Agriculture

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee maintaining “critical levels” at the largest reservoirs in the United States — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — will require large reductions in water deliveries. “A warmer, drier West is what we are seeing today,” she said at a hearing. …

Federal Official Warns of “Day of Reckoning” as Colorado River Water Supply Cuts Read More »

The long-rumored deal for one of America’s most historic ranches is “officially” official – the legendary 6666 Ranch in West Texas has been sold. The more than 266,000-acre property first established in 1870 is now owned by a group led by Hollywood writer Taylor Sheridan, who is probably best known for the hit television series …

It’s Official… Legendary “6666 Ranch” has New Hollywood Owners Read More »

Bats don’t get the same “buzz” as bees when it comes to nature’s pollinators, but they play a bigger role in agriculture than many might realize. And not only do they pollinate crops, they eat copious amounts of crop-killing insects. The population of this critical species is at risk though, with a deadly fungus known …

What We Need to Know About Silent “Bat-Killing” Fungus Read More »

“Per Plant Intelligence” is about having an understanding of every plant in the field. Where they are at in the growing cycle, what inputs they need, and how to best optimize their yield.  “Per Plant Action” is the ability to take action at that same level of detail across an entire farm.  A NEW ag …

Small Farming Robots That are Making a Big Difference! Read More »

Big meat and food conglomerates are gobbling up producers of meat alternatives according to the latest industry reports. Meat companies such as JBS and Cargill have invested heavily in plant-based proteins and laboratory-grown meats in recent years and bought out several smaller companies. Other companies investing heavily in the space also include Kellog’s, Conagra, Tyson …

Big Meat Companies Gobbling Up Alternative Meat Companies Read More »

A majority of the world’s almonds supplies come from California, a state that happens to be experiencing a historic drought. As shrinking water supplies threaten to push already razor-thin margins into negative territory, growers are increasingly questioning the economic sanity of sinking more money into the water-thirsty crop. Almond prices have plummeted to around $1.75 …

Interesting… A Double-Edge Sword as Almond Farmers Juggle Drought and Plunging Prices Read More »

Today, virtually all gasoline sold in the U.S. contains 10% ethanol (E10) thanks to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that came into effect in 2005. Between 2005 and 2010, ethanol sales more than tripled before leveling off as a result of increased vehicle fuel efficiency and the rise of hybrid and electric vehicles. With these …

USDA Report Examines Barriers to Higher Ethanol Blends in U.S. Read More »

The famous Velveeta Cheese we all grew up with wasn’t so much discovered as it was invented, and even stranger is the fact that it’s actually the second cheese invented by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey. Frey emigrated to the US with his father in the late 1800’s. His father was a farmer and cheese maker, …

Happy Birthday “Velveeta Cheese” Read More »

Sri Lanka’s government was recently toppled amid the worst economic crisis since the island nation gained independence in 1948. The country’s ruling Rajapaksa family is blamed for severely mismanaging the economy, resulting in a default on Sri Lanka’s sovereign debt, the collapse of its currency, and a humanitarian crisis due to a severe shortage of …

GREAT LESSON – How Sri Lanka’s Organic Farming Experiment Went Terribly Wrong Read More »

The world’s first ammonia-powered zero-emissions tractor successfully completed its first demonstration run at the Advanced Energy Center at Stony Brook University in New York last week.  The midsized John Deere tractor had its diesel engine replaced with an “ammonia to power” system developed by a startup called Amogy. The system converts the energy-dense chemical into …

World’s First Ammonia-Powered Zero-Emissions Tractor Starts Testing Read More »