According to an early 1920s study, only 6% of farmers in the corn belt states had tractors, with the rest saying as long as they had to keep enough horses or mules to do cultivating, they might as well use the animals for all their other farm fieldwork as well, so no need for a …
In the 2023 edition of “America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance,” the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) finds that the majority of farming and ranching operations in the US during 2022 were still family-owned. What’s more, only around 26% had any debt. A “family farm” is of course one where the majority of the …
Most US Farms and Ranches are Still “Family-Owned”…and Debt Free! Read More »
Global supply chains are once again being thrown into chaos as attacks by Houthi rebels on vessels in the Red Sea cause shippers to opt for longer and more expensive routes. The narrow waterway provides access to the Suez Canal, through which as much as 15% of global trade passes, including around 8% of global …
How Red Sea Hazards are Impacting Global Trade… Including Agriculture Read More »
In any given growing season, the list of potential yield-damaging threats to a corn crop is a long one. It can also sometimes be difficult and expensive to diagnose what’s ailing a crop and many a grower that’s likely wished their plants could just tell them what was wrong. That is exactly the idea behind …
USDA Approves “Intelligent” Corn Plants That Can Change Color Read More »
The story I included below is one of my all-time favorite Christmas Stories. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years. If you and your family have ever thought about implementing this, this might be the year to kick things off.For the Man Who Hated Christmas, By Nancy W. Gavin It’s …
Due to the Christmas and New Year holidays, the abbreviated trading sessions, and our upcoming multi-day annual FARMCON conference, I will not be issuing another morning report until Monday, January 8th. If something dramatic happens or I make a sizable adjustment to my portfolio or cash marketing strategy I will update paid subscribers via a …
The brilliant red flowers of the Euphorbia pulcherrima plant, more commonly known as “poinsettias,” are synonymous with Christmas in the US. Considered the unofficial “Christmas flower,” it may surprise you to learn that the tradition of decorating our homes with poinsettias during the holidays is a relatively recent one. In fact, it was the vision …
How a California Farm Family Made Poinsettia’s a Holiday Tradition Read More »
Charles W. Howard was a farmer that couldn’t contain his displeasure with seeing Santas in frayed suits, cheap beards, and who also had inadequate knowledge of reindeer. So in 1937, he determined to improve the problems by starting a “Santa School”. History reports the first class consisted of just three men. Eventually, however, Howard would …
Real Christmas trees have been easier to find this year but prices are nonetheless about +10% to +15% higher in most parts of the country. The American Christmas Tree Association predicted earlier this year that consumers could expect to pay an average of $80-$100 for a real Christmas tree this year. Of course, depending on …
What’s Driving Christmas Tree Inflation…and Fun Facts About Our Favorite Evergreen! Read More »
Animal-free protein made by precision fermentation continues to be a big trend in food tech, even as the rapid growth projections for the technology have come back down to earth. The latest offering from the space is a liquid egg called “EVERY Egg” from “The EVERY Company,” which they tout as indistinguishable from hen eggs. …
