Top Agriculture News

How might US Forest Service pathologist Martin McKenzie be described? This California-based researcher is recognized as and acknowledges titles like professional observer. “Anybody else standing here would probably look at this stand and see the beautiful ponderosa and the wonderful incense cedar, but I see a dead spire in the distance.” Tree Doctor specializing in… […]

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins issued a suite of proposals intended to support small family farms across rural America. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says this is a critical time to support all agriculture, but particularly small farms. “We all know the farm economy is not doing quite […]

COLUMBIA – Thirteen entrepreneurs will share $200,000 in funding for their agribusiness ventures through the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship (ACRE). Finalists for ACRE’s Advanced Entrepreneurship Program were scored by a panel of judges based on their business plans, a five-minute video presentation and a demonstrated history of business success. They […]

China is one of the world’s biggest suppliers of fertilizer. However, China has pulled back in recent years on the amount of exports, preferring to keep more on hand for domestic use. “Every time we see updated operating rates in China, they remain extremely high, which means that the product is being produced in-country. And […]

Senator Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate Ag Committee, reintroduced her Precision Ag Package. The package contains three pieces of legislation that will help America’s producers harness the full potential of precision agriculture. Fischer hopes these bills get included in the next farm bill. “First of all, we’ve got to get a farm bill […]

U.S. health officials are investigating a new outbreak of salmonella illnesses tied to a Florida grower whose tainted cucumbers were linked to more than 500 illnesses last year. Cucumbers grown by Florida-based Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales are linked to at least 26 illnesses in 15 states. Nine people have been hospitalized. The outbreak was detected as part of a follow-up inspection in April to a 2024 outbreak that ended in August. Investigators traced that outbreak to untreated canal water. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps.

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Tuesday was the eighth annual “World Bee Day.” Bees and other pollinators have been on the decline for years. Experts blame a combination of factors. They include insecticides, parasites, disease, climate change and lack of a diverse food supply. A significant part of the human diet comes from plants pollinated by bees. And not just honeybees but hundreds of species of lesser-known wild bees. Many of them are endangered. The U.N. General Assembly sponsored the first “World Bee Day” in 2018 to bring attention to the bees’ plight. Steps as small as planting a pollinator garden or buying raw honey from local farmers were encouraged.

I hear you were in Summerville recently to check out a new concept. Tell us about it, Commissioner. I visited Carnes Crossroads in Summerville. This new development features a small farm at its center. Residents can participate in monthly shares of produce and local goods. There will also be a monthly farmers market and farm […]

The NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently announced 31 recipients of the N.C. State Fair Junior Livestock Scholarships to help fund higher education for youth who participate in State Fair Junior Livestock Shows. Funding comes from the annual Junior Livestock Sale of Champions.

This is the SFN Market Report with Brooks Schaffer of Palmetto Grain. Reach him at [email protected] or 843-540-4540. We had a much quieter Monday this week compared to last week. Both the corn and bean balance sheets are tight enough that we cannot afford any weather hiccup, but with the fast planting pace and a […]