agricultural commodities

Tracking Agricultural Commodities after Two Months

Dan Biofuels/Energy, Cattle, Commodities, Corn, Economy, Field Crops, Soybeans, Specialty Crops, Wheat

With two months of 2025 now past us, Mark Oppold takes time to review how certain agricultural commodities have performed thus far this year. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 9, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support For ResearchDecember 19, …

census

More Time for Census of Horticulture Specialties Response

Dan Census of Agriculture, Specialty Crops

A change in deadline for those eligible producers to respond to USDA’s latest sub survey associated with the Census of Agriculture. “We’re talking about floriculture, horticulture, nursery type crops, sod, food crops grown under glass. That’s kind of the space that we’re really talking about,” said Lance Honing of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service talking about the focus of the …

American Agriculture History

American Agriculture History Minute: Development of the Wealthy Apple

Dan American Agriculture History Minute, Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours

I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. In 1860, Horace Greeley wrote in his New York Tribune newspaper, “I would not live in Minnesota because you can’t grow apples there”. Indeed, no one at that time had solved the short growing season, but that finally changed in 1868 when horticulturalist Peter Gideon cultivated and grew an apple that …

varying conditions

Tracking Agricultural Commodities after One Month

Dan Commodities, Cotton, Economy, Field Crops, Soybeans, Specialty Crops

Today, Mark Oppold takes time to review how certain agricultural commodities performed during the first month of trading in 2025. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 9, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support For ResearchDecember 19, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …

USDA August Crop Report

Specialty Crop Marketing Assistance Deadline Extended

Dan Specialty Crops, USDA-FSA

The USDA reminds specialty crop producers to apply for assistance for marketing and food safety certification expenses. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing an additional $650 million in funding for the new Market Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program and extending the application deadline to this Friday, January 10th. Meanwhile, FSA also reminds specialty crop producers of the January 31, 2025, deadline to …

china

China Approves More GM Crops to Boost Food Security

Dan Corn, Field Crops, Soybeans, Specialty Crops, Wheat

China approved five gene-edited crop varieties and 12 types of genetically modified soybeans, corn, and cotton. Reuters says the expanded approvals are intended to boost high-yielding crops, reduce the need for imports, and ensure Chinese food security. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs awarded safety certificates to the 17 crop varieties, according to a document on its website. The …

commodities

How Agricultural Commodities Performed in 2024

Dan Cattle, Commodities, Corn, Cotton, Economy, Field Crops, Pork, Soybeans, Specialty Crops, Wheat

With 2024 in the rear-view mirror, Mark Oppold looks back at how certain agricultural commodities actually performed for the year. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Producers Proactive In Research Efforts Funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 16, 2026Florida Cattle Industry Supports Administration of Florida Cattle Enhancement BoardJanuary 9, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Significant Support For ResearchDecember 19, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement …

Marketing Assistance Available for Specialty Crop Producers

Dan Economy, Specialty Crops, USDA-FSA

The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) two billion-dollar Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program is accepting applications now through January 8, 2025. The goal of the program is to help specialty crop producers expand markets and manage higher costs.  “Specialty crop growers have typically faced higher marketing and handling costs relative to non-specialty crop producers due to the perishability of fruits, vegetables, floriculture, …

Census of Horticultural Specialties

USDA to Conduct the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties

Dan Specialty Crops, USDA-NASS

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties this winter to provide a comprehensive picture of the U.S. horticulture industry. Survey codes are being mailed to more than 40,000 horticulture producers to respond online. Collected just once every five years, this is the only source of detailed production and sales data for U.S. floriculture, nursery, …

walnuts

Walnuts Declared “Healthy” Under New FDA Definition

Dan Specialty Crops

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that walnuts meet its updated criteria for foods that can be labeled or identified as “healthy.” This change is designed to align food labeling with the latest nutrition research and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It also aims to help consumers make more informed decisions when building healthy eating patterns. According …