The National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance will launch its first ever alfalfa checkoff on January first. The initiative is called the U.S. Alfalfa Farmer Research Initiative, designed to help offset a shortfall in alfalfa research funding.
Report Projects Global Beef Demand Up Through 2020
The global beef market is projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2020. That number is in a new study just released by Grand View Research of San Francisco. Meating Place Dot Com says beef is the third-most consumed meat around the globe.
Net Farm Income Down for Third Straight Year
Net cash farm income and net farm income are two popular ways to measure farm sector profitability, but they aren’t the same thing. Net cash farm income tracks cash receipts and cash expenses, while net farm income includes non-cash transactions, including inventory changes, capital replacements costs, and others.
No Actions Under Feedstock Flexibility Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation announced that it does not expect to purchase and sell sugar under the Feedstock Flexibility Program in fiscal year 2017. Federal law allows sugar processors to obtain loans from USDA with maturities of up to nine months when the sugarcane or sugar beet harvest begins. Upon loan maturity, the sugar processor …
MyPlate, MyWins Helps Turn Resolutions into Real Solutions
MyPlate, MyWins Helps Americans Turn Resolutions into Real Solutions for Healthy Eating in the New Year The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) launched a New Year’s campaign to help Americans turn their resolutions into real solutions for healthy eating in 2017. This campaign is supported by new and existing MyPlate, MyWins resources available …
Sodexo Food Service Announces New Animal Welfare Standards
In a joint announcement with the Humane Society of the U.S., food service company Sodexo announced it’s adopting new animal welfare requirements for broiler chickens and other livestock, one day after the Panera restaurant chain made a similar announcement.
Budget Patch Averts Ag Lending Crisis
All available ag lending money the government had was given out to farmers during the last fiscal year to help them through the worst economic downturn in decades. An Associated Press article says, despite that, no one who qualifies for a farm loan will be turned down over the next four months, thanks in part to an unusual item recently …
Ag Secretary Search to Continue
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller is the next candidate to meet with Trump Transition Team officials this week. Politico’s Morning Agriculture Report says Miller may be a bit of a long shot, but he’ll meet with incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Prebius and Chief Strategist Steve Bannon at Trump Tower this week.
Wind Turbines May Benefit Crops
An Iowa State University study is suggesting that turbines used to capture wind energy may have a benefit on crops in the fields. Gene Takle, a distinguished professor of both Agronomy as well as Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, says wind turbines disbursed throughout a field may create air turbulence that helps plants by affecting different variables, including air temperature and …
South American Soybean Harvest Underway
Brazil soybean harvest is just underway in Matto Grosso, getting started a few days before Christmas. Pro Farmer’s First Thing Today says soybean harvest in Parana should get going within the next ten days.