Samples of the H5N1 bird flu virus that has infected dairy cattle and a dairy worker retain avian genetic characteristics and “for the most part lack changes that would make them better able to infect mammals,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a technical update. “The...

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has amended a federal order to prohibit cherries from the province of Quebec in Canada from entering the U.S.

California-based electric tractor manufacturer Solectrac recently announced plans to prioritize "direct-to-consumer sales and partner with select dealers in key markets." The company said it was refocusing efforts previously directed towards expanding its dealer network.

Customers from the East Coast to the Midwest who were expecting goods shipped in via the Port of Baltimore could see significant cost increases as a result of the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore that has blocked access for ships to the port.

Bird flu, which killed more than 82 million birds in U.S. domestic flocks in the past two years, has recently appeared in dairy herds in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico and Texas, according to federal officials. USDA says the outbreaks, affecting a relatively small number of cattle, are not...

Technological developments in agriculture have enabled continued output growth without requiring much additional inputs. Innovations in animal and crop genetics, chemicals, equipment, and farm organization have made it possible for total agricultural output to nearly triple between 1948 and 2021.

Processing tomato farmers in California are expected to reduce production this year after a big crop in 2023 and a softening in demand, an agriculture organization is reporting.

A new soy-based fire suppressant has hit commercial scale and its due in part to research funded by U.S. soybean farmers. 

U.S. farmers are increasingly turning to solar power as a means of stabilizing their incomes amid fluctuating crop prices and growing expenses. With cash receipts for crops like corn, soybeans and other commodities expected to be slightly lower this year, many farmers are seeking alternative...

U.S. Adapts to Renewable Diesel Feedstock Demand

It’s no secret that China’s been buying significantly fewer bushels of U.S. corn. Despite that setback, U.S. corn exports during the 2023/24 marketing years are projected to be 439 million bushels higher (+26%) than last marketing year (Figure 1), according to USDA. Last December, Mexico returned...

The number of farm banks has declined since the 1990s, but lending continues to grow.

(Chart courtesy of the American Bankers Association)

Banks held $199 billion in outstanding agricultural loans in 2023, about 38% of total agricultural lending, according to an analysis by the American Bankers...

A record-setting warm winter has put fruit in the Midwest’s top-producing state (Michigan) at risk. 

Farmers would face an increased federal tax liability of billions of dollars following the expiration of Trump-era tax breaks in 2025, said USDA economists. The biggest impact, estimated at a combined $4.5 billion, would come from reduced income tax rates on individuals, an increased standard...

Dairy farmers in the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico are grappling with quite a mystery illness. Something is causing milk production to nosedive, and veterinarians and state officials can’t pinpoint what it is. In affected cowherds, the issue impacts nearly 10% of the animals, causing reduced feed...