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Retail food price inflation in 2022 surpassed 2021 rates in most categories

Food-at-home prices increased by 11.4 percent in 2022, more than three times the rate in 2021 (3.5 percent) and much faster than the 2.0-percent historical annual average from 2002 to 2021. Of the food categories depicted in the chart, all except beef and veal grew faster in 2022 than in 2021. In 2022, price increases […]
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Amid drought, Idaho water wars threaten to restart as negotiators seek compromise

Behind closed doors, furious negotiations are taking place to keep the peace between canal irrigators in the Magic Valley and groundwater irrigators in Eastern Idaho as the drought that has gripped the West rears its head in the Gem State. At stake is a 2015 settlement agreement, a crowning achievement of House Speaker Scott Bedke, […]
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Cosmic Crisp: the largest commercialization of an apple variety globally

New fruit varieties are continuously being developed to meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers. However, how does a new variety make its way into the market and become successful? Washington state-based Proprietary Variety Management (PVM) is a full-service commercialization company. “We take tree fruit all the way through the commercialization process to marketing,” says Kathryn […]
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Agriculture Innovation: 10 Tech Trends to Watch in 2023

By 2050, the demand for food will surge 70%, in line with rapid population growth. A UN study found that about 9.9% of the world’s population still goes hungry, so the thought of feeding almost 10 billion mouths is a daunting prospect. With environmental changes hard to predict, we must turn to innovation in agriculture […]
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LOCAL FARM MANAGER EARNS HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL STATUS

Brent Lawson, AFM, Root Agricultural Advisory, Boise, ID has been awarded the Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) designation from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers® (ASFMRA®).
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11 states consider ‘right to repair’ for farming equipment

DENVER (AP) — On Colorado’s northeastern plains, where the pencil-straight horizon divides golden fields and blue sky, a farmer named Danny Wood scrambles to plant and harvest proso millet, dryland corn and winter wheat in short, seasonal windows. That is until his high-tech Steiger 370 tractor conks out. The tractor’s manufacturer doesn’t allow Wood to […]
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Irrigators fear water will be cut off in eastern Idaho amid looming legal battle

IDAHO FALLS – The outcome of an irrigation lawsuit could determine whether hundreds of Idaho farmers continue to have access to the state’s water supply. The dispute, which revolves around distribution of water in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, is between participating members of the Surface Water Coalition in Magic Valley and Idaho Ground Water […]
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Armchair farming edges closer as industry shifts to autonomous technology

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Armchair farming may not be here yet, but it’s getting closer. “Autonomy in agriculture isn’t as far away as you think,” says Kent Shannon, University of Missouri Extension agricultural engineering specialist. Agriculture is rapidly shifting to technology that can increase land efficiency, reduce labor shortages and streamline food production, says Shannon. Imagine […]
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Looking Ahead to 2023: Increasing consumption

Much attention has been given to how to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. It’s not a new problem but a recurring issue, despite the efforts of many. Produce prescriptions Considered a matter of national urgency, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health was held in September to create a framework for ending hunger […]
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Industry reacts to Washington asking to remove tariffs on apples to India

Following last month’s move by Washington state officials urging the Biden administration to help remove or reduce tariffs on American apples imported to India--how are Washington apple growers and shippers feeling about it? “I applaud the effort. However, it is most likely too late to make a major or immediate impact in the volume shipping […]
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Silicon Valley Has 20-40 Inches of Rain, Flooding, But Clings to ‘Severe Drought’

The California Department of Water Resources announced that snowpack levels have reached nearly 250%, the Globe reported Tuesday. Specifically, the Northern Sierra region is currently at 209% of snowpack, with the Central Sierra/Tahoe region coming in at 246%, and the Southern Sierra region, which largely feeds the Central Valley and Southern areas of the state, […]
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Joe Burrow, Blake Griffin Team Up to Buy $5 Million Farm in Iowa

Old MacDonald had a farm…and it's gonna need a bigger trophy case. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Celtics power forward Blake Griffin, Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman, Islanders winger Anders Lee, and several other professional athletes have teamed up to purchase a farm in Iowa. The farm in question is 104 acres and produces corn and […]
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US Farmland Escapes Real Estate Slump as Prices Soar to Record

Buying a plot of land in rural America has never been so expensive. And that’s even with soaring interest rates. Rising commodity prices mean farmers made record amounts of money this year, spurring a rush for space to plant in 2023. More demand comes just as people fled to the countryside during the pandemic — […]
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Climate change may boost alfalfa yields

