Author: staff

It’s fair season in the Midwest. I grew up in 4-H and now get the privilege of watching my nieces and nephews participate in it. We watched the beef show recently at their county fair. Growing up, we didn’t do the “show” animals. We picked a steer and pigs out of our herd and took them. The same is true for my sister’s kids. We did the work with the animals and they do too. My niece just turned 13 and has been taking steers for a few years. She does a great job working with her calf so she’s…

In the wake of the 2024 Cesar Chavez Day celebrations, the United Farm Workers advocacy organization had successfully acquired representation permissions for around 640 farm workers for Wonderful Nurseries in California. Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez, two giants in the farm worker rights movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s and co-founders of the UFW, would consider this as a success toward equitable labor rights. However, there is major push back and allegations against the union force coming from California’s wealthiest farming family, Wonderful Nurseries. Wonderful Nurseries, which is North America’s largest grapevine nurseries, is accusing UFW organizers of…

I have been debating with myself for the past several months about writing this article. The source of my angst was the December 2023 issue of Scientific American that devoted a significant portion of the issue to Pentagon plans to replace the 450 aging Minuteman missiles entombed in underground silos concentrated in the middle of Montana, the northern border of North Dakota, and the western border of Nebraska, with some spilling over into Wyoming and Colorado. The missiles were installed in the 1960s as part of the nuclear triad defense policy — silo-based missiles with multiple warheads and nuclear-armed submarines…

Agriculture is a vital part of our economy, both in the United States and all around the world. In the U.S., we produce a wide variety of agricultural products and luckily, a surplus of these products. Everyone likes choices, so in order to have a huge variety of products on our grocery store shelves, the U.S. imports products that often can’t be grown or produced here. We also export products, which generates a lot of revenue for the United States and plays a big role in our economy. Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about agricultural exports…

Iowa’s agricultural industry is facing another wave of layoffs. Kinze Manufacturing in Williamsburg announced it will lay off 193 employees, effective Thursday. “We deeply regret the necessity of this action. This decision was not made lightly, and it is a direct response to current ag market realities,” said Kinze President Susanne Veatch in a statement. She also mentioned that no further reductions are planned at this time. Kinze Manufacturing, a privately held company established 59 years ago, is known for producing planters and grain carts globally. The company is also famous for its “yard art” along Interstate 80 west of…

It’s no secret that FFA officers are the backbone of their chapters, holding things together with leadership, dedication, and a commitment to excellence (and probably some caffeine.) Just like Olympic athletes train rigorously to compete at the highest level, FFA officers work to ensure their chapters thrive. Examining the specific roles of FFA officers reveals amusing parallels between their responsibilities and various Olympic events, highlighting the unique strengths and attributes they bring to their positions. President: 400m Hurdles Responsibilities: Leading the chapter, overseeing all activities, and symbolizing vision and new beginnings. Olympic Event: The 400m hurdles combine speed, agility, and…

Image by Nokwan007, Shutterstock Top Third Ag Marketing helps farmers become better agricultural marketers with the goal of marketing crops and livestock in the top third of prices. Mark Gold and his team provide AGDAILY.com with the latest information and a look ahead in their audio commentary. Listen here! https://www.agdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ag-daily-2024-08-05.mp3

Reed Marcum, an 18-year-old 4-H member from Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, and sophomore at Oklahoma State University, organized the 2024 Michael Miller Book Bag Giveaway. This significant annual charity event aligns with the back-to-school season.  Supported by The Sergeant Miles Tarron and Hudson Strong Foundation, the Book Bag Giveaway is part of Marcum’s efforts to meet the needs of the McAlester community. Now in its ninth year, the event has distributed over 33,000 book bags and more than $1.3 million in school supplies to students and families in Oklahoma and neighboring states. This year’s drive-thru event saw the distribution of…

Our nation’s agriculture industry is under siege, and the alarm bells are ringing loud and clear in the Texas Panhandle. The federal government is at it again, pushing for another major land grab at the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. While the feds like to dress up their land acquisitions as conservation and habitat protection, it’s clear this move is about more government control, and it comes at a high cost for Texas farmers and threatens our agriculture industry, our freedoms, and way of life. We must fight to keep every acre of farm and ranch land in the hands of…

American Farmland Trust announced the winners of the 16th annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration™, a national event honoring the role of farmers markets that ran between June 1 through July 31, 2024. Markets receiving the most public votes are declared the national winners. The celebration also recognizes top markets in five regions nationwide and in all 50 states. More than 1,500 markets nationwide participated in the 2024 celebration with over 97,000 votes. New in 2024, AFT staffed 18 markets nationwide — see more highlights from AFT’s Midwest team at the Kansas City Farmers Market here and AFT Scientist and president…