Produce - General

These Half-Dozen U.S. Ag Trade Missions Aim To Diversify Global Demand

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:39:39 GMT

Trump’s USDA team has announced its agribusiness trade missions for the year ahead.

“Our team certainly plays an important role in generating demand overseas for the products,” says Luke Lindberg, USDA undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs.

Lindberg points to a three-point plan Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ team is deploying:

Get better trade agreements.
Build willing buyer and willing seller relationships.
Hold trading partners accountable.

According to Lindberg, the goal is it “helps to cultivate, it helps to diversify, so we’re not solely focused on one or two key buyers. I think if you go to many business owners and ask them, would you rather have one buyer that buys 80% of your products or would you rather have some diversification to lots of buyers who have ups and downs of their own, I think many of them would say they prefer the diversification model.”

So far, six agribusiness trade missions have been announced for 2026 with the goal of growing global markets, increasing exports and strengthening the agricultural economy.

The six mission destinations, and potential agricultural focus areas, include the following.

1. February 2026, Jakarta, Indonesia

Since 2020, annual U.S. ag exports to Indonesia have hovered between $2.75 billion and $3.25 billion. Overall, it’s the 11^th largest trade partner for U.S. ag goods.

Indonesia is the fourth-largest market for U.S. soybeans following China, the European Union and Mexico. According to U.S. Census Bureau trade data, in 2024 Indonesia imported from the U.S. $1.2 billion in soybeans, $198 million in wheat and $139 million in cotton. This past July, the Indonesia private sector and the U.S. wheat industry signed a memorandum committing to purchasing at least 1 million metric tons of U.S. wheat between 2026 and 2030 plus a minimum of 800,000 metric tons of wheat in 2025 (prorated).

The Trump administration has worked to address long-standing barriers to U.S. agricultural trade and expanding market access into Indonesia with a trade agreement eliminating tariffs on more than 99% of U.S. products.

2. April 2026, Manila, Philippines

U.S. ag exports to the Philippines have more than doubled since 2010. In 2024, the total value was $3.5 billion, making it the ninth-largest customer for U.S. ag trade.

With limited domestic production, the Philippines imports nearly all of its dairy products, and specifically $365 million comes from the U.S. Poultry exports to the Philippines totaled $187 million, with a majority of that in frozen chicken leg quarters.

The U.S. gained market share for ethanol imports into the Philippines, having doubled volumes in 2024 with a value of $138 million.

Beef and beef products are the sixth-largest group of ag products the Philippines imports from the U.S. This category has also experienced recent growth by increasing 58% from 2023 to 2024. The U.S. is second to Brazil in market share for beef imported into the Philippines.

In 2024, the Philippines imported $120 million of pork and pork products from the U.S. The country’s local supply has been declining because of African Swine Fever.

According to an announcement in July, the Trump administration said the Philippines will charge zero tariffs for U.S. exports into their market, while the Philippines will pay 19% tariffs to the U.S.

3. May 2026, Istanbul, Turkey

According to USDA analysis, Turkey has grown its strength as an importer of raw materials and then reexported finished products. This includes importing wheat for flour and cotton for apparel.

Because of its geographic location, Turkey has also grown as a strategic regional transshipment hub, connecting U.S. exporters with trade partners across the Caucasus region.

In September, Turkey lifted its retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. ag products: rice, tree nuts, distilled spirits and more. The Trump administration says a focus for the upcoming agribusiness trade mission will be to address nontariff barriers to trade, which includes import bans on U.S. animal protein.

4. August 2026, Australia and New Zealand

The Trump administration says its trade breakthroughs with Australia will give greater access to U.S. beef exporters. The U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement is structured to give comprehensive duty-free market access.

Other protein sectors have significant trade established with Australia. In 2024, $328 million worth of U.S. pork and pork products were imported. And $173 million of U.S. dairy products were brought into the country.

New Zealand imported $520 million worth of U.S. ag goods, including: soybean meal, dairy ingredients (lactose and whey), fresh fruit and distiller’s dried grains.

5. September 2026, Saudi Arabia

This agribusiness trade mission will focus on technical issues and nontariff barriers. Saudi Arabia is the 23^rd largest ag export market for the U.S., and it is a gateway to the $3 billion market for U.S. ag goods that is the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

Over the past 10 years, the country has increased its imports of U.S. hay by 540% to its recent total of $152 million in 2024.

Corn, tree nuts and rice are also key ag goods exported from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia, totaling $239 million, $169 million and $123 million, respectively.

6. November 2026, Vietnam

USDA says this trade mission will focus on preferential access for specialty cheese and meats as well as improved market access for U.S. peaches and nectarines.

U.S. ag exports to the country peaked in 2018 at $4 billion and in 2023 were around $3.1 billion. Ranked from highest value to smallest, the top five ag products exported from the U.S. into Vietnam in 2023 were: cotton, soybeans, distillers grains, soybean meal and tree nuts.

For meat and meat products, the key prospects include frozen/chilled beef (boneless and bone-in), frozen chicken (leg quarters, legs and paws), and turkey.

Dairy could be a growth market for U.S. exports into Vietnam as nonfat dried milk powder has led the segment to total $146 million of imports in 2023. Fresh cheese (for foodservice/restaurants) is in demand by younger generations despite not being part of a traditional diet in the country.

USDA also points to fresh fruit as a growth category for the country, namely apples, cherries and grapes.

Kennedy Says U.S. to Announce New Dietary Guidelines in December

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:20:05 GMT

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration will release new dietary guidelines in December aimed at reducing high rates of obesity and changing the country’s food culture, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday, Nov. 6.

“We’re about to release dietary guidelines that are going to change the food culture in this country,” Kennedy told reporters during an event in the Oval Office, where Trump announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cut the price of weight loss drugs. “We’re releasing those in December.”

Kennedy says the new guidelines would change the kind of food served to military service members and children in schools, but gave no details on the new recommendations.

“If we want to solve the chronic disease crisis, we have to tackle obesity,” Kennedy says. “Obesity is the No. 1 driver of chronic disease.”

Fifty percent of the adult U.S. population is obese or overweight, Kennedy says, adding that it’s driving costs up for diabetes care and cardiac diseases.

The updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which influence school lunches, medical advice and nutrition standards, have been anticipated since summer. The new guidelines are expected to address saturated fat, found mainly in meat and certain oils, and ultra-processed food, along with modified suggestions related to dairy consumption, sources familiar with the process told Reuters in June.

The Department of Health and Human Services and USDA publish the guidelines jointly every five years.

The current dietary guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories consumed daily, and do not address ultra-processed food. The definition of ultra-processed food is hotly debated by the food industry, while the report describes it as industrially manufactured products.

The guidelines recommend limiting consumption of alcoholic beverages to one drink a day for women and two for men, or not drinking.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Scientists Team with NASA to Grow Crops in Space as Zero Gravity Yields New Discoveries for Farmers on Earth

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:25:52 GMT

As humans set their sights on living beyond Earth, one surprising challenge is emerging: how do we grow healthy crops in the uncharted environment of space?

Purdue University researchers, in partnership with NASA, are answering this question by experimenting with tomato plants aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their groundbreaking work could pave the way for future space colonies—and even improve agriculture back on Earth.

From Earthly Challenges to Space Solutions

Plants, like humans, are susceptible to diseases caused by microbes, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. On Earth, these problems are manageable, but in the confines of a spacecraft or a Martian colony, a sick crop could spell disaster.

Stranded astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) struggles to survive on Mars in “The Martian” motion picture that first came out in October 2015.

(20th Century Fox/The Martian)

Dr. Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, a professor of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue, has spent years collaborating with NASA engineers to develop the Advanced Plant Habitat—a growth chamber designed to give plants their best chance to thrive in space.

“For decades, NASA sent plants into space, but always in containers that weren’t ideal for growth,” Dr. Iyer-Pascuzzi explained. “With the Advanced Plant Habitat, we’ve finally created an environment where we can truly study and support plant development beyond Earth.”

Tomatoes Take Flight: Engineering Meets Biology

The journey from concept to space-ready experiment wasn’t easy. Denise Caldwell, a Purdue PhD candidate, described the difficulty of translating biological needs into engineering solutions.

“We faced problems like how to keep seeds in place and how much water to use,” Caldwell said. “I grew this successfully 22 times and so I felt confident that what we were doing was going to work.”

Their efforts paid off when, in December 2023, their tomato experiment launched to the ISS. By early 2024, astronauts began testing the system in space—an apex moment for Caldwell. “Watching from home with my children as the experiment began was surreal. We were learning how plants behave in ways we never could on Earth.”

Last week I saw plants for the first time in 4 months. I might have gotten a little teary. We get fresh fruit and veggies via our cargo vehicles and they provide welcome pops of color and scent, but it turns out this does not compare at all to seeing living plants and smelling… pic.twitter.com/AfxHemAUbz
— Loral O'Hara (@lunarloral) January 24, 2024

Unlocking New Knowledge for Earth and Beyond

One of the most exciting discoveries from the experiment is how microgravity reveals hidden aspects of plant biology.

“When you take away gravity, you start to see pathways and genes and functions that you normally wouldn’t see on Earth,” said Dr. Iyer-Pascuzzi. “So, for me as a scientist, that’s the really cool thing because we have this plant hormone that now we’re seeing connections, in space, when we remove the gravity, that we didn’t see here.”

These lessons have the potential to help farmers on Earth by unlocking new scientific knowledge about plant growth and resilience.

One key insight is that plants seem less concerned with the lack of gravity, as long as they receive the right light, nutrients, and carbon dioxide. However, some natural plant defenses are suppressed in space, meaning extra care will be needed to prevent disease.

