U.S. Helping to Feed the World

Dan This Land of Ours

The U.S. is once again helping to feed the world. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The United States has long prided itself in our ability to feed the world. Administration leaders have taken another step to do just that. U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Agency for International Development are drawing down the full balance of …

Deadline Extension for Innovators

Dan Agriscience, Research, This Land of Ours

A deadline is extended for innovators in agriculture. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2023 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its ninth year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced …

Local Food Marketing Practices

Dan This Land of Ours, USDA-NASS

USDA Releases Data on Local Food Marketing Practices. More than 147,000 American farms produced and sold food locally through direct marketing practices, resulting in $9 billion in revenue during 2020. The Local Food Marketing Practices data released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service covers both fresh and value-added foods, such as meat and cheese. More than 40,000 farms sold food …

Avocados Are Good for More Than Guacamole

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, Vegetables

It’s a Cinco de Mayo favorite, but avocados are good for more than just guacamole. A study published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that eating avocados may lower the chances of heart attacks and heart disease. They compiled research collected over the last 45 years. Medical News Today says, “After adjusting for major dietary and lifestyle …

 Farmers Embracing Sustainable Practices

Dan Environment, This Land of Ours

Farmers are embracing sustainable farming practices. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. People today are interested in their investments as it relates to environmental, social, and governance issues, including sustainability. Farmland Partners CEO, Paul Pittman, says investing in farmland, with consideration of those issues, is a natural fit. “The track record of American farmers and American agriculture generally …

Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Emissions Falling

Dan Environment, This Land of Ours

Agriculture gets good marks when it comes to lowering greenhouse gasses. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The nation’s greenhouse gas emissions are declining and fell more than four percent from 2019 to 2020. That’s according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The most recent Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks shows agriculture continues to represent …

Finding Trends in Food Production

Dan This Land of Ours

Finding trends in food production. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) recently released The Future of Food Production, a whitepaper detailing the drivers impacting how food is produced in North America. From producing more with less environmental impact to advanced food traceability to help maintain consumer trust to artificial intelligence enabling insights-driven farming, …

Add Years to Your Life Eating the Right Diet

Dan Field Crops, Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, Vegetables

Young adults could possibly add a decade to their life expectancy by eating the right foods, and limiting the wrong ones. Eating an ideal diet could add as much as ten years to the life expectancy of a young adult. That’s according to an extensive study by researchers at The University of Sydney, Australia. Their modeling methodology used meta-analyses, data from the …

Boosting the Nutritional Bounty of Carrots and Onions

Dan Field Crops, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, USDA-ARS, Vegetables

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are looking to beef up your salad—not with complementary slices of tender chicken, steak or other meat but rather new, improved varieties of carrots and onions. Philipp Simon, research leader of the ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin, is coordinating the effort to fortify these popular salad items and fresh-market favorites with increased levels of …

Feral Swine in America: USDA/APHIS Goes to Georgia

Dan Georgia, Pork, This Land of Ours, USDA-APHIS

The newest video in the ongoing series, Feral Swine in America: Episode 5- Georgia, takes us to peanut fields to hear about the invasive species’ impacts on this American staple crop. We also go to Cumberland Island to see how feral swine impact sea turtles and the collaborative efforts made to prevent nest damage. APHIS is offering this video series, which …