Among the many politically polarizing issues of the day is climate change. A multitude of claims — many unsubstantiated — are made by both the “doom and gloomers” as well as the deniers. Alan Rotz is an agricultural engineer with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service based in University Park, Pa. He proposes we follow the science […]
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Farm Climate Smart - 7 The New Cash Crop: Farmers Venture Into Carbon-Sequestration Market

James and Deaver Traywick are head high -- and then some -- in a late-spring field of broom-bristle-thick cover crops on their farm, near Cope, South Carolina. They are just days from planting the acres to cotton and will have to flatten a mix of rye, crimson clover and tillage radish to do so. In […]
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2022 ASFMRA Farm Manager of the Year – Skye Root

Skye Root named 2022 Professional Farm Manager of the Year: syngenta-us.com Farm Manager of the Year: Built to Serve As a Bridge: thedailyscoop.com Farm Manager of the Year: Built to Serve As a Bridge: agweb.com Congratulations to our very own Skye Root, founder of Root Agricultural Advisory, who was named the 2022 Professional Farm Manager of […]
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Farmland Values Set Records Farmland Prices Expected to Stay Strong in 2023

INDIANOLA, Iowa (DTN) -- Despite rising interest rates and higher input costs, the farmland market across the Midwest remains strong, although not quite as robust as last fall. "You can still have a record land sale, but not every sale will set a record," said Doug Hensley, president of Hertz Real Estate Services based in […]
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How producers are driving a more connected food ecosystem

Shifting consumer trends are driving fundamental change across the entire food and agriculture industry. The traditional farm-to-fork model has evolved to fork-from-farm and today is better described as a connected ecosystem. This raises questions about the role that companies across the value chain — processors, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers — will play as this new, […]
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Farmer First: The Better Way to Develop AgTech

By Ehsan Soltan There was once a farmer out working his land in the August heat when suddenly a sports car screeched to a stop on a nearby road... A young man jumped out of the car and began to walk towards the farmer. Being a little alarmed at the unusual disturbance, the farmer stopped […]
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It’s the thirstiest crop in the US south-west. Will the drought put alfalfa farmers out of business?

On an early August morning in California’s Imperial Valley, tractors rumble across verdant fields of alfalfa, mowing down the tall plant and leaving it to dry in shaggy heaps under the hot sun. Here, in one of the oldest farming communities in the Colorado River basin, the forage crop is king. One out of every […]
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OSU LOOKING TO EXPAND ROBOTICS IN FARMIN

Farmers will need to feed an estimated 9.8 billion people worldwide by 2050, and to help in that effort, Oregon State University researchers are trying to expand the use of robots in agriculture. Joe Davidson, Assistant Professor of Robotics, said nearly all fruit is harvested by humans because robots don’t operate efficiently in unstructured environments. […]
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Drought conditions hold steady across the U.S. with some spotty relief

The North American Monsoon hit the southwestern United States this past week, bringing a modicum of drought relief, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and eastern California saw some relief, as did central Montana. Meanwhile, in the Heartland, localized heavy rains brought spotty improvement and record disastrous flooding in St. […]
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Who Owns America’s Farmland? And What Is Their Role In The Response To Climate Change?

1870 was the first US Census in which farmers were in the minority (47.7%).Today, only 1.3% of Americans are still farming and increasingly do so on operations of over 2,000 acres. Even so, family farms still make up 98% of our agricultural sector. Farm ownership still reflects the legacy of the Homestead Act of 1862 as a great deal of current farmland still belongs […]
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Later start on smaller crop of Idaho potatoes this summer

Supplies of Idaho potatoes continue to be extremely tight and will likely gap before fresh crop potatoes come on later this summer. “We’re at the end of the storage crop and supplies have become much tighter,” says Ryan Wahlen of Pleasant Valley Potato in Aberdeen, Idaho. “The current crop is also about two weeks behind […]
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Washington will likely see smaller 2022 cherry crop

All eyes are on the weather as Washington makes its way towards the upcoming cherry season. “We’re in the bloom season right now and so far, it’s a trying time,” says Dan Davis with Starr Ranch Growers based in Wenatchee, Washington. “We’ve had a lot of freezing temperatures and a host of cold weather issues. […]
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Opinion: Agriculture feeds the U.S. economy, but it is at a crossroads

The American agriculture and food industries have always been integral to our country’s collective success – not only putting food on our tables but fueling jobs and opportunities for Americans. The latest economic data underscores these industries’ broad influence and reveals they have largely recovered from the effects of the pandemic. But with the continued […]
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2021 RLI Broker of the Year (Cropland) – Skye Root

