A virus could help fight fungus on wheat. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A naturally occurring virus co-discovered by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists may offer a way to undermine a costly fungal threat to wheat, barley, and other small-grain crops. The fungus is the chief culprit behind a disease called Fusarium head blight, or “scab.” …
USDA Launches New Virtual Nutrition Center of Excellence
Using nutrition to fight cancer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) this week announced the new Agricultural Science Center of Excellence for Nutrition and Diet for Better Health (ASCEND for Better Health). The virtual center is part of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot effort to end cancer as we know it. Agriculture Secretary Tom …
Farm Income Rising
USDA projects 2022 calendar year net farm income up nearly $20 billion, or 13.8 percent from 2021. American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Economist Veronica Nigh explains what is driving the increase. “Predominantly, this is a price play with 97 percent of that increase in cash receipts attributable to increases in price. Now, it’s not just all inflation either, because when …
2022 Rabobank North America Leadership Awards
Announcing the recipients of an annual honor in food and agribusiness. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Rabobank announced the recipients of its annual Rabobank North America Leadership Awards. The awards celebrate both large-scale corporations and fast-growing emerging companies that are setting remarkable examples of industry stewardship, sustainability, and innovation within the North American food and agribusiness space. …
‘Shop Cotton’ Puts Cotton in Holiday Spotlight
A new online portal helps consumers shop cotton this holiday season. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cotton Incorporated is promoting the textile on its website fabricofourlives.com with the new Shop Cotton section. Shop Cotton links shoppers to a wide variety of cotton goods from several shops. You can get anything from a specialized t-shirt from a small business to …
U.S. Live Holiday Plant Imports Growing
The U.S. is importing more live holiday plants. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Christmas trees and poinsettias are iconic symbols of the holiday season. While the vast majority are grown in the United States for domestic use, a small share of both plants comes from Canada, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. Trade is highly seasonal, with …
House Acts to Prevent Rail Strike
The House of Representatives Wednesday took action to avert a pending rail strike. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on the house floor Wednesday, stated, “A shutdown would grind our economy to a halt, and every family would feel the strain,” while adding, “Small businesses wouldn’t be able to get their products to market. Many of them, as I say, farmers.” National …
Sustainably Feeding a Growing World
How can we sustainably feed a growing world? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. U.S. Soy recently hosted a panel at the 2022 Borlaug International Dialogue as part of the 2022 World Food Prize. Polly Ruhland, United Soybean Board Chief Executive Officer, moderated the discussion, addressing how to sustainably feed a growing world. “It was indeed a big …
USDA Kicks Off Spain Trade Mission Delegation
The USDA kicks off its trade mission in Spain. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service Associate Administrator Clay Hamilton arrived Monday in Madrid to launch a USDA agribusiness trade mission to Spain. More than 70 participants, representing various sectors of U.S. food and agriculture, including businesses, trade associations, and state government, …
Farm Share of U.S. Food Dollar Reached Historic Low in 2021
U.S. farm establishments received 14.5 cents per dollar spent on domestically produced food in 2021—a decrease of 1.0 cent from a revised 15.5 cents in 2020. The figure is the lowest recorded farm share value in nearly three decades, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. The remaining portion of the food dollar—known as the marketing share—covers the costs of getting …