The 2022 Census of Agriculture continues the trend of declining number of farms and increasing average age of farmers. I also shows mixed results in terms of farmers adopting conserving agricultural practices.
USDA announced more money to be paid to farmers who had qualifying disasters in 2020 and 2021. These payments will only be paid to farmers who collected payments under Phase 1 not Phase 2.
If the act passes, the major item that applies to farmers is that 100% bonus depreciation is allowed on 2023 returns. Therefore, farmers might want to wait to file their return until sometime in February.
Major disruptions to shipping through the Panama and Suez canals, occurring for very different reasons, are contributing to the recent spike in ocean freight rates.
U.S. biofuel use has plateaued in recent years, and the industry is seeking new ways to expand use. One promising outlet is more use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the commercial aviation sector.
“I believe we have to broaden the conversation beyond just low carbon,” said Amy Skoczlas Cole. “If we can reconnect to the roots of what this is all about—rather than counting molecules—we will be so much better off.”
While the Farmers' Almanac and Old Farmer's Almanac are both backward looking – derived from past data that come close to current conditions. Weather agencies are tending more toward predictive computer models.
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) uses Olympic Average MYA prices to determine the amount of guarantee. The 2024 numbers may be almost exactly the same as 2014 numbers.
If farmers can experience a financial incentive in carbon farming that supports the practices and measurement strategies they have in place, many will begin working with imagination to become excellent carbon farmers.
USDA announced a $80-million grant to Virginia Tech to promote climate-smart agricultural practices. Also, the $100 is the three-year total, so the annual payment is less than $35 per acre.
The rate of groundwater withdrawal from aquifers is increasing in many parts of the country, and agricultural use in irrigation is accounting for much of that change. Climate change may be accelerating this trend.
If you’re tempted to build a beehive in your backyard, think twice. And instead of resorting to thoughtless prohibitions in the name of favored insects, let’s look for innovations trusting farmers to do the right thing.
When an environmental group announced it was taking people on an aerial surveillance of Eastern North Carolina to “document and expose” animal feeding operations, Jen Kendrick decided to do the same. Here's what she saw.
Agricultural R&D can help developing countries address their own unique challenges and shore up local food systems to better withstand shocks. This blog summarizes a research paper on this topic.
On a planet with more people than ever before, the discovery of phosphate means that fertilizer will remain a viable food production tool for most of the rest of the century.
I was on the AgriTalk program yesterday with Chip Flory discussing the Farm Program Integrity Act of 2023. In this post we provide a link to that discussion.
Many promoters claim you qualify for the Employee Retention Credit due to supply chain issues. They are wrong and the IRS provides additional guidance on this issue.
Family farmers understand sustainability and strive for long-term success through innovation and freedom in decision-making. The farm isn’t just an asset, it’s an inherited legacy to be passed on to descendants.
USDA assumes that $1.504 billion of ERP Phase 2 claims will be filed by July 14, but we believe the final number will be much lower. Here's a rundown from Paul Neiffer.
If you purchase or inherit a new farm, you might be able to deduct the excess soil fertility. However, there is very little guidance on this deduction from the IRS.
The policy of the EPA and the rest of the federal government should be to join the Supreme Court in supporting and trusting farmers and landowners to do the right thing.
'Biological' products contain beneficial, naturally occurring microorganisms or microbial derivatives as active ingredients, and are used by farmers to enhance the efficiency of other inputs such as fertilizer.
Ukraine has an incredible partner in Heidi Kuhn, an anti-landmine activist who understands the vast dimensions of a global menace, and 2023 recipient of the World Food Prize.
The economic environment today is similar to the 1970s and into the mid-80s. Although we are not expecting a 1980s-style farm collapse, there are lessons and opportunities to gain from a milder version of the 1980s.
This act requires most farm operations that filed with the Secretary of State to file an online report beginning in 2024. The penalties for not doing so are $500 per day, Here's a webinar that breaks down the basics.
Released in March, the sixth IPCC assessment report finds that the planet is likely to exceed the 1.5 degree C warming target established in the Paris Accord, which will put more stress on the global agricultural sector.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created new Section 45Z "Clean Fuel Production Credit" starting in 2025. Will this credit lead to extra payments to farmers?
The U.S. and Mexican governments will initiate consultations under USMCA to attempt to resolve disagreements over a Mexican decree limiting imports of corn with biotech traits.
Several Senators sent a letter to the IRS urging changes to various grantor trust rules. They believe the IRS has the authority to make these changes. We shall see.
Two recent studies confirm the notion that greater use of conserving practices such as no-till and cover cropping can reduce the incidence of prevented planting under the federal crop insurance program.
This blog summarizes the 60-plus year history of the European's Common Agricultural Policy, from its launch as a system set up to protect producers in six European countries to today's 27-member EU exporting behemoth.
This blog describes advances in agricultural biotechnology in recent decades, and how gene editing techniques can be used to help farmers adjust to climate change.
One of the biggest ag supply chain stories this spring has been pesticides. While my experience is these situations are usually overblown early, the situation could alter the way farmers do business in the years ahead.
A foreign leader addressing a joint session of Congress this week was a rarity. Not to be outdone, the partisan and often cantankerous members of the U.S. Senate passed legislation unanimously on a voice vote!
Good quality drone video and imagery can help your marketing stand out from competitors. “Drones help us highlight the best of a property, and also highlight the things we need to improve,” says Tim Cobb.
John Phipps says not including younger generations in a moment to reflect on those who have who gone before and especially who risked much on our behalf, the custom of formal remembrance will slip away.
Brian Doerr recently introduced regenerative agriculture practices, including cover crops, on his family's Nebraska farm. He details his decision-making and implementation steps here.
Whether it’s how you’re investing in technology or how your company is regearing itself for the farmer of the future, the ag industry is evolving right before our eyes.