A Simple Invention That Made a Lasting Impact Many people recognize agricultural inventors such as Cyrus McCormick, John Deere, and Eli Whitney for revolutionizing farming through innovations in harvesting, equipment, and cotton processing. However, another inventor deserves recognition for creating a tool that transformed life on farms and in communities around the world. English engineer Edwin Budding invented the first …
The U.S. dairy industry is applauding the Trump administration’s latest effort to challenge Canadian dairy trade practices and defend market access promised under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. The White House announced this week it will impose a 50% tariff on dairy imports from Canada, invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Administration officials say the action is …
Good news on the peanut market according to the analysis by USDA. Farmers have planted 1.5 million acres of peanuts this season. That is down 22 percent from last year, mainly due to suppressed prices from large carry-on stocks from last year. They said as a result the peanut stocks and processing is revising their numbers. They said food use …
Grain traders have shown reluctance to build additional weather premium into futures at this point, but temperatures returning to 100 degrees or more this weekend and into next week can certainly change that. Bottom line analysts say December corn needs consecutive closing over $4.76 to keep the upward momentum in place. August is soybean month, but another forecaster is holding …
Water has always been one of agriculture’s most valuable resources, but the methods used to deliver it to crops have changed dramatically over time. From ancient civilizations to modern center pivot irrigation systems, the history of irrigation reflects farmers’ constant drive to improve crop production and adapt to challenging growing conditions. According to Mark Oppold’s American Agriculture History Minute, the …
By Clint Thompson Farming is a Circus! That was the theme this week at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Panama City Beach. With all that growers have to deal with to produce a crop and remain sustainable, the peanut business can be a circus of challenges at times. The Southern Peanut Growers Conference, which started on Tuesday and was …
The Federal Reserve Board concludes their two-day July meeting a week from today, with no move expected in interest rates. CME FedWatch Tool shows an 83% chance the Fed will leave rates unchanged, still a 17% chance of a small rate hike. Now, the Fed doesn’t meet in August. CME, though, is looking for some action at the September 15th-16th …
American agriculture has experienced several defining moments that forever changed the way food is produced. According to historians, three major agricultural revolutions dramatically increased productivity, improved efficiency, and laid the foundation for modern farming practices. In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlights these three pivotal periods that reshaped American farming—from horse-powered equipment to genetic science. …
U.S. peanut crop now is perking along good with some good rains helping the farmers. They rated the crop this week one percent very poor, six percent poor, 33 fair, 53 good, and seven excellent. That’s nationwide. In Georgia there, 88 percent of their crop is pegging. The five-year average is 86. Soil moisture has been returning to good, 39 …
Several counties in Alabama have gone above and beyond in recruiting new membership for the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. Erin Beasley of the ACA discussed these counties and this achievement. “We want to congratulate the 29 county presidents that we recently had go, what we call over the top in their membership, and the deadline was June 30th, and these 29 …
