The Van Trump Report

Month: February 2022

More Pets Help Global Feed Production Climb Over +2%

Global feed production in 2021 climbed +2.3% in 2021, a fact that may be surprising considering the massive challenges the industry faced amid supply chain disruptions, continued disease outbreaks, and myriad other struggles that have accompanied the Covid-19 pandemic. Interestingly, the biggest gain in production was seen in the pet sector, with an increase of …

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Colorado Ranch Pivots Many Interesting Ways to Keep Legacy Alive

Ten years ago, Dallas May and wife Brenda made a decision to go beyond their comfort zone and stretch the marketing of their cattle from their Ranch as well as to introduce new income sources that they hoped would create room for their three children along with the growing herd of grandchildren. Their efforts to …

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A Deeper Look at How the Ukraine-Russia Conflict Could Impact Global Grain Trade

Ukraine and the Black Sea region play a critical role in the global grain markets. As most are aware, Russia currently has over 100,000 troops massed near Ukraine’s borders and fears of a looming invasion have been ongoing for several months. The conflict is a major point of concern for global agriculture, as an interruption …

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What You Might Not Know About John Deere, the Man Behind the Tractor

John Deere’s name is synonymous with the tractor and equipment manufacturer that still bears his name. Nearly 136 years since his death in 1886, the one-time blacksmith would probably be quite astonished at how his cutting-edge plow has evolved. Beyond his talent for invention, Deere was also a savvy businessman and it was these perhaps …

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Crazy Bit of History… The Day the Mississippi River Ran in Reverse

It was on this day in 1812 that a series of violent earthquakes near Missouri caused a tsunami of sorts in the Mississippi River, actually making the river run backward for several hours. The series of tremors and earthquakes, which took place between December 1811 and March 1812, are actually the most powerful in the …

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Could the Future of Rail Freight be “Electric”?

While electric cars have become increasingly mainstream over the last decade, the freight rail industry has not seen the same push to electrify. According to Berkeley Labs, electrification efforts for freight trains have not been a priority because they only account for about 2% of U.S. transportation emissions. What many may not realize is that …

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Another Napoleonic Contribution… “Canning”

I doubt most of today’s younger generations, especially those never setting foot on a farm, even know what canning is all about. A staple to most farming families over the generations, canning actually goes back to the Napoleonic era. With the French military spreading its influence geographically during that time, the challenge of feeding the …

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