**Voluntary conservation, boosted by USDA’s cost-share programs, has “proved unable to achieve reduction in emissions large enough to meet water quality goals.”

That’s according to the American Enterprise Institute which advocates “mandatory adoption of practices that reduce runoff.”

As reported in agriculture.com, the AEI says conservation funding, which runs around $6 billion a year, “deserves to be maintained if not increased” in the 2018 farm bill.

India is a small but growing market for imported pork, and its massive population and rapidly expanding economy suggest there’s excellent potential for long-term growth.

While U.S. pork does not yet have access to India, U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Monty Brown recently visited India to conduct market research and meet with prospective customers.

Brown notes while India has historically lacked modern food retail outlets, this is beginning to change. He also says e-commerce has potential for establishing U.S. pork sales in India.

**Cover crops have many potential benefits which could lead to long-term gains as well as choking out troublesome weeds.

In its fifth annual cover crop survey, the Sustainable Ag Research and Education program and others reached 2,102 farmers to gain information about cover crop use. Farmers reported from across the U.S. with 88% saying they’ve used cover crops.

According to agweb.com, non-cover crop users shared their concerns about time, labor, lack of economic return and fear that the crop won’t terminate properly and become a weed.

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