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This summer, agrochemical, biotechnology, and seed giant Monsanto dropped their bid to acquire their Switzerland-based competitor Syngenta. Initial merger serenades were sternly rebuffed by Syngenta, and Monsanto’s interest turned into a $46.5 billion hostile takeover. Monsanto had no fear of backlash from U.S. antitrust officials. And there’s the rub, the reason a failed merger is still worthy of note and cause for concern. What level of seed industry consolidation would have to be achieved to trigger interest, let alone action, at the Dep... Full story
Pablo Picasso said the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. And if you look in small towns and rural places you will find art and cultural expression in the most unlikely of places. Small towns develop art and cultural experiences to encourage tourism and create local economic opportunities, certainly. But they also recognize that successful efforts to revitalize their communities and mainstreets depend on something deeper than simple economics. No matter their size, thriving communities have an inner vibrancy, an... Full story
Here in the west, we understand that there is much truth in the old joke that whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting. Rural and small town America depend on water and our neighbors downstream count on us to preserve the quality of that water for their use as well. And farmers and ranchers are the tip of the spear when it comes to protecting water quality because much of our surface water falls first on American farms and ranches. Recently, I testified at a U.S. Senate field hearing in Lincoln, Nebraska, regarding the Waters of the U.... Full story
In January, President Obama declared that despite Congressional logjams, “America does not stand still — and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for American families, that’s what I’m going to do.” The Center for Rural Affairs has stood firmly in favor of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan as a vital first step in reducing carbon emissions from existing coal-fired power plants, addressing climate change, and creating opportunities for renewable e... Full story