A thistle control demonstration, a discussion on managing forage acres to increase productivity, and a session on alternative systems for beef cows on fewer forage acres will be held. The conference is an international meeting of more than 100 scientists, researchers, graduate students and others who will address Colony Collapse Disorder and other topics. The sessions will focus on 2007 and 2008 corn and soybean production, marketing strategies and pending farm bill legislation. Dan...

LOUIS Seed company Monsanto co. said Thursday its fiscal third-quarter earnings surged 71 percent on improvements in its sales of corn seed, corn traits and herbicide. The company said the investment plan includes expansions at nine existing corn production facilities and two greenfield sites. An eight-member government delegation will visit cattle ranches, slaughter houses and animal feed facilities to check the sanitary condition of American beef from Saturday through July 8, the...

These days, "mixed company" is likely to mean a dinner table that includes a couple who eats seafood but no red meat or poultry, someone who eats no animal protein at all and a few old-fashioned garden-variety carnivores. It'll become an issue like global warming," said Berley, referring to the burden that livestock production puts on the planet's resources -- including water pollution, deforestation and more greenhouse gases than all the world's cars and planes put together, according to...

The practice is believed to have started with offerings of animals to shrines to appease the gods for a crime committed by a family member. Dogbadzi, in her late 30s, was preoccupied one recent day with how to help two freed women who could not make enough money to feed their five children. After nearly 20 years of physical, mental and sexual abuse, with two children born of rape and the scars from beatings for previous escape attempts, Dogbadzi finally got away. When a family had to atone...

They stay protected under the tan plastic tarp that forms the walls and roof of this 10-foot by 20-foot office. The Vorngs are mushroom buyers, and they've been in this small tourist town since mid-May, when Salmon Meadows camp eight miles to the north started filling up with tents and pickup trucks, and blue and brown tarps held up with poles and bungee cords for shelter. The Vorngs are mushroom buyers, and they've been in this small tourist town since mid-May, when Salmon Meadows camp...