Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin

How Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin Revolutionized American Agriculture

A Simple Conversation Sparked One of America’s Greatest Agricultural Innovations Innovation has always played a vital role in American agriculture, and few inventions transformed farming more dramatically than the cotton gin. What began as a simple conversation between a struggling farmer and a mechanically gifted college student ultimately changed the course of American agriculture forever. According to Mark Oppold’s American …

peanut crop

Peanut Crop Condition Update

The National Ag Statistics Service, the USDA, says the U.S. peanut crop condition is 1% very poor, 6% poor, 34 fair, 54 good, and 5 excellent as we get to July the 7th. Checking on the states, Georgia is showing 62% of their crop is pegging down. That’s the five-year average at 63. They said the peanut crop has improved …

aca

ACA Looks Forward to Upcoming July Meetings

We caught up with Erin Beasley of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) to hear more about their upcoming meetings. “Well, we want our membership to know that we’ve got another set of summer regional meetings that will be taking place this month. We have July the 9th, that will be our Black Belt regional meeting right there in Valley Grand, …

weather

Weather Forecast Up for Debate

Weather forecasts front and center in the grain trade here at midweek, but U.S. and European weather models disagree going forward. Bottomline grain analysts suggest that commodity fund traders have been looking for any reason to go long in this market, and weather was the reason this week. Now, there’s a catch. European weather models show a hot, dry August …

stocks

Stocks and Processing Report Shows Increase in Peanut Popularity

Well, the Stocks and Processing Report gives us more details on how peanuts are being utilized. According to USDA in their 10th month report, they said that raw peanuts in primary products are up an amazing 6.3 percent. That’s August through May compared to last year. Peanut usage is up; peanut butter usage is up 6.3 percent for the period. …

nppc

NPPC Releases Statement on USMCA

After the statement released to not renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) shared their thoughts, saying, “Amidst the many uncertainties that come with pork production, trade has remained a bright spot for U.S. pork producers, whose neighbors to the north and south represent a third of all U.S. pork exports. Ensuring USMCA remains intact is vital …

Superior

Superior Livestock’s Sale Kicked Off

Superior Livestock’s biggest sale of the year kicked off yesterday. It’s their week-long week in the Rockies. They expect over 240,000 head of cattle, calves, and bred-stock offered before the gavel comes down Friday afternoon, so it’s a good market test. We watched August Live Cattle and August Feeder Cattle. Both have followed a similar price path. Both reached their …

John Deere's Steel Plow

John Deere’s Steel Plow Revolutionized American Farming

How a Young Blacksmith Changed Agriculture Forever The westward expansion of the United States brought tremendous opportunities for early settlers, but it also presented enormous challenges. Among the greatest obstacles was transforming untamed prairie into productive farmland. The invention of the steel plow in 1837 marked a turning point in American agricultural history, allowing farmers to cultivate the rich but …

poultry processing plant

Small Processor’s Action Plan Aims To Improve Aspects Of Livestock Processing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a new initiative aimed at strengthening America’s meat and poultry processing sector, with the goal of creating more opportunities for livestock producers and increasing competition throughout the supply chain. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins recently announced the department’s new Small Processor Action Plan, which is designed to reduce regulatory burdens, improve access to technical …

weather

Weather Affecting Industries

World events certainly affect grain, and livestock markets all year long, but as we move deeper into July, weather takes more of a spotlight for both. Markets back open today after the holiday. We hope it was a great weekend for family and friends. We mentioned in a report last week that December corn historically reaches a top 10 to …