US Lawmakers Upset With JBS

Jun 15, 2021

Meat packing giant JBS is coming under fire from some US lawmakers, for paying a multi-million-dollar ransom following a cyber-attack this month.

The company revealed last week, it paid the equivalent of 11 million dollars' worth of Bitcoin to what's believed to have been a group of Russian hackers that infiltrated its computer system. The cyber-attack forced the company to shut down operations at several of its plants around the world for at least 24 hours, including the huge plant in Brooks. In a statement, JBS said it was a difficult decision to make but felt it had to be made to prevent any potential risk to customers. But some members of the US Congress are worried that simply paying a ransom to unlock computers will set a dangerous precedent for other would-be hackers to launch similar attacks. Two weeks earlier, a major pipeline company in the US was the victim of a cyber-attack. It also revealed it paid millions of dollars to unlock its computers.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.