Looking ahead, Dr. Iyer-Pascuzzi is optimistic: “Is it possible to grow crops on Mars? Absolutely—if we provide the right conditions.”

Stranded astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) discovers his potato farm has been destroyed as he struggles to survive on Mars in “The Martian” motion picture. (20th Century Fox/October 2015)

(20th Century Fox/The Martian)

As Purdue’s team continues to analyze data from the ISS experiment, their work represents a giant leap for both human and plant kind. Their research isn’t just shaping the future of space travel—it’s also helping us better understand and improve agriculture right here at home.

Reference:

For more on Purdue’s space plant research, visit Tomatoes in spaceflight: A giant leap for human and plant kind.

Bayer Partners with French Company to Expand Pheromone Distribution

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 19:36:22 GMT

Bayer says it recently signed a development and distribution agreement with M2i Group, a French company that specializes in pheromone-based solutions for crop protection. The new distribution agreement will target Latin America, the U.S. and Asia-Pacific to distribute pheromone gels.

Monte Sorensen, product manager with Bayer CropScience, says M2i’s technology fits in line with trends in Europe toward more biological usage due to regulatory pressure. He says he sees the Press technology and its future use in the U.S. as another tool in a grower’s toolbox and more integrated solutions with the entire Bayer portfolio of products.

“We want to be able to provide a solution to the grower,” he says. “We think that best fit is by being able to talk to them about a solution from pheromone and mating disruption, all the way to your conventional chemistry to cover a big portion of the life cycle of pests.”

Bayer says this new distribution builds on a successful collaboration with M2i as the exclusive distributor of select M2i products in Europe and some African countries. M2i products in have targeted lepidoptera and some sucking pests in crops that include stone and pome fruits, tomatoes and grapes.

Bayer says it has also integrated M2i’s pheromone products into a system of digitally enabled solutions such as pest monitoring tools, which help advise growers on pest pressures and application timelines as well as other products tailored to grower needs.

M2i’s Press technology delivers pheromones through a thick, long-lasting device. Growers apply the gel using a pressurized device directly to the plant.

“The bottle is reusable, and the direct dispensation keeps growers from having to use plastic in an applicator or hanger,” says Phillippe Guerret, CEO of M2i. “This unique innovation is a way to save time and to keep plastic use to a minimum and to reduce waste.”

Sorensen says it will be a couple of years before U.S. growers will see any new pheromone solutions released as part of this partnership.

“We’re really trying to be mindful and thinking through how we can really provide an effective solution for the growers that both works and is right,” he says.

He also sees more grower and consumer interest in biological products, especially as more next-generation biological products come online. But, he says, at the end of the day, growers really just want cost-effective products that work.

“I think there’s opportunities to meet the grower where they are well,” he says. “Hitting on what they want to do — produce, sell and export their product. As we see more regulatory pressure, I see the market probably moving more in that direction [of biologicals], but I still think that there’s a big useful market for the synthetics and conventionals in there as well.”

Rural America is Facing a Mounting Labor Crisis

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:02:49 GMT

The American labor market is reaching a critical turning point that could tighten labor availability in rural industries and slow growth across the U.S. economy. A new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange warns that demographic shifts and recent policy changes may start impacting businesses as soon as late 2025.

From livestock and crop operations to food processors and rural cooperatives, this labor shortage is becoming especially noticeable in the heart of America’s farmland. Many producers are already struggling to fill roles, and the challenge is expected to intensify in the coming months.

“Barring an unforeseen change in labor force participation rates or immigration policies, the pool of available workers is set to shrink sharply in the next few years,” says Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “The problem will be even more serious in states with slower population growth in the Upper Midwest, Corn Belt and Central Plains.”

Demographic Pressures Mount

Fox says the warning signs have been building for years. Labor force participation has steadily declined, birth rates have dropped and immigration policy has become more restrictive.

Between 2022 and 2024, nearly 9 million immigrants arrived in the U.S., driven by global humanitarian crises and relaxed federal rules. While that influx temporarily eased labor constraints, Fox says it only masked deeper, long-term trends.

U.S. fertility rates have fallen from 2.12 children per woman in 2007 to 1.62 in 2023, meaning fewer young people are entering the workforce just as the last of the baby boomers retire. In addition, labor force participation has slipped from a peak of 67% in 2000 to 62% today. Nearly 2.5 million working-age Americans have left the labor force in the past eight months alone.

“There is no single reason people are stepping away,” Fox explains. “It’s a combination of rising caregiving responsibilities, job skill mismatches, mental health challenges and higher disability rates. These are complex issues that won’t be resolved overnight.”

Shrinking Workforce Hits Agriculture Hard

The effects are already being felt across rural America. Farms, food processors, equipment dealers and cooperatives are struggling to find and keep the workers they need to maintain daily operations. Seasonal labor has become harder to find and full-time positions, especially those requiring specialized skills or long hours, are increasingly difficult to fill.

In regions with slower population growth, such as the upper Midwest and central Plains, the challenge is even more acute. These areas often lack the population inflows that help offset workforce losses elsewhere in the country.

While labor has been tight for several years, Fox warns that conditions are poised to deteriorate further.

“What we are facing is not just a cyclical labor issue; it’s a structural one,” he says.

Border encounters have dropped sharply since August 2024, signaling a steep decline in immigration. Combined with rising political pressure to increase deportations, the agricultural labor pool could shrink even more in the months ahead.

“Immigration has long been a key pillar supporting the rural workforce,” Fox notes. “Without a steady flow of new workers, farms and agribusinesses will have to get creative, either by increasing wages, automating tasks or changing how they manage production.”

Technology Offers a Path Forward

In response, more agricultural businesses are turning to technology to help offset the labor gap.

“The key to addressing labor scarcity always lies in innovation,” Fox says. “AI and robotics are no longer limited to the factory floor. They are increasingly being used in fields, dairies and food plants.”

A recent Gallup poll found that nearly one in five workers already uses artificial intelligence in some form each week. At the same time, the cost of robotics has dropped by nearly half in the past decade, making automation more accessible for a broader range of farms and agribusinesses.

CoBank’s report notes that many farm supply customers are using new tools to increase efficiency, improve decision-making and free up time for employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities.

Planning for What Comes Next

As producers look toward 2026, a combination of labor constraints, volatile input costs and shifting policy landscapes will continue to shape decision-making. Fox thinks adaptability will be essential.

“Technology will be critical to agriculture’s future,” he says. “AI and robotics can help farmers do more with fewer workers, boosting efficiency and margins. But investment decisions must be made carefully, especially in this uncertain economic environment.”

Until clearer policies emerge on trade, labor and energy, rural America will need to prepare for continued pressure.

“This is a pivotal moment,” Fox concludes. “Farms that plan ahead, embrace innovation and stay flexible will be best positioned to succeed.”

USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan Targets Billions in SNAP Fraud

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:28:29 GMT

From SNAP benefit reform and fraud crackdown to the continuation of mass deportations with “no amnesty,” the USDA’s newly launched National Farm Security Action Plan touches on several issues that may impact the fresh produce industry.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins held a press conference Tuesday to unveil the seven-point plan, which the USDA says seeks to position American agriculture as a key element of national security and to strengthen the domestic food supply.

Among the plan’s action items: “Protect U.S. nutrition safety net from fraud and foreign exploitation.” The USDA says billions have been stolen to date from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by foreign crime rings.

Rollins held a virtual press briefing Monday evening in advance of Tuesday’s conference, during which she told reporters: “We absolutely have to get all illegal aliens off of our SNAP programs and make sure that taxpayer funded dollars are being spent the way that they were intended.”

The SNAP program is facing major reform from the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which intends to slash billions from program over the coming years.

As part of the SNAP reforms, Rollins says for the first time in USDA history, it is calling on “absolute” and “complete transparency” of data sharing for SNAP programs across the country.

“The largest program here at USDA is not a farming program; it’s actually the SNAP or the food stamp program,” Rollins told reporters Monday, adding that the USDA spends $405 million a day across its nutrition programs.

“And vulnerabilities within that payment system — our payment system — are a persistent target of transnational criminals and gangs,” she said. “Law enforcement has identified a troubling trend of transnational criminal organizations stealing from the poor and the American taxpayer by cloning point of sale devices and card skimming.

“Just based on what we have seen and some pretty major stings that have happened in the last few months by the Secret Service and by DOJ on SNAP fraud, [it’s] equaling tens upon tens upon tens of millions of dollars — just one case after another,” she added.

To address these vulnerabilities, Rollins says the USDA is actively ensuring no funds across the department’s 16 nutrition programs are being used to fund activities related to terrorism or criminal activity.

“In addition, the department will disqualify authorized retailers that are complicit in SNAP fraud or otherwise demonstrate a lack of responsible business behavior to transact purchases made with SNAP,” Rollins continued. “We’re also conducting regular assessments to identify risks and security vulnerabilities to the food and agriculture critical infrastructure sector, including transport vulnerabilities.”

Rollins says the USDA will be looking at the situation every single day, and that she thinks, ultimately, the reforms will be helpful to those who really need SNAP the most.

New Dietary Guidelines

Also on the nutritional horizon, new dietary guidelines are expected to land in the next month or two, said Rollins.

“Most people don’t realize what an important document or set of guidelines that is,” she said Monday. “It drives almost all of the food purchasing for schools, for prisons, for the different nutrition programs, etc.

“We are both, Bobby [Kennedy] and I, are very encouraged that we’re going to be able to change the game in terms of the quality and the type of food that we are feeding, especially to our schools,” she continued.

Rollins says they’re also working to get more smaller farms involved and tap into more locally sourced foods for federally funded nutrition programs.

