drought

New York may become the first state in the country to ban the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds, Congress takes steps to prevent China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran from buying U.S. farmland, drought conditions are affecting many farmers in the upper Midwest, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture begins its annual monitoring season for agricultural pests.

Record setting drought in the Texas Panhandle is creating challenges for farmers and ranchers there, grain like rice, corn, and wheat are supplying over 50% of the food calories consumed globally, cyber crime is a very real concern for U.S. agriculture, and the USDA reports that $100 million of farm income is lost annually in the U.S. due to soil erosion.

U.S. farm exports are set to decrease by 8% this year, climatologists are suggesting that the U.S. will see a shift from La Nina to El Nino conditions this summer, almost one-third of winter wheat acreage could be abandoned this year, prices for beef for grilling will be higher this summer, and a new business is using mini and micro burros to serve drinks at parties and other events.

Drought in the Southwest sees big improvement, farmland prices remain stagnant, and cattle producers are optimistic about building herds back after recent setbacks.

The Southwest is seeing an easing of drought conditions but parts of the country are still dry, farmers taking irrigation water from the Ogallala Aquifer may need a different approach, how the 1930s Dust Bowl affected soil conservation, and a look at the downside of avocado production.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a Brazilian cow leads to concerns about a global outbreak and possible impacts on human health, Argentina's agriculture exports hit hard by the worst drought of the last four decades, and queen bees for colonies used to pollinate crops in the U.S. are in high demand.

Russa-Ukraine conflict may have long term consequences for agricultural production in the country, highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds could spread to chickens, and more precipitation may not be a good thing for the saguaro cactus in southern Arizona.

Three years of La Niña-driven weather in the southwest could now be changing, the pitfalls of starting your own backyard chicken flock, a new USDA report predicts that net cash farm income will decrease by over 20% in 2023 from last year, and farmers in the midwest are keeping a watchful eye on rain and snowpack in the upper Mississippi and Ohio River drainages.

Controversy over atmospheric methane contribution from cattle continues, consumer groups petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop livestock producers from administering antibiotics, beef cattle producers may see rewards from higher prices this year, and while local farmers and ranchers are happy to see the snow, drought remains a big problem overall.

A look at what farmers may expect for their businesses in the coming year, the John Deere Corporation agrees to terms that would help farmers and independent repair shops to work on newer John Deere equipment, recent snow has bolstered the snowpack in western Colorado but much more is needed.