We are excited to share that our founder Skye Root, was recognized again this year as the REALTORS® Land Institute#APEX 2021 National Broker of the Year for #AgLand Sales: Crops. This award recognizes the applicant with the highest qualifying transaction volume in crop land. Skye was also recognized as an #APEX 2021 Top 20 National Producer. He received the awards from […]
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NEW ECONOMIC REPORT: A GLIMPSE INTO THE 2022 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY

Learn more about the seven most influential factors impacting agricultural economics in 2022. From supply chain shortages to spiking input costs, farmers were faced with challenges in 2021 that required dedication and ingenuity to overcome. In response, they adapted their operations to meet a rising consumer demand for agricultural products. Despite the challenges, the combination of […]
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CLEARING THE AIR: HOW CATTLE CAN REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES

The ongoing debate over the impact of the animal agriculture communities on greenhouse gas emissions is nothing new. Cows have been condemned for climate change effects time and time again – oftentimes unfairly with overstated figures and exaggerated claims. But even now, as anti-animal agriculture activists rally this cause as an excuse to reduce or […]
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Farmland Values Rising Faster in Western Corn Belt Vs. the East, Will It Continue?

According to Farmer Mac’s The Feed Fall Edition, USDA shows overall farm real estate values in the U.S. are up 7% compared with 2021. Jackson Takach, Farmer Mac economist, says when you adjust for inflation, farmland returns are still on solid footing and viewed as a safe investment. “Farmers all the way to institutional investors […]
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Why Is Bill Gates Buying Farmland? You'll be Surprised

It has been said that farmers can't afford to be pessimists. Even in an age of rapidly encroaching automation, it isn't, and never has been, easy being a farmer. However, one cannot become a farmer without a sense of optimism. There are over two million individual farms in the United States. That is the equivalent […]
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Soil-As-A-Service Startup Aims to Reboot Land’s Natural Potential

MyLand is a startup in agriculture with a focus on amplifying the natural microorganisms within soil. Specifically, the company has a system that take soil samples from a farm, extracts native microalgae, reproduces those on-site, and then reintroduces the algae back into the field in mass quantities.
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Will Carbon Markets Drive Farmers to Collect More Data?

About 37% of farmers use a data software package on their farms, according to the 2021 Farm Journal Technology Survey. Of those who are collecting agronomic data, they’re most often collecting yield maps, planting and chemical and fertilizer applications.
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New US rules to protect animal farmers expected soon

The Biden administration plans to issue a new rule to protect the rights of farmers who raise cows, chickens and hogs against the country’s largest meat processors as part of a plan to encourage more competition in the agriculture sector.
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Keep the Good Times Rolling

High commodity prices have farmers willing to spend more on nutrients and crop protection products to maximize crop yields. But only if it's worth the investment.
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Staying safe while working in agriculture

by: Ariana Schumacher Working in production agriculture comes with its dangers. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), every day, about 100 agricultural workers suffer a lost-work-time injury.
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Speculators Keep Piling Into Agriculture Commodities

Futures positions and changes made by hedge funds across commodities, forex, bonds and stock indices up until last Tuesday, April 27. A week where U.S. index futures resumed their ascent, the dollar continued lower while US Treasury yields ticked higher, but staying within their established ranges. Commodities surged higher led by very strong gains in […]
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HOW DO YOU MEASURE CARBON?

Reading the book Mindset by Carol Dweck transformed the way Tom Oswald thought about farming.
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Europe boosts organic supply, but what about demand? ‘Consumers dictate the food chain

By Flora Southey Does the European Commission’s ambition of achieving 25% agricultural land under organic farming risk tipping the scales of supply and demand? REPOSTED FROM FOODNAVIGATOR.COM - READ FULL ARTICLE HERE GettyImages/Zbynek Pospisil
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Rediscovering ancient crop varieties

Old and diverse crop varieties are packed full of nutrients and adapted to local environmental conditions. But since the 1900s, some 75% of plant genetic diversity has been lost with big implications for food security. REPOSTED FROM DW.COM - READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
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Biologicals: the next agricultural technology revolution

Decades of adverse agricultural practices and chemical pesticide use have depleted the supply of natural beneficials. Beneficials are organisms that benefit the growth of crops and include insects, microorganisms, and plants. Beneficials provide pest control and pollination, and they encourage crop resilience and soil health.
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'I’M STILL HERE': Agriculture breathes a sigh of relief after a year of pandemic

The spread of COVID-19 forced the closure or curtailment of many sectors of the economy last spring and sent shockwaves through all facets of agriculture. Restaurants and other venues were shut down, and many Americans shifted their eating habits to cook-in or take-out. Agricultural supply chains were disrupted as processors scrambled to switch from foodservice […]
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Agriculture ETFs Surge Following a Surprise USDA Report

