FARMERS in the state's drought-ravaged $3 billion field crop industry are desperate for autumn rains so they can begin sowing. No significant rain is expected over the next seven days but the Bureau of Meteorology's rainfall outlook predicts a 50 per cent chance of "at least average rains" between April and June. Soaking rains during April and May are critical so planting can begin, but no rain has fallen in most growing districts in the first 10 days of this month. Cereal crops, including...

The public is asking for rBST-free milk--an "artificial demand" says Monsanto, no pun intended--and milk processors are starting to penalize dairies still using rBST. Through deceptive practices and misleading advertising dairies and milk processors are convincing the American public that there's something wrong with rBST produced milk and they shouldn't be drinking it. Not only is there no difference between the two kinds of milk--if you disregard articles like the one linking rBST to...

ATLANTA (AP) - More than a dozen plaintiffs' lawyers and investigators have inspected the Georgia peanut butter plant linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 400 people nationwide. A ConAgra spokeswoman says the moisture likely mixed with dormant bacteria that may have come from raw peanuts and peanut dust. The team of inspectors was organized by a handful of law firms that represent the bulk of the cases against ConAgra. Among other things, the inspectors looked at...

Juvekar said Monsanto is likely to gain a 3-per-cent market share in corn, its largest gain in five years because of the improved genetics of its seeds. Monsanto has increased its market share in Brazil, where there is significant growth potential, and it continues to develop new products, making it "the company to catch up with," he said. Although a switch to corn from soybeans reduced Monsanto's profit margin in the latest quarter, "corn is where the opportunity lies for growth," Mr....

updated: Apr 10th - 8:15am Cat Kidney Failure Up 30 Percent Cases of kidney failure among cats rose by 30 percent during the three months that pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical was sold, one of the nation's largest chains of veterinary hospitals reported Monday. updated: Apr 10th - 8:15am Cat Kidney Failure Up 30 Percent Cases of kidney failure among cats rose by 30 percent during the three months that pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical was sold, one of the...