WASHINGTON, July 16 – Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell for a third consecutive month in July, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The HMI fell below its previous record low of 18 in June to a new record low of 16 in July, with each of its three component indexes also hitting record lows.

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Washington DC -July 16- On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U advanced 1.1 percent in June, following a 0.6 percent increase in May.  The index for energy rose sharply for the second straight month, increasing 6.6 percent in June following a 4.4 percent increase in May.

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Washington DC -July 14- Each week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asks a question related to the environment.

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Washington DC -July 14- Recent passage of the 2008 Farm Bill included funding for conservation and environmental programs. Robert Bonnie with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) talks about efforts to improve wildlife habitat, including the rare Ocelot in South Texas, and EDF’s concern with taking land setaside for conservation and allowing its return to agricultural uses, such as haying, grazing, and crop production. Join Mr. Bonnie and host Mike Duncan for this weeks edition of the WashingtonView Radio program.

Click here to listen to the WashingtonView Radio program now.

For more information on the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), go to their website at:    www.edf.org

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Washington DC -July 10- In the week ending July 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 346,000, a decrease of 58,000 from the previous week’s unrevised figure of 404,000. The 4-week moving average was 380,500, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 390,500.

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Washington DC -July 10- Farmers and ranchers hauling their own goods to market across relatively short distances should not be held to regulations intended for commercial long-haul drivers, according to Mike Spradling, president of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau.

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Washington DC -July 10- New safety measures for soil fumigant pesticides will increase protections for agricultural workers and bystanders - people who live, work, or otherwise spend time near fields that are fumigated.

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Washington DC -July 10-The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) today hailed the introduction of legislation in the U.S. Senate that would block meat shipments from Argentina until that country is free of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), an airborne livestock disease that is devastating to livestock production.

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Washington DC -July 7- America’s farmers will receive up to $1.15 billion in 2008 advance direct payments beginning today.

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Washington DC -July 5- Retail food prices at the supermarket increased in the second quarter of 2008, according to the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey.

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Washington DC -July 5- National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Chief Executive Officer Joe Jobe released the following statement today in response to a July 4th article in The Guardian:

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Washington DC -July 5- The National Bison Association (NBA) is reminding consumers to “think bison” when they make their choices during the summer grilling season, noting that July is National Bison Month.

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Washington DC -July 5- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching the SmartWay Leaf Campaign to encourage consumers to purchase SmartWay-certified cars and trucks.

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Washington DC -July 1- With summer in full swing, thousands of tourists are visiting Washington DC to be part of this year’s Fourth of July holiday celebration.

Part of the yearly experience is the Smithsonians Folklife Festival that features cultural exhibits from around the world, and this year, the State of Texas.

A big attraction is a huge Texas tent where visitors can enjoy authentic Texas BBQ, served up just right by Nick Fontana and his crew from Capital Q, a Washington DC “Texas-style” BBQ restaurant.

Click here to hear the tasty details.

For more info on Capital Q, check out their website at:   www.capitalqbbq.com

Washington DC -July 1- U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Thomas J. Barrett has announced that the University of Minnesota will be home to a new national clearinghouse for information about the best way to make rural roads safer.

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