Promiseland Livestock’s organic certification pulled over documentation issues

Last week, the USDA suspended the organic certification of Promiseland Livestock, one of the largest organic cattle companies in the country. The suspension came not as a result of proven violations of mandated farming practices, despite suspicions that the company had for years been “laundering” conventional animals as organic, but because the company failed to provide adequate documentation required under the National Organic Program.

Georgia immigration law comes at huge cost to agriculture

Even before it goes into effect next month, Georgia’s new immigration law is having an effect as farm workers flee the state for friendlier environments in other southern states.

Immigration and agriculture: where the policies hit the ground

A study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture and the University of California indicates that as the border between the United States and Mexico tightens and as immigration laws are more strictly enforced there could be dramatic changes in how American crops are harvested.

Suthers wants more teeth in Colorado anti-trust laws

Attorney General John Suthers would like to see Colorado’s antitrust law changed to allow his office to challenge mergers that may harm Colorado’s citizens and markets, a Suthers’ spokesman recently told the Colorado Independent.

Upper Colorado River, Front Range water resources threatened

Some water experts warn the upper Colorado River is an endangered species if current residential growth patterns and water consumption patterns continue along the state’s Front Range, and they’re increasingly concerned proposed energy production on the Western Slope will accelerate its demise.

“I hope America can’t come here and trash out my country here to support the current [oil shale] industry,” said one Routt County commissioner.

Water gurus converge to slake thirst of exploding Colorado population

Water experts are meeting en masse in Denver today and Wednesday to try to figure out how to plan for an expected doubling of Colorado’s population to 10 million people by 2050, according the Durango Herald.

State water officials,…

Conservation group hammers Rep. Salazar for no vote on ‘cap and trade’

The League of Conservation Voters Thursday launched a television ad campaign in Grand Junction, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver blasting U.S. Rep. John Salazar for voting against the Waxman-Markey climate change bill.

Only two of those cities – Grand…

Proposed uranium mill creates culture clash in Montrose County

The debate over a uranium mill proposed by a Canadian company in the western end of Montrose County has come down to a question of what people would rather have in their back yard: uranium processing, farms and ranches, or…

Oil shale looms large at key IBCC water meeting in Crested Butte

Oil shale development was the 800-pound camel in the room last week during a meeting in Crested Butte of the Interbasin Compact Committee, according to the Pueblo Chieftain.

The IBCC and nine river-basin roundtables were set up by the…

Big Agriculture, rural Dems further dilute energy bill

House lawmakers announced a deal last night on their sweeping proposal to tackle climate change, but not before the bill’s sponsors were forced to bow once more to a polluting industry that would be affected by the proposal.