Mass Deportations to Continue

Much of agriculture, including the fresh produce industry, has been feeling the effects of the Trump administration’s ongoing ICE raids and immigration crackdown since they began in June. During a Q&A at Tuesday’s press conference, Rollins fielded a question from a reporter who asked about mass deportation’s impact on the farm industry and if there would be amnesty for agricultural workers.

“There’s been a lot of noise in the last few days and a lot of questions about where the president stands and his vision for farm labor,” said Rollins. “The first thing I’ll say is, the president has been unequivocal that there will be no amnesty, and I think that’s very, very important.”

Rollins went on to say that Trump has always been of the mindset that “at the end of the day, the promise to America to ensure that we have a 100% American workforce stands, but we must be strategic [in] how we are implementing the mass deportation so as not to compromise our food supply.”

The ag secretary pointed to automation, government reform and tapping American workers as potential solutions to the labor crisis.

“When you think about the 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program — there are plenty of workers in America … So, no amnesty under any circumstances,” she said. “Mass deportations continue, but in a strategic and intentional way as we move our workforce toward more automation and toward a 100% American workforce.”

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How an Agri-Food Pioneer Transforms Soil Science into Real-World Solutions

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:52:39 GMT

Long before soil biology and microbial inoculants became paramount for produce growers and agtech companies alike, Linda Kinkel was digging — literally and figuratively — into the relationships between microbes and plants. As a young faculty member at the University of Minnesota nearly 35 years ago, she encountered a field where something unusual was happening: after 30 years of monoculture potato cropping, the soil had become virtually immune to disease.

“No grower would grow potatoes every year in the same field for 30 years,” Kinkel says, “but this was a breeding nursery for the fresh market potato industry. It was a great spot to have lots of disease pressure, but after 30 years, there was no disease. You could put pathogens in that soil and there was no infection.”

The discovery sparked what became a lifelong career of research into soil microbes and their capacity to build disease resistance, improve nutrient uptake and enhance overall crop productivity.

“I spent more years than I care to admit trying to find the microbe responsible,” she says. “What became clear was that there was no one microbe. It was partnerships, microbes interacting. And specifically, the way they interacted led to this amazing disease suppression, so — partners matter.”

That principle, partners matter, has guided her scientific journey ever since. It also played a key role in her being named a Top Agri-Food Pioneer by the World Food Prize Foundation in 2025.

From science to solutions

Kinkel co-founded Jord BioScience to make microbial products that are not only effective but also consistent, something the biologicals industry has long struggled with, Kinkel says.

“Growers need consistent tools,” she says. “That’s a huge opportunity, and one of the primary goals of Jord: to lift that consistency while seeking to outperform chemistries.”

Though microbial technologies like bio-stimulants, bio-fertilizers and biopesticides aren’t new, their relevance to fresh produce and specialty crops is rapidly growing. And according to Kinkel, they’re far from a one-size-fits-all tool.

For the fresh produce industry, the potential is great, Kinkel says.

“These aren’t crop-specific technologies,” she says. “There’s no reason they can’t be adaptable to any crop, any mode of application, any grower objective. If a grower needs disease control of a particular pathogen in leafy greens, or enhanced phosphorus uptake in apples, or stronger biostimulant action in potatoes, we can optimize inoculants to those needs.”

At Jord BioScience, Kinkel says, the company is already working with leafy greens, and she, personally, has long experience in potato and apple production.

“Earlier in my career, I worked on inoculation of apples to protect the fruit,” she adds.

Linda Kinkel, founder of Jord BioScience has been recognized as a 2025 Top Agri-Food Pioneer by the World Food Prize Foundation.

(Photo courtesy of Linda Kinkel)

Special solutions for specialty crops

What excites Kinkel most about the future of microbial solutions is their potential in specialty crop systems, where diversity in crops and growing environments demands flexibility.

“Specialty crops offer a special opportunity,” she says. “There’s so much diversity — so many crops, challenges and habitats. That’s where biology shines. Chemistry usually has one active ingredient applied broadly, but that’s not how biology works. Microbes allow for bespoke solutions that can be tailored not just to the crop, but to the specific farm or region.”

And thanks to advances in fermentation technology, application method flexibility and inoculant stability, many previous barriers to microbial adoption are falling away.

“Our microbes are agnostic to application method,” Kinkel says. “Whether it’s foliar, soil or something else, we can work with it. Biologicals are becoming much more adaptable and stable.”

Still, one major challenge remains, particularly for produce: field validation.

“You must have that field validation to provide the rigor and confidence growers need,” she says. “The diversity in specialty crops makes it harder to build large-scale testing platforms. But it’s our responsibility in the biologicals industry to make those investments, to prioritize the right needs and bring real value to growers.”

A lifelong fan of the “good guys”

Kinkel’s fascination with soil microbes began during a college course in plant pathology that focused almost entirely on pathogens.

“There was one lecture, just one, on beneficial microbes,” she says. “And I thought, what the heck? Why don’t we know more about the good guys? That question really defined my career.”

“The soil is filled with an entire universe of microbes that are doing big jobs for us every day, thanklessly,” Kinkel says. “My passion has always been to understand the who, how and why of these microbial interactions, and how we can manage them for better outcomes in food security and agriculture.”

Even after more than three decades in the field, her enthusiasm hasn’t waned.

“I’m not young anymore,” Kinkel laughs, “but I still see such potential in what we can do with soil microbiology. It’s a great tool.”

Top Agri-Food Pioneer recognition

As she prepares to be honored by the World Food Prize Foundation this year alongside a new cohort of innovators, Kinkel reflects on her journey and the mentors who inspired her, including Norman Borlaug, whom she met early in her career at the University of Minnesota.

“It’s humbling to be part of Dr. Borlaug’s broad footprint, however small my piece may be,” she says. “I’m especially proud that our collaborative team at Jord is being recognized. Microbes work best in collaboration — and so do we.”

The second annual Top Agri-Food Pioneers includes 39 changemakers from 27 countries forging a new future for food, according to a news release by the World Food Prize Foundation . The honorees, including Kinkel, will be formally recognized during the 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, taking place Oct. 21–23 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“The 2025 TAP list showcases the extraordinary diversity, talent and resolve of individuals working across borders and disciplines to build a more sustainable and just global food system,” says Mashal Husain, president of World Food Prize Foundation. “In a world facing urgent and interwoven crises, these honorees are fearless changemakers driving impact where it matters most — and offering real hope for the future.”

Grassley: I Still Support Trump, But Congress Should Lead On Trade, Tariffs

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 21:09:41 GMT

With financial markets spiraling deeper into the red, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is pounding the table in support of a bill that would wrestle back the executive branch’s authority to enact unilateral world trade decisions without Congressional approval.

The senior senator from Iowa has long held the belief the U.S. Constitution gives Congress direct oversight in regulating foreign commerce. Grassley says the legislature has deferred this authority to the executive branch since the 1960s, and it’s time to claw that power back within the walls of Congress.

“The impression is that I’m doing this because of what Trump did last week. It has nothing to do with that,” Grassley told AgriTalk host Chip Flory on Monday. “This president is doing what Congress gave him the power to do, right? I felt the same way in 2019 and I tried to get some changes then.”

Now, Grassley says he is simply piggybacking on the heightened awareness of trade tariffs after last week’s “Liberation Day” announcements from the Rose Garden. He still supports the President’s overall agenda and is hoping for the best-case scenario – which would entail a worldwide negotiation process to balance trade deficits among the U.S. and its trade partners.

“If he’s successful in putting tariffs on other countries to get them to sit down at the table to bring all tariffs down, I’m going to say he did a better job than my approach of negotiating tariffs down,” Grassley says, adding that the administration can immediately help farmers by supporting a new 5-year Farm Bill and directing the EPA to approve year round E-15 fuel availability.

Under the proposed bipartisan legislation – which is co-sponsored by a handful of U.S. Senators from across the nation – the Trade Review Act of 2025 would require congressional approval of new unilateral tariffs proposed by the executive branch within 60 days.

Over the weekend, senior Trump administration officials, including USDA chief Brooke Rollins, made the rounds on the Sunday morning political TV programs to try to assure corn and soybean farmers – who have suffered profit line hits from two years of inflated operating expenses and low commodity prices – that the President’s tariff strategy would eventually pencil out to long-term gains in domestic manufacturing and crop export markets.

Then, on Monday morning, Trump posted on social media saying he will impose an additional 50% in tariffs (on top of the current 54% rate) on China by April 9 if the country did not back off the 34% retaliatory tariffs it enacted on American goods. Ag economists say the China tariffs will have a devastating impact on U.S. crop and meat exports, and many believe the tariffs have effectively handed Chinese feed and fiber demand to Brazil.

Related: As China Retaliates and Hits U.S. With a New 34% Tariff, What’s the Possible Impact on Ag?

(iStock/Lori Hays)

The U.S. today is China’s largest ag trading partner, but 2024 import data shows that relationship could be fading fast: shipments of U.S. farm goods into China nearly halved from 2022 levels, when China purchased almost $43 billion in U.S. ag products. Last year, that figure plummeted to $29 billion, and many expect the tariffs will slash that figure even lower. China has also torn up or suspended several trade deals with U.S.-based poultry producers, and some experts fear a decrease in demand for U.S. pork products could be devastating to American hog farmers.

Related: Pork Producers Resist Urge to Panic, Respond to New Tariffs

Overall, despite alarm bells being sounded from basically every corner of the economy, the senate’s current longest-tenured member is hopeful there’s a light at the end of this long, roller coaster tariff tunnel for America’s farmers and ranchers.

“If we can export our stuff in a free way, it’s going to help the economy of the United States, and it’s going to help our consumers if we don’t have tariffs on products coming into the United States,” Grassley says. “I’m supportive of the President’s effort to get a better deal for Americans, especially for our farmers because we export about a third of our production, and that’s where farmers want to get it.”

