Fri.Nov 22, 2024

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Weekend reading: Real Food, Real Facts

Food Politics

Charlotte Bilekoff. Real Food, Real Facts: Processed Food and the Politics of Knowledge. University of California Press, 2024. 267 pages. Food processing is a big issue these days (witness RFK Jr’s pledge to get ultra-processed foods out of school meals) and I was interested to see what food studies scholar Charlotte Biltekoff had to say about it.

Food 356
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Beef Market Update: The choice/select spread, heifer placements, and bred-cow prices

Real Agriculture

Markets in the U.S. experienced a bounce this week from the downward trend that they were on due to packers running smaller fed-cattle kills in the last few weeks. That support under the cutout has been supporting the cash markets. The select spread has widened again which continues to confirm that demand for those high… Read More Markets in the U.S. experienced a bounce this week from the downward trend that they were on due to packers running smaller fed-cattle kills in the last few weeks.

Marketing 312
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Enumerator Spotlight: Meet Jessica Welshans

NASDA

Since 2014, Jessica Welshans has been a dedicated NASDA enumerator and supervisor in Pennsylvania. Her strong ties to her community and in-depth knowledge of the area have helped ensure reliable agricultural data for local farmers and the entire industry. Jessica’s work makes a real impact on the agricultural community, and her dedication strengthens the data that supports decision-making nationwide.

Farming 130
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Farm profitability pressure and trade’s value to rural areas

Real Agriculture

There’s no two-ways about it: 2025 is going to be a challenging season for farm profitability. It’s anyone’s guess right now what factors could pop up to push the commodity complex higher, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. John Newton, executive head of Terrain, spoke with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney at the National Association of… Read More There’s no two-ways about it: 2025 is going to be a challenging season for farm profitability.

Ruralism 286
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NASS: Meet the People Behind the Numbers – Amy Bailey

NASDA

Amy Bailey leads the Crops and Specialty Surveys Section at USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, managing surveys that gather important data on crops across the country. She works closely with NASS Survey Administrators to make sure survey plans are solid and that the right tools reach Regional Offices and NASDA enumerators. In a recent interview, Amy talks about her role, how she tackles challenges in collecting data and her vision for the future of agricultural statistics.

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RealAg Radio: A GST holiday, fixing Canadian health care, and a cattle market update, Nov 22, 2024

Real Agriculture

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio. Host Shaun Haney is joined by Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange for the Beef Market Update. Haney is then joined by Lyndsey Smith and Kelvin Heppner both of RealAgriculture for the RealAg Issues Panel. The trio discusses: Ag minister Lawrence MacAulay’s trip… Read More Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio.

Marketing 130
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NASDA Pilot Regions Workshop: Building Skills & Strategies for Success

NASDA

NASDA recently hosted a training workshop in Sioux City, Iowa, for our Northern Plains and Upper Midwest pilot regions. This event brought together new coaches, managers, trainers and supervisors to help them get ready for their roles within NASDA’s updated management structure. The workshop focused on teamwork, supporting enumerators in the field and improving communication and data collection strategies.

More Trending

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USDA’s CEAP Survey: NASDA and Farmers Team Up for Conservation

NASDA

From November 2024 to March 2025, NASDA field enumerators will visit farms across the U.S. for the USDA Conservation Effects Assessment Project, a partnership between the National Agricultural Statistics Service and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Enumerators will collect data on chemical use, fertilizer, tillage, irrigation and conservation practices, like cover cropping and no-till, through interviews with farmers.

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USDA comes out swinging on organic enforcement

Western FarmPress

‘We are at the point where everybody in the supply chain needs to be certified,’ official says.

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Creating a Circular Economy for Healthy Soils

American Farmland

Learn how a circular economy can build healthy soil, reduce waste and increase climate resilience in California.

