Agricultural news, updates and trends from The Gazette.
An investigation by KFF Health News reveals key problems in the U.S. response to bird flu, including deference to the farm industry, eroded public health budgets, neglect for the safety of agriculture workers, and the sluggish pace of federal interventions.
Robots with nitrate sensors, being developed by Iowa State and Michigan State university researchers, could help farmers detect where, how and how much nitrate they are losing.
U.S. growers, who had worried about the potential loss of the single biggest export market for U.S. corn, welcomed the decision, calling it “a major win.”
Regenerative agriculture aims to take the agriculture industry back to basics and use farming methods that revive the health of the soil. It’s seen by some as a solution. But making the transition from conventional to regenerative farming methods can include a significant learning curve. Farmers are finding support from a nonprofit and each other.
Pathologists said in a press conference Friday they are encouraged by laboratory preparedness for a potential outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, but are worried about the number of infected animals and the ability of the virus to mutate.
Iowa State University researchers are urging longer growing seasons, more cover crops to combat high emissions
Plant seems to be ‘marching downstream’ toward Iowa.
The comprehensive package supports several key farm and safety net programs, like crop insurance, as well as agriculture research, rural development, conservation projects and food assistance for low-income families. But gridlock over funding for SNAP benefits and incentives for capturing greenhouse gases, among other issues, stood in the way of crafting a new farm bill.
The individual, who reported mild symptoms, was exposed to the virus while working with a commercial flock in northwest Iowa.
Every year the U.S. egg industry kills about 350 million male chicks because, while the fuzzy little animals are incredibly cute, they will never lay eggs, so have little monetary value.
Cropland is still expensive and overpriced at an average of about $11,500 per acre, but average values declined about 3 percent from last year's record, according to an Iowa State University survey.
There have been a total of eight detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial and backyard flocks in Iowa in the past 10 days, for a total of about 6.8 million birds.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced Friday it has seen a “sharp jump” in cases of the highly pathogenic avian flu in wild birds this month after “nearly a year” with no detections of the virus.
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