Author: staff

DAILY Bites Avian flu confirmed in a commercial flock, threatening the state’s poultry industry. Poultry is Georgia’s #1 industry, the disease’s spread threatens this industry.  Biosecurity urged with USDA advises testing birds, avoiding untreated water, and limiting wild bird contact. DAILY Discussion For the first time since the nationwide outbreak began in 2022, highly pathogenic avian influenza has struck a commercial poultry operation in Georgia. As the nation’s leading poultry producer, Georgia’s poultry industry is a cornerstone of its economy, and this development poses significant challenges. “This is a serious threat to Georgia’s No. 1 industry and the livelihoods of…

By Walter Bianchi BUENOS AIRES, Jan 17 (Reuters) – Argentina will likely regain its status as the second-biggest barley exporter as the current harvest wraps up, the Rosario grains exchange said on Friday, as the area sown with the crop expanded and other key exporters like Russia expect to ship less. Barley is widely used for livestock feed, as well as to make malt for beer and other alcoholic drinks. Argentina’s 2024/25 barley crop is forecast to yield 4.9 million metric tons with exports for the cycle seen reaching 3.4 million tons, according to a report by the exchange. Australia…

As an early adopter of technology, fifth-generation Iowa farmer Jason Haglund gets a thrill out of testing innovative products on his farm (while wearing his signature khaki pants). He combined his training as a therapist and experience as a behavioral health executive with his love of agriculture to co-found Rural Policy Partners.  Listen to the Podcast Subscribe to 15 Minutes With a Farmer on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and review us! Meet Jason Haglund Technology in agriculture is always evolving, thanks in part to farmers who are willing to test products and methods. Jason Haglund,…

Problem: Could the estate tax sunset create a problem for our farm? I’m very concerned about estate taxes. We have worked hard for what we have, and we don’t just want to give it all away to the government when we die. We keep seeing all these articles about the estate tax laws sunsetting on Jan. 1, 2026. That’s only a year away, and it doesn’t sound good. What should we do?  – From K.B., via email Solution: This is becoming a common question as the sunset date nears, K.B. I’ve heard from families with estates from $2 million to…

By Ana Mano SAO PAULO, Jan 14 (Reuters) – Brazilian crop agency Conab on Tuesday raised its forecast for domestic soy production in the 2024/2025 season to 166.32 million metric tons, citing good weather and a minor adjustment in the growth of the oilseed’s planted area. The new forecast for soy production in Brazil, the world’s biggest producer and exporter, is 12.6% higher than the 2023/24 harvest and a record. This season, Conab estimates cultivated area of 47.4 million hectare (117.1 million acres), an increase of 2.7% compared to the previous period. In December, Brazil’s soy area growth was pegged…

By Cami Koons Theresa Greenfield, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development state director for Iowa, announced Tuesday that Kate Sand, the deputy director, will take over as acting director.  Greenfield has been director of the office since November 2021 and will officially depart Jan. 20, according to a press release.  “It’s been an honor to serve the people of Iowa as State Director for USDA Rural Development,” Greenfield said in a statement.  Sand, a native Iowan, has worked with Iowa USDA Rural Development since 2004, and was the community program director for 10 years before transitioning to her current…

By Ryan Hanrahan Foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States increased by 1.58 million acres from 2022 to 2023, driven primarily by the expansion of renewable energy projects across the country. According to a new analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Daniel Munch, 45.58 million acres of U.S. agricultural land (or 3.61% of total privately held agricultural land) is now held by foreign investors. The most talked about foreign investors in recent years — those from China — saw their share of ownership of U.S. agricultural land decrease from 2022 to 2023, falling by 34,000 acres (an…

It seems odd that the company that would produce some of the most esteemed sports cars in the world started out in business in a barn. It’s odd, until you discover that Ferruccio Lamborghini began by manufacturing tractors. It was his huge success at building tractors that funded the Italian farm boy’s interest in cars. Put-Together Tractors The roots of Lamborghini horsepower go back to a youthful Ferruccio starting a repair shop in northern Italy. This was post-World War II when surplus military machine components were in ample supply. Capitalizing on that availability, Lamborghini purchased engines and transmissions, and he…

For Tom Vilsack, a tireless proponent as agriculture secretary for climate-smart agriculture and creating new sources of farm income, retirement is out of the question at age 74. “There’s work to be done in food and nutrition security, and I will look for opportunities to be engaged in that effort,” he said during his final days as USDA secretary of agriculture.  With nearly 12 years of service in the Obama and Biden administrations, Vilsack is the second-longest serving agriculture secretary. “I’m also the sixth-longest serving cabinet member of any kind,” he added during the interview in his office, with a…

On Wednesday, USDA published its biofuel feedstocks guidelines as an interim rule for “quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of biofuel feedstocks” in the U.S. This rule falls under the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) umbrella, and gives farmers guidelines to qualify for the 45Z tax credit under the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) model. USDA said the guidelines will create “new market opportunities for biofuel feedstock producers.” The 45Z tax credit guidelines were published on Friday by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and were met with largely negative…