Three of the largest U.S. poultry processors have agreed to settle claims by the Justice Department over their alleged longstanding effort to share information about workers in order to drive down compensation.

U.S. Forest Service reforestation funding rose to over $100 million this year as part of moves to plant more than a billion trees in a decade under the infrastructure package passed in 2021, USDA said in a statement.

USDA raised its consumer food price forecast again, to 8.5% to 9.5% for 2022. The agency had initially predicted a 2% to 3% rise in prices. Eggs, fats and oils, and poultry prices are making the biggest gains.

Drought impacts have accelerated sharply in the southern plains in July, with the volume of feeder cattle in Oklahoma auctions up 24% the last two weeks and the volume of cows and bulls up nearly 124%.

Cash cattle prices declined a dollar or more in all regions last week with packer demand noticeably softer than the week before.

Nothing says county fair week like a hot forecast. Don’t forget to prepare for the heat your animals will face at the fair.