Real Agriculture

JANUARY 12, 2025

Weeds are a constant challenge for farmers, but when they develop resistance to herbicides, the stakes get even higher. For years, the go-to advice was to rotate herbicide groups or mix different modes of action in a single application. While those can still be valuable strategies, this latest approach is making a difference: herbicide layering. Read More Weeds are a constant challenge for farmers, but when they develop resistance to herbicides, the stakes get even higher.

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Real Agriculture

JANUARY 28, 2025

The Canadian governments plan to inject another $300 million into its On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) over the next three years is drawing sharp criticism from the chair of the Wheat Growers Association. On Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay formally announced the commitment to continue paying farmers an incentive to implement on-farm practices around cover Read More The Canadian governments plan to inject another $300 million into its On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) over th

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Agriculture Agriculture Farming Farming 313

Real Agriculture

JANUARY 14, 2025

Cover crops are all the not-quite-so-new rage and the process of integrating them into current agricultural systems has been gaining ground (pun intended). Seeding multiple species in a field can do some fantastic things for the land, such as enhance water holding capacity, improve soil biodiversity, provide added resistance to pests and disease, and improve Read More Cover crops are all the not-quite-so-new rage and the process of integrating them into current agricultural systems has been gain

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Crop Seeding Processing Agriculture 315

NASDA

JANUARY 29, 2025

Press Release ARLINGTON, Va. NASDAs members-led Board of Directors chose five issues to serve as the organizations primary policy focus for 2025. They include the farm bill , food systems , pesticide regulations , PFAS and state cooperative agreement funding. NASDA CEO Ted McKinney remarked on the significance of these issues for 2025. NASDA members have specified these areas as necessary to work on to best support farmers, ranchers and communities nationwide, said McKinney.

Agriculture 265

Agriculture Agriculture Pesticide Supply Chain 265

Food Politics

JANUARY 23, 2025

With much fanfare, the FDA released its proposed rule for a new front-of-package summary of the Nutrition Facts panel. Ive written about the history of this previously. Of all the options tested ( Food Fix had the best summary ), the FDA picked this onenot my first choice. Why not? I dont think its much of an improvement over this one, produced by industry to head off something that might be more useful.

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Food Production 246

Agricultural Biodiversity

JANUARY 27, 2025

Floristic classifications and bioregionalizations are not predictors of intra-specific evolutionary patterns. You can’t use spatial structures in interspecific diversity to predict spatial structure in instraspecific diversity. Gotta do the hard work, there are no shortcuts. Intraspecific trait variability in wild plant populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden.

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Cultivation Yield Seeding Food 214

Civil Eats

JANUARY 7, 2025

This story originally appeared on Reasons to Be Chee rful , and is reprinted here with permission. When Michael Kotutwa Johnson goes out to the acreage behind his stone house to harvest his corn, his fields look vastly different from the endless rows you see in much of rural North America. Bundled in groups of five or six, his corn stalks shoot out of the sandy desert in bunches, resembling bushels rather than tightly spaced rows.

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Seeding Farming Farming Crop 140

Real Agriculture

JANUARY 17, 2025

Grazing corn is becoming increasingly more common. So is grazing cover crops. But what happens when you put the two together? How wide should the corn rows be in order to make space for the cover crop? And is this a profitable way of farming? Byron Long of Long Family Farm at Barrhead County, Alberta Read More Grazing corn is becoming increasingly more common.

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Family Farming Crop Farming Farming 315

NASDA

JANUARY 21, 2025

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is seeking applicants for its Agriculture Director of Marketing. The Agriculture Director of Marketing is responsible for the agency’s overall marketing and strategic planning programs, corporate communication and facilitating client development through marketing and client service programs. This position is governed by state and federal laws and agency/institution policy.

