largest

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, …

USDA August Crop Report

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 …

peanut

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 …

stamp out

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

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 Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, …

food supply

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

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 Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides …

American agriculture

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 …

china

China Approves More GM Crops to Boost Food Security

China approved five gene-edited crop varieties and 12 types of genetically modified soybeans, corn, and cotton. Reuters says the expanded approvals are intended to boost high-yielding crops, reduce the need for imports, and ensure Chinese food security. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs awarded safety certificates to the 17 crop varieties, according to a document on its website. The …

trade

U.S. Ag Trade Considerations in 2025

What might be some of the questions regarding U.S. farm and food trade in the New Year, based in part on some of the developments of 2024? Rod Bain takes a look. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …