New research is finding more than half of farm families are dealing with symptoms of depression or anxiety. Josie Rudolphi is with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “A majority of our respondents would rate their mental health as good, despite also meeting the criteria for perhaps mild, moderate, or even severe depression,” she says. Rudolphi is partway through a five-year nationwide project studying how farm economics impact the mental health […]
The USDA says sorghum planted area was up in 2023. The total of 6.805 million acres was 480,000 above last year in response to a smaller crop and greater drought resistance than some other crops. The USDA’s next round of production numbers is out July 12th. Comparisons for Brownfield states: Kansas: Planted: 3.3 million acres, unchanged from 2022; Harvested: 3.05 million acres, compared to 2.7 million a year ago Nebraska: […]
The USDA says the hay harvest should be up in 2023. However, the quality of that hay is a big question mark because of drought in parts of the country, and it is likely farmer harvest intentions will change to some degree. As of June 1st, the total hay harvest is projected at 51.976 million acres, including 15.658 million acres of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures and 36.318 million acres of […]
The Detroit Eastern Market received a visit this week from U.S. Ag Secretary Vilsack and Senator Debbie Stabenow to highlight efforts to expand market access for producers. The Eastern Market is one of eight award winners in Michigan to partner in USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program Michigan Department of Education received more than $10 million through the program which is meant to increase sales and support for local […]
A Wisconsin teacher received the National Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award. Jessica Rettler from Coloma teaches at Tri-County Elementary in Plainfield. The National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization presented Rettler with the award this week at its conference in Florida. Rettler found ways to share agriculture with students, their families, and peers, and included some hands-on ice cream making, real maple syrup sampling, and field trips to area farms. […]
Photo courtesy of southwest Iowa farmer Jeff Jorgenson Southwest Iowa farmer Duane Aistrope says he’s still assessing crop damage from a derecho that swept through his area on Thursday. “There’s not a lot of green snap in my fields,” he said. “I’ve heard that over by Interstate 29 on the western side of my county that the corn did snap off pretty bad over there. It’s probably going to start […]
Farmers made and paid less in May than in April. The USDA says the index of prices received by producers declined 2.8% as lower prices for milk, market eggs, strawberries, and lettuce canceled out higher prices for cattle, broilers, celery, and oranges. The dairy index for May fell 6.8% from April and 29% from May 2022, with an all milk price of $19.30 per hundredweight, a drop of $1.40 on […]
A deputy general counsel for the American Farm Bureau Federation says there are concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency’s “surgical” re-write of the 2023 Waters of the United States rule. Travis Cushman says the U.S. Supreme Court made it clear in the Sackett vs. EPA ruling issued in late May, the Biden administration’s updated WOTUS rule won’t work. “We are concerned it appears the EPA and Army Crops of Engineers […]
An agronomist with Beck’s says growers could see additional insect pressure because of mild winter weather conditions. Travis Coleman covers southern Indiana. “We’ve seen some flights of army worm and black cutworm that are already a bit above normal,” he says. He says scouting for pests should remain a priority. “I think about bean leaf beetle, some of those moths, European corn borer,” he says. “I am concerned that maybe […]
