Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Agri-Business”
The battle against the new world screwworm isn’t being fought with insecticides or fences. Instead, USDA is deploying an unusual weapon, millions of sterile flies. It sounds like science fiction, but it’s a proven strategy called the sterile insect technique or SIT. The idea is simple. Scientists raise screwworm flies in specialized facilities and expose them to gamma radiation, making …
The American Farm Bureau and other agricultural organizations have sent a letter to Washington urging them to help farmers currently. They said a combination of poor commodity prices, record high production costs, and shrinking margins have left many farm families with substantial uncovered losses and little working capital to fall back on for the next year. Farmers are still contending …
A Simple Invention That Made a Lasting Impact Many people recognize agricultural inventors such as Cyrus McCormick, John Deere, and Eli Whitney for revolutionizing farming through innovations in harvesting, equipment, and cotton processing. However, another inventor deserves recognition for creating a tool that transformed life on farms and in communities around the world. English engineer Edwin Budding invented the first …
The U.S. dairy industry is applauding the Trump administration’s latest effort to challenge Canadian dairy trade practices and defend market access promised under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. The White House announced this week it will impose a 50% tariff on dairy imports from Canada, invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. Administration officials say the action is …
Grain traders have shown reluctance to build additional weather premium into futures at this point, but temperatures returning to 100 degrees or more this weekend and into next week can certainly change that. Bottom line analysts say December corn needs consecutive closing over $4.76 to keep the upward momentum in place. August is soybean month, but another forecaster is holding …
Water has always been one of agriculture’s most valuable resources, but the methods used to deliver it to crops have changed dramatically over time. From ancient civilizations to modern center pivot irrigation systems, the history of irrigation reflects farmers’ constant drive to improve crop production and adapt to challenging growing conditions. According to Mark Oppold’s American Agriculture History Minute, the …
The Federal Reserve Board concludes their two-day July meeting a week from today, with no move expected in interest rates. CME FedWatch Tool shows an 83% chance the Fed will leave rates unchanged, still a 17% chance of a small rate hike. Now, the Fed doesn’t meet in August. CME, though, is looking for some action at the September 15th-16th …
American agriculture has experienced several defining moments that forever changed the way food is produced. According to historians, three major agricultural revolutions dramatically increased productivity, improved efficiency, and laid the foundation for modern farming practices. In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlights these three pivotal periods that reshaped American farming—from horse-powered equipment to genetic science. …
Several counties in Alabama have gone above and beyond in recruiting new membership for the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. Erin Beasley of the ACA discussed these counties and this achievement. “We want to congratulate the 29 county presidents that we recently had go, what we call over the top in their membership, and the deadline was June 30th, and these 29 …
Starting the conversation of succession planning is never easy. However, it’s an important topic. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has recently released a new resource to help start the discussion. The online learning module aims at guiding families through the steps of transition and helps families create operation-specific succession plans. NCBA President Gene Copenhaver said, “I’ve been through transition discussions …
