Agriculture news covering farming, crop production, food supply, agricultural policy, and agribusiness developments.
Rising equipment prices and falling net farm income are forcing U.S. growers to rely on decades-old machinery. New top-end John Deere X9 combines now list for up to $1 million, while sales plummeted 56.1% in May. Net farm income is projected to decline 2.6% to $153.4 billion amid inflation.
Delayed rains and low Nile water levels driven by El Nino are causing critical crop failures in Sudan's primary agricultural region. This climate crisis compounds the devastation of a civil war that has killed over 200,000 people and displaced millions, while global supply chain disruptions further strain essential resources like fuel and fertilizers.
Severe weather across the US, including flooding in Indiana and Ohio and record tornadoes in Illinois, is stressing grain crops and limiting yields. This wild weather is boosting crop prices, posing a significant risk to China's soybean purchase commitments under recent trade agreements.
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones argues that British agriculture suffers from extreme racial homogeneity, with 99.7% of farmers identifying as white. He contends that minority entrepreneurs lack land access and networks, urging systemic changes to inheritance tax and land availability to diversify the sector.
A Farm Journal Foundation report argues that Ohio faces a looming shortage of rural and food-system veterinarians as many practitioners near retirement. The commentary suggests student debt relief and increased vet school acceptance rates are key strategies to address this crisis, which threatens the state's $124 billion agricultural sector.
American billionaires including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are acquiring vast tracts of land for personal agricultural hobbies, driving up prices in the $4.3 trillion farmland market. The National Young Farmers Coalition warns this trend makes it increasingly difficult for beginning and existing farmers to compete and expand.
The Indian Express profiles Harbhajan Singh Taggar, an Indian farmer who transformed leased village ponds into a profitable integrated aquaculture and agriculture enterprise. The article details his strategy of reinvesting earnings to expand operations, highlighting the significant financial returns from fish farming compared to traditional crops in Punjab.
The article argues that joint ventures in South Africa's commercial farming sector fail to adequately address historical inequalities. Research from the Eastern Cape suggests that merely granting water licenses is insufficient without structural changes to ensure emerging Black farmers achieve genuine economic independence and fair market access.
Rajasthan has launched its first farmer-owned agrophotovoltaic project in Kundanpura, Bassi block. The 3-acre installation generates 600 kW of electricity for the grid while supporting daytime irrigation for approximately 250 farms through a collaboration with ICRIER.
The article outlines Hermiston, Oregon's strategic rebranding from a munitions storage site to a watermelon hub. It details the city's slogan evolution and explains how local climate conditions enhance melon sweetness, culminating in the annual MelonFest celebration.