Your Next Read: Ag Markets Try to Recover Early Monday, Except Cattle

Judge blocks DOL rule allowing H-2A workers to unionize in 17 states

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:30:01 GMT

A ruling by a federal judge has blocked the enforcement of a Department of Labor rule designed to protect H-2A farmworkers from retaliation related to union organizing in 17 states.

The decision was made by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, who found the rule unconstitutional because it conflicted with the National Labor Relations Act by granting collective bargaining rights to farmworkers, a right that Congress has not legislated for under the H-2A program.

The blocked rule was part of a broader effort by the Labor Department to enhance protections for farmworkers under the H-2A visa program. This program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. The rule aimed to prevent employers from retaliating against workers who engage in activities related to self-organization or other concerted activities concerning wages or working conditions.

Judge Wood’s ruling specifically restricts the enforcement of this rule in the states that were part of the lawsuit, which include Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The judge argued that the Labor Department overstepped its authority by creating rights not granted by Congress, effectively acting beyond its constitutional powers.

Bottom line: The ruling affects agricultural employers’ compliance costs by potentially reducing the immediate financial and administrative burdens associated with the blocked provisions. While the ruling alleviates some immediate compliance burdens, agricultural employers must still navigate the complexities of the H-2A program.

Two Crop Protection Partners Divest Postharvest Solutions Company

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:00:41 GMT

Sumitomo Chemical and Valent BioSciences have announced Pace International will become part of AgroFresh Solutions.

Sumitomo shares this decision comes as part of its strategic realignment efforts and both companies plan to develop a strategic research collaboration with AgroFresh.

“The integration of the Pace business with AgroFresh represents a step forward for both companies, enabling the creation of a postharvest solutions platform with stronger global reach, customer service and innovation capabilities,” said Rodrigo Cifuentes, COO of Pace. “The impressive portfolio of postharvest solutions that both companies bring together will set new standards in packinghouse efficiencies, quality and freshness not only for its customers, but across the entire fresh produce supply chain. As we move forward together, we are confident that this partnership will bring exciting possibilities to our combined employee, customer, and partner base.”

The addition of Pace’s operations will help AgroFresh expand into North and South American fruit-growing regions. And because Pace specializes in edible fruit coatings, fungicides, cleaners and sanitizers, sustainable storage treatments and application equipment, Clint Lewis, AgroFresh CEO, says customers can anticipate a broader offering that is better able to meet the needs of their specific crops and operations.

“We are excited to integrate the Pace business into AgroFresh, as we drive forward together with a shared vision to be the postharvest company of choice for customers globally,” Lewis said. “Bringing together our two companies allows us to better address the complete needs of customers across a broad array of crops, markets and at every step in the fresh supply chain, ultimately helping customers produce and deliver an abundant supply of quality fresh produce, sustainably.”

Iconic Holiday Road Trip Stop Returns to Its Georgia Pecan Farm Roots

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 20:44:08 GMT

Dashing through the snow in a front-wheel drive sleigh … the seasonal holiday road trip is a right of passage for many families. At one time, the roadside icon Stuckey’s was often a likely stop.

“At our peak, we had 368 stores in 40 states,” says Stephanie Stuckey, current chair of the Stuckey’s Corporation. “Stuckey’s really is synonymous with the road trip, during what I consider the era of the great American Road Trip, which would have been the 1950s to the 1970s.”

The roadside oasis, and its iconic pecan candies, are woven into the fabric of highway history.

“Back then, Americans wouldn’t travel by plane. They would load up in the car, usually in a family station wagon, and drive for five days,” Stuckey says.

The company was founded during the Great Depression by pecan farmer, WS Stuckey, as a roadside pecan stand.

“He always considered himself first and foremost, a pecan farmer and a pecan broker,” adds Stuckey, his granddaughter.

Today she’s leading a resurgence of that business, not as a highway stop, but as a pecan company with roots on Georgia farms.

“This is our big audacious goal: I want us to be the go-to pecan snack brand in the world,” she says.

Helping her on the journey is RG Lamar, a third-generation pecan farmer and company CEO.

“I can say as a Georgia pecan grower, I may be a little bit biased, I don’t know, but I genuinely believe we grow the best pecans in the world in the state of Georgia,” Lamar smiles.

He credits ample rainfall in the southeast and higher oil content with helping grow a larger-sized nut. The result is perfect for creating candied treats at Christmas.

Today, on an in-shell basis, Stuckey’s handles about 2 million pounds of Georgia pecans a year. As a state, Georgia grows roughly 100 million pounds.

“Interestingly, roughly 10% of the pecans grown in Georgia are grown in someone’s yard,” Larmar says.

Soon, the newly refocused Stuckey’s brand will be using even more Georgia pecans as the business continues to expand.

“Why is it that when you go into the grocery store, walk down the salty snack aisle and you get to the nuts, you can find every other nut sitting in that section, but you don’t see pecans there very often,” Lamar asks.

It’s a question this farmer and farmer’s granddaughter are aiming to answer.

“Of the original 368 stores there are only 12 left,” Stuckey says. “That’s OK because I saw what wasn’t on the balance sheets and that is the value of the brand.”

A brand, dumping, churning, dipping and packaging pecans, log rolls and clusters just the way the founder WS Stuckey did when he started.

“I would like to think if he were alive today, he would be really happy we’re making our comeback the way we began, as a pecan company,” Stuckey says.

Watch Christmas in the Country on Dec. 25 on AgDay TV .

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Are Arizona Crops Sizzling as Temperatures Soar? One Farmer Says the Heat is Normal for July

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 22:23:40 GMT

Global temperatures may have set a new record in July, according to some early analyses. As the high U.S. temperatures stole headlines this week, the Biden administration rolled out provisions to protect workers from extreme heat.

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, says scientists confirmed July is on track to be the world’s hottest month on record. One study suggested global temperatures in July could beat the previous record set in 2019 by 0.2 degree Fahrenheit.

Arizona is seeing a streak of heat. Earlier this month, Phoenix broke a 1974 record for the consecutive number of days the temperature reached more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service.

Yuma County, Arizona farmer John Boelts says the heat people are experiencing in his area is typical for July.

“The heat always impacts us, but I think the best way to describe it is we’re used to that,” says Boelts, who along with his wife, Alicia, operates Desert Premium Farms in Yuma, Ariz. “That’s normal weather for July and the low desert here in Yuma,” he adds.

The streak of heat in Arizona isn’t the only news generator this week. The state also recorded the all-time record low one day this week, when Phoenix Sky Harbor reached a low of 97 degrees on Wednesday. That made it the highest low temperature ever recorded on July 26 in the city.

“As a teenager starting to work in ag full time myself, I can remember leaving to go to work and passing the bank signs, long before we all had thermometers in our vehicles, and it was not unusual to see 94, 95 or 99 degrees at sunup here in Yuma as you’re driving through town headed out to the field. So that’s kind of what we’re experiencing now,” he says.

His area is known for growing crops like leafy greens, broccoli and cauliflower that are then shipped across the U.S. and Canada, but those crops aren’t grown during the heat of the summer in Arizona.

“This time of year, we know it’s going to be hot. So we’re growing crops like cotton and sudangrass, and we’re preparing our land in a way that’s appropriate for the time of year and the season in this type of weather, because we’ll start planting fall melons and our winter produce crops in August,” Boelts says.

Crops like cotton need heat and a lot of sunshine, making it ideal for Arizona in the summer. Boelts says he and other farmers were more challenged by the second consecutive year of record cool temperatures in May and June.

Blame It (Partially) On El Nino

What’s causing the warm temperatures that parked across the South and Southwest earlier this month, but then crept into the Midwest this week? USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says for the South, the problem heat started in mid-June.

“That’s when we started to see some trouble brewing in Texas. More recently, that’s expanded into the western United States, especially the Desert Southwest. That heat that’s coming up from the South is likely more related to El Nino than anything we’ve seen to this point,” says Rippey. “So, you can likely blame some of that high heat in Texas and Arizona, for example, on the developing El Nino.”

Rippey says there’s also some linkage to the high pressure system over Canada and the heat over Texas this week.

“It’s sort of a blend between blocks, if you will, and that is creating some of the extreme heat that we’re seeing in the western Corn Belt and in the Great Plains this week. But again, that’s not completely related to El Nino,” Rippey adds.

NOAA officials declared El Nino arrived in June, but the signs of it have been minimal so far. Earlier this year, some officials predicted the arrival of El Nino would bring ample rainfall to the Corn Belt and other favorable changes. However, Rippey says the current summer weather isn’t too far off course with a typical El Nino.

“The thing about El Nino is its biggest impacts on the northern hemisphere weather typically occur during the cool season as you move into October and beyond, so that October to April timeframe,” Rippey says. “That’s when you see the consistent signal within Nino, usually wet in the southern United States, mild and often dry across the North.”

Signs of Change

He says those El Nino effects are still months away, but for now, El Nino is a contributing factor to the heat in the deep South.

As Boelts manages Arizona heat every year, he says this year he and other residents are hopeful the moisture situation continues to turn more favorable not only for where he lives, but also to support the water level in the Colorado River.

“We know we’re not going to get a lot of rainfall, so we’re very dependent on being able to irrigate our crops with Colorado River water,” he says. “And we’ve been very excited to see that the Colorado River watershed has received a lot of moisture this year, not just in Arizona, where we contribute heavily to the Colorado River watershed, but also in the in the upper parts of the basin in Utah and Colorado. We’re moving in the right direction, refilling those reservoirs. And so we’re hopeful that we’re at the beginning of a trend of improvement.”

