Bill could put crimp in farm-to-table poultry trade
The bill’s sponsors say its purpose is consumer safety. Small poultry producers contend it would hamstring their ability to compete in a marketplace dominated by large producers.
Energy & Environment
Articles
Indiana preparing to lift most bird flu-related restrictions
Animal health officials monitoring the bird flu outbreak in southwestern Indiana say they will lift most restrictions in two weeks if ongoing testing finds no additional infections.
Indiana House backs bill to limit state environmental rules
The Indiana House has approved a bill that would prevent state agencies from enacting environmental rules tougher than those imposed by the federal government.
Indiana popcorn production falls after bounty years
Purdue University said federal statistics show popcorn production in the state fell by 29 percent last year.
Dow Agro sales slip 16 percent as parent firm’s merger looms
The Indianapolis-based agricultural division of Dow Chemical said Tuesday that lower demand, price pressures on herbicides and currency headwinds all hurt sales of its crop protection products.
Westfield hears landowner group’s conservation proposal
A citizen-led task force is trying to protect more than 3,000 acres in the southwest corner of Westfield from future high-density development.
Baggott, partners sell Indiana food startup Husk
ExactTarget co-founder Chris Baggott and two business partners have sold Greenfield-based food startup Husk LLC, nearly three years after starting it, shifting their attention to a farmers market website.
MISO plans $30M expansion at Carmel headquarters
Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. plans to add 84 employees by 2020 after reconfiguring its 133,409-square-foot facility at 720 City Center Drive to increase efficiency.
House panel OKs bill limiting environmental rulemaking
An Indiana House committee has narrowly advanced a bill that would prohibit state agencies from enacting environmental rules and standards tougher than federal regulations.
Supreme Court asked to put brakes on Obama power plan
More than two dozen American states, including Indiana, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put on hold President Barack Obama’s carbon dioxide-cutting Clean Power Plan after their request for a similar pause was rejected by a lower court.
New license plate to benefit recycling programs
Proceeds from its sale will support the Indiana Recycling Coalition’s statewide recycling programs and efforts to educate Hoosiers about environmental sustainability.
Senate passes bill regulating fenced-in deer hunting
Hunting preserves have operated unregulated in Indiana since February, after a court ruling that said the Department of Natural Resources overreached when it tried to close one in Harrison County.
Health officials finish euthanizing 400K birds at Indiana farms
Animal health officials responding to a bird flu outbreak in southwest Indiana say crews have finished euthanizing more than 400,000 birds at 10 affected commercial poultry farms.
Oil prices tumble, but stocks trim losses after big drop
U.S. stocks recovered much of an early plunge on Wednesday, but the price of oil suffered its worst one-day decline since September.
Merritt loses job as railroad exec, a role critics called conflict
As chairman of Senate Utilities Committee, Sen. James Merritt supported numerous bills favored by big utilities, the railroad’s biggest customer. Now he’s out of a job.
Officials hope rapid action contains Indiana turkey flu outbreak
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has quarantined and destroyed hundreds of thousands of turkeys and chickens in Indiana in an effort to avoid a repeat of last year’s outbreak that cost the industry $3.3 billion.
Wind turbine takes bite out of school district’s power bill
Shenandoah Schools, northeast of Indianapolis, owed nothing on its December power bill thanks to the electricity a wind-driven turbine generated.
Duke Energy reports increase in billing scams
The utility says that customers are being threatened with having their power cut off unless a quick payment is made.
Duke plans 145-acre solar farm at Crane base
The project's plans call for 76,000 solar panels, with groundbreaking set for this spring so that power generation can start by the end of 2016.
UPDATE: Bird flu outbreak contained to 10 Indiana farms
Confirmation of new bird flu cases alarmed industry officials after the rapid spread of the H5N2 virus last year led to the deaths of about 48 million turkeys and chickens, and drove egg prices higher. Indiana's poultry industry brings in about $2.5 billion a year.