USDA is planning to test raw bulk milk nationally for the H5N1 bird flu virus because of the growing number of cases during the past month in California dairy herds. Rust Halvorson has more details. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke to reporters last week about USDA’s plans to expand the testing of milk across the country. USDA will begin broader …
I’m Mark Opel with an American Agriculture History Minute. As American agriculture expanded, farmers continued to make improvements in their production of grain, and by the late 1880s, 1890s, attention focused on improving animal production and meat quality. Enter William Danforth, who in 1894 established an animal feed company, Purina Mills. Danforth later partnered with Webster Edderley, founder of a …
October (.pdf) provided a surprising pre-election bounce in farmer sentiment as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer climbed to 115, 27 points above the September index. The biggest driver of the sentiment improvement was an increase in producers’ confidence in the future. The Future Expectations Index jumped 30 points to 124. The Current Conditions Index also rose in October …
The lame duck session will be the last chance to get a new farm bill passed before the end of the year. Tyron Spearman has more information on what some are looking at. The lame duck session is scheduled to begin after Veteran’s Day, which is November 11th. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up …
Members of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) are in Tucson, Arizona, this week for their annual Strategic Planning Conference. As attendees gather to discuss key initiatives and industry strategies, organizers might want to consider the use of badge scanners for conferences like these. Badge scanners could streamline check-ins, enhance networking opportunities, and provide valuable data for future event planning. Rusty Halvorson …
Many of the crop futures continue to look for solid support. Mark Oppold has an update on various issues affecting the trade. 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 of Herbicides or Beneficials through …
We told you last week that the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida (NRCS-FL) had started accepting applications for disaster assistance funding through the Emergency Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This is to provide technical and financial assistance to agricultural landowners and producers in recovering from damages caused by the three Hurricanes that has affected the state this year, Debby, Helene, and Milton. NRCS-FL …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a historic $1.5 billion for 92 partner-driven conservation projects through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. Partners will provide $968 million in contributions to amplify the impact of the federal investment. Selected RCPP projects will help farmers, ranchers, and …
The Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation (FARM) Act, introduced last month and supported by over 40 members of Congress, seeks to address immediate financial needs in the farming community. Endorsed by major agricultural groups like the National Sorghum Producers, the legislation proposes economic assistance targeted for the 2024 crop year. Under the FARM Act, payment calculations would be based on …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The U.S. economy was still primarily agriculturally based in the early 19th century. Westward expansion continues, including the Louisiana Purchase, plus the building of canals, the introduction of steamboats, opening new areas for agriculture. Still, most farming was designed to produce food for the family and maybe service small local markets. …
