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Senate Agriculture Panel Advances Farm Bill on 12-11 Party-Line Vote — 1dClerk recorded 12 ayes, 11 noes as Senate Agriculture advanced Farm Bill 2.0 on Sept. 16, reversing an August 10-11 failure amid a SNAP cost-share fight.

Tom Gallagher A straight party line split on this makes it harder for rural communities that rely on steady farm supports.

Dolly Parton Mazes Across North America Fund Literacy — 4dAcross the Midwest and South, new or updated corn mazes and fall festivals open, from Emmett’s farm celebrating America’s 250th with a patriotic maze to Mich igan’s eight-acre maze at Ed Dunneback and Girls Farm celebrating apples and accessibility, and Tennessee venues launching Dolly Parton tribute mazes to raise funds for her Imagination Library. The growing trend includes family-friendly activities, farm experiences, and charitable ties as communities welcome autumn with varied mazes, festival hours, and ticketing options.

Farm Bill Fight Could Shape Rural Broadband — 4dIllinois has earned NTIA approval for its BEAD plan, with one final federal grant step remaining before funding is released, a development touted as crucial for residents. Separately, the farm bill debate in Congress threatens rural broadband funding and program rules, particularly for the ReConnect program, as lawmakers clash over SNAP, speeds, and eligibility.

Marcus Bell Lawmakers should separate broadband rules from SNAP debates so eligibility and speed standards do not stall projects.

Dolly Parton Corn Mazes Spread Across North America — 4dAbout 20 U.S. and Canadian farms opened Dolly Parton corn mazes to fund her Imagination Library; she died Aug. 25 at 80.

Minnesota Farm Blends Indigenous Knowledge With Regenerative Practices — Sep 10, 2026Salvatierra Farms in southern Minnesota showcases regenerative, chemical-free farming on 63 acres, aiming to be a model for others by blending crop diversity with natural solutions and spiritual stewardship rooted in Indigenous wisdom. The effort mobilizes a diverse Midwest network—Lakota members, former large-scale farmers, Catholic sisters—reflecting a broader renewal of eco-spirituality and historically rooted approaches to land stewardship.

Chris Dalton It's inspiring how this farm combines Indigenous wisdom with practical regenerative methods to restore the land without chemicals.

Manufacturers Restore Orders to China After Struggles Elsewhere — 5dDawang Metals regained US farm-machinery orders after India problems as firms restore China sourcing; Jin Chaofeng closed his 2024 Vietnam workshop over missing equipment.

Sam Okafor Companies are learning the hard way that India and Vietnam still can't match China's reliability for complex orders.

McConnell returns to cast votes for narrow Republican majority — 5dThe Kentucky senator arrived by wheelchair Sept. 14 for his first floor vote since a June fall, restoring a needed presence for judicial nominees and a stalled farm bill under the GOP’s slim Senate edge.

Priya Raman He showed up in the wheelchair to do his job. That's what matters when the majority is this narrow.

McConnell returns after 90 days to cast decisive Senate vote — 4dWheeled onto the floor after 90 days away, the Kentucky senator broke a 47-46 cloture tally, pressed the farm bill, and kept drawing nearly $1 million in combined taxpayer pay through his absence.

Dana Whitfield Wheeling him in just to cast that vote highlights how thin the Senate margins are these days.

Fourth Suspected Crypto Farm Found in Puebla — Sep 12, 2026Mexican authorities uncovered a clandestine crypto mining setup in Puebla featuring about 300 GPUs, 80 medium-voltage terminals and eight satellite antennas, suspected of laundering illicit funds by siphoning power from nearby infrastructure. The operation is the fourth crypto farm found in the region since last year, underscoring how drug cartels are leveraging high-tech mining to finance crime as global illicit cryptocurrency activity climbs, per Chainalysis data.

Nicole Hardy This fourth find since last year proves crypto mining has become a steady revenue tool for organized crime in Mexico.

Wisconsin farm to school program returns for third year with new database — Aug 31, 2026Across five articles, communities are weaving agriculture into education and capacity-building—from Nashville seminarians gaining agrarian experience on Field of Dreams Farm to Wisconsin schools earning recognition in Farm to School programs; a Virginia middle school math teacher uses hydroponics and hands-on farming to teach critical thinking, and a Gauteng program empowers young women through practical agricultural training with strong external partnerships—demonstrating a broad push to align local food systems with education and employability, even as challenges like water scarcity and stereotypes persist.

Investor sues Emmitt Smith, alleges $2.5M wind farm loan misused — Sep 5, 2026Emmitt Smith and his business partner are facing a civil lawsuit by Kituwah LLC, which alleges they misappropriated a $2.5 million loan intended to fund the Texas wind-farm Project Exodus, instead using the money to repay a prior investor. The suit claims the funds were misused with knowledge of impropriety, notes about $600,000 in interest, and seeks damages after the project allegedly stalled and progressed no further than promised.

Derek Foss Using new investor money to pay off old investors is a classic red flag, sounds like a Ponzi structure to me.

Kentucky Girl, 4, Dies After Tractor Accident — Sep 11, 2026A 4-year-old Kentucky girl, Hellayna Michelle King, died after falling from the back of a tractor and being backed over on a family farm; emergency responders were delayed because a nearby bridge was closed, forcing longer travel times to the scene. Her family, who described her as bright and full of life, has mourned her death and started a GoFundMe for an urn and expenses, with services held after her funeral and community concern over the bridge closure lingering.