Nominate Outstanding Farmers for Top Honors

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 14:31:07 GMT

The 2023 Top Producer Summit will be held Jan. 23–25 in Nashville. During the Summit, Top Producer will recognize remarkable farmers who have taken risks, built thriving businesses and given back to their communities.

The entry deadline for each award is Sept. 30.

2023 Top Producer of the Year

The award honors three producers whose operations are at the forefront of agriculture and crowns one winner. Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%). All three finalists receive trips to the Summit, CEO coaching sessions and other prizes. The winner also receives a lease of a Case IH tractor. Learn more.

2023 Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award

The award recognizes farmers 35 and under who represent the next generation of esteemed farm leaders. Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and leadership (20%). The winner receives a trip to the Summit, a drone and other prizes. Learn more.

2023 EWA Trailblazer Award

This award is given to a female producer who is a shining example for her peers. Entrants are judged on agricultural advocacy (50%), farm business innovation (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%). The winner receives a trip to the Summit and leadership or succession planning consulting sessions. Learn more.

Is Trouble Brewing for the Farm Economy?

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 20:05:15 GMT

For the first time since September 2020, the rural economy is showing signs of weakness. That’s according to the March Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University.

For June 2022, the RMI sits at 49.8. That is down from May’s 57.7. The index ranges between 0 and 100 with a reading of 50 representing growth neutral and is generated by a monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.

“Much like the nation, the growth in the Rural Mainstreet economy is slowing,” says Ernie Goss, who chairs Creighton’s Heider College of Business and leads the RMI. “Supply chain disruptions from transportation bottlenecks and labor shortages continue to constrain growth. Farmers and bankers are bracing for escalating interest rates — both long-term and short-term.”

Bankers were asked their U.S. recession expectations for the next 12 months. Approximately 92.9% rate the likelihood of a U.S. recession above 50%. Only 7% rated a recession probability below 50%.

“Fuel prices are starting to have a severe negative impact on rural Nebraska,” shared Jon Schmaderer, CEO of Tri-County Bank in Stuart, Neb.

Farmland Prices Stay Strong

The region’s farmland price index for June hit 76.8, up from May’s 72. That marks the 21st straight month the index has moved above growth neutral. Over the past several months, the RMI has registered the most consistent and strongest growth in farmland prices since the survey was launched in 2006.

So far in June, Peoples Company appraisal team tracked 32 cropland auctions across 17 Iowa counties. In total, 4,305 acres of cropland sold in auctions for $57.8 million, or an average of $13,426 per acre.

In late May, a farm in Plymouth County, Iowa, sold for $25,000 per acre – a new record .

On average in June, bank CEOs expect 2022 net farm income for grain farmers to be 12.6% above 2021 levels.

The June farm equipment-sales index climbed to 71.4 from May’s healthy 66.9. This was the 19th straight month that the index has advanced above growth neutral. Readings over the past several months are the strongest string of monthly readings recorded since the beginning of the survey in 2006.

Meanwhile, the loan volume at rural banks is increasing. The June loan volume index rose to 78.5, its highest reading since May 2019, from last month’s 73.0.

“Escalating costs of farm inputs pushed borrowing up to its highest reading since May 2019,” Goss says.

Surging energy prices and rocketing agriculture input prices constrained the business confidence index to 33.9, its lowest level since May 2020. This marks the lowest back-to-back readings since the beginning of the pandemic in April and May 2020.

The RMI, which started in 2005, represents an early snapshot of the economy of rural agricultural and energy-dependent portions of the nation. It focuses on 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300.

Squash the Record: Nebraska Pumpkin Grower Paddles 846-lb. Pumpkin on Missouri River

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 18:11:29 GMT

To commemorate his 60th trip around the sun, Duane Hansen set a new world record. Hansen, of Syracuse, Neb., grew a pumpkin that clocked in at 846 lb. (and appropriately named it Berta). He hollowed it out to create a makeshift boat.

At 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 27, Hansen jumped in his pumpkin and launched from the Missouri River boat ramp in Bellevue, Neb. Eleven hours and 38 miles later, he docked in Nebraska City, Neb. Hansen’s 38 miles afloat in his orange vessel eclipses the previous record of 25.5 miles, which was set in 2018 by a man who paddled from North Dakota to Minnesota, according to Guinness World Record .

“I’ve been dreaming about this,” Hansen says. “This has been a five-year journey to get a pumpkin that’s big enough.”

What was the biggest challenge of the journey? “Not swamping it,” Hansen told News Channel Nebraska .

Gourdspeed Duane, gourdspeed.

High Interest Rates and Inflation Dragging Down the Rural Economy

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:56:25 GMT

For a fifth straight month, the rural economy has posted signs of trouble. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University.

For September 2022, the RMI sits at 46.3. While it is up from August’s 44, it is still the fifth month below growth neutral.

The index ranges between 0 and 100 with a reading of 50 representing growth neutral and is generated by a monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.

“The Rural Mainstreet economy is now experiencing a downturn in economic activity,” says Ernie Goss, who chairs Creighton’s Heider College of Business and leads the RMI. “Supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures from higher farm input costs continue to constrain growth. Farmers and bankers are bracing for escalating interest rates, higher farm input costs and drought.”

Four of 10 bankers indicated that high and escalating farm input costs were the greatest economic challenge to their bank and area over the next 12 months. More than two of 10 bank CEOs reported drought impacts were the greatest economic challenge going forward.

James Brown, CEO of Hardin County Savings Bank in Eldora, Iowa, reported that, “initial farm customer reviews show good crop production and cash flow analyses.”

All Eyes on Farmland

The region’s farmland price index for September climbed to 61.1 from August’s 60.0, marking the 24th straight month that the index has moved above growth neutral.

“Increases in interest rates and farm inputs will adversely affect our farmers,” reports Jim Eckert, president of Anchor State Bank in Anchor, Ill.

According to Jim Rothermich of the Land Talker, five farmland sales auctions between Aug. 27 and Sept. 2 yielded sales of greater than $20,000 per acre in Iowa counties of Ida, Dubuque and Sioux.

After falling below growth neutral in August, the farm equipment-sales index soared to 58 for September from 45.9 in August. The index has risen above growth neutral for 21 of the last 22 months.

The September loan volume index climbed to a strong 79.5 from 73.9 in August.

“Higher costs of farm inputs and drought conditions in portions of the region supported stronger borrowing from farmers,” Goss says.

Looking forward, the slowing economy, strong energy prices and high agriculture input prices constrained the business confidence index to 40.7 in September, which was up from 38 in August.

The RMI, which started in 2005, represents an early snapshot of the economy of rural agricultural and energy-dependent portions of the nation. It focuses on 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300.

John Phipps: The New Technology Helping Cool the GMO Debate

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:59:09 GMT

The public apprehension over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) has slowly dissipated as an abundance of non-GMO offerings have been made available to consumers. One major concern was the transference of genetic material between species.

These transgenic mutations made some consumers uneasy, but they also made GMOs detectable. Soon simple and rapid tests could make sure if corn was GMO or not. Such detectability is crucial.

Compare this situation to organic, for example, where the only criterion was essentially the word of the producer, backed by paperwork, inspections, and other oversight – not a laboratory test. Science has moved on.

Using a genetic engineering tool with the handy name of CRISPR/Cas9, breeders can now alter genes without using transgenic material. This is essentially the same method as conventional plant breeding only capable of targeting a specific gene segment instead of waiting for an identical natural mutation to occur and be sorted out.

CRISPR results are identical to results from conventional breeding. Without outside material involved it is impossible to differentiate from conventional and CRISPR results.

While food activists may still object, recent scandals in the organic food industry suggest trying to discriminate against CRISPR products will be impossible or at least worse than the current shaky organic verification regimes. It would also make no sense or calm any fear.

Gene alterations occur constantly from natural causes such as background radiation, gene replication errors, and traditional breeding, evidenced by the importance of pedigrees for breeding livestock.

When this genetic tool first began getting attention, I wrote about it in Top Producer. I was a little too enthusiastic six years ago about when the first fruits of this work would show up in supermarkets.

It is happening now, and one of the first foods to be improved is sadly, mustard greens. The new varieties are less bitter, I guess, but then I’m far from a salad aficionado.

My hope is we could finally solve some more pressing vegetable issues – like shippable tomatoes with August-garden juiciness and flavor. Meanwhile consumers may be, knowingly or not, storing one of the most advanced scientific discoveries in their refrigerators.

In other words, we’ll be putting CRISPR in the crisper.

9 Tips for Improving Soil Health on Your Farm

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 02:19:55 GMT

Create a groundwork for high yields and profitability

Farmers know improving soil health can supercharge crop performance. However, it’s not always clear what steps or adjustments a farmer can take to see real results. Try these nine strategies first to transform soil from good to great.

1. START WITH THE FOUNDATION

First, look at how well water moves up and down the soil profile, says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie . “One of the biggest issues affecting soil health a lot of times are past sins, such as compaction layers that restrict root and water movement limiting soil oxygen.”

If flipping a field’s soil health is the goal, he says, it might require deep tillage to remove layers or improving field drainage with tile before adding other systems like cover crops or no-till.

2. KEEP A LIVING ROOT

“The soil is alive; in one teaspoon of healthy soil there are more microbes than there are people on the earth,” says Mitchell Hora, CEO of Continuum Ag . “Those microbes need to eat, which means we need to pump more carbon and simple sugars into the ground via photosynthesis.”

Without living roots, microbes can die off and processes such as nutrient cycling, water management, building aggregate stability, improving water holding capacity, storing carbon or building organic matter all stop.

3. TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH

“The whole farm, every single acre, works in tandem because the environment all works together,” says Jamie Johnson, a farmer in Frankfort, S.D., and 2022 regional winner of the American Soybean Association Conservation Legacy Award. “We try to approach it as a whole system.”

