Sat.Feb 10, 2024 - Fri.Feb 16, 2024

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State agriculture officials to address trade opportunities between the U.S and Cuba

NASDA

Press Release WHO: National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO, several NASDA members and a NASDA industry guest will host a press conference to discuss learned opportunities and challenges to agricultural trade between the U.S. and Cuba on Feb. 21, 2024, following a NASDA-led trade mission to the country. Press Conference Participants: Ted McKinney, CEO, NASDA Amanda Beal, Commissioner, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry Bryan Hurlburt, Commissioner

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Senate amendments to Bill C-234 cut carbon tax relief to farmers by $910 million, according to PBO estimates

Real Agriculture

The Senate’s amendments to Bill C-234 in December could result in farmers paying $910 million more in carbon tax, according to updated analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO). After several weeks of contentious debate, a narrow majority of Senators voted to limit the proposed carbon tax exemption for natural gas and propane used on.

Livestock 340
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Maroon rice destined for Svalbard

Agricultural Biodiversity

Really attentive long-time readers may remember us posting a video of an interview with Edith Adjako , a Surinamese woman of Maroon descent, recorded by ethnobotanist Dr Tinde van Andel. Dr van Andel and her colleagues have been studying Maroon agriculture and how it relates to African practices. Recall that the Maroons are the descendants of enslaved people who escaped captivity during colonial times and established communities in the interior of places like Suriname which survive to this day.

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The World Health Organization: Health Taxes (e.g., on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages)

Food Politics

The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) has long led efforts to tax unhealthy products, starting with tobacco. WHO describes its health tax efforts here. It recently issued Global report on the use of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, 2023. The report finds that 108 countries have some kind of tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. But, it finds Less than a quarter of countries surveyed account for sugar content when they impose taxes on these non-alcoholic beverage products.

Beverage 239
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State agriculture officials commend EPA for issuing order on dicamba

NASDA

Press Release ARLINGTON, Va. – NASDA CEO Ted McKinney issued a statement today following the EPA’s order on the use of existing stocks of the herbicide dicamba. “As co-regulatory partners with EPA committed to preserving environmental stewardship, protecting the rural economy and securing a healthy food supply chain, NASDA commends EPA on issuing an existing stocks order for dicamba that is inclusive of products that are in the possession of growers or in the channels of trade.

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Wheat School: High head counts deliver high yield

Real Agriculture

Wheat yield is made up of many yield components ranging from thousand kernel weight to head size and kernels per head. But when it comes to driving higher yields, all those components take a back seat to the number of heads per square metre. It’s the big data point emerging from three years of data. Read More Wheat yield is made up of many yield components ranging from thousand kernel weight to head size and kernels per head.

Yield 324
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Nibbles: Cheese microbes, OSSI, Mung bean, Sustainable ag, Agroecology, Collard greens, African orphan crops, Olive diversity, Mezcal threats, German perry, Spanish tomatoes, N fixation

Agricultural Biodiversity

A sustainable blue cheese industry needs more microbial diversity. The Open Source Seed Initiative gets written up in The Guardian. Looks like we need something similar for cheese microbes. The Guardian then follows up with mung bean breeding and fart jokes. But then goes all serious with talk of trillions of dollars in benefits from sustainable food systems.

More Trending

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New Black-Owned Freight Farm in Rural Minnesota to Tackle Food Insecurity, Health Inequities

Daily Yonder

A new initiative seeks to increase the number of farmers of color through a new freight farm to be placed in rural Minnesota. Route 1 is an organization focused on increasing food access, specifically by supporting Black, Brown, and Indigenous emerging farmers in the state, said Marcus Carpenter, founder of the organization. In February, Route 1 will place its first freight farm in the rural community of Loretto, population 650.

Ruralism 131
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Wheat Pete’s Word, Feb 14: Living oats, renovating hay stands, mild winter considerations, and supporting corn yield

Real Agriculture

A good portion of Ontario is nearing the end of what has been a very mild winter. Bare and sometimes thawed ground has many farmers asking if it’s too early for clover, for frost seeding, for tillage, and for patching in wheat crops. There’s also a saying that goes, “just because you can doesn’t mean. Read More A good portion of Ontario is nearing the end of what has been a very mild winter.

Yield 310
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Brainfood: Breeding edition

Agricultural Biodiversity

Climate-resilient crops: Lessons from xerophytes. Breeding for Na+ exclusion to improve salinity tolerance in crops has compromised their drought tolerance, but both tolerances are down to more gene copies in key families when comparing species. Innovation and Technological Mismatch: Experimental Evidence from Improved Crop Seeds. Breeders should strive to give farmers what they want, even if it means releasing multiple locally adapted varieties rather than a single blockbuster.

