Author: staff

Winter oilseeds may soon offer farmers a whole new income stream. Research and development of several species is underway, offering cash crops with sustainability-focused benefits.  Camelina, pennycress, and winter canola — all part of the Brassicaceae family — produce seeds containing 30% to 40% oil and high-protein meal, making them potential solutions for biofuels’ increasing demand and animal feed to boot.  Planted between crop rotations, and in the same time frame as traditional cover crops, winter oilseeds can provide the same benefits. For example, having plants in the ground throughout winter can prevent soil erosion and nutrient loss. Also, an…

Listen to the podcast Meet Bill Gross In this episode, I sit down with recent Daily Point of Light Award recipient Bill Gross. He grew up on a North Dakota farm and went on to found the nonprofit organization Farm Rescue, which provides planting, harvesting, haying and livestock feeding services at no cost to farm and ranch families who have been affected by a major illness, injury or natural disaster. Farm Rescue will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2025, and so far, the group of volunteers has helped more than 1,100 farm and ranch families in nine states. Gross remembers…

Two individuals from Massachusetts face charges after allegedly releasing around 200 minks from the Richard H. Stahl Sons Inc. fur farm in central Pennsylvania. According to reports, state police in Northumberland County say troopers were called shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday after a report that two people had been caught on camera releasing the minks at the the farm in Rockefeller Township outside of Sunbury. The minks were freed in the early hours of the morning, but security cameras installed after a similar incident last year enabled police to respond quickly. Fortunately for the farm, most of the mink were…

USDA Monthly milk production data has been the bellwether when it comes to measuring milk supplies. However, a consumer shift away from fluid milk consumption towards manufactured dairy products has brought with it an increased demand for production that relies on milk components.  Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist with CoBank, provided a breakdown of his latest study that suggests the dairy industry would benefit from a more comprehensive monthly report from the USDA that includes milk, protein and butterfat production levels. SF: When we think about milk production, we think about total pounds of fluid milk. Your study says we…

Four agricultural workers tested presumptively positive for avian influenza after working with infected poultry at a commercial egg farm in Franklin County, Washington — the first presumed human infections in the state. According to the state Department of Health, the individuals experienced mild symptoms and have been provided with antiviral medication. Testing of additional individuals on the farm is currently pending, and the number of cases under investigation may change. These are the first presumed human cases of H5 virus under investigation in Washington state. The cases took place at a farm that was the site of an avian influenza…

Today the USDA released the 30th Crop Progress report of the 2024 growing season. Corn crop progress According to the report, as of Oct. 20, 98% of the 2024 corn crop in the top 18 corn-growing states was mature. This was up from 94% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 95%. The USDA said across all the top growing states, 65% of the crop was harvested. This was up from 47% a week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Soybean crop progress The USDA said as of Oct. 20, 81% of the soybean…

Agricultural commodity company Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. is facing a lawsuit alleging that the Illinois-based company intentionally failed to test and maintain safety systems on its grain equipment for years, contributing to a 2023 explosion that left a worker in a coma. According to Reuters, the lawsuit, filed in Macon County Circuit Court, claims that ADM’s negligence in maintaining fire and explosion suppression systems at its Decatur facility resulted in serious harm to employee Antonio McElrath. The explosion occurred in April 2023 at ADM’s West Plant in Decatur, when McElrath was instructed by a supervisor to shut down a grain “leg” tube…

Halloween is a bizarre holiday. While our kids are growing up we constantly warn them about taking candy from strangers. And what do we do on Halloween? We encourage them to shake down strangers for candy! We want our children to be themselves. But on Halloween, they are pretty much required to be anyone other than themselves. No wonder today’s youth have such a hard time figuring out their identities. Most Halloween costumes were homemade when I was a kid. You could don some of Dad’s old work clothes, smear some grime on your face and go trick-or-treating as a…

For the second year, AGDAILY is excited to introduce three exceptional FFA members who will be on the ground at the upcoming National FFA Convention, helping us capture stories and covering the event through articles and visuals. These students bring a wealth of leadership experience, passion for agriculture, and a unique perspective on the FFA community. Keep an eye out for them as they prepare to share the excitement and impact of the convention and FFA members nationally.  Maura Martha Barrera, South Carolina Image courtesy of Maura Martha Barrera Maura Martha Barrera is an FFA member with a deep passion…

John R. Tyson, heir to Tyson Foods Inc., pleaded guilty to charges of drunken driving and other offenses following an arrest in June. He agreed to pay fines but avoided further jail time. According to Bloomberg and court records, Tyson, the great-grandson of the company’s founder, was fined a total of $960 and ordered to complete 32 hours of community service.  The legal proceedings stem from a June 13 incident in which John Tyson was arrested at approximately 1:30 a.m. by the University of Arkansas Police Department. He faced charges of driving while intoxicated, careless driving, and making an improper…