Agriculture

"Wheat prices rose Wednesday as the hot, dry summer continued to take its toll on crops in the U.S. and Russia."

"Perhaps you heard the story going around today. A genetically modified grass started pumping out cyanide gas, killing a herd of cattle. CBS News had the scoop, as seen at WTVR.com in Richmond: 'Genetically modified grass linked to cattle deaths.' It’s basically a story custom-built for rapid spread around the internet. And it is basically completely wrong. The grass at issue, Tifton 85, was not genetically modified at all, but rather is a hybrid."

"NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Laboring in the blackberry fields of central Arkansas, the 18-year-old Mexican immigrant suddenly turned ill. Her nose began to bleed, her skin developed a rash, and she vomited."

"WASHINGTON -- The EPA says it does not fly drones over the heartland to spy on farmers. It does, however, use manned aircraft to enforce anti-pollution laws. And that's a practice that a group of farm-state lawmakers want to stop."

"Sen. Bernie Sanders' plan to give individual states the authority to require the labeling of genetically engineered foods has been defeated in the U.S. Senate by a three to one margin.  Sanders' proposal was one of more than 70 amendments to the 2012 Farm Bill."

"WASHINGTON — The Senate approved a sweeping new farm bill on Thursday that would cost nearly $1 trillion over the next 10 years, financing dozens of price support and crop insurance programs for farmers and food assistance for low-income families."

"Parasitic mites wiping out bee colonies by transmitting deadly virus directly into the bloodstream of the bees, research reveals"