Author: staff

The final four teams in the 2026 Ag Innovation Challenge will go head-to-head in front of a live audience of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives on Jan. 12 at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Convention in Anaheim, California. Now in its 12th year, the Challenge, offered by AFBF in partnership with Farm Credit, is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their emerging ideas and businesses in the agricultural industry. The final four were selected from 10 semifinalist teams that participated in a virtual pitch first round. At the AFBF Convention, they have a chance to be the Farm…

Culver’s Thank You Farmers Project has reached a major milestone, surpassing $8 million in total donations since the program launched in 2013 — a record that reflects more than a decade of customer-driven support for farmers, agricultural education and rural communities. What began as a simple effort to recognize the farmers behind the food served in Culver’s restaurants has grown into a nationwide initiative supporting the long-term viability of agriculture. In 2025 alone, guests and local fundraising efforts generated more than $1.5 million, marking one of the strongest years in the program’s history. “Behind every meal we serve in our…

This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported the first confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a dairy cattle herd in Wisconsin.  Detections of avian influenza in dairy cattle have been limited this year, in contrast to 2024, when an outbreak that began in March spread nationwide and led to infected herds being reported in 18 states. “This detection does not pose a risk to consumer health or affect the safety of the commercial milk supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is confident that pasteurization is effective at inactivating HPAI virus,…

Every year farmers take a risk when they plant crops in the spring. This year brought about a different set of risks with export and tariff uncertainties, but farmers still rolled out some impressive yields in the National Corn Growers Association’s National Corn Yield Contest. And it’s hardly a surprise who was — again — at the top of the yield charts. In its 61st year, U.S. farmers pushing the limits of corn production, as the contest drew nearly 7,800 entries from 47 states, with verified yields averaging 269 bushels per acre. The NCGA announced the 2025 Yield Contest winners…

Chinese state-backed money is remaking the hemisphere’s ports — from Santos to Chancay — reshaping grain routes to Asia and squeezing U.S. farmers as tariffs deepen the split with Washington. From the docks of the Port of Santos, a 58-terminal complex covering an area the size of 1,500 American football fields, ships loaded with soybeans prepare to set sail for China. Less than 45 miles from São Paulo, the port services nearly a quarter of Brazil’s soybean exports. For decades, U.S. agribusiness giants like Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge and Cargill have operated facilities at the port. Today, they share space…

Mexico is already the top agricultural export market for the United States, but a new Terrain report suggests its importance to U.S. grain producers is only growing. According to the analysis, Mexico is positioned to remain a long-term demand driver for U.S. corn, soybeans and feed ingredients as rising meat consumption, population growth and limited domestic crop production widen the country’s reliance on imports. The report notes that the U.S. and Mexico have maintained a “complementary relationship” for decades, with U.S. producers efficiently supplying feed ingredients and Mexico focusing more heavily on fruit and vegetable production. That trade integration has…

From wolf country, the debate in Washington feels less abstract and more like a tally of dead calves and stressed stock. On Jan. 31, Reps. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin and Lauren Boebert of Colorado reintroduced the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, which would remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List, require the Interior Department to reissue the Trump-era 2020 wolf delisting rule, and bar that action from any judicial review. The bill will be voted on by the full U.S. House on Thursday. If enacted, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act would shift authority over gray wolf management from…

It’s the holiday season and food is a big part of what makes this time of year so special. Whether it’s seasonal items (like everything peppermint) that you can only get now, meals shared with family and friends, or special time-consuming recipes where you break out the good dishes, food means a lot. Yet food can also come with lots of questions, and the holiday season is no exception to all the myths surrounding food, so let’s debunk some of the biggest holiday food myths! ‘There are bad additives in ham’ Additives can be a scary word, but all it…

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act cleared its final legislative hurdle on Capitol Hill today, after passing a Senate vote in November and now passing the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill will now head to the president’s desk, where he is expected to sign it. The bipartisan legislation would allow whole (3.25 percent) and reduced-fat (2 percent) milk to once again be served in school cafeterias nationwide, reversing federal school-meal rules that shifted menus away from higher-fat milk options beginning in 2012. Supporters argue the change aligns school offerings with what families already choose at home and reflects…

Young producers who see their future in production agriculture have a new opportunity to sharpen their skills, expand their networks, and clarify their vision for the farm or ranch they hope to lead. Applications are now open for the 2026 New Century Farmer Conference, hosted by the National FFA Organization, taking place July 18 to 22, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Designed for FFA Alumni ages 18 to 24, the conference brings together an elite group of emerging agriculturists from across the country who are committed to building careers in production agriculture. The five-day immersive experience focuses on leadership development, business…