Updated weather models now show a very high percentage chance of a super El Nino forming later this year. It’s not often weather observers put a high percentage chance on any forecast, but long-range models now show the strongest El Nino ever could be forming by October-November this year. The main features of such a forecast, likelihood of a very wet fall …
The Early 1900s: Electricity as a Luxury In the early 20th century, electricity was not the everyday utility we know today—it was considered a luxury. As shared by agricultural broadcaster Mark Oppold in his American Agriculture History Minute, electrification was still in its infancy, and access to electric power was limited primarily to urban areas. The 1920s: A Growing Urban …
USDA has published the final rule regarding stocking standards for retailers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. According to the Department, the final rule requires that retailers “must now carry seven varieties of items across four categories of staple foods: protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. This change more than doubles the requirement of available foods, emphasizes more …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has appointed additional representatives to the National Peanut Board. The National Peanut Board is made up of 12 producer members and their alternates with eleven members and their alternates representing the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Additionally, an at-large member and alter represent the …
The Texas Animal Health Commission reported on Facebook last week that USDA APHIS announced another shift in the dispersal area for sterile flies in a precautionary effort in the fight against New World Screwworm from entering the U.S. While there has been no detections of New World Screwworm in the United States, the Texas Animal Health Commission says that these …
A Rare Moment in American Agricultural History In a remarkable snapshot of rural America, Mark Oppold highlights an extraordinary farmland auction that captured the attention of the local farming community and beyond. Events like these are not just about land changing hands—they represent legacy, opportunity, and the enduring value of American agriculture. Bitter Cold, Red-Hot Demand On a frigid February …
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended May 8, 2026, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions, for the week ended May 08, 2026, receipts at 16 markets totaled 11,038 head compared to 8,988 last week and 10,163 last …
The Florida Cattle Enhancement Board has provided production research opportunities for the Florida cattle industry. We caught up with Gene Lollis, former Florida Cattlemen’s Association President and current Director of Ranch Operations at the Archbold Research Station, Buck Island Ranch to learn about his experience with the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board. “The Enhancement Board has been huge for our state. …
Bayer Deltapine® New Product Evaluator (NPE) Program is evaluating the 2027 class of cotton varieties. We caught up with Eric Best, Deltapine® Cotton Product Manager to learn more. Best said, “We were sitting here talking about this two months ago, and we’ve seen cotton prices go up. We’re seeing a little bit of momentum and positivity around attitudes around the cotton …
A bold new era for the peanut industry. That’s the voice of the National Peanut Board, who announced this week a new program to help promote peanuts. It’s a game changing brand platform, they said, that will champion this, represent the 7000 peanut farming families across America. They said that this is a special, new strategic push to connect the Gen Z population, a generation that …
