Author: staff

By Roberto Samora SAO PAULO, Aug. 27 (Reuters) – Mexico has overtaken the U.S. as the second largest importer of Brazil’s beef after the imposition of tariffs by President Donald Trump on Aug. 6 affected shipments from the world’s largest exporter, Brazilian beef lobby Abiec said on Wednesday. Brazilian beef, which was already subject to a U.S. import tax of 26.4% outside of an exempt quota, now faces an additional 50% levy. Between Aug. 1–25, Brazil exported 10,200 metric tons of beef to Mexico worth $58.8 million, according to Abiec data. Shipments from Brazil to the U.S. totaled 7,800 tons, worth $43.6…

On average, U.S. soybeans are progressing right on schedule. For the top 18 soybean-growing states, 89% of the crop reached the setting pods stage by Aug. 24, while 4% had reached the dropping leaves stage, USDA reported Monday. For both stages, that’s level with respective five-year averages. But as soybeans progress, diseases are as well. Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is one of them. SDS is caused by a fungus and is “one of the most recognizable diseases in the North Central soybean-producing areas of the United States,” according to the Crop Protection Network (CPN). “Cool, wet field conditions shortly after…

Thirty-seven FFA members have been chosen to compete for national office at the 98th National FFA Convention and Expo this October, marking a significant milestone in their leadership journeys and showcasing their commitment to FFA and agriculture. The process to become a national officer is arduous, with the candidates — each state FFA association can submit one individual member annually — taking part in an extensive interview process with the National FFA Officer Nominating Committee. The committee is comprised of students who interview and select the national officers. Image courtesy of the National FFA Organization It takes a highly motivated…

By Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas DECATUR, Illinois, Aug. 26 (Reuters) – The human case of screwworm reported this week by U.S. health officials is the country’s only one so far this year and poses no risk to the farm sector, a U.S. Department of Agriculture official said on Tuesday. Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that eats its hosts alive, has moved northward through Central America and southern Mexico, putting the U.S. cattle industryon high alert. A screwworm infestation can be fatal to livestock if untreated. An outbreak could cost the economy of Texas, the top cattle-producing state, nearly $2 billion, according to U.S.…

By Carl Zulauf, Joana Colussi, Gary Schnitkey, and Nick Paulson Since 1980, U.S. exports of grains and oilseeds have grown, but at a slower rate than U.S. domestic consumption, resulting in a declining relative role of exports in the U.S. grain-oilseed sector. The decline reflects many factors, including higher per capita income, which has increased consumption of animal protein, and the longstanding U.S. goal of energy self-sufficiency. It is also consistent with U.S. domestic demand being a more certain demand expansion path than exports for U.S. farm policy advocates given that the U.S. has taken a variety of international trade actions over time…

Empire State Development and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement today announced the 20 finalist startups selected for the seventh round of Grow-NY, an internationally recognized food and agriculture business competition that awards $3 million annually. Funded through New York State’s Upstate Revitalization Initiatives — Finger Lakes Forward, CNY Rising, and Southern Tier Soaring — and administered by the ESD’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation, Grow-NY was created to drive economic growth in Upstate New York. As part of the program, finalist startups must commit to creating jobs, building partnerships, or establishing operations across the 22-county region. “Each…

A study from North Carolina State University has looked at reducing between-farm infections by modeling a new way of routing the trucks that transport feed and livestock between pig farms and from farms to market. The rerouting system showed that even without effective truck cleaning and disinfection, it reduced up to 42 percent of the contacts between infected and uninfected farms via vehicle movements. “Currently, vehicles used to transport feed or pigs are dispatched from a call center, and based on weekly schedules,” said Gustavo Machado, assistant professor of population health and pathobiology at NC State and corresponding author of…

In the USDA Crop Progress report released on Aug. 25, 12 states reported soybeans dropping leaves. Here’s a closer look at the 12 states that reported for that crop growth stage. Louisiana Louisiana is leading the pack with the USDA’s report that 58% of soybeans had reached the dropping leaves growth stage. That’s 19 percentage points ahead of this time last year and up 18 points from the prior week. The five-year average is 37%. The USDA reported that Louisiana soybean condition was rated 0% very poor, 1% poor, 7% fair, 82% good, and 10% excellent. Mississippi The USDA reported 39% of Mississippi…

With USDA projecting record crops, farmers face tough choices on whether to store or sell. Strong demand and disease concerns may offer price support, but weighing storage costs against cash sales is key this harvest. What Happened in the Market The August Supply and Demand Report was extremely bearish on corn. Acres increased from 86.7 to 88.6 million, and yield potential rose from 181 to 188.8 bushels per acre since the July report. Those numbers created a jump in ending stock for the upcoming crop: 2.11 billion bushels, up from 1.66 billion last month. The market dropped to $3.92, putting…

“BPA-free” may not mean safer. A new study from McGill University in Quebec has found that the chemicals replacing bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging could pose risks of their own — disrupting vital functions in human ovarian cells. The research, published in Toxicological Sciences, revealed early signs of toxicity from substitutes widely used in the labels and stickers on packaged meat, cheese, produce, and fish. The findings raise pressing questions about the safety of BPA-free packaging and whether current regulations are leaving consumers exposed to hidden dangers. BPA substitutes disrupt gene expression The research began with the 2023 discovery…