China Growing Less Corn as Acreage Drops

Farmers in China will plant less corn this season, resulting in the nation’s smallest crop in six years. A poll by Reuters finds that during the spring planting season, growers in China plan to cut corn acreage for the second straight year to 35.2 million hectares, the equivalent of roughly 85 million acres, 4.1 percent less than a year ago. …

EPA Administrator Promises Back-to-Basics Agenda

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt last week promised a back-to-basics agenda approach for the federal agency. While visiting a Pennsylvania coal mine, Pruitt announced the agenda, saying the new focus “means returning EPA to its core mission: protecting the environment by engaging with state, local,and tribal partners to create sensible regulations that enhance economic growth.” In his speech to …

Little Time to Reverse Organic Livestock Rules

If confirmed next Monday, Agriculture Secretary nominee Sonny Perdue will have little time to oppose organic livestock rules finalized by the Department of Agriculture just a day before President Donald Trump was sworn in. Politico reports the rules will go into effect May 19th, but Congress has until April 28th to undo the measure, and Congress doesn’t seem likely to …

USDA Seeking to Advance Modernized Pork Slaughter

The Department of Agriculture wants to move forward with a modernization of pork slaughter. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service last week announced the agency wants to move forward with a system that will focus inspection resources and improve food safety. The effort is supported by the National Pork Producers Council, which says the improvements would increase efficiency and effectiveness …

Agri View: Costly Brush Fire Disasters

Everett Griner talks about brush fires costly to farmers this year in today’s Agri View.     Back in late February I did the best update I could on agriculture losses in that series of tornadoes that struck all the way from Louisiana into Georgia. You know the general news media never gives a report on farm losses in weather …

Scott Pushes for Money to Repair Lake Okeechobee Dike

by Jim Turner, News Service of Florida Gov. Rick Scott waded into the legislative battle over Everglades restoration Monday. The governor gave support to a revised Senate water-storage plan and called for lawmakers to financially help the federal government speed repairs to the dike around Lake Okeechobee. In a news conference as the legislative session entered its final three weeks, …

Theory of Relativity Applies to Cattle Prices

An expert says he expects beef cattle prices to continue to fall for a while, but not down to the low levels of nine years ago. Gary Crawford has the story.   Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant …

Growing Season Weather Predictions

Tyron Spearman has a look at the long-range forecast for the Southeast growing season.       Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026

Georgia Tobacco Producers Overwhelmingly Approve Continued Tobacco Assessment

From the Georgia Department of Agriculture Georgia tobacco producers overwhelmingly voted to extend the assessment of fifty cents per hundredweight of tobacco for an additional three years—90.6% of the eligible ballots returned voted yes.  The balloting period for the market order was conducted from March 1st to March 30th. The Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission for Tobacco utilizes funds received for …