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, …
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 …
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 …
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 »
Over 50 years ago in the summer of 1970, a group of friends followed an old stagecoach road into the woods of California’s Gold Country where they were hunting for mining relics but what they came across that day was even more rare, fruit trees that were planted when gold was being mined 170 years …
How a Barber Pivoted and Became One of the Most Influential in Western Ag History Read More »
Consumers are beyond frustrated about the U.S. egg shortage that has sent prices through a continuous string of new record highs. Some are taking matters into their own hands by keeping their own backyard chickens. But for those that want to test the waters before fully committing to a flock, “Rent The Chicken” is a …
This Company Rents Out Full Backyard Chicken Setups Read More »
