Latest News From FARM BUSINESS

Less than 5% of new grads choose rural food animal practice. That needs to change to protect the U.S. food supply and public health. Contacting legislators is one way farmers and ranchers can weigh in and help.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the CDC, between 2000 and 2020 suicide rates climbed 46% in rural areas. By comparison, the rate in metro areas climbed 27.3%. 

Cybersecurity is no longer just about avoiding those sketchy phishing emails or resetting our passwords. It’s about being aware of our online presence in animal ag and how that may make us vulnerable to extremists.

“People sometimes refer to farmland as an investment in gold, plus a coupon,” Bruce Sherrick says. “You get a fairly low annual cash flow, fairly high long-term rates of return and tax advantages to the asset classes.”

What if there was one tool to focus on using to achieve the best recruitment and retention?

In early 2022, a possible trucker shortage grabbed headlines, but John Phipps says even today, there isn't much hard data to substantiate that alarm.

John Phipps says there are signs that water is the new oil as water rights turn into water fights across the western U.S. He thinks it's a battle that could only heat up in the coming years.

Grounded by his family but propelled by vision, Trey Wasserburger is the energetic force behind creating more processing capacity for local cattle producers.

For 2024, USDA projects that food price inflation will be lower than that seen in 2023 and significantly lower than the rise seen in 2022.

Roughly 37.6 million acres of U.S. ag land is foreign owned, according to USDA. However, select purchases of U.S. land could come to an end following a Senate vote this week.

House Republicans, particularly on the House Ag Committee, are debating changes to the Conservation Reserve Program as part of the upcoming farm bill reauthorization.

Raising teens isn’t for the faint of hearts. Raising teens is not easy and while many of those years are spent watching our children thrive on and off the farm, other times we are just trying to survive.

Farm Bill discussions and debates don't pack as much drama for producers. According to JohnPhipps, there's an unspoken realization that the Farm Bill doesn’t have the same influence on the farm economy it once did.

The Farmland Security Act of 2023 seeks to further boost transparency in foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.

“Most farms don’t have the time, capabilities, perspectives, resources or desire to do all the tasks it takes to run an operation," says Steve Kluemper, AgriStrategies LLC founder. "A lot of growers hire to fill gaps."

Suppliers and retailers continue to cut glyphosate prices in the U.S. as the industry grapples with too much supplies. With no resolve in sight, one inputs analyst thinks glyphosate prices could remain low through 2023.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) introduced an act to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting U.S. land near security sites, and would push a review of current ownership in these areas.

Meanwhile, service prices and the core index (which excludes food and energy) remain high, with the core CPI descending to 4.8%.

USDA looks to improve the future measure, monitoring, reporting and verification of ag climate emissions via a $300 million investment announced on Wednesday.

A mid-year report from Farmers National shows land values are increasing by single digits instead of the double digits common in 2021-22. But the company says it has a strong roster of listings headed into late summer.

Dr. Carl Zulauf of Ohio State University, via a FarmDoc Daily article, proposes merging General CRP and Continuous CRP into a Site Specific CRP.

Erik Lichtenberg, University of Maryland professor, says Congress could reorient farm bill conservation funds for climate change, but it could cut into their support.

Areas in the upper Midwest, Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic are being impacted. The American Veterinary Medical Association says to monitor animals as well as people and take precautions to keep everyone safe.

While many tools for managing risk exist for livestock producers today, livestock risk protection (LRP) might be an option for producers to consider no matter how large or small the operation.

Are you avoiding important conversations to avoid conflict? By delaying the conversation, are the potential conflicts greater or less than having it? Elaine Froese shares some key tips to help in these family situations.

The Committee on Ag is looking to solve workforce issues with the formation of the Ag Labor Working Group. "Reforms are desperately needed to address this pressing issue," said Co-Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ar.).

Under the bill, the USDA and the FDA would become members of CFIUS and their powers would be expanded to better consider ag needs when it decides if a purchase would create national security risks.

Oklahoma State University announced Dr. Jayson Lusk as the new dean and vice president of its Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Lusk will succeed Dr. Tom Coon in early August. 

National enrollment in ag and related science majors at two-year institutions grew 41% in Fall 2021. The Community College Ag Advancement Act aims to give these students more industry opportunities.

Richie Devillier is fighting back after the government twice flooded his 900-acre farm and home, killed his cattle, ran his family through emotional hell—and insisted he foot the entire bill.

There are three areas producers need to focus on to earn the title of “good farm manager,” according to Purdue University researchers.

Court Justice Samuel Alito said the EPA's interpretation of its powers went "too far."

Despite the positive sentiment, local community bankers report concerns about lower commodity prices, the ‘big bank mess’ and another potential rate hike in June by the Fed.

It’s one thing to tell students about livestock production; it’s another thing to show them. Here's why one Iowa school is turning heads and opening people's eyes to the opportunities in livestock production.

Seven U.S. states along the drought-starved Colorado River have reached a deal with the Biden administration to conserve water in a "historic consensus" to prevent supply problems for big cities as well as farmers.

Ron Rabou spent the first 26 years of his life expecting to return to his family ranch. When his dad passed and it came time to transition the farm, negotiations weren’t as easy as he imagined. Here's what he learned.

Farming is getting far more complex, says Ted Matthews, director of Rural Minnesota Mental Health Support. Because of that, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself.

Though rooted in tradition, this father-daughter duo is stepping into new territory, using genomic testing and creating their own specialty beef label to add value and increase efficiency in their operation.

More than 50% of farmers intend to grow their operation, based on responses in Purdue’s February 2023 Ag Economy Barometer. If you’re thinking about scaling your farm, it’s important to first ask these questions.

The Office of Investment Security proposed a rule on Friday that would require foreign entities to garner U.S. government approval before they are able to purchase land within 100 miles of eight military bases.

Lenders In the hearing seemed to agree on a boost to lending limits in USDA guaranteed loans as lawmakers ready for the next farm bill.

“No food choice results in more greenhouse gas emissions than beef,” says the Environmental Working Group's Scott Faber, after petitioning USDA to prohibit low-carbon beef claims and require independent verification.

Tyson Foods Inc. will eliminate about 10% of corporate jobs and 15% of senior leadership roles, Chief Executive Donnie King told employees on Wednesday.

The Missouri Senate on Wednesday backed a plan to amend the state's foreign land ownership threshold. The bill also includes a provision that would limit foreign countries from acquiring farmland in Missouri by Sept. 1.

“A commitment to additional financial resources for the farm bill will help to transition our farm and food supplies away from ad hoc support," the Committee members said in a letter.

According to USDA, this funding was made available to help struggling rural communities “recover economically” and offer more market opportunities, improve infrastructure and protect farmland.

A study released by Farm Bureau finds 86% of Americans are concerned about food insecurity, but their trust in farmers remains high at 89%.

This round is for those who were delinquent on a direct loan as of Sept. 2020, restricted a loan after Feb. 2020 through FSA, or those who owe more interest on a direct loan than the level of the principal.

“We don’t need to rewrite the entire farm bill,” Rep. Thompson (R-Pa.) says. “We’re comfortable with many parts of the 2018 bill and there aren’t many tweaks, instead things we need to protect and invest in."

We need to know the final funding level in the debt limit debate before there are can be any attempt to mix and match farm bill titles and funds.