Agriculture

As the dust settled on what turned out to be a volatile June and early July for commodity markets, agricultural producer sentiment has turned higher (Figure 1). The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, which is based on a monthly survey of 400 agricultural producers, came in at 112 for July, up from 104 in June and 97 in May.  The improvement in producer sentiment occurred despite the fact that grain and oilseed prices declined sharply in late June and early July, the report said, adding that the uptick in sentiment was driven by producers' expectations for the future. [node:read-more:link]

Between 2005 and 2015, the number of licensed egg handlers in Oregon more than doubled, from 81 to 189, according to ODA records.  Though growers don’t need a license to sell eggs directly from a farm stand or at a farmers’ market, many want to be able to supply grocery stores and restaurants [node:read-more:link]

According to the US Drought Monitor, released July 28, almost all of northeast and northcentral Ohio was in a “moderate drought,” the first of four levels of drought severity.

The moderate drought continues in northcentral Pennsylvania, and the majority of both states are classified as “abnormally dry,” a step before drought. The worst conditions are in the northernmost counties of Pennsylvani and into New York, where counties are suffering “severe drought,” or the second level of severity. [node:read-more:link]

Sheepdogs could soon be a thing of the past now that a fascinating new robot that can command and control livestock has been unveiled.  The 'Swagbot' made its debut in Australia this week, with this incredible footage showing its ability to herd cows on a large farm.  The large animals can be seen bowing to its demands and running out of its way- like they would a cowboy on a horse. A trial which began last month has confirmed that SwagBot is also able to navigate its way around ditches, logs, swamps, and other features of a typical farm landscape. [node:read-more:link]

When Monsanto’s Xtend soybeans were approved for planting this season, many applauded the move. After all, the technology means crops can be sprayed with dicamba and weeds are only becoming tougher to control. There was a huge caveat, though: while the seed could be planted, new, less volatile formulations of dicamba were not approved.  In the run up to planting, Mid-South growers were repeatedly warned over-the-top applications of available dicamba products would not be allowed. [node:read-more:link]

In 2014, GM crops helped preserve the equivalent of 12% of the arable land in the United States1. That’s nearly two thirds of all of the land in America’s national parks, or 51 million acres. [node:read-more:link]

Humans have a habit of stalling their own progress. From coffee to mechanical refrigeration to genetically altered food, history is littered with innovations that sparked resistance before becoming fixtures in everyday life. In hindsight, opposition to innovations such as mechanical farm equipment or recorded music may seem ludicrous. But the past 600 years of human history help explain why humans often oppose new technologies and why that pattern of opposition continues to this day. [node:read-more:link]

A new decree by Venezuela's government could make its citizens work on farms to tackle the country's severe food shortages. In a vaguely-worded decree, Venezuelan officials indicated that public and private sector employees could be forced to work in the country's fields for at least 60-day periods, which may be extended "if circumstances merit." [node:read-more:link]

Following the 2012 Brownback tax cuts, farmers no longer had to pay state income tax -- just like 334,000 LLCs, S corporations and sole proprietorships.  But farmers get a little something extra: They also pay no state income tax on subsidies they get from Washington. In all, about 40,000 farmers in Kansas receive about $1 billion a year from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even many farmers think not paying taxes on this money is a bad idea. [node:read-more:link]

The “they” are six researchers at The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, based at the Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences.  The “it” is another attempt to alarm citizens with false and misleading information in an attempt to block another new chicken farm in Maryland.  The “it” is contained in a letter to one Jennifer Feindt, a Farm Loan Specialist with the USDA Farm Service Agency. But this time around they really have “egg” all over their collective faces. [node:read-more:link]