I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Once early settlers crossed the Appalachians, many had had enough of that kind of rough travel and settled in what is …
Interim Rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks Announced
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced (see the USDA announcement below) the publication of an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks. The …
American Agriculture History Minute: Mechanical Corn Shellers Introduced
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Corn has always been an important part of American agriculture history, but shelling it – usually by hand – was a …
American Agriculture History Minute: Corn, and Corn Shelling
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Corn of course holds a major part of American agriculture history, but very early on corn was typically shelled by hand …
American Agriculture History Minute: Harvesting Corn by Hand Continues Today
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. From roughly the 1920s to the 1940s, harvesting corn by hand was a necessity. Today, the National Corn Husking Association keeps …
American Agriculture History Minute: Weather Determined the Crops
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early settlers would learn that weather would often dictate the crops they would raise. In cooler regions, wheat was often the …
Export Sales Begin 2025 on a Lower Note
The first export sales report of 2025 came in below many traders’ expectations, according to Allendale commodity broker Greg McBride. U.S. corn sales totaled 777,000 metric tons, while soybeans came …
China Approves More GM Crops to Boost Food Security
China approved five gene-edited crop varieties and 12 types of genetically modified soybeans, corn, and cotton. Reuters says the expanded approvals are intended to boost high-yielding crops, reduce the need …
Latest Chapter in USMCA Biotech Corn Dispute
A USMCA Dispute Settlement Panel recently announced their ruling on a U.S. challenge of Mexico’s ban of our nation’s biotech corn imports – the latest news in an almost two-year …
U.S. Wins USMCA Biotechnology Dispute with Mexico, Securing Market Access for GE Corn
The United States has successfully resolved a critical trade dispute with Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), securing a victory for American agriculture. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced …
American Agriculture History Minute: Funk Brothers’ Advancement of Corn Seed
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Eugene Funk was the grandson of Isaac Funk, one of McLean County, Illinois’ earliest settlers and arguably the best livestock producer …
USDA to Gather 2024 Crop Data from California Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) will soon start collecting information for its 2024 Agricultural Survey. Beginning in late November, over 2,000 producers across California will …
American Agriculture History Minute: How Crops Migrated West
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. In the 1850s, there was a great push, migration to the west, finally crossing the Mississippi River and settling in Iowa, …
American Agriculture History Minute: Crop Adjustments After the Civil War
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. During the Civil War, wheat prices were higher. Many producers planted more wheat. With the end of the war, the bottom …