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At the Winter Policy Conference for the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, members passed an action item supporting the United Nations’ resolution declaring 2026 (next year) as the ” International Year of the Woman Farmer.” NASDA says the action “acknowledges the vital contributions of women farmers and supports programs that enhance access to …

NASDA Champions 2026 as “International Year of the Woman Farmer” Read More »

Boston-based Brown Foods, a Y Combinator-backed startup company, has unveiled “UnReal Milk,” reportedly the first lab-made whole cow milk. The company says its “milk” matches the taste, texture and nutrition of conventional cow’s milk, and also can be transformed into butter, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products — without the cows. According to its …

Startup Creates First Lab-Made Cow’s Milk Read More »

Ongoing cattle herd contraction and the continued struggles of the poultry industry – particularly egg producers – against bird flu are two prominent themes set to impact the livestock industry in 2025, according to USDA’s Agricultural Outlook for Livestock and Poultry. One positive takeaway is an expected decline in feed prices, continuing the trend that …

Beef and Egg Supply Constraints Forecast to Continue in 2025 Read More »

Virtual Soil Testing (VST) continues to make inroads, providing farmers and agronomists with rapid, data-driven insights into soil nutrient levels without the need for extensive physical sampling. This innovative technology offers a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional soil testing methods. VST employs machine learning models to predict both surface and subsurface nutrient levels, including nitrogen, phosphorus, …

Is “Virtual Soil Testing” the Future? Read More »

Since 2009, the United States broiler chicken industry has been forced to dispose of some 400 million eggs every year that are not allowed to be use, according to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule. Industry groups have attempted to have the rule reversed but to no avail. Now, with U.S. egg supplies critically …

Why Some 400 Million U.S. Eggs Can’t Be Used Read More »

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault recently received a huge deposit of more than 14,000 seed samples from around the world. The samples were collected as part of decade-long effort to safeguard vital crops that are threatened by everything from war to environmental pressures, both of which are rising across the globe. Known as the “doomsday …

“Doomsday Vault” Receives Huge Deposit of Global Seed Samples Read More »

Most fertilizers are typically applied to soil in liquid, powder, or granule form. In most cases, the substance either leaches into the water table or evaporates into the atmosphere before releasing its full nutrient payload. That means added expense and work for farmers who must perform multiple fertilizer applications. Scientists think one solution could be …

Glass Bead Fertilizer Helps Keep Nutrients in the Soil Read More »

Agriculture tends to be the fall guy for all our planet’s ills. While it’s true that agriculture is one of the main drivers of global land use change, productivity gains from the adoption of improved crop varieties has limited some of farming’s more negative impacts. In fact, a new study from Purdue University shows how …

How Improved Crop Varieties Have Limited Biodiversity Loss and Improved Sustainability Read More »

Results of the National Cotton Council’s 44th Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey show that U.S. cotton producers plan to plant 9.6 million acres this spring, which would mark a -14.5% decline from 2024. Upland cotton intentions are 9.4 million acres, down -14.4% from 2024, while extra-long staple (ELS) intentions of 158,000 acres represent a …

Cotton Council Sees Steep Decline in U.S. Acres Read More »

Brooke Rollins has officially stepped into her new role as Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, a key position that touches nearly every part of farming, agribusiness, and, by extension, our rural communities. Rollins brings experience from the first Trump administration, where she served as chief for domestic policy, as well as on-the-farm experience …

What to Know About Brooke Rollins, the New USDA Secretary Read More »