Turkey breast prices jump after bird flu creates shortage
U.S. restaurants and retailers are facing a shortage of turkey-breast meat, with prices at a record high. The nation’s worst outbreak of avian influenza is to blame.
Environment
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Connersville’s award-winning water could be bottled for sale
The Alliance of Indiana Rural Water recently named Connersville as having the best-tasting water in Indiana. The city’s economic development agency is looking into bottling that award-winning water.
Indy Parks director leaving for position in Texas
Indy Parks Director John Williams has accepted the position of director of parks and recreation in Waco, Texas, the city of Indianapolis announced Wednesday morning.
Agricultural lab planning $12M facility near airport
Sure-Tech Laboratories wants to relocate its Indianapolis operations from leased space at 2435 Kentucky Ave., south of Raymond Street, to a 5,832-acre site west of South Girls School Road and north of West Washington Street.
BlueIndy faces challenges in quest for wide adoption
BlueIndy plans to charge past its skeptics as its electric car-sharing program launches in Indianapolis Sept. 2, leaving behind the political consternation about whether Mayor Greg Ballard went rogue in green-lighting the program in the first place.
Comer named commissioner of state environmental agency
Carol Comer, the chief of staff at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, has been promoted to commissioner by Gov. Mike Pence, the state announced Tuesday.
Bird flu pushes egg prices to record highs, USDA says
Average prices for Grade A large eggs delivered to the store in the Midwest hit a range of $2.73 to $2.81 per dozen, the USDA said in the report released Wednesday.
Indiana’s crops suffer while much of U.S. expects big harvest
Record summer rains have damaged roughly a quarter of Indiana's soybean and corn crops, an estimated $400 million loss.
Farmers in 88 Indiana counties eligible for disaster aid
The agency declared 53 counties as primary disaster areas Wednesday because of damages and losses that farmers have incurred. Farmers in 35 other Indiana counties contiguous to the 53 also are eligible for the loans.
Indiana farmland values fall after long rally
The Purdue Land Value and Cash Rent Survey shows prices for the state’s top-quality farmland declined by 5.1 percent from 2014 to this year
Indiana environmentalists cheer new EPA emissions standards
Indiana environmental groups are applauding President Barack Obama's newly announced mandatory cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said doesn’t intend to comply with the proposal.
Lawmaker seeks answers on Mounds reservoir proposal
The proposed $450 million reservoir near Anderson—created by damming the White River—should be reviewed by a state legislative committee, according to a lawmaker opposed to the project.
Ohio firm to build hydroponic veggie farm in Indy
The city of Indianapolis is partnering with the Toledo company to build the $1.2 million project in a retrofitted, southeast-side warehouse.
Dow Agro sees sales fall as ag market stalls
Sales at Dow AgroSciences LLC fell in the second quarter due to lower demand in the Americas and a stronger U.S. dollar. Dow’s profits, however, rose 8 percent due to cost-cutting and the sale of one product line.
Indy officials hope zoning change spurs energy-saving transport
Developers could save when they scale back the required number of parking spaces and instead offer bike racks, electric-car charging stations or other “green” amenities.
Experts say crop prospects continue fading with rain
The prospects for Indiana's flood-ravaged grain crops recovering are becoming increasingly slim with more rain forecast over the next two weeks, according to Purdue Extension experts.
Easterly to retire after 10 years as IDEM commissioner
Thomas Easterly will retire Aug. 28 as the longest-serving commissioner for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Agency: One-quarter of Indiana corn, soybeans in poor shape
The federal agency’s latest report rates 25 percent of Indiana corn as being “very poor” or “poor.” The report says 26 percent of Indiana soybeans are in similar conditions.
Soaked soybeans spur rebound from lowest price in 5 years
As much as six times the normal amount of rain fell from Missouri to Ohio in the past 30 days. Illinois, Indiana and Ohio had their wettest June ever.
Program to promote Indiana ag products gets underway
State officials on Tuesday launched the Indiana Grown initiative, a program to promote Hoosier agricultural products that’s been under development and in limited use since the General Assembly authorized it last year.