Citrus fruits are now a major part of agriculture across the United States, especially in states like Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas. But the history of oranges, lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits stretches back thousands of years to ancient civilizations and early global trade routes. According to agricultural historians, the exact origin of citrus fruits cannot be precisely identified. …
Buried Treasure in an Iowa Cornfield: Farmer Unearths Rare 1850s Silver Coins
A Remarkable Discovery Along the Missouri River In March 2017, an ordinary day of fieldwork turned into an extraordinary moment in modern agricultural history. According to this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute with Mark Oppold, Iowa farmer Robert Ellis made a discovery that stunned historians, collectors, and treasure hunters alike. While plowing a field near the Missouri River …
Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Encouraging Voter Participation Today
With Election Day today, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is encouraging everyone to get out to the polls and we caught up with Erin Beasley with ACA to learn more. “Well, for months we’ve been leading up to the big Tuesday primary vote and that will take place here on May 19th is the primary voting day for the state of Alabama and …
Historic Iowa Farmland Auction Draws Crowds and Millions
A Rare Moment in American Agricultural History In a remarkable snapshot of rural America, Mark Oppold highlights an extraordinary farmland auction that captured the attention of the local farming community and beyond. Events like these are not just about land changing hands—they represent legacy, opportunity, and the enduring value of American agriculture. Bitter Cold, Red-Hot Demand On a frigid February …
House of Representatives passes Farm Bill 2.0
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567), also known as Farm Bill 2.0, and agricultural groups are reacting to the passage. Agricultural Retailers Association President and CEO Daren Coppock said, “ARA applauds the House for advancing the Farm Bill, which delivers certainty for farmers, strengthens rural economies, and helps …
Drought and Wildfires Impacting Southeastern States
Drought impacts have escalated in recent weeks across the southeast impacting crop planting and pasture availability. Now, wildfires have become a threat in both Georgia and Florida, with disaster declarations and burn bans put in place. Earlier this month, USDA designated 30 Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas and 12 contiguous disaster counties due to drought impacts and this …
USDA Finalizes National Environmental Policy Act Rule
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced last week that USDA has finalized a rule to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations. According to the Department, the changes outlined in the rule “consolidated seven agency-specific NEPA regulations into a single, department wide framework, reducing the overall volume of regulations by 66 percent.” Secretary Rollins said, “Since last July, agencies …
USDA Shares Corn and Cotton Planting Progress for the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released details on the planting progress for both corn and cotton so far this season. USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey provides an overview on the planting progress for cotton, “In a lot of years, we only see planting progress this early in a couple of states, and Arizona is one of those. They lead the nation, …
New Pesticide Product To Address New World Screwworm Received by the EPA
Last week, the Federal Register included a notice from the Environmental Protection Agency that they have received a request to register a new pesticide product for the treatment of New World Screwworm. The notice states that the request is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for “NovoFly male-only genetically engineered (GE) New World screwworm (NWS) in USDA’s Sterile Insect Technique …
Georgia Cotton Commission Approves 2027 Research
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Cotton Commission Board of Directors has approved $725,875 in research for the 2027 crop year. The approval was made during the March board meeting. The money will finance 17 projects conducted by University of Georgia researchers and Extension specialists. Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, discussed the research and its importance on …










