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President Trump Signs Pro-Rancher Executive Orders Amidst Policy Tensions Over Beef Imports

President Trump Signs Pro-Rancher Executive Orders Amidst Policy Tensions Over Beef Imports

On September 4, President Trump signed two executive orders aimed at supporting U.S. ranchers, addressing concerns related to meat processing, labeling, market competition, and predator control. Concurrently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced additional priorities under its Ranchers First Initiative, a comprehensive plan to rebuild the 'Great American Beef Herd.' The first executive order, 'Supporting America’s Ranchers,' focuses on livestock depredation by directing the Secretary of the Interior to review the delisting or downlisting of gray and Mexican wolves under the Endangered Species Act. It also mandates updates to compensation standards for predator losses and eases authorization for lethal removal. Additionally, this order directs the USDA to review existing authorities for mandatory country-of-origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef products. The second order, 'Promoting Fair Competition in Livestock Markets and Expanding Market Access for American Meat Producers,' aims to strengthen p...

NBER to Host Conference on Innovation in U.S. Agricultural and Food System in 2027

NBER to Host Conference on Innovation in U.S. Agricultural and Food System in 2027

NBER to Host Conference on Innovation in U.S. Agricultural and Food System in 2027

PepsiCo Hosts Global Agro University to Enhance Potato Farming Across 35+ Countries

PepsiCo Hosts Global Agro University to Enhance Potato Farming Across 35+ Countries

PepsiCo Hosts Global Agro University to Enhance Potato Farming Across 35+ Countries

USDA Initiates Data Modernization Plan to Enhance Farmer Information Access

USDA Initiates Data Modernization Plan to Enhance Farmer Information Access

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched a Data Modernization Plan aimed at providing farmers with more equitable access to market information. This initiative, released in early September, was developed based on feedback from farmers and agricultural industry professionals. The plan focuses on four key areas: improving the reporting experience for farmers, refining acreage and yield estimates, integrating data and technology platforms, and increasing transparency with producers. According to Seth Meyer with MU’s Food and Ag Policy Research Institute, the fundamental goal is to ensure information symmetry in the market, preventing a scenario where private companies possess significantly more forecasting tools and data than individual farmers. The USDA intends to begin implementing actions under this plan immediately and will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the process.

Locus Agriculture Introduces Unpac® to Combat Soil Compaction and Enhance Crop Performance

Locus Agriculture Introduces Unpac® to Combat Soil Compaction and Enhance Crop Performance

Locus Agriculture is expanding the use of its glycolipid-based soil conditioner, Unpac®, across various crop production systems to address soil compaction and improve water movement. Soil compaction is a widespread issue, identified as a concern on 22% of surveyed wheat, soybean, oat, and cotton fields by a USDA Economic Research Service analysis. Dense soils restrict root development and limit a crop's access to water and nutrients. Unpac utilizes fermentation-derived glycolipid technology to reduce surface tension, allowing water to penetrate and spread more effectively through the soil profile, thereby creating better conditions for root growth. Third-party laboratory tests have shown that Unpac reduces soil density across different moisture levels in agricultural soils from California's Central Coast and Central Valley, and improves water penetration compared to untreated water. The product is being incorporated into diverse cropping systems, including specialty crops like potatoes and strawberries, wh...

ILDEX Indonesia 2026 to Connect Global Livestock Technology with Southeast Asian Growth Markets

ILDEX Indonesia 2026 to Connect Global Livestock Technology with Southeast Asian Growth Markets

ILDEX Indonesia 2026 to Connect Global Livestock Technology with Southeast Asian Growth Markets

Brain Gray Matter Decline Pauses During Menopause Transition, Study Reveals

Brain Gray Matter Decline Pauses During Menopause Transition, Study Reveals

A new study published in Nature Communications indicates that the gradual decline in brain gray matter, a normal part of aging, temporarily pauses during the transition to menopause. Researchers analyzed MRI scans from over 1,000 girls and women, comparing brain changes across puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. While gray matter volume typically shrinks during puberty and pregnancy, reflecting neural fine-tuning, the study found a unique stability during late perimenopause. This pause in decline then resumes in postmenopausal women. Study co-author Sophie van't Hof, a doctoral student at Amsterdam University Medical Center, noted that factors like hormone replacement therapy or the number of children did not significantly impact these results. The research provides the first direct longitudinal comparison of brain structural changes across these major female hormonal transitions.

USDA Revises Corn and Soybean Production Estimates in September WASDE Report

USDA Revises Corn and Soybean Production Estimates in September WASDE Report

USDA Revises Corn and Soybean Production Estimates in September WASDE Report

AI Integration in Agricultural Equipment Boosts Farm Productivity and Efficiency

AI Integration in Agricultural Equipment Boosts Farm Productivity and Efficiency

AI Integration in Agricultural Equipment Boosts Farm Productivity and Efficiency

USDA Advances Sterile Fly Strain to Combat New World Screwworm Outbreak

USDA Advances Sterile Fly Strain to Combat New World Screwworm Outbreak

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is actively working to enhance its response to the New World Screwworm (NWS) outbreak by expanding sterile fly production and developing a new, more efficient strain. The NWS, a parasitic fly that lays eggs in the wounds of warm-blooded animals, has recently re-emerged in the U.S., posing a threat to livestock and wildlife. The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, in collaboration with university partners, have developed NovoFly™, an all-male strain of sterile screwworm flies. This strain is designed to make the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) more efficient by producing only male flies, which are the primary agents in preventing reproduction of wild females. Currently, the COPEG facility in Panama produces approximately 100 million sterile flies per week, and additional production capacity is being developed in Mexico and at Moore Air Base in Texas. The goal is to reach or exceed the 500 million sterile flies released weekly during the previous U....

First U.S. Horse Case of Screwworm Detected in Texas Border County

First U.S. Horse Case of Screwworm Detected in Texas Border County

The first horse in the United States to be infected with New World screwworm has been confirmed in Presidio County, southern Texas, near the Mexican border. This detection follows months of screwworm infestations in U.S. cattle, raising concerns about controlling the pest's spread. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website confirmed the case on Wednesday. In response, the Texas Animal Health Commission, which identified the case, issued an order prohibiting the movement of warm-blooded animals outside a designated 'infested' zone within Presidio and Jeff Davis counties. The U.S. Equestrian Federation reported that the infestation occurred in the hind limb of a working ranch horse and urged horse owners to regularly inspect their animals, practice good wound care, fly control, and biosecurity measures.

German Public Shows Strong Preference for European Data Center Operators Over U.S. and Chinese Firms

German Public Shows Strong Preference for European Data Center Operators Over U.S. and Chinese Firms

German Public Shows Strong Preference for European Data Center Operators Over U.S. and Chinese Firms