For them, that means incorporating other types of agriculture back into the operation, such as livestock to provide added nutrients, organic matter and biodiversity.

4. ADOPT PRECISION AG

Precision ag practices, such as variable rate applications and creating management zones, can save farmers money and resources by limiting over or under application while focusing on improving overall soil heath.

“If we can tell through precision ag applications a soil type is not able to produce a certain number of bushels, then there’s no reason to plan for bushels beyond its ability because the soil is the limitation,” says Neil Dominy, assistant state conservationist for partnerships for the Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service. “Management zones can help us dial that in.”

5. BALANCE SOIL PH

The bacteria that break down organic matter don’t work well in highly acidic soils. Organic matter can tie up important nutrients, including nitrogen. A pH range of 6 to 7 is optimum for making sure nutrients are available to plants, although most field crops work well between 5.5 and 6.5.

“We always think about nutrients producing a big crop, but those nutrients also feed the microbial biology in the soil,” Ferrie says. “If a farm is too acidic, for instance, it really slows down the biology.”

6. NO-TILL CEREAL RYE AHEAD OF SOYBEANS

Farmers looking for an easy place to start should consider no-tilling cereal rye as a cover crop in the fall ahead of next season’s soybeans.

“In that soybean year, you can drill your soybeans or plant your soybeans green and then let the rye keep growing,” Hora says. “You’re getting the benefit of that rye managing your moisture while feeding nutrients back to the seedbed.”

7. MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE

Farmers focusing on soil health should limit or minimize disturbance of soil, Hora says.

“If you’re building those microbial communities up but then destroy their home with tillage or over application of fertilizers, what good are we really doing?” he asks.

By limiting disturbance, you can help improve aggregate stability, add pores, improve carbon sequestration and increase water infiltration.

8. PLANT GREEN, TERMINATE RYE LATER

Before you terminate a cover crop such as rye, wait until it starts to drop pollen, or the soil becomes dry after soybeans are up and growing. Then hit the field with a single herbicide pass on a day when rain is not in the forecast.

“This lets you reduce that early pass of herbicide,” Hora explains. “We don’t need a pre-emerge, we don’t need that preplanting pass of herbicide or even that early post- emerge pass.”

He currently relies on a quart of generic glyphosate. If you want to eliminate chemistry further, use a roller or crimper to terminate rye even in soybeans between V1 and V3.

9. BE ON OFFENSE, NOT DEFENSE

“Often cover crops and no-till have been branded as defensive management tools — defense against erosion and defense against water quality problems — but really that cover crop is my offensive tool,” Hora says. “It’s my nutrient stabilizer, it’s my herbicide program, it’s my moisture management program, it’s my soil building program, it’s my resiliency program.”

Farm Journal Editor Clinton Griffiths is a TV newsman turned magazine editor with a passion for good stories. He believes the best life lessons can be found down a dirt road.

From Fresh Berries to Lettuce, What We Now Know About the Agricultural Losses Caused by Flooding in California

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 21:18:25 GMT

California farmers are facing another round of flooding , with fields still bearing fresh scars from January’s flood event . An area known for the production of fresh berries, as well as leafy greens, is bracing for the worst, and officials expect the March flooding to spread over more acres than January.

The Monterey County Ag Commissioner’s office conducted an assessment of the January floods, which projected the flood waters covered 20,000 acres in Monterey County, which is home to the Salinas Valley. The losses were pegged at $330 million , and that was at a time when the majority of the spring crops hadn’t been planted yet.

“Now we have March flooding, so those farms adjacent to the Salinas River, and in other low lying areas, which are at most risk for flooding again, I think the difference this time is kind of two-fold,” says Chris Valadez, the president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California . “One, you had crops planted in the ground for the upcoming spring harvest. So, there is direct crop damage this time more so than there was and would have been in the January event, and two, not only did you know virtually all of the 20,000 or so acres, flood again, but this weather system and the resulting flood and volume of water that was coming down the Salinas River and spilled over laterally into farm fields was more aggressive.”

Related Story: California Strawberry Commission shares update on devastation from river flooding

This week, the atmospheric rivers are having a larger cut due to a levee breach. The water is impacting fields planted in fresh berries, like strawberries and raspberries. Some of the low-lying area are also home to leafy green production like lettuce. While the damage will be severe for those in the flood water’s path, Valadez says the entire area includes close to 360,000 acres of productive farmland, most of which is expected to still be harvested this year.

“There are an array of different row crops, vegetables, and others that that are planted in that will be harvested and shipped come this spring. That is just kind of the good news, if there’s any to share from this event,” he says. “The bad news is there’s more acreage there’s going to be more direct crop loss, there’s going to be more negative impact onto the agricultural economy, families and farm workers that will continue kind of suffering through this region.”

Residents in the rural community of Porterville, California, say it took 15 minutes for floodwaters from a broken levee to devastate their homes. Some are now wading through the murky waters to feed their animals, as they say they had no warning that the flood was about to hit pic.twitter.com/UEjVyHUgTo
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 17, 2023

Valadez says this March flood event will have a negative impact on the farming communities, as well as the farm families and employees who rely on the production each year. That’s a concern Supervisor Luis Alejo of the California State Association of Counties in District 1, also told CNN.

“The pain is going to be prolonged for many weeks and months. This should have been the beginning of the harvest season,” says Alejo.

Related Story: California farm groups praise governor’s actions to recharge aquifers

There are concerns about what any crop loss will do to overall supplies this year, and the damage is still unknown.

“There will be more crop losses as areas that have not experienced flooding now are now experiencing it for the first time,” says Norm Groot with Monterey County Farm Bureau.

Valadez says if previous flood and drought events have taught the area one thing, it’s farmers in that part of California are extremely resilient, but Valadez says the weeks and months ahead will be hard for those producers, and they’re going to need help.

“In some cases, they’re going to need people to get out of the way, we’re going to need to cut some red tape at the local level, perhaps at the state level as well, regulatory speaking, to get berms and levees back up so that the river can handle appropriate water levels getting from point A to B, so that they’re not as at risk to flow laterally and on to ag fields,” he says. “And so reducing red tape, allowing farmers to kind of put the pieces back together and really allow them to rebound because they are naturally resilient and history has shown they’ll come back stronger than ever.”

Valadez says the area is confident they will be able to work together and overcome the challenges Mother Nature is throwing their way, as the ultimate goal is to get farms back to a healthy state so those fields can start producing valuable crops again.

Why a New App Designed by Iowa State Could Be a Game Changer to Identify and Diagnose Unwanted Pests

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 02:09:49 GMT

In fields across Iowa, unwanted pests are on the prowl year after year, but a new app could help farmers not only detect which pests are in their field, but also give insights on how to treat the field if it’s a yield-robbing pest.

“It is the first of its kind in the sense we are trying to cater the needs of farmer by putting these management practices or strategies linked with insect detection,” says Arti Singh, assistant professor in Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University.

The main goal is to make pest management simpler, which is why the app is a one-stop shop that first identifies the pest, but also gives management advice by recommending on next steps.

“They go into a field, they take a picture, and in real time, it tells them which insect it is, whether it’s a beneficial insect or if it’s a harmful insect,” she adds. “It also gives them the scientific name and common name of the insect.”

The app is already able to identify 2,000 different insects today, but by early next year, it will have the capability detecting and diagnosing more than 4,000 pests. The growth of the app’s capability is being driven by the power of artificial intelligence.

“We use a concept called deep learning, which is the subset of artificial intelligence, where we collect these images, and we pass it through a network, if you will, and the network is essentially extracting all different kinds of features of this of the images and then making a decision on which insect class it belongs to,” says Baskar Ganapathysubramanian, professor associate chair for Research Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University.

In order to double the amount of insects it can detect by early next year, millions of images will need to be collected, a process that’s already underway.

“I think the large amount of data that we have been collecting, both from sensors, from images, from drones and from citizen scientists, has provided a wonderful opportunity for us to train new kinds of artificial intelligence models on this data so that we can facilitate decision support and enable farmers to do what they do better, faster and easier way,” says Ganapathysubramanian.

While creating a pest identification has a goal of simplicity for the end user, the data on the front end can be noisy.

“Different people use different kinds of cameras, different people use different kinds of phones, at different locations in different resolutions,” says Ganapathysubramanian. “So, how do you account for all those things while you design insect detection app is something that we have to deal with.”

Another challenge is the sheer amount of data that the app will need to process. Ganapathysubramanian says some pests will have more than 100,000 images, while other insects may only have 20 photos, and many of those pests have similar characteristics.

“There are also some beetles that looks very, very similar, but they actually belong to different class, so how do you distinguish between two similar looking images, but they actually belong to wildly different classes where one class could be a beneficial pest insect and the other class could be actually a pest, or perhaps an invasive species.”

While artificial intelligence is key, the human element is still a vital piece of the puzzle. However, the sheer amount of data creates a challenge with sorting through all the data.

“You have lot of images, it takes an entomologist, actually to decide what it each individual image, which class it belongs to, but if we have 20 million images like these, it’s difficult for an entomologist to go and look at and rank and read each individual image,” explains Ganapathysubramanian.

The app will help farmers solve pest problems not only today, but also tomorrow, as deep learning continues to evolve with the pests and diseases farmers face.

“We don’t know about these new crops which insect pests or diseases can be a problem, says Singh. “If we have this library of insect pests, and we can use the smartphone app to identify in a timely way and mitigate, I think this will be a game changer for farmers.”

While the app is off to a strong start, the researchers say their work is far from over, as the technology could soon harvest solutions across the U.S. And the researchers say it’s because artificial intelligence, data science and the large amount of data that they’re collecting, are coming together to provide real-time insight and solutions for farmers.

