The Van Trump Report

Month: October 2023

What You Might Not Know About “Pringles”, America’s Favorite Hyperbolic Paraboloid-Shaped Snack!

Back in 2009, Britain’s Supreme Court had to decide an unusual question – is a “Pringle” a potato chip? That’s because potato chips (called crisps in Britain) and “similar products made from the potato, or from potato flour,” are subject to taxes. In the end, the high court ruled that Pringle’s are indeed potato chips …

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How to Watch This Weekend’s “Ring of Fire” Solar Eclipse

Saturday, October 14, will bring a rare astronomical treat to much of North America – an “annular” solar eclipse. Known as the “ring of fire,” the partial solar eclipse will be visible in all 48 contiguous states, along with Alaska. It also marks the last opportunity to witness an annular eclipse in the U.S. until …

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National Farmers Day

Farmers Day is celebrated every year on October 12! The profession of farming began around 12,000 years ago with the domestication of livestock as hunter/gatherers settled down and started to plant their own food.  Agriculture is one of the world’s oldest and most vital professions. Farmers have remained one of the highest contributors to economic …

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Chestnuts… Could be a Big Opportunity for American Farmers?

I thought this might interest some folks. I recently received a paper penned by Jeremy Kaufman the Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder of “Propagate”, an agroforestry investments and project development platform focused on bridging the capital and operational needs for the integration of tree crops to farmland. I thought this was worth sharing and might …

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How Refrigeration Transformed Agricultural Trade in America

One of the most important inventions for agricultural trade was something that most consumers today can’t imagine living without – refrigeration. The original idea to use refrigeration for farm goods is credited to dairy farmer Thomas Moore of Maryland who was simply looking for a better way to get his butter to market. First, it’s …

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Historic Wyoming Ranch Once Won in a Poker Game Hits Market for $58 Million!

The Gros Ventre River Ranch, rebranded as the Grand View River Ranch, spans almost 119 acres in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Originally homesteaded in 1910, the property has only switched hands a handful of times, including in 1944 when it was won by a local cowboy in what had to be an epic …

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What We Can Learn by Comparing the Two Strongest Modern-Day El Niño’s

It looks like an unusual winter is on the horizon. For the first time in seven years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted a “strong” El Niño event in the coming months. During El Niño, the prevailing winds near the equator in the Pacific relax. Surface waters in the central and eastern …

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Australia’s Wheat Crop Continues to Wither

After a brutally hot and dry September, Australia’s wheat crop is expected to take an even bigger plunge than forecasters have already projected. The Australian Bureau of Agriculture currently estimates the crop at just over 25 million metric tons, slightly less optimistic than the United States Department of Agriculture’s 26 MMT estimate but higher than …

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US Soybean Industry Has +$124 Billion Impact on the Economy…. and Growing!

A new study from the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) and the United Soybean Board finds the soybean sector has a $124 billion impact on the US economy. Based on data from crop years 2019/20 to 2021/22, the contribution includes $85.7 billion from soy production and $9.8 billion from soybean processing. According to the study, …

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