Crop 180
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USDA updates its plant hardiness zones

Food Politics

I’m on the USDA’s mailing list for press releases and learned that it had updated its map of plant hardiness zones based on the lowest minimum temperature expected over a 30-year average period. USDA’s announcement of its new hardiness map said “When compared to the 2012 map, the 2023 version reveals that about half of the country shifted to the next warmer half zone, and the other half of the country remained in the same half zone.

Food 215
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Celebrating Black History at Black Seeds Urban Farm

USDA Blog

Black History Month is a time of celebration, education, and reflection at Black Seeds Urban Farm , located in Memphis, Tennessee. Bobby and Derravia Rich started the community garden to provide local, organic fruits, vegetables, and nuts to neighbors with little or no access to fresh, nutritious food.

Seeding 131
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Track manufacturer CAMSO and Naïo Technologies partner on R&D

Real Agriculture

Ag robotics company Naio Technologies and Canadian track manufacturer CAMSO have announced a new research and development partnership focused on development of new work tools, boosting productivity and reducing environmental impacts. The agreement will span multiple years and includes factory technical testing and on-field trials with producers. This work aims to adapt tracks on agricultural.

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Future Farming funding boost to Sugar Beet innovation in Norwich

Agri-tech

The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park partners and British Sugar have secured significant new funding to develop innovative gene editing approaches to protect the British sugar beet crop against potentially catastrophic losses to virus yellows disease. The award from Innovate UK’s Farming Futures Research and Development Fund, is made jointly to British Sugar.

Farming 130
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Sunday viewing: Super Bowl food ads

Food Politics

Question of the day: What does a 30-second Super Bowl ad cost ? Answer: roughly $7 million (I’m not kidding—for 30 seconds ). Here is Statistica’s “Average cost of a 30-second Super Bowl TV commercial in the United States from 2002 to 2023.” I have to confess to not being much of a football fan but I am riveted by the junk food content—and astronomical cost—of Super Bowl ads.

Food 216
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Soulful Food and Sauces: Through USDA Programs, A Black Agribusiness Owner Rises Internationally

USDA Blog

Food and service have a special place in Walter Brooks, Jr.’s heart. Today, he runs Brooksmade Gourmet Foods in Atlanta, Georgia, which exports clean-label condiments, sauces and rubs.

Food 127
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Farm Management Canada hosting free, one-day farm business workshops

Real Agriculture

Farm Management Canada is hosting free, one-day farm business practices assessment workshops across Canada beginning later this month. The workshop, Seeding Success: Assess, Act, Achieve!, is open to all Canadian producers and farm families and management teams. The workshop is funded through the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, as part of the Sectoral Workforce Solutions.

Farming 299
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Feds Issue Warning on Chinese-Manufactured Drones as Farmer Adoption Soars

AgWeb Farm Journal

As drone use in agriculture climbs the FBI and CISA are warning about data theft from Chinese-manufactured drones. The ag industry is on the lookout but U.S.-made drone options are limited.

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Does cell-cultured meat have a future? This is not the moment.

Food Politics

I subscribe to AgFunder News, not least because I so admire Elaine Watson’s reporting on the food industry. I was particularly interested in her detailed account of investment in cultured meat and seafood startups: ​ Preliminary AgFunder data point to 78% decline in cultivated meat funding in 2023; investors blame ‘general risk aversion.’ Here’s what’s happening: Funding may have dropped, but investors put nearly $200 million into this technology in 2023.

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2022 Census of Ag reports continued size and aging trends

Western FarmPress

The Census of Ag may not have moved markets, but it is clear that a younger and business-savvy cohort is ready to take on a new generation of agricultural viability.

Marketing 126
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Lemken’s iQblue monitors autonomous performance

Real Agriculture

As the possibilities of farming with autonomous tractors and implements gain traction, many manufacturers are working on how autonomous machinery will run efficiently without human hands and eyes as it travels on or through the ground. At Agritechnica, Lemken shared how its iQblue tool monitoring technology uses sensor systems to monitor performance as well as.

Tractor 278
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Pretty Plants In The Garden Become Weeds In The Field

AgWeb Farm Journal

Invasive weed species tied to the ornamental plant trade are taking root in some parts of the United States. Researchers have identified “outbreaks and hot spots” in eight states.

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We Can’t Achieve Food Justice if We Don’t Prioritize Soil Health

Food Tank

A version of this piece was featured in Food Tank’s newsletter, released weekly on Thursdays. To make sure it lands straight in your inbox and to be among the first to receive it, subscribe now by clicking here. It is obvious to most of us that food is a human right. But our discussions of food justice need to be grounded—literally—in what experts are calling a right to healthy soils.

