Author: staff

By Maximilian Heath BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 28 (Reuters) – Abundant rainfall and strong soil moisture levels are expected to benefit Argentina’s 2025/26 wheat crop, which is forecast to post above-average yields, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange said on Thursday. According to the grains exchange, 99.5% of the 6.7 million hectares planted with 2025/26 wheat are in normal-to-excellent condition, supported by record rainfall in producing areas between July and August. “Although it is premature to estimate a yield, expectations remain above average,” the exchange said in a report. Last season, 6.3 million hectares of wheat were planted in Argentina, with a production of…

By Heather Schlitz and Cassandra Garrison Aug. 27 (Reuters) – Mexico has recorded 5,086 cases of flesh-eating screwworm in animals as of August 17, a 53% jump from the number of cases reported in July, according to Mexican government data seen by Reuters on Wednesday. The updated numbers, which have not been previously reported to the public, showed 649 currently active cases. “That’s absolutely concerning,” said Neal Wilkins, CEO of conservation and cattle group East Foundation. “Having a 50% increase in month-over-month numbers, particularly in the extreme heat, means they haven’t gotten it under control.” The vast majority of cases were identified in cattle,…

By Jeff Beach FARGO — Cool weather at planting is expected to limit yields on North Dakota’s soybean crop.  North Dakota’s soybean crop is expected to hit 36 bushels per acre compared with a national projection of 53.6 bushels per acre.  The North Dakota Soybean Council provided an update on the crop Wednesday while hosting a trade delegation for China, typically a huge market for North Dakota soybeans.  “This spring, we were very cold, so you push back the planting dates. Anytime you push back planting dates, your chances of a real big yield kind of go away,” said Milo…

OVERLAND PARK — Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman pushed for deepening relationships and maintaining international growth opportunities for Kansas farmers at a meeting of state political and agricultural leaders Wednesday.  Glickman and U.S. Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids spoke about the effects of tariffs and federal policies on Kansas farmers during a U.S. Global Leadership Coalition luncheon. The event was closed to journalists, but Glickman shared thoughts on the current political climate afterward.  “My theory is pretty much don’t burn bridges, build bridges,” he said. “I got along very well with [Pat] Roberts, [Bob] Dole, [Nancy] Kassebaum. We didn’t…

Cases of New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that infests livestock and sometimes humans, have risen sharply in Mexico. According to Mexican government data cited by Reuters, as of August 17 there were 5,086 recorded infestations in animals — a 53 percent increase in just one month, with 649 active cases. The infestations, which primarily affect cattle, have also been confirmed in dogs, horses, sheep, and humans, reports BBC News. Mexican media noted that dozens of people have been treated in hospitals in the southern states of Campeche and Chiapas, and at least one elderly woman died in July when…

Key Takeaways Farmers enjoyed 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork last week; Labor Day weekend looks cool and dry.Crop condition ratings are slightly worse than the national average, with disease pressures like tar spot spreading.Soybean progress is on track with average, but overall crop ratings are a bit weaker than the national average. USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, Aug. 25. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of Indiana’s most important crops in late-August. Weather Chief meteorologist Ryan Martin with Hoosier Ag Today said in an Aug. 28 podcast episode that Labor Day weekend…

Twelve undergraduate students were recently recognized with Student Leader Scholarships, an award intended to encourage and empower the next generation of dairy producers. Supported by the Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association for the 2025-26 academic year, each scholarship recipient received $3,000 toward their undergraduate studies in academic programs that support the dairy industry. “These 12 scholarship recipients are highly deserving for this competitive scholarship. They each have a strong foundation in the dairy industry and a commitment to expanding on that to find future careers that help advance Pennsylvania dairy,” said Michelle Shearer, Workforce Development…

Expanded herbicide tolerance for soybeans is on the horizon. Syngenta and M.S. technologies announced their next generation of soybean traits – featuring HPPD inhibitor tolerance – earlier this week.  “As I travel [across the midwest], I hear a lot about pigweed, waterhemp, and kochia,” said Eric Boeck, regional director of North America seeds for Syngenta. “We need to have options to control those weeds as they shift their tolerances to different chemistries.”  The new trait will offer tolerance to a wide range of HPPD inhibitor chemistries such as mesotrione, isoxaflutole and bicyclopyrone in addition to existing Enlist E3 technology. This…

As mosquitoes and people across the country test positive for West Nile virus, Purdue University entomologists have shared guidance to help people prevent mosquito bites to lower their risk of infection. “This year WNV is a major concern, not just in Indiana but across much of the Midwest,” said Phurchhoki Sherpa, medical entomology program coordinator in Purdue’s Department of Entomology. “According to state Department of Health surveillance, mosquitoes are testing positive earlier than usual, which could extend the WNV season and increase the risk of human infections.” Although 80 percent of individuals infected with WNV never show symptoms, the remaining…

By Ryan Hanrahan Reuters’ Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas reported that “the patient with the first human infestation of travel-associated New World screwworm [NWS] in the United States has recovered from the flesh-eating parasite, and there was no sign of transmission to other people or animals, the Maryland Department of Health said on Monday.” “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the human case as NWS on Aug. 4 in a person who returned from travel to El Salvador, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” Polansek and Douglas reported. “The agency announced the case on…