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Ag News

AEM Identifies Trends that Could Reshape the Way Food is Produced

Tracking farm equipment sales is one of the common ways that economists assess the overall health of the agricultural economy. According to the Futures Council for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), this data may also provide insights into up and coming industry trends. AEM has developed a new report based on such data and identified 13 trends in agriculture ...
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Optimistic Outlook for Poultry Market but Bird Flu Remains a Wild Card

Rabobank's latest "Poultry Quarterly" relays an optimistic outlook for global poultry markets despite prices coming somewhat under pressure during the first quarter of 2023. The consultancy sites tight supplies in major importing countries brought on by both ongoing supply chain issues and avian influenza. Rabobank notes that the disease, also known as "bird flu," remains a major wild card.According to ...
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U.S. Crop Export Competitiveness Has Faded Over the Past Two Decades

The U.S. has historically been one of the largest exporter of agricultural crops but increased competition threatens its global standing, according to a new report from the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS). Export shares and exports-to-production ratios indicate the US continues to be the top exporter of corn, tree nuts, and cotton, while other competitors have ...
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The First Milk Bottles

It was this week in 1879 that Echo Farms Dairy introduced the first purpose-made milk bottles in New York City, delivering the milk from their farm in Litchfield, Connecticut. Until this time, people bought milk as a bulk item, with the seller dispensing milk out of a keg or bucket into whatever jugs, pails, or other containers the customers brought ...
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Equipment Manufacturers Line Up to be Included in Video Game “Farming Simulator”

While I don't have any hard numbers to back it up, I'd guess there are not a lot of companies with "video game placement" in their marketing budgets. However, it seems that a lot of ag equipment makers are doing exactly that with "Farming Simulator." Just as the title suggests, the video game series from GIANTS Software allows players to ...
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Unintended Consequences of Glyphosate Bans Concern Farmers and Environmentalists Alike

Glyphosate is the most-used agricultural herbicide in the world. Registered in the US since 1974, the herbicide is facing increasing scrutiny by governments around the world as detrimental impacts to the environment as well as human health are raised. However, the potential bans have been highly criticized for not providing effective alternatives which has raised alarms not only from farmers ...
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“Tornado Alley” Has Shifted South and East…Tips for Staying Safe This Spring

"Tornado Alley" is a loosely defined location of the central United States where tornadoes are most frequent. There are no official boundaries of Tornado Alley, but the area common to most definitions extends from Texas, through parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, and eastern portions of Colorado and Wyoming. However, a growing body of research ...
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“Eggflation” Making Easter More Expensive… Yes, You Can Freeze Eggs

Easter eggs won't be cheap this year and I'm sure many folks may have already turned to plastic eggs for this weekend. On average, sales of eggs in shells tend to go up +40% heading into Easter weekend, with retailers ordering six times their normal volume. Overall, egg prices are up +70% year-over-year as the average price per a dozen ...
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Interesting History of America’s Cowboy Boots

There are few things more symbolic of America than the iconic cowboy boot. While no one knows who actually invented the supremely versatile footwear, the history of cowboy boots is very similar to that of the United States with several different cultures influencing the design we know today.Boots made specifically for riding horses have been around for centuries and dozens ...
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New Methods of Producing Green Hydrogen From Seawater Could Provide a Nearly Unlimited Energy Supply

"Green hydrogen" is considered a climate-friendly fuel source that many believe could power the future. However, a main stumbling block to adopting the clean fuel on a mass scale is the strain it would put on already dwindling freshwater supplies. Now, several research teams are reporting progress in utilizing seawater to produce hydrogen, which some say could provide the world ...
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