Compost 118
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Connecticut Farm Bureau seeking Executive Director

NASDA

The Connecticut Farm Bureau Association seeking applicants for its Executive Director position. The Executive Director is responsible for the management of the CT Farm Bureau Association Inc. and its associated affiliates. The ideal candidate will have a passion for Connecticut agriculture, be a person of high integrity, have a positive attitude, and possess the ability to work independently and as a team member to further the mission of Connecticut Farm Bureau.

Farming 130
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From Sunflowers to Squash: One Detroit Farmer’s Push for Food Sovereignty

Modern Farmer

This story is the first in “The Healing Soil: Detroit’s Urban Farms,” a three-part series being co-published with Outlier Media and Planet Detroit , and is supported by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. Driving down Monterey Street on Detroit’s westside, there are more abandoned and vacant houses than occupied ones. Sidewalks are overgrown with grass, and stretches of land as long as football fields separate the homes that remain.

Food 99
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Who says soil compaction doesn’t matter?

Western FarmPress

Soybean Watch: Finding examples where soil compaction affects growth is not difficult.

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NASDA’s Enumerator Program: A Global Model for Agricultural Data Collection

NASDA

NASDA’s enumerators are gaining international recognition for their role in U.S. agricultural data collection. In 2024, delegations from Algeria, Malaysia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and the Philippines visited the U.S. through the USDA Cochran Fellowship Program to learn about methods for producing accurate agricultural statistics. These visits, coordinated with NASS and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, included demonstrations by NASDA enumerators and supervisors in several states: Iowa: Superviso

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How to cut down on chainsaw injuries

Western FarmPress

For the Health of It: With over 36,000 ER visits and 250 deaths per year attributed to chainsaws, it pays to take extra precautions when operating a chainsaw this winter.

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School Gardens Boost Vegetable Intake and Empower Students, Study Shows

Food Tank

A school gardening program in Texas demonstrates that hands-on food education can improve children’s eating habits in underserved communities, according to recent research published in the International Journal for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. The Texas Sprouts study included over 3,000 elementary school aged students and measured the impact of incorporating gardening, cooking, and nutrition lessons into schools.

Food 88
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Here’s to the young old friends

Western FarmPress

My Generation: Friendships that started in the Illinois Farm Bureau young leader suite still endure — 24 years later.

Farming 111
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Fingerprint Technology Inspires non-GPS Navigation for Agriculture Drones

Global Agtech Initiative

Advanced Navigation and MBDA to co-develop a resilient navigation system integrating MBDA’s NILEQ absolute positioning technology. The post Fingerprint Technology Inspires non-GPS Navigation for Agriculture Drones appeared first on Global Ag Tech Initiative.

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Will grain markets get a bull for Christmas?

Western FarmPress

Ag Marketing IQ: Corn and soybean rallies popped – and sometimes lingered – between Thanksgiving and Christmas during each of the last 10 years. Will prices jump, however briefly, before the new year?

Marketing 111
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National research leaders converge at Texas A&M for USDA artificial intelligence forum

AgriLife Today

Researchers discuss agriculture, natural resources and life sciences AI applications The post National research leaders converge at Texas A&M for USDA artificial intelligence forum appeared first on AgriLife Today.

Science 84
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Improving peanut’s roast flavor with breeding, machine learning

Western FarmPress

Plant breeding methods along with machine learning can improve the flavor profile of the Virginia-type cultivars without harming disease resistance and high-yield characteristics.

Yield 106
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Regrow Ranked Number 110 Fastest-Growing Company in North America on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500

Global Agtech Initiative

Regrow CEO credits the company’s growth to its intense commitment to building resilience across the agrifood value chain. The post Regrow Ranked Number 110 Fastest-Growing Company in North America on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 appeared first on Global Ag Tech Initiative.

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Can science compete with the scroll?

Western FarmPress

Cowtowns & Skyscrapers: Reading and attention spans are at all-time lows. How do scientists compete with that?

