Author: staff

Image by National FFA Association A select group of 12 FFA State Officers from across the country have been chosen to serve as prominent voices in agriculture. The 2024-25 class of National FFA’s SpeakAg Pioneers are expected to serve as advocates for the industry and those in it at the local, state, and national levels. SpeakAg Pioneers lead the way among FFA’s more than one million members in promoting agricultural advocacy and literacy to FFA members and the general public by hosting workshops, creating content for social media, and attending events such as National Ag Day and the 97th National…

Drone technology is increasing in its applicability in improving farm operations. University of Illinois Extension Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit Farm Management Educator Kevin Brooks uses drones to assist local farmers with issues and provides practical advice on how to efficiently and effectively use a drone on the farm. Crop plant health varies throughout the growing season depending on conditions in the field. Driving or walking along a field edge shows what is going on where one can see, but it is not as helpful in monitoring what is happening further in a field. Drones, on the other hand, can help farm producers…

Here on our farm in northeast Kansas, harvest is in full swing. We, unlike so many others, are incredibly dry, and no rain is predicted for a couple of weeks — at least. That could go a couple different ways. There’s no rain so there’s no huge push to work incredibly long hours. Or, there’s no rain predicted so that means it’s full steam ahead to get it done before it would start raining. There are four of us on our operation, but only three of us — my father-in-law, my husband, and myself — who run equipment. My mother-in-law…

On Thursday, Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a devastating Category 4 hurricane before making its way through Georgia in the early hours of the morning on Sept. 27 and downgrading to a tropical storm affecting South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee — with deep, disastrous impacts across agricultural sectors. In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Tyson Foods has deployed its Meals That Matter Disaster Relief Team to serve hot meals, water, and ice to affected communities in Western North Carolina. Starting this Friday, October 4, 2024, the team will be stationed at…

As harvest season gets into full swing, farm operators face long hours, complex machinery, and increased activity on the fields. With multiple pieces of equipment operating simultaneously, fatigue, diminished daylight, and the fast-paced nature of the season, the risk of accidents and injuries significantly increases. Common injuries during this time include slips, trips, falls, blunt trauma, sprains, and strains. Implementing effective safety measures is crucial to protecting workers and ensuring a productive harvest. Reducing fatigue and staying alert Fatigue is one of the biggest hazards during harvest, often leading to slower reaction times and poor decision-making. Farm workers should make…

Tractor Supply Company and the Tractor Supply Company Foundation surprised five high school FFA chapters across the country with the funds needed for students to attend the 97th Annual National FFA Convention and Expo. The convention takes place in Indianapolis in October and is the pinnacle event for students involved in FFA, providing opportunities to learn, compete, and develop. Tractor Supply’s contribution will cover travel costs for a total of 75 students to attend. “At Tractor Supply, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of leaders in agriculture,” said Marti Skold-Jordan, manager of the Tractor Supply Foundation and National…

Link and Wood raised $191 million through investments related to cattle purchases, but the Securities and Exchange Commission found that at least $58 million of new investor funds were used to pay earlier investors, while more than $11 million went to undisclosed sales commissions. As of late February, Agridime owned about 6,500 head of cattle, and the company’s meat inventory was valued between $15-20 million. Despite the SEC’s actions, wholesale meat sales remained strong, and retail operations were resumed on the American Grazed Beef website. The assets included in the sale consist of the company’s remaining frozen meat supply, equipment,…

Declining income expectations helped to push farmer sentiment down again in September as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index fell 12 points to 88. Both of the barometer’s sub-indices, the Index of Current Conditions and the Index of Future Expectations, declined as well. The Current Conditions Index fell 7 points to 76, and the Future Expectations Index dropped 14 points to 94. These were the weakest barometer and future expectations readings since March 2016, when the farm economy was in the throes of an economic downturn. The current conditions assessment very nearly matched that of April 2020, when COVID concerns were top of mind for U.S. farmers.…

Drexel, Mo. — On a recent fall day, as Wilburn Harris did the rounds on his cattle farm in the Missouri town of Drexel, he was met with brown grass, cracked soil and half-empty ponds. He was used to it. Last year’s drought was so bad, he had to haul water and hay to his farm to keep the animals fed and watered. Payments totaling nearly $11,000 from the federal Livestock Forage Disaster Program, or LFP, helped him hold on to his 70 cattle. “If it hadn’t been for [the Livestock Forage Disaster Program], I’d probably got rid of a…

Livestock production is an important component of U.S. agriculture, with global demand for meat and dairy expected to double in the coming decades. This increase will lead to intensified grazing on U.S. grasslands, potentially exacerbating water quality degradation from livestock waste runoff into waterways. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines the combined influence of grazing and climate on the outflow of nitrogen from pastures into water resources under different grazing schemes. The researchers conclude that climate conditions could mitigate the effects of grazing on water quality, and that producers should consider weather when making decisions about…