The Van Trump Report

Agriculture

October Is Here… When Can We Expect Our First Snow?

October is here, and with Fall officially underway, the weather will be turning increasingly colder across the nation, leaving many wondering when we will experience our first snow. How early it snows obviously depends on your specific location and elevation as well as weather patterns from year-to-year. For some, the earliest snow could actually happen …

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Low Mississippi River Levels Could Compound US Ag Export Headaches

As harvest gets underway, US agriculture is facing low Mississippi River levels for a fourth year in a row. The low water levels are again disrupting grain barge traffic on the Mississippi and threaten to boost freight costs, adding yet another complication for US ag exporters. Typically, around half of all US grain and soybean …

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Perhaps One Day We Will Be Farming for Rare Earth Metals… Some Already Are!

Amid the rolling wildflower fields of South Africa, a profound disruption is underway in the world of mining, a sector not typically known for its gentleness on the land. What looks like a sea of yellow daisies is actually the launch site of Genomines, a pioneering biotech startup leveraging gene-edited plants to mine nickel, a …

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Japan Unveils World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Driverless Tractor

Kubota Corporation has unveiled what it calls the world’s first hydrogen-powered self-driving tractor, a major step forward in addressing both Japan’s acute farm labor shortages and the push toward decarbonization in agriculture. The company presented the prototype at an expo in Osaka in 2025, marking a milestone in the intersection of clean energy and automation. …

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Big Changes Coming for Food Ingredient “GRAS” Rule

The US Food and Drug Administration recently revealed some big changes coming in 2026. Among them is a significant shift in the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) substances guidelines. The changes would require companies to notify FDA and provide safety data before they are permitted to introduce a new food ingredient into the food supply. …

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“Terrana Biosciences” Unveils Plans for RNA-Based Crop Protection

After four years in stealth mode, “Terran Biosciences” has emerged with a plan to use its RNA-based technology platform to develop a host of potential applications for protecting and enhancing crops. The company says 15 product candidates are already in development and it has already demonstrated proof-of-concept in corn, soybeans, and tomatoes. Rather than altering …

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China’s Race to the Top Includes Cheaper Tractors and Faster Innovation in the Next Era of Agtech

China’s latest push to accelerate agricultural machinery development signals a transformative moment in global agriculture, with implications for farmers, equipment dealers, and agtech companies worldwide. The world’s largest agricultural producer, China, recently unveiled a strategic plan to radically shorten research and development cycles for farm equipment, aiming to modernize its machinery industry and extend its …

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National Farm Safety and Health Week: “Don’t Learn Safety by Accident”

It’s the third week of September, which means it is once again time for the annual “National Farm Safety and Health Week” in the U.S. For many rural areas, harvest season is the busiest time of year, and also one of the most dangerous. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the agriculture …

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Climbing Fertilizer Prices Have Added to Farmer Budget Strains

US farmers are once again facing rising fertilizer prices after a brief period of stabilization following disruptions tied to the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While prices for fertilizers remain below the record highs set in 2022, the elevated costs are nonetheless taking a bite out of already stretched farm budgets. The biggest price …

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