News stories tagged with "farms"

(05/11/12) The Obama administration has scrapped an effort to introduce new safety regulations designed to protect the tens of thousands of kids who work in agriculture.

Many farmers are applauding the decision to shelve the rules, calling it a victory for their rural way of life.

But safety experts say more teenagers under the age of 16 die each year working on farms than in all other industries combined.

With the presidential election just six months away, supporters and critics alike say the new rules were just too controversial. North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann reports. more

(04/27/12) The US Labor Department has scrapped safety regulations designed to protect teenagers working on farms.

North Country Congressman Bill Owens worked hard to pressure the Obama administration to withdraw the rules. more

(04/18/12) Farmers and members of Congress are pushing back hard against a plan by the Obama administration's to impose new safety rules on farms that employ children.

Critics say the proposed regulations would limit the ability of farm families to employ their own kids and could threaten a traditional way of life in rural America.

But supporters of the new rules say far too many teenagers are suffering serious injuries or dying on farms.

And they say many of the teenagers who work on farms in the US are hourly workers, with no family ties to the farmers who hire them.

As Brian Mann reports, this is a political fight that could reshape the way Americans think about farms and farm work. more

(12/08/11) One of the lead investigators of the recent report on climate change in New York says the heavy storms this spring and summer, and the mild temperatures this fall will not necessarily be the "new normal" for the north country and Adirondacks. But Cornell University climate researcher Arthur DeGaetano says the heavy rainfall and warm weather could be a glimpse into the future.

The report, released late last month by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, is based on the work of more than 50 scientists. It paints a harsh picture of extreme climate events - predicting that upstate New York will have heavier, and more frequent downpours, like those we've seen this year.

The report says the temperature in New York has already warmed 2.4 degrees in the past forty years. It projects a further rise of as much as three degrees by the 2020s, with the temperature steadily warming as much as nine degrees by the 2080s.

DeGaetano says that means northern New York would have a climate more like North Carolina or Georgia. He says the report isn't meant to scare people. It's meant to help them transition along with the climate. DeGaetano says agriculture will be one of the industries most affected. He spoke with Julie Grant.

(09/09/11) Farmers and state officials are still trying to sort out just how big the hit from hurricane Irene will be. Many small-scale organic farmers in Upstate New York lost vegetable crops during the storm and the flooding that followed.

But an even bigger blow could be felt by the dairy and beef industries. They lost their feed crops of corn and hay just as we head into the winter. Brian Mann has this update. more

(08/11/11) If you're interested in eating locally, the folks at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake are setting up a feast of information and food today. Stefanie Ratcliffe is director of the Wild Center. She says they hold a farmer's market every Thursday, but they wanted to do more to help people find ways to eat locally and to find local food and beer producers. more

(06/01/11) The economic effects of the flooding that began in late April are still being felt by many in the north country--the rains have left homes and communities heavily damaged; tourism dollars have been lost.

And after more than a month of exceptionally wet weather, area farmers are saying they may not be able to catch up with the planting they need to do for the fall harvest. Fields have been too wet in many cases to plant corn, or to harvest grass for hay--and it's getting down to the wire. more

(12/02/10) Lake Champlain is back in the news this week, as politicians from New York, Vermont, and Quebec signed a new compact aimed at cleaning up the lake. Phosphorous pollution has been a growing problem for decades, triggering noxious and potentially toxic algae blooms. A new film about the problem, called Bloom, airs tonight on Mountain Lake PBS.

Brian Mann first reported in-depth on this debate in 2007. In today's Story 2.0, we revisit Brian's trip to talk to the major players in the valley.

(12/02/10) This week, politicians from New York, Vermont and Quebec signed a new compact aimed to reduce the amount of pollution draining into Lake Champlain. The "Opportunities for Change" document sets out a plan for reducing phosphorous and other contaminants that are sparking toxic algae blooms and causing fish-kills.

The lead author of the program is Bill Howland, head of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. In an interview with Vermont Public Radio, Howland said the updated agreement provides "an unprecedented level of cooperation" and sets specific new goals.

But as Martha Foley reports, a growing number of critics say these efforts don't go far enough.

(09/16/10) It's harvest season, and while most farmers dream of the latest and best farm equipment available, there are some that prefer a slower way of doing things. Even outside the Amish community there are farmers who work their land using old-fashioned techniques and tools. They favor the sounds of huge hooves plodding across the fields. This weekend, draft horses will take center stage at Plow Days at the Siebels Farm in Fowler. Todd Moe stopped by the Liston and Susan Willard farm recently to talk with three farmers who still use real horse power.