Author: staff

Six men died Wednesday evening in an incident at Prospect Valley Dairy in Keenesburg, Colorado. Fire crews from the Southeast Weld Fire Protection District were dispatched for a “confined space rescue” but were unable to save the trapped workers. “Crews responded and took appropriate precautions to enter the confined space to perform rescue operations,” Fire Chief Tom Beach told ABC News. “Unfortunately, district personnel recovered six deceased individuals from the space.” The Weld County Coroner’s Office said preliminary findings indicate the men were exposed to a deadly gas, which is believed to be H2S, or hydrogen sulfide — a gas…

Emerging in the Midwest as recently as 2018, the footprint of red crown rot of soybeans is expanding in Illinois, according to an agronomist.  Besides Illinois, the disease has only been confirmed in a few more states. Neighboring Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri have all reported positive cases. Beyond that, Louisiana and Delaware have reported cases of the disease, and Ohio is reporting it for the first time this season. Crop Protection Network Positive Cases in Illinois Of all top corn-growing states, red crown rot has had the largest impact on Illinois historically. The Crop Protection Network’s cumulative case map shows…

A woman in central Florida is suing a dairy after consuming the farm’s milk claiming it made her sick and, ultimately, caused her to miscarry. That statement is one of the worst-case scenarios that could possibly happen to a farmer. We take pride in what we grow and produce, and the idea that someone would be harmed by our farm products is an absolute nightmare. But the devil is always in the details. In this case, the woman purchased raw, unpasteurized milk from an organic market. The container wasn’t subtle: labeled in prominent print, “Not for Human Consumption” (as is…

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows widespread dry and drought conditions, driven by hotter-than-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation across much of the country. There was a range of temperatures with most areas one to five degrees above normal, while isolated areas of California, Minnesota, and North Dakota saw below-normal temperatures. Even warmer temperatures of five to 10 degrees above normal were reported across the High Plains and Midwest, Arkansas, along the Ohio River, central Pennsylvania, and New York. For much of the country, precipitation was mostly near to slightly below normal. U.S. map showing drought conditions. Midwest In the Midwest,…

By Tom Polansek CHICAGO, Aug 19 (Reuters) – U.S. health officials gave the Food and Drug Administration the power to quickly authorize veterinarians and farmers to treat or prevent infestations of a flesh-eating livestock pest with animal drugs that may be approved for other purposes or available in other countries, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Tuesday. No cases of the New World screwworm have been confirmed in the U.S. for decades. However, the Trump administration and livestock ranchers anticipate infestations that could reduce the nation’s cattle herd and lift beef prices, already at record highs. Screwworm, a parasitic fly that eats livestock…

By Leah Douglas and Nichola Groom WASHINGTON, Aug 19 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday it will heighten scrutiny of some solar and wind projects but stopped short of ending all agency support for clean energy projects on U.S. farms, according to a press release. The release came a day after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced on X that her agency would no longer fund wind and solar on productive farmland. Rather, the agency said it will move away from funding larger renewable energy facilities, the Tuesday release said. Wind and solar projects will not be eligible for the agency’s Rural Development Business and Industry Guaranteed…

By Julie Ingwersen NEBRASKA CITY, Nebraska, Aug 19 (Reuters) – Nebraska’s soybean pod count is the highest in at least 22 years, and its corn yield potential is the strongest in four years, scouts said on Tuesday during the second day of Pro Farmer’s annual tour of major grain-producing states. In Indiana, corn yield potential is the highest in the tour’s records since at least 2003, though the average soybean pod count in the state is slightly below 2024 levels. Market players are monitoring the four-day crop tour, which started on Monday and covers seven top U.S. corn and soybean states, for…

Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp., which operates the world’s largest pork processing facility in Tar Heel, North Carolina, is facing a federal lawsuit that claims discriminating against a pregnant employee, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC accuses Smithfield violated federal law by not providing a reasonable accommodation for pregnancy-related medical restrictions, by allegedly forcing the worker onto unpaid leave, and ultimately firing her. According to the lawsuit, the employee notified Smithfield of her pregnancy shortly after being hired. Following a workplace accident, she developed complications that required medical treatment. Her doctor imposed restrictions, including a lifting limitation,…

Southern rust has quickly become a top concern for agronomists scouting fields this August. This “tropical disease” has infected corn in 20 states, according to the Crop Protection Network (CPN). This disease favors high humidity and temperatures around 80°F, which many agronomists reported this growing season. Positive 2025 Cases The CPN has reported positive cases in the following states. AlabamaArkansasFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMichiganMinnesotaMississippiNebraskaOhioOklahomaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasWisconsin Map of counties with positive southern rust cases by the Crop Protection Network. Minnesota “Southern rust in 2024 was widespread at high levels of incidence and severity never before seen in Minnesota,” shared Angie Peltier, University of Minnesota (U…

Corn is one of the most valuable cash crops globally, with annual grain production in the United States alone valued at nearly $80 billion. Fungicides are widely used to protect crops and promote yield, but new research published in Phytobiomes Journal looked deeper at whether maintaining beneficial fungi would make a significant impact on corn plant health. A research team led by research microbiologist Briana Whitaker and research plant pathologist Joseph Opoku, both with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, in collaboration with Nathan Kleczewski from Syngenta Biologicals, investigated how foliar fungicides influence the foliar fungal endophyte community…