A coalition of nearly 400 organizations, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), is calling for Congress to reject efforts to make additional cuts to the 2014 Farm Bill. The NFU and the coalition of groups, representing family farmers and ranchers, agribusiness, food banks, environmental and faith-based organizations, sent a letter to U.S. Senate and House leaders asking them to stop … Read More
USDA Announces $37 Mil to Reduce Wildfire Threats
The Natural Resources Conservation Service and Forest Service are partnering to reduce wildfire threats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced nearly $37 million in investments designed to improve the health and resiliency of forest ecosystems where public and private lands meet. Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Robert Bonnie unveiled the 15 Chiefs’ Joint Landscape Restoration Partnership projects … Read More
USDA Finds More Than One Way to Skin a Tomato
To turn a phrase, there might be more than one way to skin a tomato. Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have found that infrared heating can simplify the removal of the tomatoes’ tight-fitting peels, better than other peeling technologies. The researchers have demonstrated, for example, that infrared-based peeling is mostly waterless. That’s a benefit for canneries in … Read More
USDA Studies Phosphorus Loss Through Tiles
New information from the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that while surface runoff is a big contributor to phosphorus in watersheds, there is a significant amount coming from tiles. This article from the USDA says scientists in two studies for the agency found the runoff from farm fields into the Lake Erie Basin is a major contributor to algal … Read More
USDA Finds Cover Crops Can be Grazed
A new study shows that allowing cattle to graze on cover crops does no damage to the soil. This article from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the Agricultural Research Service study could encourage more producers to put down the crops that help reduce soil erosion, boost organic matter, keep more moisture in soil and sequester carbon in the soil. … Read More
Trimble Receiver Collects Data with Smart Devices
A new pocket-sized receiver from Trimble is giving producers the ability to collect, with high accuracy, data with smart devices. This company news release says the new R1 GNSS receiver works with iOS, Android or Window® mobile handhelds, smart phones and tablets using Bluetooth® connectivity. With the evolution of smartphones and tablets, more field workers now have access to positioning … Read More
Vermeer Introduces New Bale Processor
Iowa-based Vermeer has introduced a new bale processor with limited numbers of the new piece of equipment available this year. The company says its new Final CutTM FPX9000 bale processor lets operators produce an optimal material size for feed mixing purposes, providing increased feed efficiency in cattle. “The Final Cut FPX9000 bale processor is designed to give you more control … Read More
Soybean Growers Ask EU to Approve Biotech Traits
Soybean growers in the U.S. are calling on the European Union to approve 13 new biotechnology products for importation. This news release from the American Soybean Association (ASA) says the group, along with other U.S. farm organizations, sent a letter to European Health & Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, urging the EU to approve the products, including soybeans, corn, canola … Read More
USDA Test Measures Healthy Compounds
A new test developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists is now measuring the health-promoting compounds in fruits and vegetables. This story from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) says the new analytical method is better for detecting and measuring concentrations of phytochemicals called “polyphenols” in plant materials. At the ARS Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, … Read More
Soil-Max Introduces New Model to the Stealth ZD Family
Tiling equipment maker and Ag Leader Technology subsidiary Soil-Max has introduced a new piece of tiling equipment that promises to make sub-surface irrigation and drainage a more affordable option for more producers. Soil-Max’s newest addition to the Stealth ZD family, the ZD 48, debuted at the recent National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky and will begin shipping to buyers … Read More