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Ag News

Tyson is the Latest Ag Giant to Dive Into Insect Proteins

Tyson Foods is expanding into the insect protein market with a dual investment in startup "Protix." Tyson will take a minority stake in Protix, a Netherlands-based insect ingredients maker. The two companies will also partner on a new U.S. facility that will “upcycle" byproducts from the food industry into insect proteins and lipids for use in livestock feed and pet ...
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What the Heck is “Freight Farms”?

Freight Farms is a Boston-based agriculture technology company and was the first to manufacture and sell "container farms": hydroponic farming systems retrofitted inside intermodal freight containers. I've heard of some larger row-crop producers adding these container units to their farms to create additional revenue streams, so perhaps it might be something to think about or consider depending on your proximity ...
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What Crops are Most at Risk From El Niño?

As the El Niño weather pattern continues to develop, various disruptions to agricultural production are expected around the globe. This year's El Niño follows a rare, three consecutive years of La Niña, which has many of the opposite effects to El Niño on agricultural crop growing conditions. But while El Niño weather years have some general tendencies, no two are ...
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“PepperX” is Officially the Hottest Pepper on the Planet

Ed Currie, founder of aptly named "PuckerButt Pepper Company" in South Carolina, has unleashed a fiery new pepper variety into the world known as "PepperX." According to Guinness World Records, the wrinkly yellow-green pepper is officially the hottest in the world, measuring an average of 2.693 million Scoville Heat Units. The previous record holder, the Carolina Reaper - also developed ...
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How Siberia’s October Snowfall Can Predict How Harsh Winter Will Be in the US

Over the last couple of decades, a theory that the accumulated snow cover in Siberia during October can impact Winter weather in the United States has gained popularity among everyone from weather forecasters and snow plow operators to insurance companies and hedge funds. Even the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitors the snow cover in Siberia to craft its ...
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The Real Dangers of “Soybean Cyst Nematode” and Their Financial Toll on Producers

Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is the most devastating and yield-limiting pest of soybeans in the U.S. According to The SCN Coalition, the devastating pest is present in most areas where soybeans are grown and continue to rapidly spread each year with an estimated annual yield loss potential of $1.5 billion. The SCN Coalition’s has developed a new tool, the SCN ...
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Why Brazil’s 2023/24 Corn Crop Could Be a Wild Card

After two back-to-back record corn crops, Brazil's 2023/24 production is expected to take a few steps back. In its first forecast for 2023/24, the country's crop forecasting agency Conab estimates Brazil's farmers will harvest 119.44 million metric tons (MMT) of corn, down -9.5% from last year. The decline is a combination of falling profit margins, high input costs, and the ...
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What You Might Not Know About “Pringles”, America’s Favorite Hyperbolic Paraboloid-Shaped Snack!

Back in 2009, Britain's Supreme Court had to decide an unusual question - is a "Pringle" a potato chip? That's because potato chips (called crisps in Britain) and "similar products made from the potato, or from potato flour,” are subject to taxes. In the end, the high court ruled that Pringle's are indeed potato chips and its then-owner Procter & ...
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How to Watch This Weekend’s “Ring of Fire” Solar Eclipse

Saturday, October 14, will bring a rare astronomical treat to much of North America - an "annular" solar eclipse. Known as the “ring of fire,” the partial solar eclipse will be visible in all 48 contiguous states, along with Alaska. It also marks the last opportunity to witness an annular eclipse in the U.S. until June 21, 2039. Below is ...
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National Farmers Day

Farmers Day is celebrated every year on October 12! The profession of farming began around 12,000 years ago with the domestication of livestock as hunter/gatherers settled down and started to plant their own food. Agriculture is one of the world’s oldest and most vital professions. Farmers have remained one of the highest contributors to economic growth while consistently feeding the ...
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