Will There Be A Lettuce Shortage This Year As Parts of Drought-Plagued California Are Now Flooding?

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 20:51:05 GMT

After three consecutive years of drought, relentless rains have hammered California for the past three straight weeks. From flooding to mudslides, the unforgiving weather is wreaking havoc on agriculture and infrastructure in the state. The culprit? An atmospheric river. Even with the intense moisture, the rains hit ahead of the area’s main growing season, which is good news for crops like lettuce and strawberries.

“One of the areas that’s been hardest hit has been the Salinas Valley, which is a northward draining river that starts in southern California, drains northward through some very fertile land in central California, and then exits the northwestern coast of California,” says Brad Rippey, a meteorologist with USDA.

Livestock producers worked to get their livestock to higher ground, while produce fields in some areas flooded as levees caved to rushing waters. California is finally getting a break from the back-to-back storms, Rippey says an atmospheric river is nothing new, but it is rare during a La Niña year.

It’s been like this every day since New Year’s Day. #California #flooding #eldoradocounty #CaliforniaStorms

It’s been hard and the livestock is having a bad time as well but I’m thankful, our house almost burned down 2 years ago. This should help the drought. 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/7sJmPOcll7
— 🌷 LIZZIE🌷REFORMED (@farmingandJesus) January 14, 2023

“It’s something that’s been going on since the beginning of time,” Rippey explains. “It’s a very concentrated area of moisture originating in the tropical Pacific, and then pointed like a fire hose at the west coast of the United States.”

Rippey says it causes a series of individual storms, and as California saw, the atmospheric river repeatedly hammers an area with intense moisture.

While the rain might eventually be good news for water allocations for growers, today, producers are wading through the damage.

“It continues to be an evolving situation where not only industry but the emergency response officials and system within the region are still assessing the ongoing nature of those impacts,” says Chris Valadez, president of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California .

As Rippey mentioned, one of the hardest hit areas is the Salinas Valley. The flooding concerns remain along the Salinas River in Monterey County, as well as portions of Mariposa and Merced counties in the Central Valley, all of which are big growing areas. Monterey County grows 61% of the nation’s leaf lettuce and 57% of the celery. The area is also home to 56% of the country’s head lettuce supply.

“This is a primary region for the production of leafy vegetables and fresh berries, namely strawberries for the U.S. consumer over the spring, summer and fall period of time,” Valadez says.

It’s not clear how long the flooding will last, but the good news is the area is in between growing seasons right now.

“We’re in between seasons right now, a lot of that area is used for late winter and spring production for crops, like strawberries and lettuce crops,” Rippey explains. “Right now, a lot of the lettuce, for example, is coming out of the desert Southwest like Yuma, Arizona, so we’re still a couple of months away from affecting California’s production for some of those specialty crops.”

Related Story: Salinas Valley infrastructure needs a makeover: Q&A with Jim White at Growers Ice

Valadez says the last large flooding event the area had was in the mid-1990s. At that time, the rains and flooding came in March, which hammered fields already planted. As a result, the rains then did flood out many crops that year.

While flooding is never good, and infrastructure will take time to repair, Valadez says this year’s rains hit before the main growing season.

“Those crops largely aren’t impacted because they’re not quite yet into production. However, there are situations here were some of those crops, namely on the leafy vegetable side, were planted,” Valadez says. “I would also perceive, admittedly, there may be some acres that could have suffered so much damage they are not planted. If and where that’s true, I would anticipate that being a very small percentage of the overall available productive acreage or irrigated productive acreage here in this region.”

Timing is key, but the floodwater is still sprouting doubts on when the crops will get planted.

“I believe there’s confidence that as waters recede most of the acres that were impacted should get planted this year, they will be delayed,” Valadez says.

The other concern, for Rippey, is water contamination.

“Water tests will have to be done and soil testing, just to make sure it’s safe to grow these crops,” he says.

Even with the recent rains, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows 92% of California is still covered in drought. The picture is improving, though. Three months ago, nearly 41% of the state was seeing D3, or extreme drought. Today, that’s dropped to 32%. The significant improvement is planting hope the state is possibly turning a corner and can start to recover some of the scars left from so many years of drought and dry weather.

E-commerce growth hot for grocery, but challenges loom

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:40:54 GMT

There is no disputing that e-commerce sales of groceries are expanding, but one supply chain consultant says retailers face several challenges as click-and-collect and home delivery sales expand.

From current levels near 3% of total grocery stores sales, e-commerce sales of food could soon climb north of 15% to 20% total grocery sales in just a few years, said Jim Barnes, co-founder and CEO of enVista, a supply chain consulting service in Carmel, Ind.

“The reason why I say that is because a good, well-run (non-grocery) retailer is now pushing north of 20% of sales from online sales,” he said. “The unfortunate thing is for grocery is that they are just a little bit behind the times, compared to a lot of more general merchandise companies, who have been in e-commerce since the early 2000s.”

But growth rates for digital sales of grocery are rising fast now because of the widespread availability of click-and-collect and home delivery. Food retailers are growing as online sales 60% to 70% annually compared with year-ago levels, he said.

“The potential is good,” he said, predicting that online sales of food could account more than 10% to 15% by 2022 or 2023.

Picking the order

Fulfilling online orders in a standard grocery store isn’t easy, so some retailers are changing their strategy, instead using dark stores (not open to the public, used to fill orders) or micro-fulfillment centers.

The average online grocery order has about 30 stock-keeping units to collect, compared with two or so SKUs for an online clothes order.

“When you are picking that kind of order in a store that has 60,00 or 70,000 square feet of merchandise that hasn’t been (organized) for the best pick path sequence, you are going to lose money,” he said..

Shoppers who pick items for an online grocery order generally can’t pick more than 60 SKUs per hour.
With no real-time inventory in typical stores, substitution rates are higher; perhaps only 25% to 30% of orders are “perfect” picks with no substitutions.

“That’s a huge negative for the customer experience,” he said.

Limited assortment micro-fulfillment centers for online orders with some adjacency to high performing stores may be a viable solution, he said.

While offering better pick efficiencies, “dark stores close to current retail store locations may cannibalize sales those grocery stores. In addition, it is impossible for those dark stores to stock the range of items in a typical grocery store.

“The challenge with dark stores is a challenge in fulfillment,” he said. “If you look at most grocery store chains, they’re sitting well north of 70,000 SKUs in their stores; it is very difficult to put 70,000 SKUs in a 25,000-square-foot space.”

That means orders might have to be fulfilled using both dark stores and supermarkets.

Produce and other perishable food in online orders offer challenges in how they are collected and kept in the proper temperature range.

“I think the real future from a cost productivity (perspective) is to automate,” he said.

Automation also prevents some challenges for fresh produce items, with some items price by the each and others by the pound.

Even so, Barnes said the high gross margins for produce compared to dry goods (25% to 5%) will keep fresh produce prominently in the mix for online orders.

“There’s an incentive to put those high-margin items in the basket, including fresh produce,” he said.

“(Retailers) aren’t making money on Cheerios; they are making money on beef and bananas.”

Related articles

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Nielsen: retailers should focus on fresh for in-store success

South Mill Champs has new items

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:36:36 GMT

South Mill Champs , Kennett Square, Pa., has added a third operation to its company with the acquisition of Loveday Mushroom Farms, Winnipeg, Manitoba, said Michael Richmond, vice president of sales.

The enhanced production and supply capabilities will expand the company’s ability to supply fresh, high-quality mushrooms to all major population areas in North America within 48 hours.

The company also has launched a number of new products.

Stuffed mushroom caps — large crimini mushrooms stuffed with flavored cheese — have had “explosive growth” following their launch in June, he said.

They come in spinach and artichoke, Mediterranean and pizza flavors.

Minute Mushrooms, part of the growing value-added line of products offered by South Mill Champs, come in three varieties — Sautéed Portabella Mushrooms, Garlic Herb marinated mushrooms and Steak Sizzlers portabella mushrooms and onions — and provide a 60-second solution to mushroom side dishes and add-ons at home, he said.

And 40-ounce mushroom packs were launched in June to help restaurants keep their products fresh when they no longer need a 10-pound box.

They are available in whole and sliced white and crimini mushrooms.

Despite challenges presented by COVID-19, South Mill Champs will have an additional 15 million pounds of mushrooms for its customers in 2021 to support their continued growth, Richmond said.

Related Content:

South Mill Champs adds Loveday Mushroom Farms to company

Villita launches new products

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:36:32 GMT

Villita Avocados Inc. has a couple of major projects in the works.

First, the Pharr, Texas-based grower-shipper planned to release its first-ever line of guacamole products and avocado pulp the second week of August, and the company will kick off the first commercial harvest of hass avocados in south Texas within two to three years.

Vertically integrated Villita Avocados grows, harvests, packs and handles the logistics for its avocado program in Michoacan, Mexico, and in Peru, said Aaron Acosta, corporate relationship manager.

“Now we will be adding on processed avocado offerings,” he said.

The new line will include three flavors of guacamole — mild, original and spicy — and plain avocado pulp.

Packaging will range from a 2-ounce single-serve container to a 3-pound foodservice bag.

They will be made completely in-house based on family recipes that have been tweaked for the American consumer’s taste profile, Acosta said.

The company has installed the largest high-pressure pasteurization machine in Latin America in a new Primus Labs-certified facility built next to its packing plant, he said.

The product won’t look like “avocado slurry,” Acosta said.

“It has the consistency — visually and tastewise — comparable to homemade guacamole.”

It will be sold under Villita’s We Love Guac brand.

Villita Avocados also is experimenting with a new program in the U.S.

There have been a few green-skin avocado plots in Texas, Acosta said.

“We’ve taken that a step forward and are now commercializing the first hass orchards in south Texas.”

