Author: staff

Tractor development grew by leaps and bounds in the 1920s and 1930s, as droves of draft animals were herded away by engine-hungry farmers. A sure sign of the times, tractor sales had skyrocketed from around 250,000 in the early 1920s to well over 900,000 by 1930. Left in the dust of this stampede toward mechanized horsepower were small farms that couldn’t afford the large tractors of the time. Ever the entrepreneur, Allis-Chalmers Tractor Division Manager Harry Merritt saw an opportunity in small farms. He ordered some market research, which readily confirmed that fact. Allis-Chalmers marketers estimated that approximately 4 million…

Forty-two agricultural organizations sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Tuesday urging him to nominate a new Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, as Trump warned in a Truth Social post that there would be “no extension” to the new Aug. 1 deadline for reciprocal tariffs. The president signed an executive order Monday confirming the delay. “This position is critical to prioritize the needs of American agriculture amidst the ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations,” the letter said.  In April, reports came out that Trump would nominate Doug Hoelscher of the America First Policy Institute to…

By  Robin Opsahl Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday that Iowa officials have contacted the White House to be involved in discussions on how to keep immigrant agricultural workers in the country. The governor spoke about the budget reconciliation bill Tuesday outside the Iowa Capitol with Bob Quinn, host of The Big Show, a farm radio show on WHO Radio. Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig attended the show’s Sweet Corn Day event, which included discussions on the radio program as well as sweet corn provided by Titan Goodyear Tires. Both Reynolds and Naig sat…

The public’s familiarity with the term “food insecurity” and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is mixed, with approximately 40 percent of Americans reporting they are only “slightly familiar” or “not at all familiar” with the concept and program, according to the June Consumer Food Insights Report. The survey-based results from Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assess food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural, and food policies and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S. “Public understanding of food insecurity and of the federally funded…

Farmers and ranchers impacted by extreme weather events in 2023 and 2024 may now have some access to relief through $16 billion specifically allotted for these needs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin accepting applications for disaster assistance on July 10 through local Farm Service Agency offices. The rollout includes multiple relief programs funded by over $30 billion secured through the American Relief Act of 2025. U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.), who played a central role in securing the funding, welcomed the announcement. “Farmers and ranchers in Arkansas and the across country have faced relentless challenges…

More than half the U.S. winter wheat crop has been harvested, according to the most recent Crop Progress report. At 53% progress as of July 6, nationwide harvest was just shy of the five-year average of 54%. Seven of the top 18 winter wheat-growing states were behind average harvest progress, according to the USDA. Here’s a closer look at winter wheat progress and conditions in those seven states.  Oklahoma Of all top winter wheat-growing states, Oklahoma was the furthest behind average harvest progress. By July 6, the Sooner state’s winter wheat harvest had reached 83%, which is 13 percentage points…

In the Crop Progress report for the week ending July 6, the USDA reported that eight states have single digit corn silking. With four of those eight states reporting silking for the first time this season, now all top corn-producing states have corn at the silking stage. Colorado According to the USDA, 1% of Colorado’s corn was silking as of July 6. It was the first silking reported for the state this season. Last year at this time, 3% of the state’s corn was silking, the same as the five-year average. The USDA rated a notable 90% of Colorado’s corn…

Dozens of U.S. agricultural groups are urging President Donald J. Trump to nominate a Chief Agricultural Negotiator within the Office of the United States Trade Representative, warning that failure to do so could cost rural America key trade wins. In a July 8 letter addressed to the president, 44 national organizations — including the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, and American Soybean Association — wrote that the role is crucial to “prioritize the needs of American agriculture amidst the ongoing reciprocal trade negotiations,” emphasizing that the lack of a nominee risks leaving agricultural interests underrepresented at a…

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri State Climatologist Zack Leasor works in an office divided by time. On the right sits the past — dozens of faded, scratched leather-bound books containing over 100 years of handwritten climate data. One page — July 15, 1936 — shows a high temperature of 111 degrees Fahrenheit, the then-second-hottest day on record for the City of Columbia. “Back then, because of the lack of technology, a climatologist was somebody just skilled enough to use [weather] instruments, get the measurements, record them well,” he said. “That took a lot of time.” But today, Leasor spends far more…

A newly published JAMA Insights article warns of an uptick in reported cases of Eastern equine encephalitis virus in the United States.  Although rare, EEEV is considered one of the deadliest arboviruses in North America. “EEEV is the cause of a rare mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. that causes substantial morbidity and mortality,” the authors wrote. Most human cases have occurred between June and October, with peak activity in late August. In 2019, 38 cases were reported across seven states; by 2024, 17 of 19 cases were reported in the Northeastern U.S., particularly Maine and Vermont. The virus is primarily…