Author: staff

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced the launch of an $8.5 million facility in South Texas dedicated to the aerial release of sterile New World screwworm flies. The facility at Moore Air Base is part of a broader, multi-faceted plan to strengthen the United States’ defenses against the destructive pest, which threatens livestock, wildlife, and — in rare instances — human health. The New World screwworm, eradicated from the U.S. for decades, was recently detected in parts of Mexico much farther north than usual. These detections, in states such as Oaxaca and Veracruz, prompted the U.S. Department…

The USDA and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have announced a five-pronged plan to detect, control, and eliminate New World Screwworm threats. The strategy looks to control animal movement, create strong surveillance systems, and utilize proven sterilization techniques. Government officials and cattle industry representatives praise the plan, which includes the launch of a $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility on Moore Air Base in south Texas.  Government Officials  Governor Greg Abbott “Texas is on the front lines of the threat posed by the New World Screwworm. Proactive measures like this dispersal facility are a critical step to ensure our state and…

Agridime LLC, a Fort Worth-based cattle company accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, has been ordered to pay nearly $103 million in restitution following a final judgment by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which brought the case, has permanently banned Agridime from registering with the agency or participating in any CFTC-regulated markets. The ruling stems from a broader investigation by the CFTC and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which alleged in 2023 that Agridime raised $191 million from over 2,100 investors across 15 states. The SEC characterized the business…

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the termination of more than 145 USDA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion focused awards yesterday, totaling an estimated $148.6 million in savings, in a sweeping policy reversal that aims to refocus department priorities on traditional agricultural and rural development efforts. “Putting American Farmers First means cutting the millions of dollars that are being wasted on woke DEI propaganda,” said Secretary Rollins. “Under President Trump’s leadership, I am putting an end to the waste, fraud, and abuse that has diverted resources from American farmers and restoring sanity and fiscal stewardship to the U.S. Department…

By Nate Raymond June 18 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court established rules of the road on Wednesday to determine when lawsuits challenging actions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency related to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions should be heard by regional appeals courts or an appeals court in Washington that often hears regulatory cases. The 7-2 ruling held that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and not the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, is the proper court to hear a lawsuit by small oil refiners challenging the EPA’s denial of waivers exempting them from national biofuel mandates. That…

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed a case of bovine tuberculosis in a cow originating from the Pembina Valley Region of Manitoba, prompting a quarantine of the infected herd and a wider investigation to prevent further spread. The case was first detected on June 9, 2025, when CFIA’s Ottawa Laboratory Fallowfield identified the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in tissue samples collected at a federally inspected slaughter facility in Manitoba. By June 13, the bacterium was confirmed to be Mycobacterium bovis, the pathogen responsible for bovine TB. Although Canada has been officially free of bovine TB for decades, isolated…

Establishing proper guidance lines in your farm management software is a simple way to keep your machinery aligned in the field while making passes throughout the whole season. Follow along with these tips to get started. John Deere John Deere display John Deere To get started, drive your tractor to the desired field, and orient your tractor with the desired heading direction. Tap the “Menu” button on the bottom right of the John Deere display, tap “Applications,” and then tap “AutoTrac Guidance” toward the top left of the screen.  Select “Set Track” on the top right of the screen to…

The country’s winter wheat harvest is well underway, according to the most recent USDA Crop Progress report. As of June 15, nine of the top 18 winter wheat-growing states had begun to harvest the crop.  Overall, 10% of the nation’s crop has been harvested, behind the average of 16%. All but two states were behind their respective five-year averages — anywhere from 1 percentage point to 16 percentage points behind. Here’s a closer look at winter wheat progress and conditions across the country. Arkansas Although half the nation’s top winter wheat-growing states haven’t even begun harvest, Arkansas farmers have harvested…

By Cami Koons Iowa crops continue to rate well, though average rainfall across Iowa last week was less than seven-tenths of an inch and some regions suffered from damaging hail storms. While the average soil moisture conditions rate 70% adequate for topsoil and 60% adequate for subsoil conditions, some regions of the state have much drier conditions, according the crop progress and condition report prepared by the USDA. In southeast Iowa, topsoil moisture rated 34% short and 10% very short, and subsoil moisture rated 48% short. Southwest Iowa had similar figures, topsoil moisture rated 33% short and 10% very short and subsoil…

By Galen Bacharier Democrats in the North Carolina Senate want to force a vote on a $464 million hurricane aid bill, aiming to un-tether the relief from ongoing state budget negotiations. The House unanimously passed House Bill 1012 in late May, approving another round of aid for the western mountains. It includes long-requested grants for small businesses and money for local governments to rebuild infrastructure. But the bill has been frozen in the Senate, as Republican leaders from both chambers negotiate a compromise on the state budget. Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, has signaled he would prefer that the Helene aid be part…