The most common problem identified in heat-related deaths and illness of workers is the lack of a heat prevention and acclimatization programs, according to federal safety investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA says agricultural and construction workers are particularly vulnerable to heat illness because working in full sunlight can increase heat index values by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. OSHA’s Acting Regional Administrator in Kansas City, Missouri, Bonita Winingham, says a review of heat-related deaths found “frequently it was their first day on the job and the workers were not acclimated to the constant exposure to the heat and sun.” To reduce heat-related illnesses, OSHA recommends drinking water every 15 minutes, even if you are not thirsty, rest in the shade to cool down and to wear a hat and light-colored clothing.

Last week, the Agriculture Data Coalition formed a farmer advisory board aimed at helping guide the coalition as it develops a data management repository to house agricultural information. The ten member board features members from seven states who raise crops ranging from corn and soybeans to cotton, sorghum, wheat and potatoes. One of the coalition’s founder members, Keith Coble of Mississippi State, says the members will “provide invaluable insight into the unique needs of these different regions and their various crops.” ADC is entering a pilot phase, and many advisory board members will be among the first to work with ADC to drive short and long-term user needs, according to the Coalition. ADC’s mission is to create a neutral, independent warehouse where farmers can securely store and control the data generated by their tractors, harvesters, aerial imaging and other devices.

Bayer AG says the company does not need the approval of shareholders to acquire Monsanto. In a legal filing, an executive from Bayer wrote “a shareholder vote is not required by German law.” The statement comes after Bayer had spent more than a month trying to warm shareholders to the idea that buying Monsanto is good for business, according to the St Louis Business Journal. The St Louis, Missouri Based Monsanto has rejected an offer by German-owned Bayer. Bayer reportedly has secured $63 billion in financing but has not publicly stated if it’s presented another offer to acquire Monsanto. Monsanto rejected the initial offer and also rejected a request for information to justify Bayer increasing its bid. Monsanto said it would only release more details if Bayer boosted its offer, stalling the efforts.

Vermont’s Governor says a national GMO labeling standard makes sense, but Peter Shumlin says he has deep concerns regarding the Senate’s bill. Vermont Public Radio reported Shumlin is concerned because the Senate compromise would delay labeling “for several years,” and allows the food manufacturer to choose how to disclose the information. Shumlin signed the Vermont mandatory labeling law in 2014. The Senate bill would supersede Vermont’s law and prohibit states from setting their own labeling requirements. It would also give the U.S. Department of Agriculture two years to finalize the national regulations. Many agriculture groups applauded the compromise announced by the Senate Agriculture Committee last week, recognizing the need for a national standard, rather than a patchwork of state laws. The legislation does not come in time to completely block the Vermont law, as the House is on recess until July 5th. It is also still unclear if the Senate has enough votes to pass the legislation. A voluntary GMO labeling bill failed on a procedural vote in the Senate earlier this year.

Britain’s exit from the European Union is projected to take years, but the impact on U.S. agriculture is immediate. Britain voted to leave the EU on Thursday, and many British farmers seemed to prefer the exit because they were upset over EU regulations. However, those same farmers will lose massive amounts of farm subsidies, according to the Hagstrom Report. British farmers have often complained about the European Common Agricultural Policy but also have opposed measures restricting subsidies. For the UK will no longer be included in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations. Britain will have to negotiate trade deals of its own. The United States is currently the single largest investor in Britain. The U.S. sells near $2 billion of agriculture and food products to Britain each year.

At a U.S. House committee hearing this week, the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator told lawmakers the recently published report on glyphosate is no indication of what the EPA’s final decision will be. In early May, the EPA published, and then pulled a report from the agency’s website that concluded glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. That report, labeled “final,” from the EPA’s independent Cancer Assessment Review Committee, was only a “step in the process,” according to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. She says the warrants a larger agency review. DTN reports the final decision by the EPA on glyphosate is expected sometime this fall. Representative Frank Lucas of Oklahoma says there is concern among the farm community the agency’s action may indicate a disagreement with the conclusion EPA had mistakenly released last month. McCarthy responded by saying “this is not an indication we don’t agree with the assessment,” adding “the problem was it was not a final agency decision.”

The Vermont GMO labeling law is poised to be the de facto national standard, at least, for now. The Senate Agriculture Committee unveiled its GMO labeling bill Thursday, but with the House in recess, the Vermont law will stand, for at least a few days. That is if the Senate can garner the votes needed to pass the compromise and the bill can be passed by the House once the chamber returns on July 5th. The House squashed all hope of defeating the Vermont law before it comes into effect on July first after Democrats caused chaos in the chamber with a ‘sit in’ demanding action on gun control measures. Republican leaders of the House responded by adjourning for recess, skipping the final two working days on the calendar for the House this month. The Vermont law does have a six-month grace period on penalties until January. However, many major food companies pledged to comply nationally with the Vermont mandatory GMO labeling law and have already begun shipping properly labeled products.