die in fields. Councils frequently impound these animals, and many are euthanised due to injury, illness, or being unclaimed. But this reactive cycle solves nothing and the suffering continues. To understand why this happens, you have to look beyond the rope around the horse's neck. In many cases, it's poverty, isolation, or intergenerational hardship that's holding that rope. For young people in these communities, a horse might be the only thing they feel they can control. For some families, it's a cultural tradition. For others, it's emotional survival in an environment lacking opportunity, structure, or hope. This does not excuse the cruelty but it explains the conditions. And it reveals a deeper truth: if we fix one, the other will benefit. Enforcement of animal cruelty laws is not just inconsistent, it's often absent. In Limerick, for example, fewer than 10 reports of animal cruelty were recorded in 2024, despite clear evidence of widespread suffering. This is not because cruelty is not happening, it's because people don't know how to report it, or don't believe anything will happen if they do. Without proper structures, even the best laws are meaningless. My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue is calling on the Government to establish a dedicated, Garda-led animal welfare crime unit. This unit should: • Respond quickly to cruelty reports; • Support animal seizures and prosecutions; • Coordinate with the Department of Agriculture, councils, and welfare charities; • Build public trust and increase accountability. But we also need to empower the public. That's why we're calling for a nationwide public awareness campaign, urging people to report all instances of animal cruelty — not to social media, but to An Garda Síochána, and then to the Department of Agriculture. If you witness: • A horse tethered without water, shelter or food; • A loose or injured horse or foal; • Beating, dragging, or physical abuse; • Dead or dying animals in public areas; • Animals kept in unsafe, backyard or overcrowded conditions . Report it immediately to An Garda Síochána — cruelty is a criminal offence under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. Record the location, time, and any identifiable details. Photos or videos help, if safe to obtain. Then notify the Department of Agriculture for traceability and enforcement follow-up. Inform animal welfare groups like My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue if urgent care is needed. Silence allows cruelty to thrive. Reporting protects both animals and communities. What we're asking the Government to do: Establish a Garda-led animal welfare crime unit; Fund and launch a public information campaign encouraging cruelty reporting; Mandate cross-reporting between gardaí, the Department of Agriculture, and local authorities; Provide resources for early intervention, youth outreach, and education in high-risk areas. A tethered horse in a housing estate is more than an animal in distress, it's a mirror of the poverty, policy failure, and quiet suffering endured by many. But this can change. Support the animal, and the person behind the rope may find support too. Create a system that cares, and the cycle of cruelty will break. Protect animals, Protect people. Kerry-Anne Pollock is head of animal welfare for My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue Read More Ireland's animal welfare system is unfit for purpose and animals are suffering because of it
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Beef prices are the new egg prices. They're soaring
First it was eggs, now it's beef. The last time Americans likely noticed spiking prices at the grocery store was when eggs reached record-highs. Since then, egg prices have fallen after the deadly avian flu outbreak was contained and producers built back supply. Now, beef prices are hitting records, rising almost 9% since January, according to the Department of Agriculture, and retailing for $9.26 a pound. June's consumer price index showed steak and ground beef prices are up 12.4% and 10.3%, respectively, over the last year. But lowering beef prices will be harder than lowering the price of eggs. 'Beef is way more complicated than eggs,' said Michael Swanson, chief agriculture economist at Wells Fargo. 'The cattle industry is still the 'Wild West' of the protein market, whereas the egg market is more 'Corporate America' with its supply and demand management.' Record-high beef prices have been a decade in the making due to shrinking herds, drought conditions and the rise of imported beef — all while demand stayed strong. Last month, Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King said during their earnings call that 'beef is experiencing the most challenging market conditions we've ever seen.' Cattle herd sizes are at their lowest levels in 74 years, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). Cattle ranching is not as profitable as it once was, and experts say many ranchers have given up. 'Even with these record high prices, margins for cattle farmers and ranchers are razor thin thanks to continued elevated supply costs,' wrote AFBF economist Bernt Nelson in a market intel report from May. One of those supply costs: feed. Sustained drought throughout large portions of US ranchland have dried out pastures, forcing ranchers to rely on more expensive feed for cattle instead of free-grazing grass, according to the AFBF. At the same time, Americans are looking for more options. Imported beef from countries like Argentina, Australia and Brazil now account for roughly 8% of US beef consumption, according to Swanson. At the same time, exports of beef have slowed — dropping 22% in May compared to the year before, according to the AFBF. 'It's a big change that we've seen this year that wasn't on anybody's playbook. Only a couple of years ago, we were net neutral, where we exported some and imported some,' said Swanson, adding that we'll 'continue to see more beef consumption in the United States being supplied by the world market, and they're happy to do it since we're the highest priced beef in the world.' But Americans continue to eat beef despite record prices, according to the AFBF, with overall US demand remaining strong. With prices so high, some retailers are finding creative ways to cut costs. Last month, Walmart opened its first-ever owned and operated beef facility. The new facility, located in Olathe, Kansas, allows Walmart to work directly with its suppliers, cutting out a middleman and saving on costs. 'This is the first case-ready facility fully owned and operated by Walmart, and that milestone ensures we're able to bring more consistency, more transparency and more value to our customers,' John Laney, executive vice president of food at Walmart, said in a news release. As to when beef prices may fall for everyone, Nelson says it will likely be up to the consumer. 'US consumer demand for meat historically has grown with improved household financial situations and then falls when incomes drop,' Nelson wrote. 'If consumer confidence falls alongside household financial uncertainty, demand for beef could be at risk, especially in the face of record high retail prices.' That would leave producers and ranchers even worse off. 'I say we're closing in on the peak of this current cycle. That's the real concern that this industry has — nobody wants to be caught holding the bag with higher-priced cattle when cattle prices start to decline, which they will inevitably,' said Swanson.
