Author: staff

Corn sweat has been making national news, as the corn crop pumps moisture into the air. The result? Higher humidity, and as July wraps up, it’s about to get even steamier. “Heat index temperatures are the problem with that extra humidity,” explained Jeff Andresen, Michigan State climatologist, during a USDA Midwest Climate Hub Outlook “North Central U.S. Climate and Drought Outlook” webinar.   The corn crop is responding to current high temperatures by transpiring a lot of moisture. And that’s adding to those high dew point conditions, explained Dennis Todey, director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub and ag climatologist.…

The Agribusiness Education Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded by UnitedAg, gas applications are now open for its 2025–2026 scholarship program. Since 1989, UnitedAg has awarded scholarships to support the educational goals of its members, their employees, and their dependents. In 2000, UnitedAg expanded its commitment to education by establishing AEF to provide greater financial assistance, business skills training, and leadership development opportunities to the agricultural community. To date, AEF has awarded more than $2 million in educational grants to over 1,200 students pursuing college, university, and vocational studies. The schola0rship programs are open exclusively to students affiliated with active…

DAILY Bites The Agriculture Secretary revealed plans to restructure the USDA, aiming to improve efficiency and responsiveness. A significant number of federal positions will be moved from Washington, D.C., to regional locations across the country. The shift is intended to decentralize operations and strengthen ties to agricultural communities and rural development efforts. DAILY Discussion U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, refocusing its core operations to better align with its founding mission of supporting American farming, ranching, and forestry. Over the last four years, USDA’s workforce grew by 8 percent,…

On Thursday, the USDA announced a reorganization plan that includes the relocation of more than 2,000 employees from the National Capital Region (NCR) to regional hubs in major cities across the country. In a memorandum detailing the plan, Secretary Brooke Rollins said it aims “to achieve improved effectiveness and accountability, enhanced services, reduced bureaucracy, and cost savings for the American people.”  The plan will be guided by four key pillars, according to the memorandum. Here’s a closer look at the sweeping changes entailed by each one. Ensure the Size of USDA’s Workforce Aligns With Financial Resources and Priorities “Over the…

December corn ended the day up 3¼¢ at $4.20¾ per bushel. November soybeans closed up 1½¢ at $10.24¼ per bushel. September CBOT wheat ended the day up a penny at $5.41½ per bushel. September KC wheat closed up 5¢ at $5.28½ per bushel. September Minneapolis wheat was up 2½¢ at $5.85½.  October live cattle closed down $1.35 at $222.15 per hundredweight (cwt). August feeder cattle were down $2.63 at $328.90 per cwt. October lean hogs were up 20¢ at $91.10 per cwt. Shortly after 2 p.m. CT, September crude oil was up 99¢ at $66.24 per barrel. Less than ten…

Australia has officially lifted a long-standing restriction on U.S. beef imports following a full biosecurity and safety assessment, clearing the way for fresh chilled and frozen American beef products to legally enter the Australian market.  According to BBC, the decision may have been politically motivated, prompted by President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 10 percent tariff on Australian beef earlier this year. While the U.S. meat industry welcomed the news — citing a 20-year barrier to access — the reality is more nuanced. Although Australia banned American beef in 2003 following a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, small-scale imports resumed…

AGDAILY Reporters · July 24, 2025 At La Discada 2025 in Guadalupe, Mexico, organizers didn’t just cook up a local favorite — they broke three Guinness World Records in the process. More than 10,000 people gathered to witness a giant discada, a northern Mexican stir-fry-style dish traditionally made on a large metal disc. This year’s version was anything but traditional: it was the largest ever, weighing in at 2.5 metric tons and cooked in a 24-foot-wide pan. The culinary team also managed to serve 13,215 tacos in just one hour, locking in their spot in record books — and probably…

USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, July 21. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of the Lone Star state’s most important crops as July progresses. Weather Karn Dhingra, writer for Texas AgriLife Extension Service, reported conditions from each of the following service districts. The 12 Texas AgriLife Extension Service districts. Texas AgriLife Extension Sunshine and warm temperatures allowed more field access after prolonged rain in the Central and Rolling Plains districts. Farmers are focusing on finishing cotton planting and hay baling. In the Coastal Bend and East, rain has continued making some areas…

The grocery aisle is a battlefield of buzzwords. “Organic.” “All-natural.” “Non-GMO.” And lately, the new darling of the label wars is: “Made with real cane sugar.” It’s a marketing strategy that plays on nostalgia and health perception. Soda companies swap out high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) for cane sugar, then slap a wholesome-looking banner across the label. But the stark reality is that, when it comes to your metabolism and your body’s perception of the two, cane sugar and corn syrup are nearly indistinguishable. Without further ado, here’s why swapping HFCS for sugar isn’t the nutritional upgrade it pretends to be…

By Ella Cao, Yukun Zhang, and Kevin Yao BEIJING, July 24 (Reuters) – China has pledged to increase financial investment to stabilize grain and other key agricultural product production, a government statement showed on Thursday, as part of its broader rural revitalization and food security strategy. The government vowed to support the planting, purchase, sales, and processing of soybean and oilseed, the statement jointly issued by the central bank and the agriculture ministry showed. China has intensified efforts to boost domestic grain output and diversify imports to secure food supplies for its 1.4 billion people and reduce the risk of disruptions amid ongoing trade tensions…