CHICAGO, Illinois – Aflatoxin, a cancer-causing toxin, has turned up in the U.S. Midwest corn crop in the worst outbreak since the drought of 1988, crop specialists say. The toxin, found in mouldy corn, can cause cancer in humans if consumed at high enough levels and can be deadly to young animals if they eat […] Read more
Stories by Chris Stebbins
U.S. farmer co-ops tackle challenges
CHICAGO, Ill. – Once formed as a way for the “little guys” to improve their marketing power against large corporations, farmer-owned co-operatives are having to reinvent themselves to survive in the rabid competition of modern agribusiness. “It’s about creating value,” said Peter Goldsmith, a University of Illinois economist. “Co-operatives are finding they can be more […] Read more