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Marketing Agriculture Agriculture 264

Food Politics

JANUARY 16, 2025

Ive been interviewed a lot lately about ultraprocessed foods. See, for example: New York Times Well Challenge: Day 4: Grocery shop like a nutrition scientist New York Times 10 Ways to Eat Better The New Yorker: Why is the American Diet So Deadly? And Gary Ruskin of US Right to Know sent me this collection of fact sheets. Overview: Ultra-processed foods tied to cancer, diabetes, dementia, depression, early death, and more Ultra-processed foods and early death Ultra-processed foods: increased risk

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Processing Food 250

Agricultural Biodiversity

JANUARY 17, 2025

Prof. KC Bansal , who used to run the Indian national genebank, gets a much-deserved UNESCO honour. Friend-of-the-blog Dr Mike Jackson on running a rice genebank. UNESCO honour for him too? Spain’s strawberry genebank gets its 15 minutes. University and Native American nation collaborate on regenerating heritage corn varieties. The pros and cons of heritage varieties , according to an American farmer.

Maize 202

Maize Seeding Agriculture Agriculture 202

Civil Eats

JANUARY 14, 2025

In 2007, fourth-generation farmer Luciano Alvarado Jr. and his family were looking for a fresh start. Their business had been booming in Florida, where they farmed citrus and vegetables. But after a family member died, they decided to pack up and head to land they owned just outside of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to process their loss in a new place.

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Farming Farming Crop Ruralism 137

Food Tank

JANUARY 27, 2025

Food Tank is rounding up 25 books about the past, present, and future of global food and agriculture systems to get you through the winter. In Chop Chop , Ozoz Sokoh celebrates Nigerian cuisine through 100 recipes. Insatiable City by Theresa McCulla explores race, power, and social status in New Orleans through the lens of food. And in The Painful Truth about Hunger in America, Mariana Chilton offers a new approach to eliminate food insecurity.

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Food Agriculture Agriculture Agroecology 133

Real Agriculture

JANUARY 8, 2025

New technology is top of mind in this weeks episode of Wheat Petes Word, hosted by Peter Wheat Pete Johnson. Between Green Lightning, a plasma technology that essentially is trying to replicate what happens in the atmosphere as lightning strikes to create nitrogen to create N on-farm, and a biological process coming out of Australia Read More New technology is top of mind in this weeks episode of Wheat Petes Word, hosted by Peter Wheat Pete Johnson.

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Technology Processing Farming Farming 282

Agri-tech

JANUARY 9, 2025

With a changing climate and rising population, improvements to sustainable agriculture are vital to ensuring global food security for the future. Do you have the interest, ability and passion to be part of this pioneering work? AgriTech combines science, technology and engineering to generate innovative ideas to help solve agricultural problems. Find out more about the exciting world of AgriTech.

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Science Technology Agriculture Agriculture 126

Food Politics

JANUARY 29, 2025

Its a big worry. From the Cleveland Clinic: Bird flu (avian influenza) Bird flu (avian influenza) is an infection from a type of influenza (flu) virus that usually spreads in birds and other animals. Sometimes, humans can get bird flu from infected animals. Like the versions of flu that people usually get, bird flu can make you severely ill. It has infected and, in the case of dairy herds and poultry flocks, mass culling: Wild birds Domestic Chickens Domestic Turkeys Domestic Ducks Dairy cattle

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Poultry Cattle Food 187

Agricultural Biodiversity

JANUARY 14, 2025

China rehabilitates its grasslands. Not content with that, China breeds a new edible lily. Not sure what food group lilies are in, but farmers are growing more fruits and vegetables , it seems. Still not resting on its lilies, China breeds climate-smart potatoes. No doubt CIP and its genebank is helping with that. There’s a new book on Vavilov and his genebank.

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Seeding Production Food Marketing 203

Civil Eats

JANUARY 22, 2025

In Los Angeles, the Palisades and Eaton fires that have burned for the past two weeks are among the deadliest and most destructive in California history, exacerbated by climate change. As of publication, the Palisades Fire is 63 percent contained while Eaton, in the suburb of Altadena, is 89 percent contained. Together theyve burned nearly 40,000 acres of urban Los Angeles.

