Today, the agricultural and aviation communities quietly celebrate the 102nd anniversary of the first use of the airplane for crop dusting. On this day in 1921, Army Air Corps pilot Lieutenant John A. Macready, piloting a specially modified Curtiss JN4 Jenny, spread lead arsenate over a six-acre grove of 6,000 catalpa trees at Postmaster Harry …
Vietnam has approved the commercial use of two locally-made vaccines for African swine fever (ASF). The vaccines, both of which was developed in collaboration with researchers from the United States Agricultural Research Institute (ARS), are the first to ever be approved anywhere in the world for commercial use against the deadly pig virus. The vaccines …
State Fairs are kicking off the 2023 season across America! For so many families, there is just no better way to wrap up a long, hot summer than a couple of deep-fried Twinkies, a rickety carnival ride, and some dusty livestock pens! Below I’ve included a map with all of the dates for most all …
“State Fair” Season is Upon Us… What You Need to Know Read More »
According to the USDA, Florida’s orange production peaked in 1998 at 244 million boxes and has been on a precipitous decline ever since. A significant decline occurred after the historic 2004 hurricane season with production falling from 242 million boxes to 149.8 million, then dropped below 100 million boxes in 2015 for the first time …
Why Orange Juice Prices Could Stay Near Record Highs Read More »
The folks over at FarmdocDaily have released new research showing the dramatic change in farm employment over the last five decades. It probably comes as no surprise that farm employment has fallen by -35% since 1969 amid greater adoption of labor-saving technologies and the ongoing trend of farm consolidation. These changes have also had consequences …
Farm Employment in the US has Declined -35% Over the Last 50 Years Read More »
With all of the fresh watermelon hitting the market, I thought it would be good to again review a few tips about how to pick just the right one. A few of our readers happen to be some of the largest watermelon producers in the U.S. and have passed along a few inside tips through …
Vertical farming seems to have lost its appeal to venture capitalists, with funding for the sector plunging some -91% over the last year. The once-hot industry promised to change the future of farming with its high-tech approach but has instead delivered exorbitant energy costs and a lot of high-priced leafy greens. Despite some $4 billion …
Update on the Farm Bill – Will Congress Pass a New One Before Farm Bill 2018 Expires?The current Farm Bill, inked in 2018, expires in just over two months. Unfortunately, many lawmakers are expressing doubts that a new one will be completed before the September 30 expiration date. Revisited every five years, the Farm Bill …
Update on the Farm Bill – Will Congress Pass a New One Before Farm Bill 2018 Expires? Read More »
Hot temperatures and extremes in weather have hit the state of Georgia hard this year, as producers say they have lost 90% of the state’s peaches. According to the University of Georgia, the state normally produces more than 130 million pounds of peaches annually. This season they lost more than 90% of their crop after …
Peach Prices Might be Surprisingly High the Next Several Months Read More »
Once again, the world is trying to understand what an end to Ukraine grain shipments out of the Black Sea will mean for the international grain market. On July 17, Russia terminated the Black Sea grain deal that had kept Ukraine’s corn, wheat, sunoil, and other critical agricultural exports flowing. Ukraine farmers do have some …
What the End of Black Sea Grain Deal Means for Global Food Supplies Read More »
