Farm News & Views Bob Bragg

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza continues to cause problems with dairy cattle in the U.S. as the virus spreads, a virus is attacking cacao trees in the West African countries of Ghana and the Ivory Coast, the world has added 398 million harvested acres of feed grains, food grains, and oil seeds during the 21st century, and the EPA reports that while U.S. greenhouse gas emissions increased from 2021 to 2022 by 1.3%, agricultural emissions dropped 1.8%.

The research into how Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is being spread to dairy cows shows a link to cats, the House Agriculture Committee Chair indicates that committee members might be close to finalizing a new farm bill, and some online gardening tips for spring planting.

A look into the complexities of water rights, agricultural use, and the continued search for shared solutions in the Colorado River basin as drought conditions continue.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to the cross-species outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza that is now infecting cattle as well as poultry, the CSU Montezuma County Extension has announced their 2024 Land Management Workshop series, and a look at how irrigation water is valued in the Midwest versus the West.

Agriculture in Indian Country generated almost $6.5 billion in 2022, avian influenza has led to infections and depopulation of more than 115 million chickens and turkeys, the collapse of the Baltimore Key Bridge and shut down the Port of Baltimore impacts farm machinery and agricultural exports, low water levels in the Mississippi River continue to affect agricultural transport, and U.S. farm income is falling as low commodity prices, trade headwinds, and higher costs squeeze profits.

The Bureau of Land Management announces a new draft plan to protect the greater sage grouse on sagebrush range lands in several Western states, the U.S. Senate passes a resolution to overturn the USDA’s rule that would allow Paraguayan fresh beef imports,