IAN YOUNG APRIL 1, 2021 Agricultural futures and ETFs surged Wednesday, as the CME Group’s farm reacted strongly to this morning’s USDA data dump. U.S. farmers will plant lower corn and soybean acreage than the trade expected, according to the USDA. May corn futures surged 4.64%, to move 25¢ higher to $5.64½, making an explosive […]
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Soil Health – Three Improvement Opportunities

By: Skye Root, Brent Lawson, Jim Redmond & Nikki Rogers Lots of variables go into having a successful farm, but it all starts with good soil health. It is easy to look at soil and just see some dirt. However, there is a lot happening invisible to the naked eye. Imbedded in soil are dynamic […]
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5 Things I’ve Learned About Agriculture

By Anne Marie Moss Guest columnist Anne Marie Moss is communications director at the Oregon Farm Bureau and shares insights gleaned since joining the organization in 2004.
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USDA will distribute $12 billion in COVID relief

Following up on his promise to reevaluate the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and identify gaps in funding, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday that USDA plans to distribute additional financial assistance to those who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. USDA says the new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set […]
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2020 RLI Broker of the Year (Cropland) – Skye Root

RLI is also proud to recognize the accomplishments of the APEX National Broker of the Yearrecipients in each of the following eight distinct land categories: BROKER OF THE YEAR IN AG LAND SALES – CROPS 2020 APEX National Broker of the Year Winners: issuu.com Nation's Top-Producing Land Agents Recognized by Realtors® Land Institute APEX Awards […]
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NASA data powers new USDA Soil Moisture Portal

Farmers, researchers, meteorologists, and others now have access to high-resolution NASA data on soil moisture, thanks to a new tool developed by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in collaboration with NASA and George Mason University. The tool, Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics (Crop-CASMA), provides access to high-resolution data from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive […]
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Four Farmland Selling Tips

By Nikki Rogers, Skye Root & Brent Lawson Selling farmland for respectable prices requires effort, diligence, and target marketing. It can be easy to assume your farmland will bring top of market pricing as-is, but presentation and information are important. Having information like historical crop rotation, verifiable yield history, accurate water right information (depending on […]
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WHY REAL ASSETS LIKE FARMLAND ARE THE FUTURE

By Joseph Byrum In these uncertain times, tangible investments provide comfort to the risk averse. Unlike buying shares in a company enjoying a spike in publicity, or taking up more complex instruments like derivatives, land is something you can see, touch, and smell. Real holdings don’t just exist on a computer screen — they can […]
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RECORD CORN AND SOYBEAN CROPS POSSIBLE AS FARMERS CHASE HIGH PRICES

PLANTINGS OF CORN AND SOYBEANS WOULD BE 5% LARGER THAN LAST YEAR, CORN UP BY 1.2 MILLION ACRES, AND SOYBEANS UP BY 6.9 MILLION ACRES.
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Wind energy gives American farmers a new crop to sell in tough times

Elizabeth Weise - USA TODAY Across this central northern county, wind turbine blades slowly slice the cold air over winter-brown fields. The 67 wind turbines of the Meridian Way Wind Farm straddle dozens of farms and ranches, following the contours of the land and the eddies of the wind above it. The turbines are tall […]
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Cover Crops: Impacts to Long-Term Soil Fertility and Producer Bottom Line

With an ever-growing population, farming is more important than it ever was before. 200 years ago, people were self-reliant and grew their own food to live, but now that is no longer the case. Farming methods have become more efficient to produce higher yields in order to keep up with the increasing demand for food […]
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GOP congressman pitches $34 billion plan to breach Lower Snake River dams in new vision for Northwest

By Lynda V. Mapes Seattle Times environment reporter For nearly three decades, the region has been stuck in unending litigation and spiraling costs as salmon in the Columbia and Snake rivers decline toward extinction. But in a sweeping $34 billion proposal from an unlikely source, at an auspicious moment, comes a chance for a fresh […]
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LAND O’LAKES, MICROSOFT IN CARBON CREDIT PROGRAM

By Chuck Abbott Truterra, a subsidiary of farmer-owned Land O’Lakes, launched a carbon credit program on Thursday in which Microsoft, its first buyer, will pay $20 per ton for carbon sequestered in the soil. The program, called TruCarbon, “will help farmers generate and sell carbon credits to private sector buyers,” said the company.
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Investors can now trade water futures

