A Roadmap to Better Decision Making

Sorghum growers may soon have new cultivars that protect against "anthracnose," a fungal disease that can inflict devastating yield losses of up to 50%. Researchers from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Purdue University have discovered a gene that can help fortify the cereal crop against anthracnose, opening the door to disease-resistant cultivars. Sorghum is the fifth-most widely grown ...
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It was on this day in 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met in Promontory, Utah, to drive a ceremonial "last spike" into a rail line that connected their two railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. No longer would western-bound travelers need to take the long and ...
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Tomatoes are warm-season plants that do not tolerate frost or chilly temperatures. My Grams always recommend planting early to mid-May when the danger of frost has passed and the soil has had a chance to warm. She always said to be sure to save the sunniest spots for your tomatoes, as this will often provide the best yield. Interestingly, it ...
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Dumbbell Ranch spans 15,500 acres in the Sandhills of Nebraska, smack dab on top of the deepest part of the Ogallala Aquifer. After more than a century of being owned by the same family, the historic ranch is poised to be taken over by new owners. With an asking price of $16.7 million, Dumbbell wasn't even on the market for ...
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Rabobank's April North American Agribusiness Review provides a mixed outlook for key commodities. Corn and soybean supplies remain tight which are expected to keep feed prices elevated. The bank notes that corn prices have held strong despite weaker futures prices. Looking at a regional, local bids remain strong. Rabobank says this does not bode well for feed given that substitutes ...
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US farmers continue to adopt precision agriculture in an effort to not only increase production and lower input costs, but also combat myriad other challenges such as labor shortages and climate change. While digital agriculture (DA) technologies have been available for several years, adoption rates vary widely by crop and farm size. The biggest uptake of precision ag tech is ...
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Talk of a global rice shortage has recently hit mainstream media with the press latching onto a report from Fitch Solutions. According to Fitch analysts, the global rice market in 2023 is set to log its "largest shortfall in two decades." The report points to the war in Ukraine as well as adverse weather, particularly heat and drought in China ...
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China is both the world's biggest pork producer and consumer. The country is home to roughly half the world's pigs and consumes nearly half the world's total pork output. China's own pork production has more than doubled since 1990, climbing from 22.8 million metric tons (MMT) to more than 55 MMT in 2022. Pork has not always been a main ...
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Honey is one of the most widespread sweeteners in the world with a history that dates as far back as human records. Across the globe today, it has grown into a $9 billion industry. However, some believe honey production in its current form is actually damaging the estimated 20,000 wild and native bee species in the world. California-based MeliBio thinks ...
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As water in the Colorado River continues to shrink, the US Federal government is getting ready to impose reductions in water supplies to states for the first time. Officials earlier this month laid the groundwork for what could be substantial cuts in an effort to protect the minimum “responsible” water levels. This comes as states in the Colorado River Basin ...
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