Villita’s farm in Cameron County has a little more than 100 acres and has planted about 20 acres with trees that are in various stages of maturity.

“We have some trees that are already providing fruit,” he said.

But he does not expect the company to have any significant production for two to three years.

Villita is in the process of tenting most of the acreage to protect the avocados from the sun and heat.

The property is surrounded by water on three sides, which prevents big jumps in temperatures, he said.

Related Content:

Foodservice making slow recovery

Mexico’s volume on the rise

Conversations at United — Aaron Acosta with Villita Avocados

Freight Rates Skyrocket

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:27:49 GMT

Transportation woes continue to haunt Northeast shippers as trucks remain hard to come by and freight rates skyrocket because of rising fuel costs and a scarcity of drivers.

“Trucks are at a premium right now,” said Tracie Levin, controller at M. Levin and Co. , in Philadelphia.

“It’s a major hindrance for our industry and anyone else that uses trucking, which is basically every industry out there,” she said.

Shippers can’t even buy trucks.

“We’ve been on wait lists to get more trucks, trailer and tractors,” she said. “You just cannot get those things these days.”

But Levin is optimistic that things will turn around. She said some relief is already in evidence.

“We’re slowly able to get things again in a semi timely manner,” she said.

East Coast shippers have been dealing with transportation issues, but there are trucks available, said Tom Beaver, director of sales and marketing for Sunny Valley International Inc. , in Glassboro, N.J.

“Obviously, the cost of brokering a truck, especially for our (less-than-load) business, has increased considerably, but the same is true for all of our competitors,” he said. “We’re adjusting to this ‘new normal,’ but the important thing is that we can get fruit loaded and out to our customers on time and in full.”

Transportation challenges are more prevalent during the winter than they are during the spring and summer for Vineland, N.J.-based The Freshwave Fruit & Produce and its growing operation, Consalo Family Farms , said Chelsea Consalo, executive vice president.

That’s because the company has more local deals during the warmer months.

During the winter, the firm must bring in products from outside growing areas, such as Mexico, and transport fruits and vegetables imported from offshore growing regions, such as Chile, from U.S. ports.

“We have more trucks on the road (in winter),” she said.

Transportation costs are a major concern.

“We’re managing to get the trucks,” Consalo said. “It is just more expensive.”

The Freshwave has added Nick Crisafulli, who recently completed an internship at Americold Logistics LLC, to its logistics staff to help arrange transportation.

Vineland-based Flaim Farms Inc . has its own fleet of trucks for local deliveries, said president Ryan Flaim.

But trying to find trucks for destinations that are farther out is challenging.

The company has good relationships with trucking firms, but rates are much higher than they have been in the past, Flaim said.

Finding transportation isn’t a problem, as long as you’re willing to pay exorbitant fees, said Joel Fierman, president of New York-based Joseph Fierman and Sons Inc .

“It’s really a pity when your cost for transportation pretty much is as high as your cost for goods,” he said.

He blamed the price spike on high fuel costs and a scarcity of drivers.

“It’s a terrible, terrible thing that this country is experiencing right now,” he said.

An added problem during the Christmas season was that many trucks were sidetracked delivering Christmas trees.

“It’s fast, easy money,” he said.

Filindo Colace, vice president of operations for Philadelphia-based Ryeco LLC , attributes the skyrocketing inflation rate the industry has experienced to high freight costs.

“Freight has been a premium for quite some time,” he said.

While seed prices and other costs have also gone up, he said high freight rates are 90% of the cause of inflation.

“Nothing in the industry has gone up at the same rate as freight has,” Colace said.

But he remains optimistic.

“We think the country is moving on,” he said. “We’re going to be as back-to-business as usual as possible in the first quarter of next year.”

He expected buying patterns to return to where they were in 2019.

“We hope the workforce returns to those levels, as well,” he said.

“If that’s the case, it will be our expectation that freight rates will start to lower because there are more truck drivers coming back into the workforce.”

Related articles:

Rising freight rates pose challenge

Distributors cope with rising freight costs

7 Pumpkin Facts to Impress Your Friends on Halloween

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 15:35:39 GMT

In honor of Halloween, arm yourself with a few impressive statistics, courtesy of USDA , about everyone’s favorite fall squash: the pumpkin.

1. All States produce some pumpkins, but six States produce most of them.

2. In 2021, Illinois maintained its leading position in pumpkin acreage, harvesting more than twice as many pumpkin acres as any of the other top States, at 15,900 acres.

3. Pumpkins are a type of squash, indigenous to North America, and have been cultivated since at least 7,500 BCE. Today, pumpkins come in two types: pie type and decorative type. Pie pumpkins are generally smaller, denser, and sweeter than decorative pumpkins. Decorative pumpkins come in many varieties, although the orange Howden used for carving is the most common.

4. 80% of pumpkin acres in Illinois are devoted to varieties destined for pie filling or other processing uses.

5. Yields vary greatly among states and years. On average, Illinois grows about 40,000 lb. per acre (predominantly pie varieties), California grows about 30,000 lb. per acre. Indiana and Texas each grow around 25,000 lb. per acre.

6. Growers mainly produce jack-o'-lantern type pumpkins (Howden), but demand for specialty pumpkins—like White Howden, Cinderella, and Fairytale—continues to expand as consumers look for new and interesting varieties.

7. On average each American used 6 and a half pounds of pumpkin each year between 2016 and 2018.

And, of course, you can’t talk pumpkins without touching on the pumpkin spice obsession. Enjoy this AgDay clip from 2017 featuring host Clinton Griffiths:

Source: USDA

Flip Your Soil: Climate Smart Agriculture New Name for Conservation Practices Designed to Promote Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 19:46:34 GMT

Soli health practices can help Flip Your Soil from good to great. These practices are also part of the new Climate Smart Agriculture push to sequester carbon and lower greenhouse gases.

USDA recently announced nearly $3 billion in funding for climate smart agriculture projects, but this isn’t a new concept for many farmers, they’ve been climate smart for years. Nebraska Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Robert Lawson says it’s just a new name for the many conservation practices growers are utilizing on their farms. “So, when we talk about climate smart ag, we talk about the practices we are implementing day in an day out. So whether that’s no-till, cover crops, crop rotation, nutrient management, those are some of the specific practices.”

The goal, he says, is to improve soil health and promote carbon sequestration. “Using no-till, cover crops that’s helping to build the organic matter over time and that is only helping improve the soil, reducing erosion and also improving water quality as well.”

Farmers are also using technology such as precision agriculture to better manage inputs and nutrients, which also improves soil health. “Whether that’s irrigation water management and nutrient management and variable rate technology,” according to Lawson.

These conservation practices also help farmers reduce the ever-rising cost of inputs on their farm. He says, “Oh absolutely it can help with the ledger sheet by reducing tillage practices over the field, by going no-till, reducing the amount of diesel that you need to buy for the year using cover crops to help with weed suppression so its not another pass over the operation.”

Lawson says many farmers integrated these practices into their operations, even before there was government or other incentives because they want their farms to be sustainable. “They’re the stewards of this land and the reason they are is because they know they want to, they need to keep it for future generations.”

And they want to leave the land better than they found it.

IMF Anticipates Global Inflation Will Peak in Late 2022

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 18:10:47 GMT

The International Monetary Fund forecasts a slowdown in global growth from 6.0% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2022 and 2.7% in 2023.

The global slowdown in 2022 is as projected in the July 2022 World Economic Outlook (WEO) update, while the forecast for 2023 is lower than projected by 0.2 percentage point. In the revised forecasts , 93% of countries received downgrades to their growth outlook.

More to Come

Aside from the global financial crisis and the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, this is “the weakest growth profile since 2001,” the IMF said in its WEO published Tuesday morning.

“The worst is yet to come, and for many people 2023 will feel like a recession,” the report said, echoing warnings from the United Nations, the World Bank and many global CEOs.

Cause for Shift

The IMF noted three major events currently hindering growth: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis and China’s economic slowdown. Together, they create a “volatile” period economically, geopolitically and ecologically.

More than a third of the global economy will see two consecutive quarters of negative growth, while the three largest economies — the United States, the European Union and China — will continue to slow, the report said.

Inflation Timeline

The IMF anticipates global inflation will peak in late 2022, increasing from 4.7% in 2021 to 8.8%, and that it will “remain elevated for longer than previously expected.”

Global inflation will likely decrease to 6.5% in 2023 and to 4.1% by 2024, according to the IMF forecast. The agency noted the tightening of monetary policy across the world to combat inflation and the “powerful appreciation” of the U.S. dollar against other currencies.

Red Flags

The IMF also highlighted that the risk of monetary, fiscal, or financial policy “miscalibration” had “risen sharply,” while the world economy “remains historically fragile” and financial markets are “showing signs of stress.”

In an interview with the Financial Times , Pierre Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist, said there was as much as a 15% chance global growth could fall below 1% eventually. This level would likely meet the threshold of a recession and would be “very, very painful for a lot of people.”

“We are not in a crisis yet, but things are really not looking good,” he said, adding that 2023 would be the “darkest hour” for the global economy.

The energy crisis is also weighing heavily on the world’s economies, particularly in Europe, and it “is not a transitory shock,” according to IMF’s report. “The geopolitical re-alignment of energy supplies in the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine is broad and permanent,” the report added. “Winter 2022 will be challenging for Europe, but winter 2023 will likely be worse,” the IMF said.

The U.S. economy is expected to stagnate over the four quarters of 2022 and then maintain a sluggish 1% growth rate in 2023.

More on inflation:

Could Food Prices Ease in 2023? USDA’s New Consumer Food Price Forecast Has a Bit of Good News
Is Out-of-Control Inflation on the Horizon? Watch These Two Indicators
John Phipps: The Inflation We Expect