small | Environment.org

Small and mid-sized meat and poultry processors play a critical role in supporting resilient regional food systems by providing livestock farmers with a wider range of processing options and by providing more local and regional animal products for consumers. On April 30, 2025 a bipartisan group led by Senator John Thune (R-SD), Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Representative Jim Baird (R-IN) reintroduced the Strengthening Local Processing Act (SLPA) in both chambers of Congress to help grow this sector. SLPA provides much needed support for small and mid-sized meat processors by providing grants, technical assistance, and workforce support to expand capacity, improve food safety, and strengthen regional food systems.

One of the ways that SLPA supports the development of small and very small meat processors – defined by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as having fewer …

Compsognathus Facts & Pictures, A Small Jurassic Predatory Dinosaur

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| Wildlife

Compsognathus, a small but fascinating dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, has captivated dinosaur enthusiasts since its discovery in the mid-19th century.

Compsognathus is primarily known for its small size; for many years it was the smallest-known dinosaur, and is often compared to a modern chicken in size (smaller dinosaurs, such as Microraptor and Parvicursor have subsequently been discovered).

All that is known about Compsognathus comes from two well-preserved fossils, one of which was found in the Solnhofen limestone of Germany; the other in the Portland limestone of France.

Read on to find out more facts about this diminutive dinosaur…

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Higher-resolution projections needed for small island climates

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| Climate

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 July 2024; doi:10.1038/s41558-024-02028-9

Projections of the future climate of small island states and territories are currently limited by the coarse resolution of models. We call for rapid global and regional cooperation to develop projections compatible with small island scales, providing relevant local information and decision-making tools.
Nature Climate Change…

Release: NSAC Applauds Introduction of the Save Our Small Farms Act

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| Sustainability

Washington, DC, June 4, 2024 – Today, Connecticut Representatives Hayes (D-CT-5), Larson (D-CT-1), Courtney (D-CT-2), DeLauro (D-CT-3), and Himes (D-CT-4) teamed up with Reps. Adams (D-NC-12), Neal (D-MA-1), McGovern (D-MA-2), and Jackson (D-TX-18) to introduce the Save Our Small (SOS) Farms Act. This bill would meaningfully expand access to the farm safety net for small, diversified, and underserved farmers and ranchers who find themselves at the mercy of worsening storms but unable to access coverage.

“There is no acceptable reason that our country’s small farmers should be forced to crowdfund to stay afloat after unexpected floods and worsening droughts,” said Billy Hackett, NSAC Policy Specialist. “The SOS Farms Act represents a true commitment to building a farm safety net that supports all farmers, in sharp contrast to the House farm bill mark which recently passed from

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Even a small rise in temperatures could decimate North American forests

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| Pollution

From 2007 to 2017, land-based ecosystems like the vast boreal forests of Canada and the Amazon rainforest removed roughly a third of anthropogenic carbon emissions from the atmosphere. According to a slate of new scientific research published this week in Nature, however, the threats that climate change poses to these terrestrial carbon sinks are greater than previously understood.

A new study from a research team at the University of Michigan found that even a relatively small temperature increase of 1.6 degrees Celsius associated with climate change can have drastic effects on the dominant tree species in North American boreal forests, including reduced growth and increased mortality.

“Our results spell problems for the health and diversity of future regional forests,” University of Michigan forest ecologist Peter Reich, who led the study, told the University of Michigan news office.

This vast and …