I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Missouri has a proud agricultural tradition. In fact, the statue adorning the dome of the state capitol in Jefferson City, often mistaken as Lady Liberty, is actually Ceres, goddess of growing vegetation. The first farms in Missouri were established around 1725 by French settlers near St. Louis and of course the …
U.S. Farmers Expect to Plant More Corn and Less Soybean Acres
U.S. farmers surveyed intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn in 2025, up 5% from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings Report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Planted acreage intentions for corn are up or unchanged in 40 of the 48 estimating states. Acreage increases of 400,000 acres or more from last year are expected in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, …
U.S. Peanut Acreage Expected to Rise 8 Percent
USDA’s 2025 Planting Intentions Report indicates there will be 1.95 million acres of peanuts this year, up 8 percent from 2024. Planted acreage is expected to increase 9 percent or more in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Tyron Spearman runs through the new numbers. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows …
Traders Watching the Weather
Traders are watching weather conditions across the country as new reports and planting season is upon us. Mark Oppold has more details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …
American Agriculture History Minute: Transitioning of the Midwest
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Between the Civil War and the end of World War II, the Midwest transitioned from a rural economy to an industrial agricultural economy as the Midwest rapidly industrialized. The expansion of railroads to the west transformed Kansas City into a major transportation hub. The growth of the Texas cattle industry along …
Livestock Market Reports for Week Ended 03-28-2025
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia for the week ended March 28, 2025, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions, for the week ended March 28, 2025, receipts at 16 markets totaled 9,214 head compared to 7,568 last week and 9,472 last …
Funding Cuts Affect a Peanut Research Program
Cuts being made by the federal government have affected a peanut research program in Georgia. Tyron Spearman has the story. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports …
Meat Supplies are Dwindling
A new report notes meat supplies are dwindling. Mark Oppold runs through the new numbers. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track Record Well Received By LegislatorsJanuary 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Supports Beef Education and Promotion ProgramsJanuary …
NCBA Welcomes Return of July Cattle Report
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently announced it was reinstating the July Cattle Report and the County Estimates for Crops and Livestock. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) thanked the NASS for reinstating the reports which were discontinued last year. NCBA noted they have provided critical data to farmers and ranchers for years. “The return of the July Cattle Report and County …
American Agriculture History Minute: Creation of the “Farmer’s Almanac”
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Robert Thomas is part of American agriculture history. He was born in 1766 near Boston. He took to writing in those early years and became a school teacher, teaching English writing and literature. He eventually became a seller of books and also an amateur astronomer, and it would be a combination …










