Agriculture

Weather forecasters see increasing indications that  “El Niño” could emerge later this year, with some models predicting it could become one of the strongest in history. Depending on the timing, the weather pattern could be a significant influence on developing 26/27 crops. El Niño is part of a larger back‑and‑forth cycle with its opposite phase, …

Forecasters Warn Possible “Super El Niño” Could Develop Later This Year Read More »

USDA’s move to require electronic identification (EID/RFID) ear tags for certain cattle and bison has become one of the most contentious policy battles in U.S. livestock. The debate pits animal‑health and export arguments against concerns about cost, control, and consolidation. Now, the issue will be decided by the courts after a lawsuit brought by ranchers …

The Debate Over Mandatory EID Ear Tags…What You Need to Know Read More »

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with special guests Tom Willis, CEO, Conestoga Energy Holdings to discuss important developments in the biofuel (RVO’s, E15, 45Z, 45Q, SAF, etc..) and ag sectors. The group also discusses current corn, soybean, wheat, and cattle markets. The recent USDA report and what 2026 might …

FARMCON Conversations 03–11-2026 Read More »

John Deere’s name is synonymous with the tractor and equipment manufacturer that still bears his name. 140 years since his death in 1886, the one-time blacksmith would probably be quite astonished at how his cutting-edge plow has evolved. Beyond his talent for invention, Deere was also a savvy businessman and it was these perhaps lesser-known …

What You Might Not Know About John Deere, the Man Behind the Tractor Read More »

You’ve heard the buzz: “AI agents.” Not just chatbots spitting out answers, but autonomous digital workers that think, plan, decide, and act on their own. Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO, dropped the bombshell in early 2026 earnings chatter that’s still rippling through markets. At Coinbase, these agents now write more than 50% of the company’s code …

Age of the AI Agent is Here… Farmers Take Note Read More »

In the Texas Panhandle, where the Ogallala Aquifer has long sustained cattle ranching and irrigated crops like wheat and cotton, a new kind of neighbor is arriving. Projects such as Fermi America’s Project Matador near Amarillo, a proposed 11-gigawatt AI data center campus spanning thousands of acres, promise economic transformation. Yet they also spotlight intensifying …

Data Centers’ Growing Thirst… AI Boom Tests Limits of Water, Power, and Farmland Read More »

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with special guest Carter Williams, CEO, iSelect to discuss important developments in the ag sector and US military development. Carter consults and spend a considerable amount of time with leaders in Washington, so his insight and perspective is extremely important to understand. The conversation …

FARMCON Conversations 03–04-2026 Read More »

The new “E15 Rural Domestic Energy Council,” formed by House Republicans in January, is circulating a discussion draft that would allow year-round E15 gasoline. The proposed deal, which has been at an impasse over blending requirements for small refiners, raises the number of exemptions allowable on blending mandates, in addition to allowing year-round E15. The …

What’s Happening with E15 Legislation? Read More »

Carbon Robotics is pushing the frontier of farm automation again, this time with software rather than hardware. Its new “Large Plant Model” (LPM) is essentially a foundational AI “brain” designed to help farmers manage weeds and crops with far more precision and far less friction than traditional systems. The company is already known for its …

Carbon Robotics Introduces World’s First “Large Plant Model” AI Read More »

The US cattle herd is sitting at a 75-year low with no recovery yet in sight. Relief for strained cattle supplies and resulting record-high beef prices looks even further out of reach following devastating fires that have swept across key cattle regions in Oklahoma and Kansas. Pastures are reportedly burned down to “sand,” and producers …

Wildfires Devastate Cattle Country in Oklahoma, Kansas Read More »