Missed some agricultural news this week? Here are seven stories to catch you up.
Farm Futures acreage forecast released
New results from the August 2021 Farm Futures survey find U.S. crop farmers are eager to cash in on profitable commodity prices and will likely continue to expand acreage into the next marketing year. Acreage estimates for 2022 include 1.7% increase in corn, 3.7% increase in soybeans and 6.3% increase in wheat. – Farm Futures
Ida threatens U.S. food supply
Hurricane Ida reminds us that raging storms and floods can devastate global food distribution networks. Ida destroyed docks and export terminals, crushed grain storage and processing facilities, shut down agrochemical plants and paralyzed major transport routes for soybeans and corn along the lower Mississippi River. -Washington Post
USDA forecasts 2021 farm income
The USDA-ERS Farm Sector Income Forecast shows 2021 is expected to be a promising year for farmers’ pocketbooks. Net farm income is predicted to climb 19.5% higher than in 2020. The increase is largely driven by commodity sales. – Farm Futures
Ivermectin misuse
The FDA has issued multiple warnings against the misuse of ivermectin, a commercial livestock drug for parasites, since false claims that the drug treats and prevents COVID-19 began circulating. Poison control centers across the nation have received an uptick in calls about the drug, including a 550% spike in Texas. – USA Today
Brazil soy farmers hoard crops
Brazilian soybean farmers are keeping their crops instead of selling them because they expect prices to rise further as global supplies tighten. Farmers hope to force exporters and the local processing industry to pay more. -Reuters
Court halts Trump’s water rule
The U.S. District Court in Arizona struck down the Trump administration’s 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, again casting uncertainty on farmers as it relates to jurisdiction of water features on their farms. The Biden administration will rewrite its own version of how to define federal water.– Farm Futures
Farm sale breaks record
An Iowa farmland sale broke records on Aug. 27 as 78 acres sold for $22,600 an acre in Grundy County (northeast Iowa). The farmland included a wind turbine, that likely helped boost the value. The previous record, set in 2012, was for $22,300 an acre in Sioux County. – Des Moines Register
And your bonus.
Australian sheep farmer Ben Jackson was unable to attend his aunt’s funeral due to pandemic travel restrictions. To pay tribute to his late aunt, Jackson created an incredible tribute video with his livestock. Jackson trail-fed hundreds of sheep, forming a massive white heart in a green field, and captured the moment using a drone. Check out the video. - The Washington Post