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Food Distribution Seeding Marketing 144

Food Tank

JANUARY 4, 2025

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reported a 71 percent decline in U.S. sales of antimicrobial drugs for use in chicken production over the last seven years. As farmers explore alternative means of supporting chicken health and growth, Phytoflock is pioneering a poultry feed additive derived from upcycled grape pomace. The company hopes their product can replace antibiotics while helping to reduce local food waste.

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Poultry Farming Farming Food 105

Real Agriculture

JANUARY 3, 2025

On Thursday, January 2, 2025, Dwight Foster died, following a 5-year battle with colorectal cancer. He was 58. Husband of Ruth Ann and father to Ron, Greg, Brian, Allison, and Delores, Dwight was the ever-smiling face behind North Gower Grains, an integrated grain handling and drying facility, beef feedlot, and grain farm south of Ottawa, Read More On Thursday, January 2, 2025, Dwight Foster died, following a 5-year battle with colorectal cancer.

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Grain Agriculture Agriculture Farming 330

UnderstandingAg

JANUARY 6, 2025

The soil food web that will point the way to many orchard answers quite generously includes us humans within this symbiosis of place. – Michael Phillips, The Apple Grower Understanding the Connection Between Soil Fungi and Orchard Health By Chuck Schembre, Understanding Ag, LLC All orchard crops fruit trees, nut crops, grapes and berries are perennial plants which have developed a strong symbiotic relationship with fungal life, both in the soil and the plant canopy.

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Orchard Crop Food Farming 112

NASDA

JANUARY 8, 2025

News Article The U.S. Department of Agricultures Economic Research Service recently released Americas Farms and Ranches at a Glance , based on the latest Agricultural Resource Management Survey data. The report provides an overview of U.S. farm and ranch diversity, including farm income, operators’ main jobs and farm ownership. It also introduces new sections on farmers unpriced inventory and the use of precision agriculture technologies.

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Agriculture Agriculture Ranching Ruralism 130

Food Politics

JANUARY 22, 2025

So much is happening on the alcohol frontier these days that it is getting hard to keep up. Lets start with the multiplicity of reports on alcohol and health arriving one after another. Ive written about the NASEM and Surgeon Generals reports recently. Ive also written recently about their implications for the forthcoming Dietary Guidelines. I. The ICCPUD report.

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Beverage Food Production Agriculture 140

Agricultural Biodiversity

JANUARY 28, 2025

Jeremy’s latest Eat This Newsletter has a piece on Dumbarton Oaks’ Plant of the Month feature on breadfruit. And much else besides. Do have a look. In contrast to Jeremy, I myself have knowingly eaten breadfruit, in various forms. It makes pretty good chips. I’ve also blogged about it here — a lot. Breadfruits Bounty Dumbarton Oaks is a beautiful building, museum, library and garden in Washington DC and I have often linked to its Plant of the Month features.

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Plantation Food 134

Food Tank

JANUARY 15, 2025

Agrarian Trust, a national nonprofit in the United States, is taking a commons-based approach to help ensure that a new generation of farmers can access farm land. The organization is working within communities to facilitate local land access and support strong local food systems. According to Agrarian Trust, more than 40 percent of U.S. farmland will change hands over the next 15 years.

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Farmland Farming Farming Food 111

Real Agriculture

JANUARY 7, 2025

Much of the focus of soil conservation practices emphasize decreasing the movement of soil by wind and water erosion. These forms of soil movement are costly from a soil health, farm productivity, and environmental standpoint, however they are not the largest erosion risk to a field. That honour belongs to tillage erosion the act Read More Much of the focus of soil conservation practices emphasize decreasing the movement of soil by wind and water erosion.

