agriculture

How Native Crops and European Grains Shaped U.S. Agriculture

The Crop Exchange That Built American Farming In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold revisits a pivotal moment in agricultural development—when cultures collided and crops crossed continents to shape what we now know as American agriculture. As settlers expanded westward, Native Americans played a crucial role in introducing farm families to vital crops like sweet potatoes, …

agriculture

America’s First State Fair and Its Agriculture Roots

How Farm Family Rivalry Sparked a National Agricultural Tradition In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold explores the spirited origins of an enduring tradition in U.S. agriculture: the State Fair. It didn’t take long for early American farm families to transform agricultural pride into friendly competition—leading to the birth of the State Fair. New York claims …

Cotton Gin

Cotton, Cotton Gin, Helped Shape American Ag Economy

From Columbus to the Cotton Gin: The Crop That Changed a Nation In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold shares a pivotal chapter in American farming—how cotton became one of the nation’s most transformative crops. When Christopher Columbus arrived in the New World in 1492, he discovered cotton growing wild. It wasn’t long before the crop …

Massey-Ferguson

Massey-Ferguson: A Legacy in Agriculture

In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, few names carry the weight of tradition and innovation like Massey-Ferguson. But how did this iconic brand come to be? It all began in 1891, when Hart Massey and Allison Harris merged their companies to form Massey-Harris Limited. Their early innovations included threshing machines and, interestingly, safety bicycles—a surprising reflection of the company’s versatility …

tractors

Before Tractors: The Thresher That Changed Farming

Long before tractors revolutionized American agriculture in the 1930s, a different machine was already transforming the harvest: the threshing machine. In 1847, Daniel Massey launched the Newcastle Foundry in Ontario, Canada, producing some of the world’s first mechanical threshers. These devices separated grain from stalks—an essential but once backbreaking task. Above: A vintage threshing machine at work during a historical …

cherry harvest

Cherry Harvest Best in Three Years in Northwest US

A crop we don’t cover on the Bottom-Line report, cherries. The 2025 cherry harvest well underway in the northwestern part of the country, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, three major states, and estimates are it’s the best crop in three years. Two and a half million 20-pound boxes. Interesting they don’t measure in bushels or tons like we do other crops, but …

Alabama Agribusiness Council

Alabama Agribusiness Council New Officer Team Looks To Expand Membership and Grow Events

The Alabama Agribusiness Council new officer team began their term this week during their 2025 Annual Meeting. We caught up with Erin Beasley, incoming President of the Alabama Agribusiness Council, who shared the focus of this year’s officer team. Dale Sandlin reporting for Southeast AgNet. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics …

snygenta

USDA Announces Cuts to DEI Focused Awards

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that they will be terminating 145 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) focused awards. The cuts, amounting to a maximum savings of $148.6 Million include programs that will be terminated including programs that would: Educate and engage socially disadvantaged farmers on conservation practices; a program that would create a new model for urban …