In fact, as the bill was reported from the Agriculture Committee, it did enjoy strong support from committee members of both parties. The House leadership decided it needed to increase the funding for nutrition programs to gain the support of more liberal members to fend off an amendment by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) that would have seriously cut farmers' income support payments. However, after the committee reported the bill to the House floor, controversy...

The global conflict over high-yield farming became even uglier last week when armed activists for the landless invaded a Brazilian biotech research farm. African countries refused to allow the import of biotech corn seeds that could have helped overcome the parasitic witchweed, which infests 40 million hectares of African farmland. During the severe southern African drought of 2002, eco-activists told local governments that American food aid was poison because it contained genetically...

The truth is, students and parents can do their own research and market themselves creatively. Screen name: nothingnew Class and economics aside, there's also the issue that this kind of advice discourages students from doing things they're interested in unless excelling is guaranteed. While there is a need for admission consultants to help families and students navigate this process, the business is fraught with the greedy taking advantage of others' hope and anxiety. They are obsessed...

There's been some solid but isolated rain across the worst hit state, NSW, in the past week and there are forecasts of some more at the end of this week as more normal spring weather patterns return with warm, moist air from the Indian Ocean moving across into Central Australia and NSW. There's been some solid but isolated rain across the worst hit state, NSW, in the past week and there are forecasts of some more at the end of this week as more normal spring weather patterns return with...

The country has launched satellites on the cheap to aid agricultural and medical initiatives and is seriously contemplating building an international spaceport. Photo:Mark Anderson Nigeria, a country whose best-known technological export is probably the flowery e-mail output of its "419 scam" artists, is ramping up a scrappy space program that's working wonders with a relatively small investment. His defense to charges of misplaced priorities -- wasting money on space technology when...

It is difficult to understand why the FM2 would want to make such ridiculous statements when every Malaysian housewife who goes to the market knows better than him that prices of food and groceries have skyrocketed. So, for the couple, it is all about juggling expenses and keeping strictly to a budget which remains at RM300 per month for groceries despite higher prices. Prices are increasing across the board for items and commodities essential for a modern lifestyle. Hence, the call by...