Author: staff

By Maximilian Heath BUENOS AIRES, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Rains set to arrive in Argentina in mid-January should bring relief to soybeans and corn in the core farm region hit by a recent dry spell, a climatologist at the authoritative Buenos Aires grains exchange told Reuters on Wednesday. Eduardo Sierra, a meteorological analyst at the exchange, said that according to their model, some 50-75 millimeters (2-3 inches) of rain was expected between Jan. 16 and 22 in the key farm region, where hot dry weather since last month has started to hit crops. “These rains could greatly limit the impact of the dry weather.…

By Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek Jan 8 (Reuters) – The U.S. will rebuild a stockpile of bird flu vaccines for poultry that match the strain of the virus circulating in commercial flocks and wild birds, the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday, in a sign of the widespread and devastating nature of the nation’s persistent outbreak. The outbreak, which began in poultry in early 2022, has killed more than 130 million commercial, backyard and wild birds in all 50 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths of millions of egg-laying hens pushed wholesale egg prices to record…

By Sybille de La Hamaide PARIS, Jan 8 (Reuters) – More should be done to control the spread of bird flu among animals to avoid more cases in humans, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Wednesday, following the first death of a patient from the virus in the United States. Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has spread across the world in recent years, ravaging flocks, pushing up food prices, and raising concerns about a new pandemic. “This situation really highlights the importance of managing risk at the animal source, which is really essential to prevent the spread of bird flu…

By Cami Koons The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been contacting producers to update its Tenure, Ownership, and Transition of Agricultural Land, or TOTAL, survey which shows the landowner characteristics of a state and informs farm policy.  USDA last updated this survey in 2014 and found nearly 40% of farmland in the U.S. was either rented or leased, that the average age of the nation’s 1.4 million “principal landlords” was 67 years old and that 9% of farmland in the Midwest region was expected to transfer ownership in the subsequent five years.  The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, or NASS, started contacting…

The Horse Protection Act has stirred concerns among horsemen, with updates slated to take effect next month, including expanding regulations to all breeds, horse events, and 4-H horse activities.  The act, originally passed in the early 1970s, was intended to stop inhumane practices such as soring, which includes painful practices used to enhance the movement of Tennessee Walking Horses. Revisions aim to strengthen rules that discourage soring, but the expansive updates include a requirement for advanced notice for events and government-approved veterinarians on premises during the event.  If the HPA revisions become effective, event organizers will be required to notify…

March corn ended the day down 4¢ at $4.54 per bushel. March soybeans closed down 2¾¢ at $9.94½ per bushel. March wheat contracts also closed lower. CBOT wheat closed down 6¼¢ at $5.36¼ per bushel. KC wheat was down 5½¢ at $5.50¼ per bushel. Minneapolis wheat was down 9¾¢ at $5.85 per bushel. “Corn prices edged lower Wednesday ahead of Friday’s WASDE [World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates] report, pressured by weaker ethanol production and declines in wheat,” said the Grain Market Insider newsletter by Stewart-Peterson Inc. “Soybean futures posted minimal losses as improved precipitation forecasts in Argentina weighed on…

The growth of generative AI content over the past two years has been undeniably substantial — it can be found in all corners of social media and even on some major publishing platforms, with Sports Illustrated notoriously being one of the first and biggest offenders. And yeah, we said “offenders.” Without some rules and transparency guidelines in place, AI content can be pretty dicey, with some onlookers even referring to its use as “outright dishonest.” It can also be very easy to confuse an audience and to use AI for underhanded purposes, whether that means to deceitfully tug on someone’s…

Who We Are Welcome to Successful Farming. We are the trustworthy authority for families who make farming and ranching their business. Successful Farming began in 1902 as a publication built on service journalism to help American farmers. Today, our brand includes an award-winning magazine reaching 360,000 farmers and ranchers. We focus primarily on corn, soybean, wheat, and livestock producers across the United States. Our website, Agriculture.com, launched in 1995, was among the first serving American agriculture. Today, we welcome more than 700,000 total monthly users to the site. Our brand also includes podcasts, two radio programs, and several social media…

Winter storm Blair rolled through the Great Plains and parts of the Corn Belt over the weekend, dropping significant snow in Missouri and Kansas, while Oklahoma received ice storms. Areas in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Virginia, and Missouri were still dealing with power outages to co-ops. Four deaths resulting from the storm have been confirmed. Erin Kelly’s article on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association website reported that more than 110,000 electric co-op consumers across the United States lost power due to Blair — and not all power has been restored. Perryville, Missouri, co-op Citizens Electric Corp. explained why the storm…

Mahindra Ag North America is offering a chance for a veteran, active-duty military, or reservists to win a Mahindra 1120 tractor with a loader and mower. This is being done as part of Mahindra’s Military Salute Giveaway, which was announced Dec. 27 during the Armed Forces Bowl college football game. The promotion is open for qualifying participants through Saturday, Feb. 15, with details and entry available at the Mahindra Sweeps website. This is the 11th year that Mahindra Ag North America is hosting this giveaway. A winner will be announced on March 18 to commemorate National Ag Day, of which…