Traders will have new data to digest from a couple of new reports. Mark Oppold has more details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary 23, 2026Florida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration …
USMEF Pleased with Port Labor Contract Agreement
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) is pleased with the recent agreement with the East and Gulf Coast Port Labor Contract. Rusty Halvorson has the story. The International Longshoremen’s Association and United States Maritime Alliance reached a tentative agreement on all items for a new six-year master labor contract covering ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President …
American Agriculture History Minute: Largest Barns in the U. S.
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. As with many subjects, the largest of any item is always up for debate. The largest barn in the U. S. said to be the Cooper Barn in Colby, Kansas, measuring 114 feet long, 48 feet high. The largest round barn, many agree, is the Stark Barn, near Red Cloud, Nebraska, …
Specialty Crop Marketing Assistance Deadline Extended
The USDA reminds specialty crop producers to apply for assistance for marketing and food safety certification expenses. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing an additional $650 million in funding for the new Market Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program and extending the application deadline to this Friday, January 10th. Meanwhile, FSA also reminds specialty crop producers of the January 31, 2025, deadline to …
January Cotton, Peanut Calendar of Events
There are many agricultural meetings coming up this month that Southeast cotton and peanut growers may be interested in attending. One of those is the annual Beltwide Cotton Conference. It will be held January 14-16 in New Orleans, LA., sponsored by the National Cotton Council. For more information visit www.cotton.org/beltwide/. On January 16th the Georgia Peanut Farm Show will take place at the UGA Tifton …
Efforts Continue to Stamp Out H5N1
New funding is being made available to help in the efforts to stamp out H5N1. Rusty Halvorson has more details. The Biden administration recently announced it would award $306 million more to address avian influenza cases in humans, especially livestock workers. The New York Times noted the timing of the funding reflects concerns among senior health officials that the incoming Trump …
Traders Banking on Lower Interest Rates
Traders are already looking ahead at whether we will actually see more interest rate cuts by the Fed. Mark Oppold has more details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary 23, 2026Florida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, …
USDA Works to Strengthen Food Supply Chain
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking steps to bolster the nation’s food supply chain in response to vulnerabilities revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jenny Lester Moffitt, Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, explains that the pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in our food supply chain created a need for change and a new approach to ensure the system is …
National Day of Mourning for President Jimmy Carter
The funeral procession for former President Jimmy Carter will end today in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. As Tyron Spearman reports, today has been declared a National Day of Mourning. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary 23, 2026Florida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts …
American Agriculture History Minute: Hay Press Invented
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The baling of hay began with the invention of the first hay press in about 1850. Hay was baled then for easier handling, reducing space for storage and for shipment. The first bales weighed around 300 pounds because the original machines were vertical in nature. They used a horse-drawn screw press …










