Agriculture

Every summer, a “hypoxic zone” in the Gulf of Mexico (dissolved oxygen too low for many aquatic species to survive) is fueled by nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) runoff from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB), most of which comes from agriculture. This report assesses the most cost-effective way of achieving a 45-percent reduction in cropland nutrient loads to the Gulf. [node:read-more:link]

Reducing tillage and increasing soil cover (through crop rotations and cover crops) can enhance soil health. To gauge the intensity of tillage over time, this report estimates the number of years no-till or strip-till are used over a 4-year period. Conservation tillage was used on 70 percent of soybean (2012), 65 percent of corn (2016), and 67 percent of wheat (2017) acres. [node:read-more:link]

United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed three additional cases of virulent Newcastle disease in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, California. [node:read-more:link]

A study conducted by Datu Research, LLC., finds that 89% of agricultural retailers have offered cover crop products and services in the past two years, and 94% say they want to expand these offerings in the future.  Farmers plant cover crops to keep the soil anchored between growing seasons, reaping benefits in soil erosion, fertility, water retention, weed and pest control, and biodiversity. While the practice is growing in popularity, cover crop acreage in the United States remains low. These products and services account for less than 5% of total revenue, the study found. [node:read-more:link]

To help farmers look at various stewardship practices and the effects on their lands, Minneapolis-based farmer cooperative Land O'Lakes on Monday rolled out a new software program called the Truterra Insights Engine. Jason Weller, sustainability director for Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN program, said he saw a lot of shared goals between agricultural retailers and USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service when he served as the agency's chief. The goals centered on sharing long-term economic success with farmers, he said. [node:read-more:link]

Low milk costs mean tough times for dairy farmers across the Commonwealth, leaving many with no choice but to shut down. At one time, Erie County was home to dozens of dairy farms; that's no longer the case. Farmers say the business as a whole is to blame, but they tell us policy changes and support from the state could be a turning point. After more than 80 years in business, the barns at Curtis Dairy are now empty. [node:read-more:link]

A U.S. attorney is suing a West Virginia hemp farm and others, saying they violating the federal Controlled Substances Act.U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart has sued Matthew Mallory of CAMO Hemp WV, and Gary Kale of Grassy Run Farms. Grassy Run Farms owns the land, The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported Saturday.The lawsuit charges the farmers with manufacturing, cultivation, possession, and intent to distribute marijuana and not hemp. [node:read-more:link]

A new study, led by scientists from the University of Cambridge, says focusing resources to generate higher yields from smaller areas might be the “least bad” option to meet rising demand for food – as long as it allows more natural habitats to be “spared the plough”. [node:read-more:link]

The Dutch company Beladon is opening the world's first floating dairy farm in the Netherlands. Located in Rotterdam, the farm will house 40 cows in a high-tech facility on the water.Minke van Wingerden, one of the project's leaders, told Business Insider that the farm will produce an average of 211 gallons of milk each day.Most of the cows' food will come from city waste products, such as grains left over from local breweries and by-products from mills.Beladon is also interested in launching floating chicken farms and floating vertical farming greenhouse

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Walmart and its unit Sam’s Club said on Monday leafy greens suppliers will be asked to implement real-time, farm-to-store tracking using blockchain technology by next September, as the retailer tackles food-safety incidents. [node:read-more:link]