A Little-Known Figure in American Agriculture American agricultural history is filled with innovators whose contributions helped shape regional economies and agricultural industries. One of those lesser-known figures is Étienne de Boré, remembered for his role in the early development of Louisiana’s sugar industry. Born in 1741 in a small village along the Mississippi River in what is now Illinois, de …
The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association strives to educate industry professionals about the beef industry. Michael Smith with the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is here to tell us more about their Beef 101 classes. “Yeah, so this is something that kind of follows the traditional school year. We host this program with our friends there at Auburn University at the Meat Sciences Lab. …
An update on the fight against New World Screwworm. Research entomologist Alex Arp describes the new NovoFly, a new strand of sterile flies. “We’ll mass produce a lot of screwworm flies, sterilize them with gamma radiation, and then release them over a large area. And continuously over time, this will kill off the population. Only the male flies are actually …
Cover crops can do more than protect soil between growing seasons. USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce explains some of the ways farmers are putting cover crops to work on their operations. “A cover crop is a crop that’s planted after the cash crop is harvested. They’re species of plants that introduce plant biodiversity into the soil, …
University of Georgia’s peanut team, research and extension endowment continues to provide support for research, education, and extension outreach that directly affects peanut farmers in Georgia and even in the southeast. Established in 2013, an initial $100,000 contribution was provided by the Georgia Federal State Inspection Service. This is an endowment that’s created to provide a permanent source of funding …
Last Wednesday, CME’s FedWatch tool showed a 60% chance of a quarter-point rate hike by the Fed this week. Since then, an almost uninterrupted rise in energy prices and lower trends on Wall Street has that percentage now at 88% chance of a quarter-point hike today, an analyst suggesting another quarter-point hike by December. In the grain trade, rain chances …
When we talk about U.S. agricultural exports, it’s easy to think about commodities like beef, corn, or soybeans. But American livestock genetics are also finding a place in international markets. New Zealand is itself a major agricultural exporter, sending much of what its farmers produce to customers around the world. During a recent U.S. agricultural trade mission to New Zealand …
There’s a big day in September. It’s September the 13th. It’s better known as National Peanut Day. It honors the versatility and the rich heritage of peanuts, which are a beloved snack in America. The National Peanut Day is a chance to work some peanuts into a healthy diet or used anyway as a tasty lunchbox snack or in a …
Bottom line, livestock analysts keeping an eye on cattle futures early week, finding support from the recent lows. October live cattle at two and a half week highs and they have their sights set on levels above 221-222, highs that would be from early in August. Breaking the heat back in the plains is certainly helpful, although the heat remains …
A Leader Who Helped Shape Modern Agriculture American agriculture has been advanced by farmers, scientists, inventors and researchers—but some of the most influential contributors never farmed or developed an invention in a laboratory. E.T. York was one of those individuals. Born in Alabama in 1922, York built a career around agricultural education, administration and public policy. Through his work in …