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Production Farming Farming Crop 286

Modern Farmer

JANUARY 3, 2025

There’s a lot going on in farming these days. Some farmers are looking at succession plans, trying to figure out who will take over the family business. Others are looking to transition away from factory farming, and still others are looking at bringing on new technology or systems to help them be more efficient. This year, we explored what farming means to people across the US and the world, and brought you stories of truly modern farmers.

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Farming Farming Technology Crop 113

Caff

JANUARY 7, 2025

Every year, our community honors individuals, farms, and businesses who are making a positive difference in California. Selected from nominations from all over the state, these inspirational change-makers are blazing trails for regenerative agriculture, strengthening our local food systems, and working tirelessly to grow a healthier and more just future for us all.

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Farming Farming Ecology Orchard 105

Agri-tech

JANUARY 14, 2025

Senior representatives from CIMMYT visited the John Innes Centre on 6th January 2025 to discuss current and future collaboration opportunities. CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops.

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Maize Crop Production 133

Agric4profits

JANUARY 13, 2025

Organic Almond farming focuses on cultivating almonds without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. It promotes a sustainable, eco-friendly approach to almond production, emphasizing soil health, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship. Organic Almond farming supports natural ecosystems by using practices that protect soil fertility and prevent contamination of water and air.

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Farming Farming Fertilizer Pesticide 103

Food Tank

JANUARY 7, 2025

The nonprofit Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF) is working to connect families in Michigan facing food insecurity with local farms, strengthen local food systems and build community. Through their Michigan Farm to Family: CSA (MF2FCSA) program, participants enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can access CSAs at a reduced price.

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Food Farming Farming Forestry 97

Real Agriculture

JANUARY 27, 2025

Theres growing evidence that cover crops have the ability to support sustainably intensified agriculture. Thats the verdict from Purdue University associate agronomy professor Dr. Shalamar Armstrong. He makes a strong case to support the claim that cover crops have the ability to help agriculture produce more crops per acre while also preserving natural resources, including Read More Theres growing evidence that cover crops have the ability to support sustainably intensified agriculture.

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Crop Agriculture Agriculture Acre 287

Agricultural Biodiversity

JANUARY 30, 2025

A way to get free seeds from the US government? Yeah probably not. And if so, maybe not for long? Ok, let’s try the Korean government then. A way to find endangered plants in the US. And get the government to protect them, of course. A way to ensure national security ? Why, conserving crop diversity of course. Government unavailable for comment.

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Seeding Crop 120

Food Politics

JANUARY 21, 2025

A reader, Maria Birman, alerted me to this new report in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology from the 56-member Commission on the Definition and Diagnosis of Clinical Obesity. The commission recommended shifting the definition and diagnostic criteria for obesity away from the BMI and instead defining obesity in two categories based on health status.

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Food Marketing 113

The Lunatic Farmer

JANUARY 31, 2025

I just walked in the door from speaking at a homeschool co-op in Bumpass, Virginia and hearing the most unbelievable story that must be shouted from the rooftops. A middle-aged farmer told me his 18-year-old go-getter entrepreneurial son in 2022 wanted to install a slaughterhouse. This family has a serious farming operation and the son spearheads a deer processing facility on their property.

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Processing Food Marketing Livestock 115

Agric4profits

JANUARY 29, 2025

Citrus production has emerged as a significant global agricultural industry, driven by the cultivation of diverse varieties such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits. Renowned for their nutritional value, citrus fruits also play a vital role in the global economy through extensive export networks.

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Harvest Harvester Harvesting Production 103

Food Tank

JANUARY 10, 2025

As a third-generation farmer, Randy Hutton Jr. always knew he wanted to raise his own family on a farm. He has farmed in the Chesapeake Bay watershed since the early 2000s and now works full-time with his son, Matt, growing corn, soybeans, and wheat whilehumanely raising pigs. I’ve always liked working; the challenge of [farming], the freedom of it, the personal responsibility of it, says Hutton.

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Livestock Ranching Poultry Manure 98