Author: staff

The World Ag Expo, one of the year’s most notable farm and ranch trade show, has chosen the winners of its 2025 Top-10 New Products Contest. These 10 winners will be featured at the expo February 11 to 13, 2025, in Tulare, California. The field of new products was submitted by exhibitors, showcasing innovations ranging from simple solutions to advanced technologies. The competition was evaluated by a panel of judges composed of farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals. The World Ag Expo draws more than 1,200 exhibitors and roughly 100,000 people from 60 countries. The contest winners will be honored at…

Although harvest is complete, there’s still work to be done. This is an ideal time to make sure your grain system is ready for winter and to make note of issues that need attention before the next harvest. “If they haven’t already done so, now is the time to check grain bins, dryers, and grain handling equipment,” said Dave Ellis, GSI district manager. “Maintenance work following harvest helps prevent preseason replacement, and an ounce of prevention can help save farmers tons of problems next season.” His recommendations include: Grain pit: Clean out the grain dump pit to prevent it from…

A Louisiana resident was hospitalized with “severe illness” due to the bird flu virus, the most serious U.S. case since the viral disease appeared in wild birds in the South nearly three years ago, said the Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as bird flu outbreaks in dairy herds, previously limited to the Central Valley, were detected in Southern California. To date, 62 people in eight U.S. states have been diagnosed with bird flu — 61 of them this year. Their symptoms have been mild, most often conjunctivitis, until the Louisiana case. It is the…

By Cami Koons A public-private partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Soybean Association, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will invest over $2.3 million to install nutrient-reducing practices in priority Iowa watersheds.  The majority of the funding will come from IDALS for outreach and to farmers and landowners who will then work with conservation staff to implement practices like saturated buffers, oxbows, and perennial cover. The $1.4 million put up by IDALS will also support design and engineering costs.  Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the project Wednesday at the Iowa Soybean…

Following much of the recent backlash John Deere has faced after layoffs and Mexican production moves, the company known for its green tractors has announced initiatives that it says are intended to support consumers and hometown communities.  In Strafford, Missouri, John Deere announced a $13.5 million expansion of its Reman Core Center, adding 120,000 square feet by 2026. “This shows John Deere’s commitment to the Reman business and to the local community,” said Kevin Schrag, manager of John Deere Reman. Meanwhile, the Waterloo, Iowa, facility recently introduced a 9RX High-Horse Power (HHP) tractor assembly line to enhance U.S. food production.…

The most recent USDA Milk Production report, which details U.S. milk production through the month of November, was released Thursday. Here’s a look at the numbers across the 24 major milk-producing states. Milk Production Down Overall milk production across the 24 major states came in at 17.2 billion pounds for the month of November, down 0.8% from November 2023. This was the first month since July that milk production fell below that of the same month in 2023. 17.2 billion pounds is the lowest monthly total so far this year, which mostly tracks with last year’s monthly totals. The state…

Following the spread of bird flu in 16 states, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency on Wednesday within California. The announcement came after an individual in Louisiana was hospitalized with bird flu, marking the first American to become seriously ill with the disease. Although bird flu does not spread well among people, the past few weeks have seen increased cases among livestock. The outbreak was first announced on March 25, 2024, after infected dairy cows in Texas and Kansas were reported. Since then, there have been 61 confirmed confirmed cases of bird flu infection in humans across seven…

DAILY Bites Mexico is the leading export market for U.S. dairy products, purchasing 4.5% of U.S. milk production and accounting for over a quarter of international sales. The U.S. supplies over 80% of Mexico’s annual dairy product deficit, with exports surpassing $2 billion in 2022 under the USMCA. Investments in U.S. dairy processing plants, totaling $8 billion, aim to meet growing domestic and international demand, with nearly 20 million pounds of new milk production expected by 2025. DAILY Discussion U.S. dairy exports are approaching record levels as consumer demand for dairy products in Mexico continues to outpace the country’s production.…

by Jennifer Shutt U.S. House Republicans released a spending package Thursday that would keep the government funded through mid-March while boosting disaster aid by about $100 billion. The legislation would suspend the nation’s debt limit for an additional two years through January 2027 and give Congress until September to finish the much overdue farm bill. The House is expected to vote on the package Thursday evening, though it wasn’t immediately clear it could pass given that Democrats were expected to vote against the measure en masse. While Republicans have a narrow majority in the House, Democrats control the Senate and…

After three years without confirmed detections, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture have declared the northern giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) eradicated from Washington and the United States. “We’re pleased to announce the eradication of the northern giant hornet in Washington state,” said Derek Sandison, WSDA director. “I’m incredibly proud of our team, which has dedicated years of hard work to safeguarding our state and the nation from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture. I’d also like to acknowledge the federal, state, and local support that made this feat possible. This…