Senate hearing focuses on need for ag labor reform
07/23/2021
Dairy and pork industries promote need for year-round labor in comprehensive labor reform. By: Jacqui Fatka The future of undocumented farmworkers and needed changes in securing agricultural labor were the focus of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on July 21 featuring over two hours of questioning of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack during the first panel and …
American ingenuity leading the way through 2021 drought
07/23/2021
AFBF survey assesses how farmers and ranchers are dealing with drought. By: Daniel Munch With intensifying drought conditions across the American West, Southwest and Northern Plains, AFBF designed and distributed a survey to assess drought’s impact on farm and ranch businesses. This Market Intel, the first in series of drought-focused articles, summarizes the results of …
06/25/2021
Water Lines: Many factors are making it difficult to continue farming and ranching — but drought is one of the biggest challenges. By: Dan Keppen This water year is shaping up to be one of the worst in recent Western history. More than 90% of the region is in drought, with 53% experiencing at least …
Niche market for ranch-raised beef on the rise
06/25/2021
Selling beef from the farm to the consumer may provide opportunities for high premiums. By: Blair Fannin SUGGESTED EVENT Farm Progress ShowAug 31, 2021 to Sep 02, 2021 Direct beef purchases from the farm continue to be an emerging trend as consumers want to know both the story and faces behind the products they are purchasing, according …
Landmark Growing Climate Solutions Act clears Senate
06/25/2021
Bill breaks down barriers for farmers interested in participating in carbon markets and be rewarded for climate-smart practices. By: Jacqui Fatka The Growing Climate Solutions Act passed by a vote of 92-8 on the full Senate floor on Thursday. The act has 55 cosponsors, which makes it the first major piece of bipartisan legislation that would …
Is ag media helping to bridge scientific knowledge gap?
06/25/2021
The sound bite culture cannot effectively communicate the nuances of how U.S. agriculture benefits the world. By: Todd Fitchette Getting out and interviewing people in person is a big part of what motivates me as an ag journalist. Being tethered to a desk and computer screen for more than a year was difficult on several …
No easy solution on fixing cattle markets
06/25/2021
Senate Ag hearing reveals mixed views on how cattle market got where it is and what is needed to offer cattle producers relief going forward. By: Jacqui Fatka Beef producers and economists shared the witness table at an unprecedented Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on June 23 -“Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to …
Vaccinating young livestock against disease is affordable, practical
05/25/2021
The price of a single calf, lamb or kid lost to a preventable disease could pay for the vaccination program for a producer’s entire herd or flock. By: Will Hehemann, UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences Whether raising sheep or cattle, livestock producers should always plan on vaccinating their young animals, Dr. David …
Fungicide win: Corn disease controlled
05/25/2021
Corn Illustrated: Get out in front of disease issues by scouting. By: Dave Nanda I scouted a cornfield in late June last year and noticed a few small lesions of gray leaf spot. When I returned as corn was approaching tasseling, the disease was present on most leaves. I informed the grower, who was watching …
Cool temps spread out corn emergence
05/25/2021
Corn Watch: Corn planted on April 24 emerges, albeit slowly. By: Tom J Bechman Brightly colored flags with green, white, red and blue markings flapping in the breeze are a cool sight if you’re watching the Indianapolis 500 race. They’re not such an encouraging sight when they are tiny flags attached to wires, each one …