By Anneken Tappe, CNN Business There's a new commodity in town for investors to trade: water.
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FarmLab thinks it can get 1m farmers to sequester 1bn tonnes of CO2 by 2025. Here’s how

BY Jack Ellis Do you reckon 1 million farmers globally can sequester 1 billion tonnes of carbon — removing the rough equivalent of 217 million cars from the road — and all within the next five years?
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Idaho Water Rights – Understanding The Gem State’s System

Part of our Water Rights Guide Idaho has over 880 square miles of surface water area and 3.3 million acres of irrigated land, much of it part of the Snake River system. It also has 50 administrative basins in charge of coordinating water use within each region, as well as separate irrigation districts that build and manage diversion […]
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New Industry Formation in the Ancient Agricultural Industry

Farmland owners are increasingly thinking critically about the development of “sustainable” practices and effective structures to record, measure, and provide transparency to farming operations. To date, despite persistent global efforts, there has been little coordination and cooperation between agricultural reporting standards. Until now, no uniform metric system existed to enable farmland sustainability comparisons, across region, […]
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Leading Harvest Sets Universal Standard for Agriculture Sustainability

New non-profit removes barriers to sustainability, empowers producers to innovate, and launches with two million acres committed to enrollment.
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Three Benefits of a Farm Manager

The term farm manager is loosely defined and means different things to different people, depending on context and audience. In this article, we aspire to clarify terminology and clearly define the accretive value a Farm Manager can provide a farming operation.
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How covid-19 affects the farmland market

FARMLAND RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS SOLID AND STEADY. AND THAT’S OK. By Bill Spiegel In the 2014 book, The Death of Money, author James Rickards writes there are five assets people invest in over time to preserve their wealth. In order of importance, they include gold, undeveloped land (including farmland), fine art, hedge funds, and […]
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Redistribution of U.S. Farmland Balance Sheets

U.S. Net Farm Income has navigated a “rocky road” over the past seven years. Despite declines in Net Operating Income, farmland asset prices have continued to rise. The November 2019 - USDA Farm Sector Indicator report provides deep insight to farmland profitability and operational shifts that have occurred. As displayed below, Net Farm Income has […]
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Farm Economy: Debt to Income Signals Caution

Over the last few years we have documented a number of important trends in the financial condition of the U.S. farm sector.  These have included a decline in liquidity, rapidly growing amounts of real estate debt, and deteriorating repayment capacity.  While falling interest rates have helped to mitigate the impact of increased debt use, farm income […]
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COVID 19 And Global Agriculture: 5 Datasets To Watch

The team at agtech company Gro Intelligence is launching a full dashboard dedicated to COVID 19 and its effect on global agriculture. “The potential impact can’t be understated,” says Will Osnato senior research analyst with Gro Intelligence. “We are aiming to provide direct insights on the impact the outbreak is having.” Boiled down, here are the 5 […]
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Purdue Agricultural Economics Report

Welcome to our annual outlook issue of the Purdue Ag Econ Report (PAER), where we look back at last year and ahead at economic conditions for agriculture in 2020.
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Macros, Myths and Methods – Agriculture as an Investment

Food is one of mankind’s most basic survival needs and yet, the means by which is it produced, is largely misunderstood and underrepresented by the investment community. Agriculture is one of the oldest investment sectors in the world, time-tested and proven to weather economic uncertainty. Yet even today as farmland is widely acknowledgedas an alternative […]
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Continuing Education for Farm Management

Why Adaptability Matters on the Farm: Staying on Top of Trends through Education is Crucial for Farm Managers and Consultants The agricultural industry is ever evolving. Not only has the industry experienced paradigm shifts in technology and operational efficiencies, but the market for agricultural investment and management has shifted drastically over the past 30 years. […]
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Leading Harvest Sets the Standard

A new coalition of farmland owners and operators will introduce a sustainable agriculture standard in 2020. BY CARY ESTES If Earth is our home, then the kitchen takes up half our house. According to the World Bank, 50 percent of the world’s habitable land is dedicated to agriculture uses. In essence, our planet is a […]
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The Science Behind Microbial and Biological Products

MICROBIAL PRODUCTS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO HELP FARMERS BETTER MANAGE NUTRIENTS AND SLAY PESTS. IMPROVING PRODUCT CONSISTENCY, THOUGH, IS KEY.
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Four Issues Affecting Ag Customers this Year

The following four topics address what we believe are our clients’ biggest concerns for 2019: INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONCERNS This issue continues to be at the forefront for the agriculture industry. Much of the price vola­tility we have seen in the past 18 months has been directly related to trade conflicts and uncer­tainty. This hits the […]
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