Agriculture

American chestnut trees were once one of the most important trees in eastern US forests. Some of these trees reached heights of over 100 feet with trunk diameters up to 14 feet. Billions of American chestnuts once stretched from Georgia and Alabama to Michigan and Maine before disease nearly wiped out the trees, which are …

Scientists Hope Genetic Engineering Can Bring the American Chestnut Back From Extinction Read More »

In 1903, Goodyear secured a patent for the world’s first tubeless automobile tire, a business that grew exponentially alongside America’s burgeoning car industry. As vehicles have changed through the years, Goodyear’s ability to innovate and willingness to shift in step with changing customer demand has kept it among the top tire manufacturers in the world. …

At Goodyear, Soybeans and Rice are Replacing Rubber Read More »

China has been investing billions of dollars into massive high-rise hog-raising facilities popularly known as “hog hotels” in the last few years with the trend starting out as just two and three-story facilities. But it quickly escalated into monolithic structures of over 10 levels, with tens of thousands of animals raised on each and now, …

World’s Biggest Single-Building Pig Farm Is Now Operating in China Read More »

I always wondered how and when they started growing Pineapples on the island of Hawaii. From what I had learned, the pineapple was indigenous to South America and is said to originate from the area between southern Brazil and Paraguay. It is believed that the natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout …

The History of the “Pineapple”… I Had No Idea  Read More »

When the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, only a small sliver of the country’s vast expanses had been established as part of the new Union. But before the young country had even completed its Constitution, a group of enterprising war veterans formed a new company to buy up land in what now forms the states …

What You Might Not Know About the Pioneers That Settled the Northwest Territory Read More »

As ranchers continue to battle severe drought conditions, the US cattle heard is expected to continue shrinking into 2023. As a result, US beef imports are expected to increase next year with Australia seen playing a starring role. That would mark a change from the last few years where several factors have depressed US beef …

Big Shifts in US Beef Imports Read More »

After being suspended in December of 2018, the United States Department of Agriculture “Cost of Pollination” survey has now been reinstated. For producers that regularly need to rent bees, it probably comes as no surprise that pollination costs have skyrocketed over the last few years, with prices up well more than +30% in many cases. …

Even Bees Are Getting Stung by Inflation… Cost of Pollination Up +38% Since 2017 Read More »

Avian influenza, aka “bird flu,” absolutely ravaged US poultry flocks in 2022 with almost 58 million birds in commercial poultry operations lost to the disease. The losses are now greater than the last major outbreak in 2014-15 that wiped out 50.5 million US poultry birds. Interestingly, California ranked 13th among US states for total number …

How California’s Egg Shortage – and Skyrocketing Prices – Could Spread to Other States Read More »

At long last, farmers and ranchers have gained the “right-to-repair” their expensive John Deere equipment thanks to an agreement with the American Farm Bureau Federation. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that requires John Deere to provide farmers and independent repair facilities with access to the company’s tools, software, and documentation to …

What John Deere’s “Right to Repair” Agreement Means for US Farmers Read More »

It was brought to my attention that several other AgTech companies other than John Deere were showcasing some of their latest innovations at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Below are just a few more ag highlights from the show that I found interesting. Aimbe LAB: South Korean startup Aimbe LAB has designed a way to monitor the …

Interesting AgTech in the Spotlight at Consumer Electronics Show Read More »