Specialty Crops Growth Shows Need for Expanded Risk Management Tools

Specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables and nuts, make up almost one-third of total crop sales in the United States, but many specialty crop acres remain uninsured. American Farm Bureau Federation economists recently examined specialty crop coverage. The Market Intel report found that more than 80 percent of the acreage of hazelnuts, kiwifruit, strawberries and lettuce remain uncovered through the Federal …

U.S. Live Holiday Plant Imports Growing

The U.S. is importing more live holiday plants. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Christmas trees and poinsettias are iconic symbols of the holiday season. While the vast majority are grown in the United States for domestic use, a small share of both plants comes from Canada, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. Trade is highly seasonal, with …

Agriculture Groups Applaud Passage of Bill that Blocks Rail Strike

(NCGA/December 1, 2022) — The Senate voted 80-15 to pass a bill that would head off a potential rail strike that could have disrupted the movement of grain and input shipments. The vote comes a day after the House approved similar legislation. The National Corn Growers Association applauded the development. “We are extremely relieved that Congress took action to head …

House Acts to Prevent Rail Strike

The House of Representatives Wednesday took action to avert a pending rail strike. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on the house floor Wednesday, stated, “A shutdown would grind our economy to a halt, and every family would feel the strain,” while adding, “Small businesses wouldn’t be able to get their products to market. Many of them, as I say, farmers.” National …

Discussing the Next Generation of Farmers

Many discussions have been had about farmers in the future. Tyron Spearman reports the peanut industry is even looking at who will do the farming in years to come. 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 …

Harvest Update for Cotton and Peanuts

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued their final 2022 crop progress report for peanuts. While most of that harvest has ended, USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey notes there are a few areas where harvesters are still in the fields. He runs through the latest on both the cotton and peanut harvests, starting with cotton. And Rippey looks at what the USDA report says about …

U.S. Sugar Completes Deal Amid Legal Fight

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE) — U.S. Sugar Corp. has completed a $315 million purchase of another large player in the sugar industry as the federal government continues to fight the merger on antitrust grounds. Attorneys for Clewiston-based U.S. Sugar said in a court filing Tuesday that it had completed the acquisition of the assets of Imperial Sugar Co. The filing came after a …

Concerns with China

There are a lot of things taking place in the country of China at this time, something Mark Oppold notes is a real concern for many traders. 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 …

Sustainably Feeding a Growing World

How can we sustainably feed a growing world? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. U.S. Soy recently hosted a panel at the 2022 Borlaug International Dialogue as part of the 2022 World Food Prize. Polly Ruhland, United Soybean Board Chief Executive Officer, moderated the discussion, addressing how to sustainably feed a growing world. “It was indeed a big …