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Drone rules, GMO labeling compromise and more women farm owners.

Janet Kubat Willette, E-Content Editor

June 24, 2016

2 Min Read

Need a quick catch up on the news? Here are seven agricultural stories you might have missed this week.

1. The Federal Aviation Administration finalized their rules for routine commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems, known as drones. Pilots must be at least 16 and keep the drone within their line of sight. Drones must weigh 55 pounds or less. – Farm Futures

2. Women are increasingly learning to handle the responsibilities that come with farm ownership. By 2030, women may own 75% of transferred farmland, according to the American Farmland Trust. – The Atlantic

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3. In honor of National Pollinator Week, here’s some reading about pollinators: Researchers have found that squash agriculture spread a bee species in Central and North America. – Science Daily. USDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the American Honey Producers Association and the American Beekeeping Federation and pollinators help farmers and ranchers produce nearly $20 billion worth of products annually in the United States. – Farm Futures

4. Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, reached a bipartisan agreement on GMO labeling on Thursday. The agreement requires mandatory, nationwide labeling for food products containing GMOs. – Farm Futures

5. In this week’s merger and acquisition news: Land O’Lakes and Ceres, Inc., have signed a merger agreement under which Land O’Lakes will acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of Ceres in a transaction valued at about $17.2 million. BASF SE spent $3.2 billion to acquire a coatings business, Chemetall, from Albemarle Corp., and La Crosse Seed brought Cover Crop Solutions. – Farm Futures

6. A study combining USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project data with the USGS SPARROW watershed model measured the potential effects of voluntary conservation. The study found agricultural conservation practices in the upper Mississippi River watershed can reduce nitrogen runoff by 5% to 34%. – Farm Futures

7. The Democratic Republic of Congo, the second largest country in Africa, has the potential to be an agricultural powerhouse. – The Washington Times

And your bonus:

You’ve likely been hearing all about Brexit, or Great Britain’s citizens voting to leave the European Union. Brexit has brought havoc to the market, weighing on commodities and equities. Safe havens, like gold and the dollar, are higher. The day before, opinion polls were predicting the U.K. would remain in the E.U.

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