Ukraine-Russia conflict

Bob Downs, a physician assistant from Lake City, Colorado, returned last month from his fifth medical mission to Ukraine. Downs has been volunteering in the war-torn country through the organization Global Care Force.

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.

A look ahead to what consumers may expect to pay for groceries in 2023, how the war in Ukraine is affecting farmers there, and China needs more cropland for its growing consumption of feed grains, oilseeds, and food grains.

Cattle ranchers are getting squeezed by high costs of maintaining their herds while calf prices fall, the government continues to fund a variety of agriculture programs, United Nations officials warn that the war in Ukraine threatens a hunger crisis, and a farm in Ukraine takes in displaced animals.

Fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rattle commodity markets, the USDA cuts yield estimates on U.S. corn, avian influenza continues to impact chickens, turkeys, and other birds, Corn Belt agricultural land values are on the rise, the US Climate Prediction Center reports La Nina conditions are likely again this fall and upcoming winter, and the Russian military has stolen farm equipment from Ukraine that may be useless.

For many of the almost six million refugees fleeing Ukraine, as well as for the millions of civilians still left in the country, something as basic as charging your cell phone can be a challenge. But a group of students and climate activists at Western Colorado University in Gunnison wants to help.

Cold, wet conditions delay corn and soybean planting in the Midwest, drought conditions intensify in the Four Corners, the USDA is projecting that food prices will rise up to 6% this year, satellites detect methane emissions from cows, the EPA issues an emergency waiver that allows summertime sales of gasoline blends with 15 percent ethanol, and the Biden administration proposes a $500 million program to encourage farmers to boost production of wheat, soybeans, rice, and other commodities.

Drought continues to challenge farmers and ranchers across the country, hay production in the U.S. may fall to its lowest level in a century, volatility in commodity markets begins to settle, and a new farm business index shows signs for optimism.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused ripple effects across the globe, including one that could be felt strongest in the Southwest. And it involves an element found underground.

High fertilizer prices cause producers to rethink fertilizer requirements, how drought across the U.S. is affecting the cattle industry, and the conflict in the Ukraine is driving up the price of sunflower seeds and leaving thousands of acres of Ukrainian agricultural land without crops.