Farms across the U.S. roll out patriotic and Dolly Parton-themed corn mazes this fall — Sep 3, 2026Across the U.S. this fall, corn mazes and autumn festivals are drawing crowds—from Sullivan, Indiana's 70th Sullivan Corn Festival to patriotic and Dolly Parton-inspired mazes and a wide network of farm destinations in Oklahoma and beyond. Designs range from Route 66 centennial tributes and public-spirited fundraising to family-friendly activities with hayrides, pumpkin patches, and live music, reflecting a robust seasonal tourism trend.

Sam Okafor A Dolly Parton corn maze sounds like the most Tennessee thing possible, love it.

LA County sues State Farm, alleging mishandled wildfire claims — Aug 31, 2026Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit against State Farm alleging delays, denials, and underpayments of wildfire-related claims from the Eaton and Palisades fires, accusing the insurer of unfair business practices and violations of California’s unfair competition laws. The action accompanies state regulatory scrutiny and other legal actions as survivors describe ongoing displacement and financial hardship.

Derek Foss Underpaying wildfire victims after everything they've lost is just cold. Hope this lawsuit forces real accountability.

Video game-inspired 'aura farming' trend spreads from Latin America to Spain — Sep 2, 2026Aura farming has evolved from online slang into real-world aura battles across Latin America, with participants dressing as comic and film characters to perform dance and meme-driven routines for crowd approval. The trend emphasizes positive energy and self-expression, spreading from Brazil to Peru, Mexico, Argentina, and beyond, while prompting debates over permits, school bans, and the movement’s lighthearted, game-like vibe.

Elena Vasquez Schools banning this seems like an overreaction. Kids dancing and having fun in costumes is pretty harmless compared to most things they get in trouble for.

Ricketts and Osborn clash over Iran, beef imports and Medicaid at Nebraska debate — Aug 31, 2026Independent challenger Dan Osborn and incumbent Pete Ricketts debated at the Nebraska State Fair and in Grand Island, trading broad contrasts on Iran policy, beef imports, immigration, healthcare, and farm policy while framing Osborn as a nonpartisan advocate for producers and reform-minded governance. The exchanges highlighted rising costs and farm-sector concerns, with both candidates attacking or defending tariff and tax policies affecting cattle ranchers and rural communities.

Marcus Bell Ricketts has been in DC a while now, curious what he's actually delivered for cattle producers besides talking points.

Wind Farm Faces Shutdown as Parts Start Flying Off Turbines – Because It's Too WindyReporting — Sep 27, 2022Too much of a good thing is causing havoc at a Norwegian wind farm. Over the past two years, at least seven objects have fallen from the wind turbines at the Ånstadblåheia wind farm near Sortland with strong winds being…

Over 18,000 Dairy Cows Killed as Unprecedented Explosion Rocks Texas FarmReporting — Apr 13, 2023One person was injured and more than 18,000 cows died in an explosion and fire at a Texas dairy farm on Monday night. The disaster took place at Southfork Dairy Farms near Dimmitt, which is located between Lubbock and…

Carver and God's Little WorkshopGood News — FROM 1921Born enslaved, George Washington Carver revived Southern farming from a lab he called 'God's little workshop' — and told the Senate where his ideas came from.

Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce reaches 20 statesHealth — Aug 27, 2026FDA has classified the recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce as a Class 1 risk and warned it could cause serious illness, as cyclospora cases linked to the outbreak have risen to 11,458 across 20 states with two deaths in Michigan. Authorities say the investigation is focused on Taylor Farms de Mexico, with efforts to keep all recalled product off the market and ongoing coordination with the Mexican government.

Pelion Region Attracts Hikers, Foodies as Population RisesLifestyle — Aug 29, 2026An Albanian cook named Anita Cota showcases thin-layer filo pastry in a Greek mountain cookery class in Portaria, crafting multi-layer, olive-oil–rich pastry by feel rather than measurement, paired with a savory tart and fresh produce from Karaiskos Farm. The lesson highlights Pelion’s simple, countryside cuisine and the region’s appeal for locals and visitors seeking quiet, farm-to-table flavors and traditional techniques.

StrainScan Pro Plans Demos Across $4T Foodservice MarketHealth — Sep 9, 2026Medical Care Technologies is expanding StrainScan Pro from agricultural demos into the foodservice vertical, planning kitchen-focused demonstrations for commercial kitchens and multi-unit operators and emphasizing portability on iPad Air for in-field quality inspections. Early operator feedback is guiding the next build-out to broaden workflows, faster on-device reviews, and more path-specific quality checks across farming and restaurant supply chains.

Taylor Farms Misses Federal Injury Reports Across FacilitiesBusiness — Aug 26, 2026Taylor Farms faces scrutiny over a cyclospora outbreak linked to its lettuce and widespread failures to file required OSHA 300A injury-report logs across many facilities from 2021 to 2025, underscoring gaps in safety data and enforcement. The company says safety is a priority and has taken corrective steps, while regulators and watchdogs say the reporting gaps impede an informed assessment of its safety record.

EXCLUSIVE: GOP Demands Answers On Migrant Children Rescued At Marijuana Farm — Jul 25, 2025House Republicans are launching an investigation into the migrant children rescued at a California marijuana farm during an immigration raid. A joint Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border…