A team of researchers at the universities of Florida and Wisconsin-Madison will use a $7.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to pinpoint genes that could improve plants’ ability to access nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth. Enhancing plants’ nitrogen uptake could increase food security by promoting crop growth in poor soils and could reduce the need …
Gluten Free Wheat Near Reality
Researchers in Europe are close to creating a gluten-free bread. A team of scientists using CRISPR gene-editing technology has found a way to reduce the number of gluten proteins in an individual wheat kernel. In doing so, they were able to create a plant that could be used in the future to make flour for bread that can be considered …
USDA Releases Grain Stocks Estimates
Current corn storage has swelled to levels not seen since the 1980’s, according to new data released by the Department of Agriculture. USDA released its quarterly Grain Stocks report Friday. The report shows that old-crop corn stocks have reached a 30-year record at 2.2 billion bushels. That number was 32 percent higher than last year, but still below the pre-report …
Canada Better Positioned for NAFTA Talks Than 23 Years Ago
Canada’s Prime Minister during the original North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations says the nation is in a better position now than it was 23 years ago to negotiate the agreement. Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien served in office between 1993 and 2003. He said back in 1994, Canada had a surplus of $50 billion a year in trade. But …
House Member Outlines Need for Farm Bill
Kansas Republican Representative Roger Marshall says families across the U.S. need the next farm bill. As part of a House Agriculture Committee video series, Marshall says there is “no single piece of legislation more important” to his district than the farm bill. Marshal represents District One of Kansas, one of the largest agricultural-driven districts in the nation. He says the …
Senate Ag Sets Northey, Ibach Confirmation Hearing
The Senate Agriculture Committee will consider the nomination of Bill Northey and Greg Ibach Thursday. Northey was nominated by the Trump administration to be the Department of Agriculture undersecretary for farm and foreign agricultural services. Meanwhile, Ibach was nominated to be undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. Northey is the current Iowa agriculture secretary, and Ibach is the Nebraska director …
Soft Durum Wheat Opens Door to Expand Food Uses
Soft Svevo, a new soft durum wheat variety developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their collaborators, could expand the market for wheat. Traditional durum wheats are primarily grown as a source of semolina—a coarse meal used to make pasta, couscous, and other products. However, producing semolina requires specialized mills that can grind durum wheat’s rock-hard kernels. This, in …
Dairy Industry Cautions Japan to Respect Current Trade Relationships
Japan’s agriculture officials must respect current market access between Japan and its trading partners, including the United States, when reviewing a list of geographical indications (GIs) proposed by the European Union (EU), or else risk disrupting one of the world’s largest consumer marketplaces, the U.S. dairy industry urged. In a letter to the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, leaders …
Sills Joins Georgia Cotton Commission
The Georgia Cotton Commission is pleased to announce that Taylor Sills had joined the commission staff as Director of Public Affairs. Sills previously worked as the Young Farmer Coordinator at Georgia Farm Bureau. In this role, Sills coordinated activities to support, promote, and encourage Young Farmers within Georgia Farm Bureau. He also served GFB as a Marketing Specialist in the …
China Set to Import $100 Million Worth of U.S. Peanuts
China is buying U.S.-produced peanuts on a very high level. The USDA says that will continue. An Agri-Pulse report says China will purchase $100 million dollars of American peanuts. Sales data so far in 2017 says it very well could happen. The U.S. has already sold $29 million dollars’ worth of peanuts from Texas, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, as …