Food 120
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Richard Gaona named Southwest High Cotton winner

Western FarmPress

Roby, Texas, producer Richard Gaona credits skip row production for "always producing cotton." He names his best-performing variety and how he's cutting fertilizer costs while stimulating root growth.

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Speed doesn’t matter for Monosem’s ValoTerra Ultimate planter

Real Agriculture

With a new brush-based seed guidance system, Monosem says its ValoTerra Ultimate planter can ensure optimal planting and depth at speeds of 2 to 18 kilometres per hour. In this report from Agritechnica, Monosem product sales specialist Flavien Cattoni explains how a new Active Seed Guidance system was developed based on a zero-gravity concept to. Read More With a new brush-based seed guidance system, Monosem says its ValoTerra Ultimate planter can ensure optimal planting and depth at speeds of

Seeding 264
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How To Increase Your Potential SAF Tax Credits Now

AgWeb Farm Journal

The practices farmers use during the 2024 growing season will have a direct impact on their ability to take advantage of these incentives. Mitchell Hora of Continuum Ag shares what they need to know.

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Op-Ed | The Smart Pantry Offers Solutions for Students Facing Food Insecurity

Food Tank

The recently opened Smart Pantry, a collaboration between the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and Share Meals , ensures that students have access to meals. In the United States, nearly 30 percent of college students experience food insecurity, and an alarming 40 percent of CUNY students in New York City face food insecurity. The Smart Pantry, designed as a retrofit kit for refrigerated and shelf stable vending machines, offers students a discreet and accessible means of obtaining free, cul

Food 118
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High-quality, sustainable cotton with a generational approach

Western FarmPress

The Wendlands participate in U.S Cotton Trust Protocol and Climate Smart Cotton Program, which aims to accelerate the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices, which the global textile industry and end-users demand.

Textiles 116
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The Agronomists, Ep 142: Managing wheat midge with Drs. Santosh Kumar and Tyler Wist

Real Agriculture

Orange wheat blossom midge — or simply, the wheat midge — devastated spring wheat yields in the ’90s. Since then, wheat breeders have been working hard to build protection into wheat varieties. To help with tips to scout for the pest, why spraying is a limited option, how Field Heroes help, and what’s new in. Read More Orange wheat blossom midge — or simply, the wheat midge — devastated spring wheat yields in the ’90s.

Yield 262
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Which State Tops The List For Precision Ag Use?

AgWeb Farm Journal

It might surprise you, but it's not an "I" state. According to USDA data, the top five states using precision ag technologies account for half of the 2022 cash receipts for corn (52.6%) and soybeans (45.7%).

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Q&A: Why Do Small-Scale Farmers Persist in Place?

Daily Yonder

Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders , an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week. Brooks Lamb is a writer, and the land protection and access specialist at American Farmland Trust.

Ruralism 113
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NFMS 2024 showcases advancements, trends

Western FarmPress

The National Farm Machinery Show kicked off Wednesday and ran through Saturday. It featured more than 800 vendors and attracted about 300,000 attendees.

Farming 122
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Great Plains planter promises more accuracy with fewer headaches

Real Agriculture

Keep it simple and deliver field performance. That’s the message Great Plains is sharing with growers taking a look at the manufacturer’s PL5700 planter for 2024. The planter features 5000 Series row units, and Air-Pro meters, and a positive air system that sets it apart from the competition by providing more accuracy with fewer headaches.

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Grain Markets Sink to New Lows: What Will it Take to Bottom Grain Prices?

AgWeb Farm Journal

Grains hit new lows with more fund selling. Is there anything that can bottom the grain markets? Financial markets and crude oil ended higher. While cattle rebound despite lower cash. Darin Newsom, Barchart, has more.

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Three Takeaways from the USDA Census of Agriculture

Modern Farmer

Across the country, the US has lost both farms and farmland, according to the latest data from the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture , released this week. (The census is taken every five years, and USDA statisticians spend time collecting and analyzing the data afterwards, so the results take some time to deliver.) The US is now home to about 880 million acres of farmland, down from 900 million at the time of the last census in 2017.

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Liz Strom to lead Illinois farm managers

Western FarmPress

The Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers has elected its youngest-ever president. Take a look at what she sees on the horizon following the society’s annual meeting, along with the rest of the new board and a handful of awards.

Farming 111
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Packing silage with Maisraupe’s Leitwolf Agripower

Real Agriculture

How do you convert a snow removal machine into an efficient silage compactor? At Agritechnica, RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney spotted Maisraupe’s Leitwolf Agripower silage distributor and compactor and couldn’t resist asking that question. In this report, Maisraupe’s managing director Georg Schuler shares how the converted snow machine, powered by a 530-horsepower Mercedes engine, creates the required.

Cattle 239