Author: staff

Wednesday morning, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a new USDA strategy for tackling avian influenza — saying there was “no silver bullet” to eradicating the disease in poultry or cattle. Rollins was giving an address at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Winter Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.  USDA said it is investing $1 billion into a “five-pronged” bird flu approach.  USDA’s biggest investment will include working on increased biosecurity measures and audits for poultry producers. USDA said it will foot up to $500 million to put towards work on these measures. In addition, USDA will spend…

John Deere has announced its first lineup of electric-powered agriculture tractors.  The first three E-Power tractors are being tested in three sizes, designed for work in vineyards, orchards, and dairies. These tractors are comparable to Deere’s 5 Series tractors, and offer about 130 hp, compared to their diesel-powered equivalents.  Deere is building E-Power tractors from the ground up in the same way automotive companies design crossovers, according to Derek Muller, business manager for battery electric vehicle systems at John Deere. Creating a common platform for electric tractors allows the company to build models with different tire sizes, axle widths or…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it is rolling out a $1 billion initiative to combat highly pathogenic avian influenza, safeguard the poultry industry, and lower egg prices. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins outlined the comprehensive strategy, which supplements ongoing financial support for poultry growers affected by flock depopulations. The five-pronged approach includes $500 million dedicated to strengthening biosecurity, $400 million in financial relief for impacted farmers, and $100 million for vaccine research, regulatory adjustments, and potential temporary import measures. “The Biden administration did little to address the repeated outbreaks and high egg prices that followed. By contrast, the…

Picture a farmer. Planting a seed, nurturing it with care, ensuring it receives the right amount of water, sunlight, and nutrients. Over time, this seed grows into a vibrant plant. Its roots deepen and its branches reach for the sky, ready to bear fruit that will nourish the community for generations. The USDA’s 1890 Scholars Program has acted as that vital soil for students from underserved communities for decades, providing the support and resources needed to cultivate future leaders in agriculture. But, without warning, a storm strikes. A torch to the field, a fire rushes in from the lightning bolt…

By Leah Douglas WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) – The U.S. will invest up to $1 billion to combat the spread of bird flu, as well as increase imports of eggs, agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins said on Wednesday. A three-year bird flu outbreak in U.S. poultry has killed 166 million chickens since 2022, according to USDA data. The virus has also infected nearly 1,000 dairy herds and almost 70 people, including one who died, since early 2024. The USDA will spend up to $500 million to provide free biosecurity audits to farms and $400 million to increase payment rates to farmers…

The start of every growing season brings a familiar challenge for American farmers, finding enough workers to get the job done. It’s no secret that agriculture is one of the toughest industries when it comes to labor shortages. As fewer domestic workers take on farm jobs, many operations have turned to the H-2A visa program, a federal initiative allowing farms to hire seasonal migrant labor. For many in agriculture, this program isn’t just helpful, it’s essential for survival. Critics of the program often ask: Why don’t farmers just hire American workers? It’s a fair question, but as Shay Myers, a…

Elanco Animal Health Inc. has entered into an agreement with South Dakota-based Medgene to leverage the company’s vaccine platform technology. The agreement includes commercialization of a highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccine for use in dairy cattle. Medgene reports the vaccine has met all requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s platform technology guidelines and is in the final stages of review for conditional license approval. While the poultry industry has developed interventions and processes to reduce the spread or eradicate HPAI, those efforts have continued to be challenging as the current outbreak enters its fourth year. Dairy producers have worked…

After open concern from farmers and grant recipients about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s funding freeze, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the release of $20 million in funds granted through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Thursday. Rollins said it was the first of a series of “tranches” of released funding and that “additional announcements are forthcoming” as a review of IRA funding continues.  Funding was released for farmers with contracts from the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program — which all fall under the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Farm…

If you were like most kids growing up, you couldn’t wait to get out of school or college. But if you’re a serious antique tractor enthusiast, there are some good reasons to go back to school. One of those is the wonderful Thresherman’s Lunch that comes with the Powers Tractor School, put on by Aumann Auctions, Inc. Yet, there’s a lot more to be gained from attendance at the annual school than a delicious chicken or sausage lunch. Named after the legendary prairie tractor collector Dennis Powers, the Powers Tractor School is held around the middle of April each year…

Farm equipment continues to grow in horsepower and physical size. Shorter windows to complete farmwork and the challenge of finding enough qualified operators make covering more acres in less time more important than ever.  2024 saw the introduction of the 830-hp John Deere 9RX, the Class 10+ Case IH AF11, and New Holland CR11 combines, and a range of other large implements, from planters to air seeders. But is bigger always better?  “It really depends on your operation and what fits best,” said Blake Bullinger, senior marketing product specialist for Fendt. “If you’re in Canada or out west, with wide-open spaces,…