The Van Trump Report

Month: June 2022

“Nanobubble” Water Technology Claims to Boost Plant Growth, Improve Sustainability

Water is one of our planet’s most precious resources and its dwindling supply across the globe demands that the we humans figure out how to “do more with less.” That is the key ethos behind California-based startup Moleaer, which claims its patented “nanobubble” technology can improve sustainable food production and processing, water and wastewater treatment, …

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It Was the Invention of “Barbed Wire” that Helped Tame the West

Alongside the Colt pistol and the railroad, barbed wire is usually listed as one of the three main factors in how the West was won. Following the Homestead Act of 1862, millions of acres of the western United States were opened up to farming and new settlers needed something to protect their crops from free-roaming …

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China Moves to Add Brazil to List of Global Corn Suppliers… What it Means for US Ag

China and Brazil in late-May signed an agreement that will allow for the import of Brazilian corn that will be allowed to begin as soon as the country implements certain requirements. Brazil’s local corn growers association Abramilho says it will also require an agreement with China about genetically modified grains before effectively beginning, which China …

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Obscure Grass Containing “Blockbuster” Disease Resistance Could Help Save Wheat Crops

When plant breeders want to give something a specific trait, they typically look to other plants that already perform the desired function. Successful breeding kept wheat stem rust – one of the most destructive grain diseases on the planet – at bay for years but new strains of the fungus are increasingly breaking through. But …

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Pyka’s Autonomous “Pelican” Crop Spraying Aircraft Moves Closer to U.S. Approval

Oakland, California-based Pyka is one step closer to gaining U.S. regulatory approval for its fully autonomous crop spraying aircraft known as “Pelican.” Pyka has already been flying the fixed-wing aircraft in Latin America, with the Pelican completing the first-ever autonomous aerial application of banana crops in Costa Rica last year. The Pelican crop spraying aircraft …

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If You Want to Learn More About “Vertical Farming” Attend This Webinar

In agriculture, optimizing crop yield is one thing. Doing so at scale is something else. But, as the global population continues to grow, communities are looking for new ways to expand food production and more people are showing interest in vertical farming. But the big question is can and how will it be done at …

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Federal Official Warns of “Day of Reckoning” as Colorado River Water Supply Cuts

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee maintaining “critical levels” at the largest reservoirs in the United States — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — will require large reductions in water deliveries. “A warmer, drier West is what we are seeing today,” she said at a hearing. …

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It’s Official… Legendary “6666 Ranch” has New Hollywood Owners

The long-rumored deal for one of America’s most historic ranches is “officially” official – the legendary 6666 Ranch in West Texas has been sold. The more than 266,000-acre property first established in 1870 is now owned by a group led by Hollywood writer Taylor Sheridan, who is probably best known for the hit television series …

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What We Need to Know About Silent “Bat-Killing” Fungus

Bats don’t get the same “buzz” as bees when it comes to nature’s pollinators, but they play a bigger role in agriculture than many might realize. And not only do they pollinate crops, they eat copious amounts of crop-killing insects. The population of this critical species is at risk though, with a deadly fungus known …

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