Agriculture

Across the Corn Belt, a winter-like storm is producing wet snow and windy conditions across parts of the upper Midwest, including much of Wisconsin.  In fact, blustery, chilly weather throughout the Corn Belt is curtailing fieldwork, including spring planting preparations.  Meanwhile in the far upper Midwest, snow-melt flooding continues, despite the recent turn toward cooler weather.  The Minnesota River at Montevideo, Minnesota, is nearing a crest—more than 5.2 feet above […]

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for near- or below-normal temperatures nationwide, except for warmer-than-normal weather in southern Florida and the Desert Southwest.  The Midwest will have the greatest likelihood of experiencing chilly weather.  Meanwhile, near- or above-normal precipitation across most of the country should contrast with drier-than-normal conditions in the upper Midwest and parts of the Southwest, including southern California. ...

An extension ag economist says Congress will need to find more money if a new farm bill is going to pass by the end of the calendar year. Texas A&M University’s Ag and Food Policy Center co-director Joe Outlaw says the big ask from commodity groups is a boost in reference prices. The Congressional Budget Office is estimating the cost at $20 billion and he says while expensive, lawmakers have […]

Four Purdue University students have created the first biodegradable, compostable, vegan, and non-toxic, soy-based foam. StyroSoy, an alternative to polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam, earned $20,000 in the 2023 Student Soybean Innovation Competition.  Team member Louis Edwards Caceres-Martinez from Colombia says they got the idea for the product when moving instruments from one lab to another.    “Basically the only option at that moment was packing peanuts. So, we were […]