By Chris Beyerhelm, Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency and Leonard Jordan, Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service USDA has learned that Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), an invasive weed, may have infested some newly-seeded (2016) conservation plantings across the upper Midwest. Palmer amaranth is highly competitive, and in fact, is the most competitive of the pigweed species. It grows rapidly and …
Two Signup Reminders from Florida NRCS
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to remind agricultural producers about two applications periods that are underway until May 19th. One involves financial assistance to restore longleaf pine and the other is to improve water quality. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 8, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Critical Role To Extend ResearchNovember 7, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …
Idaho Researcher: Farmers Benefit from Drought
A researcher at the University of Idaho says farmers can benefit from droughts. Garth Taylor says droughts can be harsh on the farmers who are directly impacted, but as a whole, farmers benefit from droughts because they reduce production and drive prices higher, according to news organization The Capital Press. Taylor pointed out that during the most recent extended drought …
Canada Doubling Down on Dairy Trade Comments
Canada continues to say ‘it’s not our problem’ when asked about dairy trade with the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (true-doh) told Bloomberg News Thursday: “It’s not Canada that’s the challenge here.” Trudeau said the U.S. has a large dairy trade surplus with Canada. He stood by his own system, by saying every country subsidizes agriculture, adding: “Let’s …
Australia and New Zealand Dairy Leaders Would Support U.S. WTO Action on Canada
Dairy industry leaders from Australia and New Zealand say they would support the U.S. in potential World Trade Organization action against Canada. Leaders from both nations say they would support President Donald Trump if he included the WTO in a trade dispute over a milk pricing scheme by Canada that is harming U.S. dairy farmers. U.S. dairy groups say the …
New ‘Focus on Cotton’ Webcast Introduces Thrips Infestation Predictor Tool to Help Growers Prevent Seedling Damage
Tobacco thrips populations fluctuate in size from year to year and can cause significant damage to cotton seedlings by slowing growth and making the plant more vulnerable to future environmental stress. A new Focus on Cotton webcast titled “Thrips Infestation Predictor for Cotton: An Online Tool for Informed Thrips Management” helps cotton growers, consultants, and other industry experts schedule planting …
Walmart Launches Project Gigaton to Reduce Emissions in Company’s Supply Chain
Through release of a sustainability toolkit, Walmart asks suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one gigaton – the equivalent to taking more than 211 million passenger vehicles off of U.S. roads for an entire year During Walmart’s annual Milestone Summit, the company launched a sustainability platform inviting suppliers to join Walmart in committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting …
Food, Conservation Groups Invest in Soil to Sustain Food Production
A national effort to enhance farm sustainability through soil health has additional backing from a major consumer foods manufacturer. Leaders from General Mills, The Nature Conservancy, the Soil Health Institute and the Soil Health Partnership announce a collaborative effort to advance soil health on America’s farms and ranches, paving the way for measurable economic and environmental gains for farmers, businesses …
ARS Announces New Scientific Impact Video Series
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is pleased to debut a video series highlighting important scientific advances that occurred because of ARS research. This first YouTube video highlights ARS’ role in large-scale commercial production of penicillin. While discovered in England, the ability to mass-produce penicillin occurred in the United States at an ARS lab in Peoria, Illinois. This video showcases one …
The Potential Effects of Increased Demand for U.S. Agricultural Exports on Metro and Nonmetro Employment
by Steven Zahniser, Tom Hertz, Peter Dixon, and Maureen Rimmer, Economic Research Service What Is the Issue? ERS estimates that U.S. agricultural exports supported about 1.1 million full-time, civilian jobs in 2015. Yet, the economic linkages between U.S. agricultural exports and rural employment are not fully understood, particularly in the metro and nonmetro regions of each State and among production …