USDA

A Harvard Law School lawsuit filed on behalf of animal welfare organizations accuses the United States Department of Agriculture of offloading the burden of inspecting animal research sites to a private third party, resulting in a system that the lawsuit describes as largely self-policing and less rigorous.

Moulton Chinchilla Ranch, the main US source of the animals for research, had a years-long history of disturbing findings in USDA inspections.

The agency moved to scale back its monitoring in 2019 in a way that experts in animal welfare law say was secretive, Science reveals.

The inspection reports that had been removed a few years ago due to privacy concerns have resurfaced, pleasing animal rights advocates.

In government agencies, 20 percent of high-level science appointments are vacant, The Washington Post reports.

An inspector general finds that the agency was supposed to have received congressional approval before relocating facilities out of Washington, DC.

Agronomic sciences should follow the lead of genetics and other disciplines in sharing data.

A memo distributed to employees of the US Department of Agriculture requires them to include a disclaimer that their peer-reviewed work doesn’t represent agency findings or policy.

Some researchers say the abrupt end of the program will hobble the fight against a common parasite.

The draft budget includes deep cuts for science funding, hacking more than $5.5 billion from the NIH’s allotment, but historically Congress has not accepted the White House’s proposals.

The fast-growing fish can now be raised and sold in the US, although it’s likely to be some time before the product hits the market.

The drop may be due to fewer inspections, but critics say the USDA also appears to be avoiding documenting the violations.

From canceled conferences to delayed publications, fallout of the shutdown spread beyond US borders, prompting concerns about long-term damage to international collaboration.

While farmers have the green light to grow the genetically engineered plant, FDA approval is still needed before the seeds are sold as food.

The plan would move two scientific branches out of Washington, DC, by 2019.

The European Union says no thanks.

A pesticide industry leader, Hutchins was formerly president of the Entomological Society of America.

A pilot program announced last month will consider combining announced and surprise inspections.

Restrictions will remain on transgenic plants, which contain artificially inserted genes from other species.