Science 105
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FarmQA Announces General Availability of Fertility Planning to Revolutionize Nutrient Management for Agronomists and Crop Consultants

Global Agtech Initiative

This advanced feature empowers agronomists and crop consultants to develop, manage, and optimize fertility strategies with precision and efficiency. The post FarmQA Announces General Availability of Fertility Planning to Revolutionize Nutrient Management for Agronomists and Crop Consultants appeared first on Global Ag Tech Initiative.

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5 holiday traditions you need to start now

Western FarmPress

Show-Me Life: Create a new ritual to bring joy to your holidays and memories that last for generations — Santa won’t mind.

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Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences expertise recognized at international conference

AgriLife Today

Faculty, students earn national titles, awards The post Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences expertise recognized at international conference appeared first on AgriLife Today.

Science 59
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Maybe big guys want farmers to succeed

Western FarmPress

This Business of Farming: Who is right should not be decided by our emotional desire to see the little guy win.

Farming 105
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Industry Ag News 11/22

Agwired

The World Food Prize Foundation announced that Ambassador Terry Branstad will retire as President on January 31, 2025, and Foundation Chief Operating Officer Mashal Husain will become President. In addition, the Foundation will conduct a global search for a newly created chief executive role focused on organizational leadership and global diplomacy.

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EPA restrictions on new product raise concerns

Western FarmPress

Hi-Tech Farming: New label adds complexity to controlling weeds.

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Lunch and Learn: Ethanol, Implications and a Livelihood

Wisconsin Farmers Union

On November 20th, 2024, the Wisconsin Farmers Union held a webinar with expert speakers on the topic of ethanol as preparation for the pre-convention conversation, Groundswell. This year’s topic will be a facilitated learning session which seeks to build skills in dialogue on polarizing topics, with ethanol being the example subject. A pre-webinar on the topic of ethanol was held to provide some baseline information from a variety of experts with different perspectives on ethanol.

Acre 52
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Does your combine need a new header?

Western FarmPress

What’s New From the Shows: Today’s combine headers handle higher capacities and hilly terrains with ease.

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ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR CROPS DAMAGED BY HURRICANE HELENE AND CONTINUING IMPACTS FROM HURRICANE DEBBY

ProAg

On October 3 and October 9, 2024, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued MGR-24-006 and MGR-24-006.1, Emergency Procedures for Crop Damaged by Hurricane Helene and Continuing Impacts from Hurricane Debby, respectively, authorizing emergency procedures for all counties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginian, and West Virginia impacted by Hurricane Debby and/or Helene.

Crop 52
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Thanksgiving side dishes expected to be more expensive

Western FarmPress

Consumers can expect price jumps on traditional items, such as cranberries, sweet potatoes, and onions. The biggest price increase will be felt on baked goods and eggs. Learn what items are expected to be slightly cheaper, plus the latest Texas Crop & Weather Report.

Crop 105
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HEMP CROP INSURANCE CHANGES

ProAg

Per Product Management Bulletin PM-24-075 , changes have been made to the hemp crop insurance program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act for the 2025 and succeeding crop years. The changes include the following: Clarification that smoke damage is not a covered cause of loss; and Soybeans were removed from the rotation requirement statement(s) for Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakot

Crop 52
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Many growers see good yields as sweet potato harvest wraps

Western FarmPress

Sweet potato harvest has turned out excellent despite hot, dry conditions.

Harvester 104
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A FARMER STORY: HAPPINESS IS A BOUQUET OF ORGANIC FLOWERS

Rodale Institute

After graduating from the RIFT program in the fall of 2022, Lizzy struck out to start her own flower farm, Bubbly Hills Farm, in 2023 on a half-acre of land […] The post A FARMER STORY: HAPPINESS IS A BOUQUET OF ORGANIC FLOWERS appeared first on Rodale Institute.

Acre 52
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Michigan Wheat Program elects officers

Western FarmPress

Three members were reappointed to the nine-member board.

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