Last month, in its third-quarter 2016 Agricultural Credit Conditions Survey, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis indicated that, “Following a trend from recent quarterly surveys, land prices and cash rents retreated from historic highs. The average value for nonirrigated cropland in the district fell by more than 3 percent from a year earlier, according to survey respondents. [node:read-more:link]
Powdered gloves will no longer be permitted for use in veterinary medicine beginning January 18, under a rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For veterinarians who already use non-powdered gloves, the rule will have no impact. In fact, the FDA indicated that Global Industry Analysts projected the share of powdered disposable medical gloves sales to decrease to only 2 percent in 2015, so many medical providers likely won’t feel an effect from the rule. [node:read-more:link]
More than one-third of farmland in Iowa is owned by people 75 and older, and increasing land prices can make it difficult to pass the torch to the next generation of farmers. A social impact company is working in Iowa to help make these transfers possible. Through financing from Iroquois Valley Farms, fourth-generation farmer Jim Peterson of Knoxville purchased 320 acres from elderly owners whose family had owned the land since 1903. Peterson says it will be used for organic grains, cattle and sheep production, perhaps for many years to come. [node:read-more:link]
Quick, accurate access to state import requirements for livestock. [node:read-more:link]
Half a million Dutch dairy cows have a pretty big problem. If the Netherlands can’t find a way to manage the dung they produce, European Union environmental rules mean they will have to be killed. If those cows are culled, it would remove roughly a third of the dairy cows in the Netherlands, which wouldn’t be good news for the dairy sector; the Dutch dairy industry had a production value (pdf) of €7 billion ($7.4 billion) in 2014, the last available year for records. The problem has to do with groundwater. [node:read-more:link]
Leaders of Nebraska agriculture organizations who represent tens of thousands of Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and livestock feeders have come together to outline principles to guide actions on comprehensive tax reform for Nebraska. The principles are targeted at addressing Nebraska’s current tax system, which has led to an imbalance and overreliance on property taxes to fund government services. The Agriculture Leaders Working Group principles for tax reform state: 1. [node:read-more:link]
Despite a decade of bad harvests, a Florida lawmaker says the state’s signature industry is recovering. Growers are optimistic new genetically engineered trees will survive the deadly citrus greening disease. A small bacterium is ravaging Florida’s citrus industry, killing thousands of trees and forcing many growers out of business. The crisis is spurring state regulators to invest in genetically engineered trees that are disease resistant. Researchers are beginning to see positive results, though it may take a few years for crop yields to catch up. [node:read-more:link]
When you have a garden, you know you want the best seeds and the most nutrient-rich soil. You water your garden faithfully, weed, and hope for the best produce possible. With farming hundreds of acres, you have the same requirements — just on a larger scale. However, with farming, there’s a lot more at stake than a home garden. Your livelihood and future lies in your fields. [node:read-more:link]
Don’t like the look of those roses in your garden? One day you might be able to buy a spray that changes the colour of their flowers by silencing certain genes. Farmers may use similar gene-silencing sprays to boost yields, make their crops more nutritious, protect them from droughts and trigger ripening. The technique could let us change plant traits without altering their DNA. [node:read-more:link]
The concept of “One Health” recognizes that the health of people, animals, and the environment are linked. Human population expansion and increased global migration have led to significant land-use changes and urbanization, all of which have an impact on the environment and increase the risk of disease transmission between animals and people. Although increased specialization within scientific disciplines and professions has greatly improved the health and well-being of people and animals, it has also led to silos that impede interdisciplinary communication. [node:read-more:link]
