The Van Trump Report

Month: April 2026

Can GM Seeds Make US Farmers Love Wheat Again?

Wheat, amongst many, has become the low-tech stepchild of US row crops. Over the last 30 years, America’s farmers have increasingly ditched conventional wheat acres for more profitable genetically modified (GM) corn and soybeans. This year, they intend to plant the fewest wheat acres since the USDA began keeping records over a century ago. But …

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Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern Merger on Collision Course With Ag Groups

The proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern rail merger is shaping up as one of the most consequential transportation deals in decades. And US agriculture is emerging as one the most worried – stakeholder groups. While the railroads pitch a coast‑to‑coast network that boosts efficiency and reliability, farm organizations warn it could tighten an already constrained rail …

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John Deere’s E98 Tractor Tests a Farm‑Fueled Future

John Deere’s new E98 8R prototype looks, at first glance, like any other big green row‑crop tractor. Under the hood, though, it’s running on something very different from diesel: fuel‑grade ethanol, about 98 percent pure. For row‑crop farmers who already grow the feedstock for that fuel, Deere’s prototype paints a possible future where your tractor …

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