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Howdy, y’all!
I’m Brandi D. Addison, the regional agriculture and pure sources reporter for the USA TODAY community in West Texas, protecting all issues from the earth to the sky — and that is your weekly agriculture and eco information round-up.
This is your weekly agriculture and environmental information round-up, bringing large information tales from across the nation.
Among this week’s matters: A troublesome cotton yr, the injury of Hurricane Ian, a brand new human composting invoice and a lawsuit towards two main pesticide makers.
Regional cotton woes
All alongside the High Plains and West Texas, cotton farmers are going through the identical state of affairs: Thirsty, scorched crops which are dwindling by the day.
For this story, I spoke with many farmers who planted 5 to 10 occasions more acres than what they’re going to really convey again to reap later this yr. While they know they’re going to be OK with the “security web” of crop insurance coverage, they fear for the adjoining agriculture companies, resembling agronomics and gins. One farmer, who can also be the board president for his native co-op, mentioned they harvest about 100,000 bales on common however could be fortunate to see 20,000 bales this yr.
With struggles throughout all the agriculture trade , the area might face a $2.1 billion loss in complete financial exercise with more than 17,100 job cuts throughout the area.
“We have zero dryland cotton in Lubbock County proper now,” mentioned Brant Baugh, a county extension agent for agriculture and pure sources with Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. “We’re taking a look at a reasonably catastrophic loss in {dollars} from the agriculture neighborhood.”
Hurricane Ian aftermath
Hurricane Ian hit Florida in full power on Wednesday as probably the most catastrophic disasters the state has seen.
USA TODAY journalists John Bacon, Doyle Rice and Celina Tebor have coated the hurricane from its emergence to its aftermath.
The Category 4 storm made landfall close to Cayo Costa Wednesday afternoon with most sustained winds at 150 mph, simply shy of a Category 5 standing by 7 mph, the journalists reported Wednesday. This tied Hurricane Ian for the nation’s fifth-strongest hurricane when measured by wind velocity.
The present loss of life toll sits at 54, Bacon reported in a separate story, with 47 confirmed fatalities in Florida, 4 in North Carolina — the place the storm regained its power after hitting the Florida coast — and three in Cuba, the place it initially made landfall.
As of Sunday morning, more than 800,000 properties and companies remained with out energy, Bacon added.
A brand new human composting invoice
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a brand new invoice into life final week — the opportunity of human composting after loss of life, USA TODAY National Breaking News Reporter Celina Tebor reported.
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